A November walk along the West Pond at Jamaica Bay...

Today, I went to Jamaica Bay on an impromptu walk around the West Pond.   Since it is the time of the year for ducks, I was hoping to see a few visitors and hoped for surprises as well.  I was also motivated by an e-mail I received this morning from my friend Nancy who indicated that a birder had entered into the log book, the presence of Horned Grebes and mentioned hearing the sounds of a Least Bittern.

I got to the refuge around 9:30-10:00 a.m. and spent a few minutes behind the visitor’s center observing White-throated sparrows, Song Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos foraging on the ground.  As I proceeded further along the west pond I could hear the sounds of Yellow-rumped Warblers and near the first clearing by bench number one, I saw Robins, Catbirds and Swamp Sparrows; out into the South Marsh, I saw a couple of Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets and Brandts…in addition, there was a possible little Blue Heron among the tall grass.

As I walked further along the trail, I saw the Horned Grebes in the area called Black Wall Channel, there were about five of them and they were sharing the area with Buffleheads and Brandts.  Over to my right in the West Pond, I came across American Wigeons, Brandts, Snowy Geese, Mute Swans, Greater Yellow Legs, Hooded Mergansers, American Black Ducks, Mallards, Green Winged-teals, Greater Scaup and Ruddy Ducks to name a few.  I walked up to bench number 10, near Pelican Point and then headed back.  Despite the overcast conditions, which made the lighting poor, it was not a bad day for a walk and I ended up with a decent list.

Here is my list of sightings:

1. Song Sparrow
2. White-throated Sparrow
3. Swamp Sparrow
4. Dark-eyed Junco
5. Purple Finch
6. Yellow-rumped Warbler
7. Northern Mockingbird
8. American Robin
9. American Crow
10. Black capped-Chickadee
11. Gray Catbird
12. Carolina Wren
13. Great Egret
14. Snowy Egret
15. Little Blue Heron (strong possibility)
16. Brandt
17. Double Crested Cormorant
18. Snow Geese
19. Bufflehead
20. American Black Ducks
21. Canada Geese
22. American Wigeon
23. Green winged-teal
24. Hooded Merganser
25. Mallard
26. Northern Shoveler
27. Horned Grebe
28. Greater Scaup
29. Ruddy Duck
30. Mute Swans
31. Greater Yellow-Legs

Male and Female Buffleheads among the Brandts.  In this photo, the Bufflehead is easily spotted by its size which is the smaller of the two species.  The male also has the distinctive white patch on its head.

Horned Grebes in winter plumage.

Brandts in flight.


Yellow-rumped Warbler.

Hooded Mergansers...notice the white fan shaped patch on the head of the male, which is conspicuous when raised.