January 2010 Records

Cold, snowy weather marked the first half of January, freezing up nearly all lakes and ponds, plus the Hudson.  The “January thaw” lasted most of the latter half of the month with a high of 60 on the 25th.  Yet many ponds remained closed due to nightly drops below freezing.  Abel’s Pond, near my home, froze before Christmas Census.  It had a little open water by late January, but no ducks or geese noticed.  Waterfowl reports are sparse, but don’t include the Waterfowl Count results (reported in Wings Over Dutchess).  Several birds were more numerous after mid-month, including Kingfisher and blackbirds.

Canada Goose:    largest flocks in Pine Plains, Northeast -- 1000/22 Reagan Rd, 2000/30 Rt 82 polo field/9 Beacon Waterfront Park CV; 8 flocks of 50-175.
Mute Swan: 7/15 Redwing Pd CV; 10/1 6/5 Wappingers Lake KH; 6 reports of 1-4.
Wood Duck: 2/20 4/29 Vassar Lake CV.
Gadwall: 2/11 Round Pond DF.
American Black Duck:      10/20 18/27 The Fly, 22/20 15/27 Shekomeko Cr CV; 4-7 at StonyKill, Thompson Pd, Dover Furnace, Wapp Lk, and VanWagner Rds.
Mallard: 104/6 Thompson Pond FT; 22/20 Vassar Fm FT; 3 reports of 2-3, plus “normal” from CV.
Northern Pintail: 1/26 Ponderosa (male) CV.
Green-winged Teal: 1/20 The Fly CV.
Ring-necked Duck: 1/11 Round Pond DF; 1/30 Stissing Lk CV.
Common Goldeneye: 2f/6 Sylvan Lk. BJM; small flock/21 river at Poughkeepsie HRA Lake.
Hooded Merganser: 6/15 Redwing Pd CV; 5/17 Stringham Road  AMP; 3/26 Sand Hill Rd CV.
Common Merganser: 14/20 12/26 Wapp Cr @ Salt Pt , 8/27 The Fly, 57/30 Tivoli, also at Norrie CV & Wappingers Cr and Lk, Beacon waterfront KH.
Ring-necked Pheasant:    seem normal for January CV.
Wild Turkey: 27/12 Old Camby Rd BB; 105/25 yard on Butts Hollow Rd BB; 9 other reports of 1-22.
Great Blue Heron: 1/2 Pl Valley, 1/17 Jackson Rd, 1/20 Salt Pt -- all along Wappinger Creek CV; 1/7 gym Rte 9 by Marist - flew past window JA/KJ; 1/22 Salt Point Turnpike AMP; 1-2 Wapp Cr/Lk KH.
Black Vulture:  13/6 trees Rt. 376 New Hackensack Church BJM; 5/22 Millbrook School CV; 3/14 Rt 55 Beekman Binnie Chase; 5 others.
Turkey Vulture:  3/17 Rt. 52 Beacon BJM,BC; 2/20   Rte 55 Apple Valley  JA/KJ; 1/4-29 neighborhood & Meyers Corners Rd. BAM; 3/9 1/22 StonyKill KH.
Bald Eagle:  Many adults and immatures reported.  Often on Hudson, depending on the ice. Other concentrations: Haight Rd, some all mo – 8/15 AMP; West Dover Rd up to 8 CV; up to 6 Clove Valley BB; 5/11 Dover area DF.
Northern Harrier: 5/10 going to roost Thompson Pd, 5/11 2/30 Mashomack CV; 1/6,15,22 Haight Rd AMP; 5  reported from other places.
Sharp-shinned Hawk:  1/21 yard BB; 1/22 StonyKill KH; 1/30 yd JA/KJ.
Cooper's Hawk:  1/21 yd (eating squirrel) Stormville EBR; 11 others reported.
Red-shouldered Hawk:     1/11 Titusville Rd DJK; 1/15 Rombout Rd, 1/17 Didell Rd, 1/31 Rt 55 @ Apple Valley CV.
Red-tailed Hawk: Many reports. 12/11 Mashomack, seen often all over county, often in pairs CV; 5/16 Taconic St.
Pkwy BAM; 6/20 Vassar Farm FT.
Rough-legged Hawk: 1/11 N Mabbettsville Rd BB; 1/16 Christie Cemetery FW/KM.
Golden Eagle: 1 imm Stissing/Mashomack area 11th & 20th CV, 27th Chris Guarino; 1 imm/11 1 ad/22 West Dover Rd CV.
American Kestrel: 1/13 Stony Kill FT; 1/22 Downy Rd, 1/30 Mashomack CV; 1m/31 Taconic Pkwy/Rt 82 DJK.
Merlin:   1/24 Rombout Rd CV.
