New York

Shawangunk Landscapes

Sherry Felix10 Comments

The last of the Shawangunk Grassland NWR posts are these winter landscapes. We also stopped briefly at the nearby Wallkill River on the bridge at Galeville Road and Galeville Park next to the refuge. A muskrat was out feeding at the edge of the little pond near the feeders and I spotted a few deer feeding out in the grasslands.

  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/8/2021
  • American pussy willow (Salix discolor), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Wallkill River 3/6/2021
  • Wallkill River 3/6/2021
  • Wallkill River 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • White-tailed deer at Shawangunk Grasslands NWR, White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) 3/6/2021

Shawangunk Nuthatches

Sherry Felix16 Comments

It is fun to catch birds in flight.. Not always the sharpest of images but I like them anyway.

  • White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021

Shawangunk Bluebirds

Sherry Felix22 Comments

At the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR feeders there were lots of electric blue Eastern bluebirds. They are so lovely. It is the New York State bird. It is pictured on my conservation license plate. Part of the money to buy it went towards conservation.

  • Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021

Shawangunk Birds

Sherry Felix11 Comments

We went on a field trip with the Linnaean Society of New York. I got to see many of my old friends. It was below freezing on Saturday, March 6 at the Shawangunk Grasslands NWR in Ulster county, New York. Formerly the Galeville Military Airport, it was decommissioned in 1994 and turned over to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1999. It serves as a waypoint for grassland-dependent migratory birds. Area: 0.84 sq mi (2.2 km²).

The hawks were seen at great distance. More to come…

  • American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Northern Harrier (Circus cyanus), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) and Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) and House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Northern Harrier (Circus cyanus), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Northern Harrier (Circus cyanus), Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021
  • Shawangunk Grasslands NWR 3/6/2021

Cold Spring

Sherry Felix7 Comments

After digging out the car we drove to The Riverview Restaurant on Fair Street, off Main Street in Cold Spring, New York, and had a lovely lunch while overlooking the Hudson. Next we drove to have a quick look at Foundry Dock Park. Our final stop was an attempt to find the waterfall at Indian Brook Falls but I could not find the trail head in the snow. I’ll try again in the Spring. (check out the links)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

  • Cold Spring 12/19/2020
  • Cold Spring 12/19/2020
  • Foundry Park, Cold Spring 12/19/2020
  • Foundry Park, Cold Spring 12/19/2020
  • From the car on the way home. Cold Spring 12/19/2020