Yellow-throated Warbler. Image by Anthony Macchiarola.
Notable Sightings: October 25, 2023 to February 26, 2024
By Anthony Macchiarola
This section covers a long stretch of time that began in late fall and extended nearly to the beginning of spring, providing quite a bit of variety. The fall period saw many of the less common, but reasonably expected species passing through Putnam such as Eastern Meadowlarks and Horned Larks at Glynwood, and Long-tailed Ducks and Red-throated Loons on the reservoirs. A couple of uncommon migrants including Orange-crowned Warbler and Dickcissel passed through during the fall migration period as well. However, the two best birds of the year in Putnam County showed up at the very end of the calendar year; a Barnacle Goose on Lake Gleneida and a Western Tanager at a private residence in Patterson! Both birds were accommodating and seen by many observers. As winter progressed, additional good birds arrived including Northern Shrike that took up residence at the Indian Hill Section of Donald Trump State Park, and an Iceland Gull along the Hudson in Cold Spring. The top bird of the winter period goes to the male Barrow’s Goldeneye photographed at West Point Foundry Preserve!
As always, some exceptional birds showed up in the greater Hudson Valley Region during this time as well. Among the more notable birds were a Hammond’s Flycatcher that spent a little time at Rockland Lake State Park, a Common Eider found along the Hudson River in Newburgh, and TWO Purple Gallinules found in Rockland and Westchester Counties. However, the most notable bird would have to be the Glaucous-winged Gull first seen along the Newburgh/Beacon waterfronts, then in Ulster county, and finally 9 days later in Western NY…145 miles away! This was the second record of this species in NYS, and very likely the same individual recorded in the Bronx last year.
Putnam County:
Oct. 26: Rusty Blackbirds, Croton Falls Reservoir
Oct. 28: Pine Siskins, Glynwood Farm
Oct. 28: Eastern Meadowlark (5), Glynwood Farm
Oct. 31: Dickcissel, Carmel High School
Nov. 1: Red-throated Loon, Croton Falls Reservoir
Nov. 2: Orange-crowned Warbler, Carmel High School
Nov. 2: Red-necked Grebe, Croton Falls Reservoir
Nov. 3: Long-tailed Duck, West Branch Reservoir
Nov. 4: Eastern Meadowlark (2), Glynwood Farm
Nov. 6: Brant, Dockside Park
Nov. 7: Bonaparte’s Gull, Lake Carmel
Nov. 12: Virginia Rail (2), Manitou Point Preserve
Nov. 16: Wilson’s Warbler, West Point Foundry
Nov. 21: Red-breasted Merganser, Lake Carmel
Nov. 24: Snow Bunting (2), Dockside Park
Nov. 30: Horned Lark, Glynwood Farm
Dec. 1: Northern Pintail (3), Barrett Pond
Dec. 1: Greater Yellowlegs Constitution Marsh
Dec. 2: Eastern Meadowlark, Glynwood Farm
Dec. 8: American Pipit, Glynwood Farm
Dec. 29: Western Tanager, Private Residence, Patterson
Dec. 31: Barnacle Goose, Lake Gleneida, Carmel
Jan. 1: White-crowned Sparrow, West Point Foundry Preserve
Jan. 2: Northern Shrike, DJT State Park Indian Hill
Jan. 2: Canvasback, Middle Branch Reservoir
Jan. 2: Horned Lark, Centennial Golf Club
Jan. 2: Virginia Rail, Manitou Point Preserve
Jan. 2: Long-tailed Duck, Hudson River, Cold Spring
Jan. 2: Snow Goose, Boscobel House and Garden
Jan. 2: Baltimore Oriole, West Point Foundry Preserve
Jan. 5: Wilson’s Warbler, West Point Foundry Preserve
Jan. 5: Red Breasted Merganser, West Branch Reservoir
Jan. 11: Rusty Blackbird, DJT State Park, Indian Hill
Jan. 17: Horned Grebe, West Branch Reservoir
Jan. 20: Eastern Meadowlark, Glynwood Farm
Feb. 7: Iceland Gull, West Point Foundry Preserve
Feb. 9: Barrow’s Goldeneye, West Point Foundry Preserve
Feb. 10: Pine Siskins, Private Residence, Mahopac
Feb. 24: Northern Shoveler, Dockside Park, Cold Spring
Feb. 24: Great Cormorant, Dockside Park, Cold Spring
Rockland County:
Oct. 26: Purple Gallinule, Rockland Lake
Nov. 13: Purple Sandpiper, Piermont Pier
Nov. 25: Hammonds Flycatcher, Rockland Lake SP
Jan. 2024: Trumpeter Swan, Rockland Psychiatric Institute
Feb. 1: Western Tanager, Private Residence, Sloatsburg
Westchester County:
Nov. 3: Clay-colored Sparrow, Croton Point Park
Nov. 13: Rough-legged Hawk, Croton Point
Nov. 13: Purple Gallinule, Gate of Heaven Cemetery
Nov. 13: American Goshawk, Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch
Jan. 14 - Harris’s Sparrow, Private Location, Mamaroneck
Ongoing - Red-headed Woodpeckers, Croton Point Park
Orange County:
Nov. 1: Common Eider, Hudson River, Newburgh
Dec. 23 to Jan. 24: Yellow-throated Warbler, Newburgh Waterfront
Jan. 25: Glaucous-winged Gull, Hudson River, Newburgh
Feb. 12: Ross’s Goose, Black Dirt Region
Dutchess County:
Nov. 11: Dunlin, Overlook Park
Nov. 13: Red Crossbills (2), Dover
Jan. 10: Yellow-throated Warbler, Private Residence, Beacon
Jan. 20: Clay-colored Sparrow, Private Residence, Millbrook
Ulster County:
Dec. 23: Little Gull, Hudson River, Kingston
Jan. 2024: Loggerhead Shrike, Shawangunk Grasslands/Galeville Town Park
Feb. 2024: Barrow’s Goldeneye, Hudson River, Kingston