Trips

Birding Day at Jamaica Bay in May

May 24, 2011 by Corey 10 Comments

Just like last year when I spent a goodly chunk of a Saturday at the end of May at Jamaica Bay I spent this past Saturday birding one of the premiere birding destinations of the northeastern United States, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.  Though I had hoped for nice variety of passerine migrants I was disappointed by the number and variety of birds that fit that category, but was pleased with some nice shorebirds and with breeding birds on territory.  Birding Jamaica Bay is rarely a total wash and this past Saturday was no exception, especially once the sun came out and burnt off the heavy fog.

Rather then give a complete accounting of my four plus hours exploring the environs of one of my favorite birding spots I will just share a few pictures from the day and let you imagine the details.  Good spring birding to you before the summer doldrums set in and we’re stuck desperately awaiting the shorebirds coming back south!

Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus

Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum

Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus

Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii

American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus

Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris

Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus

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Written by Corey
Corey is a New Yorker who lived most of his life in upstate New York but has lived in Queens since 2008. He's only been birding since 2005 but has garnered a respectable life list by birding whenever he wasn't working as a union representative or spending time with his family. He lives in Forest Hills with Daisy and Desmond Shearwater. His bird photographs have appeared on the Today Show, in Birding, Living Bird Magazine, Bird Watcher's Digest, and many other fine publications. He is also the author of the American Birding Association Field Guide to the Birds of New York.