Today, I went for an afternoon walk at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Hiking the West Pond trail revealed that the pond remain frozen with the exception of small patches of unfrozen water that was occupied by Snow Geese, Mallards and Brandts. A walk over to the point at Terrapin Trail found a bit more action in Buffleheads and Redbreasted Mergansers. Further along the loop looking out to Pumpkin Patch Channel between benches 9 and 10, I found Horned Grebes, Hooded Mergansers and a nice close look at a Great Blue Heron that was hanging out on the edges of the West Marsh. I ran into another birder who gave me her name as Yael (hopefully, I got the spelling right) and together we continued around the loop into the North Garden. The North Garden was quiet with only sightings of an American Goldfinch, Robins and Yellow-Rumped Warblers. We made our way into the South Garden and had a nice surprise sighting of a Yellow-breasted Chat, a couple of Hermit Thrushes and a lone Cedar Waxwing. There was also possibly the presence of another warbler besides Yellow-rumped; however, it was a quick view and it was too far off to make a positive ID, so I will withhold any speculation. It just gives me an incentive to make another visit to the South Garden sooner rather than later.
A Winter Walk at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge...
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Today, I went for an afternoon walk at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Hiking the West Pond trail revealed that the pond remain frozen with the exception of small patches of unfrozen water that was occupied by Snow Geese, Mallards and Brandts. A walk over to the point at Terrapin Trail found a bit more action in Buffleheads and Redbreasted Mergansers. Further along the loop looking out to Pumpkin Patch Channel between benches 9 and 10, I found Horned Grebes, Hooded Mergansers and a nice close look at a Great Blue Heron that was hanging out on the edges of the West Marsh. I ran into another birder who gave me her name as Yael (hopefully, I got the spelling right) and together we continued around the loop into the North Garden. The North Garden was quiet with only sightings of an American Goldfinch, Robins and Yellow-Rumped Warblers. We made our way into the South Garden and had a nice surprise sighting of a Yellow-breasted Chat, a couple of Hermit Thrushes and a lone Cedar Waxwing. There was also possibly the presence of another warbler besides Yellow-rumped; however, it was a quick view and it was too far off to make a positive ID, so I will withhold any speculation. It just gives me an incentive to make another visit to the South Garden sooner rather than later.
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