Date: 4/13/25 8:50 pm From: davidpmassa via groups.io <davidpmassa...> Subject: [hmbirds] 4/13 Niskayuna Field Trip Report
Despite the chilly temps and a thick blanket of grey clouds, eight enthusiastic birders showed up ready to roll—and what started as a quiet morning turned into a spectacular walk that yielded 34 different bird species in total.
The walk kicked off with classic waterfowl like mallards and Canada geese, and thanks to a group member’s trusty scope, we were able to spot green-winged teals across the Mohawk. Midway through, a highlight: a stunning pair of red-tailed hawks perched high on the WTRY towers, giving us great views through the scope.
A small pond along the trail brought another gem—an elusive pied-billed grebe that dove and vanished like a ghost. That same pond hosted a great mix of waterfowl, including hooded mergansers and wood ducks tucked into the reeds.
We wrapped up strong with a low flyover by a bald eagle, seen multiple times after, and finished with a beautiful fly-by from a pair of Bonaparte’s gulls—black heads and all.
Throw in a lively soundtrack of red-winged blackbirds, sightings of woodpeckers, phoebes, tree swallows, belted kingfishers, and a nice variety of sparrows—field sparrows, white-throated sparrows, Savannah sparrows, and song sparrows—and it was a very fruitful walk.