Peregrine Falcon: 1/13 HRA Sperr; 1/25 AMP; 1/30 CV; all from the Walkway over the Hudson.
American Coot: 11/6 Sylvan Lk. BJM (almost froze up); 2/15 Redwing Pd, Green Haven CV.
Ring-billed Gull: 100/11 Redwing Pd BB; normal CV.
Herring Gull: 500/11 Reagan Rd DF; 9/21 Beacon, also 2-3 at Wapp Creek and Lake KH.
Iceland Gull: 1/27 Reagan Rd - 1st winter, same as Dec? CV.
Great Black-backed Gull: 4/16 river at Rhinecliff BB; 3 others reported by waterfowl counters on river; 9/21 Beacon Riverside Park KH.
Rock Pigeon: 28-38 Haight Road, 75/17 Shunpike AMP; seem normal for January CV.
Mourning Dove:  20-30/1 Kim Ln Stormville EBR; 24/20 Vassar Farm FT; 18/all feeder DJK; 9/7 20/31 Bowdoin Pk KH;  6-16 feeders.
Eastern Screech-Owl: 1/31 Coleman Station Rd near HVRT DF.
Great Horned Owl: 3/1 heard (surrounded my house!), 1-2 heard often rest of month, calls becoming more distant DJK; 1/20, 2/21 JA/KJ.
Barred Owl:  2/1&10 N Mabbettsville AMP; 1/20 Vassar Farm FT; 2/5 1/6 heard JA/KJ; heard/6,19,24 DJK.
Belted Kingfisher: 1/11 behind hospital AP; 13 others, most from 15th on.
Eastern Phoebe:  1/16 Field Rd, Milan Dick Gershon.
Red-headed Woodpecker: 1 immature/6&13 Locust Grove, Lane Loop/Sawmill Trails KH.
Red-bellied Woodpecker: 4/13 Stony Kill FT; 12/15 4/24 Rombout Rd, 3/19 Locust Grove CV; 4/20 Vassar Farm FT; 1-2 at feeders and most outings.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: 2/13 Haight Rd AMP; 1/20 Vassar Farm FT; 1/31 Rombout Rd CV; 1/many yd Stormville EBR; 1/5 pr/18 Wapp Rural Cem, also at StonyKill, Valkill, Bowdoin Park KH.
Downy Woodpecker: 8/15 5/24 Rombout Rd CV; 2-5 at most feeders and outings.
Hairy Woodpecker: 2/2 3/12 4/17 daily yard, 3/15 1/24 Rombout Rd CV; 3/7&13 Bowdoin Pk KH; 1-2 at 14 feeders/FTs.
Northern Flicker: 3/15 Rombout Rd, 4/22 Chippewalla Rd, CV; 1-2 in 5 other places after mid-month.
Pileated Woodpecker:      1-2 regularly in AMP & CV yards and Thompson Pd CV; evidence of it working over a dead tree, not seen yet  DJK; 20 others.
Blue Jay: 10/13 Stony Kill FT; 16/20 Vassar Farm FT; 12/all yard BB; 6 at most feeders.
American Crow: 15-20000/13 Rinaldi Blvd area, many staged on river ice before going to trees CV; 208/27 Route 343 AMP; 200+/28 yard JA/KJ; some everywhere.
Fish Crow: 1/14 2/21 Locust Grove, 1/19 44 Plaza, 1/30 Waryas Pk CV; 1/17 Madam Brett BJM,BC; 1-2 at 5 places along river Beacon-Locust Grove and Valkill KH.
Common Raven: 1/10 2/11 2/20 Thompson Pd CV; 1/14, 30,31 Woodland Dr., Salt Point RB; 2/15 Walkway over the Hudson HRAWadlin; 2/27 Lakeside Park FT; also at Cary IES, Dover area and Locust Grove.
Horned Lark:  30/10 Salt Point Turnpike AMP; 20/17 Stringham Rd soccer area CV.
Black-capped Chickadee:  30/15 Haight Road AMP; 10-15 on FTs, 2-8 at feeders.
Tufted Titmouse: 12/8 Daheim Road AMP; 12/13 Stony Kill FT; 12/15 Rombout Rd CV; 2-5 at feeders.
Red-breasted Nuthatch: hear occasionally in yard DJK; 1/14 ValKill KH.
White-breasted Nuthatch:  7/8 Daheim Road, 10/10 Shunpike AMP; 6/13 Stony Kill FT; 7/15 8/24 Rombout Rd CV; 2-6 at feeders.
Brown Creeper:    2/2 1/often yard AMP; 2/19 Locust Grove, 1 often in yard, more frequent mid-month on CV.
Carolina Wren:    4/1 Reese Sanctuary KH; 3/13 Stony Kill FT; 3/15 3/24 Rombout Rd CV; 3/15 Haight Road AMP; 14 reports of 1-3.
Winter Wren: 1/13 Locust Grove in & out of stone wall CV; 1/24 Market Lane AMP.
