May 6 & 7 - Catskills

Ann and I went with our friend Georgia up to the Catskills for the weekend to visit another friend who has a lovely 18th Century farmhouse near the Ashokan Reservoir in Ulster county over the weekend. We went for the same weekend last year. Last year we found 66 species over the weekend; this year with the cool, wet spring we have been having our total was ten species lower - 56 species. Nevertheless, and despite cool temperatures and on and off rain over the weekend we had a wonderful time. Vince has extensive woods on his property and nearby and we went for a number of birding walks. On of the fun non-avian finds was the "Red Eft" juvenile, terrestrial phase of the Eastern Newt we found crossing a gravel road through the woods.

"Red Eft" (Notophthalmus viridescens)

Our total bird list is below.

Canada Goose (Ashoka Reservoir and heard along the nearby Esopus Creek)
Bufflehead (1, male on the reservoir)
Common Merganser (2 - 3 pairs on reservoir)

male Common Merganser

Common Loon (1, on resevoir)
Double-crested Cormorant (1, on Reservoir)
Turkey Vulture (several)
Osprey (1, over resevoir)
Bald Eagle (1 adult over reservoir)
Red-tailed Hawk (1)
Mourning Dove
Barred Owl (2, heard at night and just after dawn from house)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker (a couple heard, but Vince photographed one outside his window after we left)
Eastern Phoebe (nesting in Vince's garage)
Great Crested Flycatcher (several)
Yellow-throated Vireo (1, heard)
Blue-headed Vireo (2 - 3)
Warbling Vireo (1, heard)
Red-eyed Vireo (1, heard)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (1, over Esopus Creek)
Tree Swallow (over reservoir)
Barn Swallow (over a nearby pond)
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse (lots)
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren (nesting by house)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird (pair on phone lines on front lawn)

female Eastern Bluebird

Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush (1, singing in wet area near house)
Nashville Warbler (1, singing by Esopus Creek)
American Redstart (lots)
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager (1, male)
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird (by resevoir)
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch
American Goldfinch