Plum Beach & JBWR 10/30--Raptors & Ducks

American Kestrel, Plum Beach
photo by Shari Zirlin

Today we went back to Plum Beach at low tide and were able to walk all around the marsh. There weren't a lot of sparrows and no rare ones that we could find (though I strongly suspect that some of the fast-moving brown birds were elusive marsh sparrows); there were lots more Yellow-rumped Warblers (no surprise); and raptors seemed to be constantly overhead (which may explain why passerines were so hard to find). We saw Sharp-shinned Hawks, a couple of Merlins, and this little kestrel that obligingly posed for Shari.
Plum Beach
Number of species:    19
Brant    300
Canada Goose    14
Mute Swan    1
Double-crested Cormorant    5
Great Blue Heron    1  flyover
Sharp-shinned Hawk    2
American Kestrel    1
Merlin    2
Ring-billed Gull    25
Rock Pigeon    25
Tree Swallow    2  Pretty late for these
Black-capped Chickadee    3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet    1
Northern Mockingbird    1
European Starling    50
Yellow-rumped Warbler    60
Song Sparrow    10
Swamp Sparrow    5
American Goldfinch    10

***

Then we birded the West Pond at Jamaica Bay, which was full of ducks. We saw our first Red-breasted Mergansers of the season. In the gardens we came across a cardinal, phoebes, Hermit Thrushes, a Cedar Waxwing, both kinglets, and one lonely robin high up in a bare tree. 
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge--West Pond
Number of species:    35
Brant    400
Canada Goose    20
American Wigeon    5
American Black Duck    1
Mallard    3
Northern Shoveler    100
Greater Scaup    25
Bufflehead    25
Red-breasted Merganser    8
Ruddy Duck    300
Double-crested Cormorant    20
Great Egret    2
Little Blue Heron    2 Juveniles
Sharp-shinned Hawk    1
Merlin    3
American Coot    35
Greater Yellowlegs    3
Ring-billed Gull    3
Herring Gull    1
Eastern Phoebe    2    South Garden
American Crow    2    Parking Lot
Golden-crowned Kinglet    2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet    3
Hermit Thrush    4
American Robin    1    South Garden
Northern Mockingbird    2
European Starling    100    Birds on the wire
Cedar Waxwing    1    South Garden
Yellow-rumped Warbler    25
Song Sparrow    10
White-throated Sparrow    5
White-crowned Sparrow    2
Dark-eyed Junco    6
Northern Cardinal    1    North Garden
American Goldfinch    1    Heard in parking lot