Golden-crowned Kinglet: 1/10 Shunpike, 6/27 Nuclear Lake AMP; 2/15 Rombout Rd, 1/19 Locust Grove CV; 3/27 Lakeside Park FT; 1-2 at 7 places KH.
Eastern Bluebird: 36/20 Vassar Farm FT; 16 other reports of 1-6 each.
Hermit Thrush: 1/11 behind his hospital Alan Peterson; 1/14 ValKill.
American Robin: 45/2 24/12 55/24 Rombout Rd, 38/30 Budds Corners Rd CV;  31/19 yard, 36/24 Market Lane AMP; 22/20 Vassar Farm FT; other places.
Gray Catbird: 1/27 Lakeside Park FT.
Northern Mockingbird:      5/15 5/24 Rombout Rd, 3/16 Baird Park CV; 5/20 Vassar Farm FT; 1/1-16 yd JA/KJ; 10 others.
European Starling:  25-200 Haight Road AMP; 70/20 Vassar Farm FT; plus other places.
Cedar Waxwing: 15/2 28/24 Rombout Rd CV; 20/7 40/13 yard, 9/6 Norrie Pt BB.
Yellow-rumped Warbler: 1/2 3/12 4/24 Rombout Rd CV; 1/1-13, left when weather warmed, returned 31st RB.
American Tree Sparrow: 22/10 Lake Rd, 8/15 8/24 Rombout Rd CV; up to 18 yard AMP; 13/20 Vassar Farm FT; plus 7 other places.
Field Sparrow: 1/4 Haight Rd AMP; 1/14 StonyKill Farm Lane Trail KH; 1/20 Vassar Fm FT.
Savannah Sparrow: 2/4 Haight Road, 6/13 Haight Road AMP; 1/10 Perotti Rd at road edge CV; 2/21 Beacon Riverside Trail KH.
Song Sparrow:    13/4 Haight Road AMP; 11/20 Vassar Farm FT; 12 other places.
White-throated Sparrow:  Abundant.  35/10 Shunpike Road, 36/17 Stringham AMP; 20/20 Vassar Farm FT.
White-crowned Sparrow: 4/10 Reagan Rd, 10/22 Downy Rd CV.
Dark-eyed Junco: Many. 30/10 Salt Point Turnpike, 34/13 Haight Road, 30/17 Mabbettsville Road, 75/17 James Baird Park AMP.
Snow Bunting:     27/2 Southlands MP; 35/10 Silver Mtn Rd along road CV; 7/4,5 Baird Park Rd/hayfield  DJK.
Northern Cardinal: 17/13 Haight Road AMP; 10/20 Vassar Farm FT; 10m/5f/3,10 all mo. yd. BAM; 12 other reports of up to 9.
Red-winged Blackbird:      45/22 McEnroe compost, 35/24 Rombout Rd, none at Thompson Pd roost in Jan. CV; 10/25-31 yard BB; a few earlier in month.
Eastern Meadowlark:  3/10 Market Lane, 2/17 Mabbettsville Road AMP.
Common Grackle: 10/22 McEnroe Compost, 15/24 Rombout Rd CV; and in 6 yards.
Brown-headed Cowbird: 100+/24 yard JA/KJ; 100/28 feeder BB; 150/29 feeder BB; 4 other places.
Purple Finch:  1/3 yard AMP; 1/6 Thompson Pond FT; 1/24 1/25 4/29 3/31 feeders CV.
House Finch: 21/20 Vassar Farm FT; 15/31 Reese Park; 1-6 at 7 feeders.
American Goldfinch: 17/22 Stony Kill KH; 28/20 Vassar Farm FT; 17/29 4-10 daily CV; 10 reports of 1-6.
House Sparrow: seem normal for January CV.

Non-avian creatures:
Fox: calling, sounded like a duck/wild cat 19th DJK.
Coyote: on 6th, trotted through the yard JA/KJ.

Observers:
JA - Judy Atwood, RB - Robert Bowler, BB - Barbara  Butler, BC - Betsy Carswell, DF - Dot Fleury, NG - Natalie Gilbert, KH – Ken Harris, KJ - Karen Jaquith, DJK - Debi Kral, AJM - Allan Michelin, BAM - Barb & Allan Michelin, BJM - Barbara  Michelin, MP - Mona Payton, AP - Alan Peterson, AMP - Adrienne Popko, EBR - Edith & Barry Rosen, CV - Chet Vincent, HRA – Hudson River Almanac, with observer’s name

Field Trips (FT):
6th Thompson Pond,   13th Stony Kill,    20th Vassar Farm,     27th Lakeside Park

Notes:   
Redwing Pond is on Green Haven Rd in Beekman.
McEnroe Compost is on Coleman Station Road, where they make compost for organic farming

Also see our Key to Notation.

Compiled by Barbara Butler