2022 Notable Sightings February through May

Notable Sightings: February 1, 2022 – May 31, 2022

All of the notable sightings listed here were compiled using eBird.org. eBird is a fantastic website that allows to you to find birds and places to go birding (both locally and while travelling somewhere new), as well as a way to keep track of your bird lists and photos. All of the data you input into eBird contributes to science and to the conservation of birds and their habitat. We encourage everyone to join eBird (it is free, you just need to create an account) and record all of your bird sightings there. And remember, eBird is not just for notable sightings! Please visit ebird.org/about to learn more and to sign up. And visit https://ebird.org/region/US-NY-079?yr=all to see Putnam County’s eBird page.

If you are not registered on eBird yet and you have a notable or interesting bird sighting in Putnam County, we would love to hear about it! Please let us know about your notable sightings, and include any documentation (such as photos, which are strongly encouraged to confirm a rare bird sighting) by emailing us at: PHASbirds@gmail.com

This section of time includes spring migration which brings an incredible number of birds through the Hudson Valley. Some will stay and breed while many others will pass through. This exciting time for birders always brings a few surprises.

WATERFOWL EVENT: Sometimes as birds are migrating in large numbers, a storm or other significant weather event can force them to stop and land making for some outstanding birding opportunities. This type of event occurred here in the Hudson Valley on 4/19/22. Migrating sea ducks and other birds making their way from their wintering grounds on the coast to their northern breeding grounds were forced to land, mostly on the Hudson River and some surrounding lakes. Birders were able to see enormous groups of White-winged Scoters, Horned and Red-necked Grebes, Red-breasted Mergansers, and Long-tailed Ducks along the river corridor. Common terns were also seen on the Hudson, but the other major highlight of the event was the huge numbers of Bonaparte’s gulls being seen, with groups of birds numbering up to 500 individuals!

ARCTIC TERNS: This spring, the biggest news was the unprecedented showing of inland Arctic terns that occurred on May 13, 2022. Arctic terns typically migrate far offshore in the ocean to their norther breeding grounds without ever visiting land. However, a large storm out to sea caused scores of birds to be pushed inland. States across the northeast recorded inland Arctic terns, and the Hudson Valley was well represented! Along the Hudson River from Westchester to Ulster counties saw large groups of terns trying to find their way back to the ocean, including an incredible group of 26 in Putnam County! Some inland lakes in the area, such as Cross River Reservoir in Westchester, also had Arctic terns. While most disappeared after the first day, some birds lingered including a group of four seen in Dutchess and Ulster on 5/17/22. We even had one recorded on the Birdathon this year which will likely never happen again! See below for addition notable sightings in Putnam County and beyond.

Putnam County:

2/8-19 Redhead, West Branch Reservoir, Carmel

3/16 – 4/4 Northern Shoveler, Maybrook Trailway, Patterson

3/25 Wilson’s Snipe Maybrook Trailway, Patterson

3/26 Blue-winged Teal (M/F Pair) Maybrook Trailway, Patterson

3/31 Bonaparte’s Gull, Hudson River, Cold Spring

4/1 Bonaparte’s Gull, Croton Falls Reservoir, Carmel

4/4 Red-necked Grebes (9), Croton Falls Reservoir, Carmel

4/19 Long-tailed Duck (18), Hudson River, Cold Spring

4/19 White-winged Scoter (4), White Pond MUA

4-24 Sora, Maybrook Trailway, Patterson

4/25 Red-throated Loon, Hudson River, Cold Spring

4/30 Caspian Tern, Hudson River, Cold Spring

5/15 Bonaparte’s Gull, Hudson River, Cold Spring

5/15 Olive-sided Flycatcher, Glynwood Farm, Cold Spring

5/19 White-eyed Vireo, Maybrook Trailway, Patterson

5/20 Mourning Warbler, Little Stony Point, Cold Spring

5/21 Olive-sided Flycatcher, Great Swamp, Patterson

5/21 Alder Flycatcher, Maybrook Trailway, Patterson and Glynwood Farm

5/22 Eastern Whip-poor-will – Fahnestock State Park, Cold Spring

5/24 Alder Flycatcher, Fred Dill Wildlife Santuary, Carmel

5/25 Mourning Warbler, Glynwood Farm, Cold Spring

 Dutchess:

3/3 Pink-footed and Ross’s Goose, Baird State Park

3/11 Cackling Goose, Baird State Park

3/22 Rough-legged Hawks (2 - one dark and one light morph), Waterbury Hill Rd., Lagrangeville

417 - 4/26 Cattle Egret, Sharon Station Rd., Amenia

5/5 and 5/8 Swallow-tailed Kite, Wappingers Falls yard and Poughkeepsie

 Westchester:

Yellow-throated Warblers – Westchester County had three different Yellow-throated Warblers this spring! The first on 4/12 at Cranberry Lake, the second on 4/16 in Oscawana, and finally a third on 4/26 at Croton Point Park.

4/9 Little Gull, Hudson River, Rockefeller - Rockwood Hall

4/23 Mississippi Kite, Kensico Reservoir Complex

Notable Sightings June through August