August-December 2013...summary & highlights

Some highlights from the second half of 2013...

Great Egrets, Cohoes Flats spillway- August 22nd

Sanderling, Cohoes Flats- August 25th

HMBC group observing Common Nighthawks at Albany Pine Bush Discovery Center- late August

(image courtesy of John Hershey)

 Merlin, Cohoes Flats- August 26th

Semipalmated Plovers, Cohoes Flats- August 26th

Little Blue Heron, Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve- Sept. 1st

American Golden Plover, Cohoes Flats- Oct. 7th

Yellow-billed Cuckoo, banded at Albany Pine Bush- Karner Barrens East- Oct. 8th!

Snow Geese, including dark-morphs, Dead Creek WMA, Vermont- Oct. 14th

 Bonaparte's Gull, Cohoes Flats- Oct. 17th

Bonaparte's Gull swimming (two were present), Cohoes Flats- Oct. 17th

 Brant, Ring-necked Duck, American Coot- Mohawk River, Latham- Oct. 21st

 Brant, Mohawk River, Latham- Oct. 21st

Six Surf Scoters, and a female Black Scoter (trailing bird), Mohawk River, Latham- Oct. 21st

Wilson's Snipe, Five Rivers EEC, Delmar- Oct. 26th

Long-tailed Ducks with Common Mergansers, Basic Creek Reservoir, Westerlo- Oct. 29th

Long-tailed Ducks, Mohawk River Lock 7, Niskayuna- Nov. 3rd

They're back! Sandhill Cranes, The Crossings of Colonie- Nov. 29th

Cackling Geese, Halfmoon Lighthouse Park, Halfmoon, NY- Dec. 3rd

Eastern Screech Owl (gray), sunning in nest box, near Black Creek Marsh, Voorheesville- Dec. 12th

Snowy Owl, RPI, Troy, NY- Dec. 14th (iPhone version)

Snowy Owl, RPI, Troy, NY- Dec. 14th

 (image courtesy of Naomi Lloyd)

Cooper's Hawk w/ Rock Pigeon breakfast, American Crow on deck, Kmart, Colonie, NY- Dec. 20th

Snowy Owls, adult & immature, Albany International Airport, Latham- Dec. 29th

Short-eared Owl, Albany International Airport, Latham- Dec. 31st