In case people are wondering whether anyone has been looking for the
Wallkill (Ulster County) Gyrfalcon, I thought I would post. Four birders
from the Albany area spent a few hours looking this morning, and we saw
several other groups of birders. Everyone we spoke with said there have
been no sightings of the Gyrfalcon since March 1.
We first checked in on the Weston Road Swamp in New Paltz and quickly
found a couple of Red-headed Woodpeckers. Over downtown New Paltz, we
saw a Northern Harrier circling in a kettle of 6 Black Vultures and 2
Turkey Vultures. There was some open water on the Wallkill River along
Farmer's Turnpike, one of the sites where the Gyr was previously seen.
There were Canada Geese, a few Common Goldeneyes, American Black Ducks,
and a Mallard there, as well as a Red-tailed Hawk. At Shawangunk
Grasslands NWR, we saw one Rough-legged Hawk, one adult Bald Eagle, one
American Kestrel, and a few Cedar Waxwings. We were told that there have
not been any Short-eared Owl sightings there for at least a few days,
despite people looking for them at dusk. There was another kestrel at
Blue Chip Farms. In other small areas of open water on the Wallkill
River, we saw a few more Common Goldeneyes and a couple of Common
Mergansers.
John Kent
Selkirk, NY
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