Alley Pond in Spring

Alley Pond is a really really hot spring migration spot. Located in Queens, it is, in the words of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) "The gem of northeastern Queens."

Arriving at the Upper Alley Woodlands, listed on eBird as having 209 species, I didn't find anywhere near 209 species, but I did find closer to 2,009 people throwing footballs, barbecuing and admonishing their children or, in some cases, totally ignoring their offspring. I should have known that this would be the scene on Memorial Day Weekend, but I dove into the woods anyway, and even though a large family blasted music as loud as possible, a Great Crested Flycatcher, a lifer for me, was very cooperative and gave me great views. A Baltimore Oriole sat in a tree and preened.

After hopping over a fallen tree, I found myself at a little kettle pond, where a Northern Waterthrush hopped around some logs on the edge of the water and a female American Redstart put on a show less then ten feet from me. Birds were abundant and very close up. Unfortunately, so were mosquitoes. After I smacked and scratched myself numerous times, I exited the area and returned to the main path.

Kettle Pond 

Northern Waterthrush

I then retired to the car, grabbed some water, and then got out again. Moving to a different area of woods, I found basically nothing except a Red-bellied Woodpecker nest, which was very active and fun to watch, as the parents went in and out of the hole in the snag with food.

Red-bellied Woodpecker Nest

I moved around a bit, and there located even more Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and also a Hairy Woodpecker, which was a nice treat. There were also Gray Catbirds--the male was trying to get a female to mate--a bunch of Baltimore Orioles, and and a troublesome flycatcher that may have been either a Willow Flycatcher or Alder Flycatcher, or may have been neither. But a bright male Scarlet Tanager was really beautiful.

Scarlet Tanager

Finding little else than a House Wren at the Upper Alley Woodlands, I decided to head over to the Alley Pond Environmental Center, a nature center built to educate urbanized Queens kids, and also the headquarters of the Queens County Bird Club, my bird club. 

Upon arriving there, I found another birder setting up a giant camera in the parking lot. He provided me with some fantastic tips, and so I set off into the woods. 

The other birder had told me that there was a Willow Tree a little down the path that often held Yellow Warblers and Blue-winged Warblers. I found it in only a moment, and sure enough, with a flash of yellow, there it was, my old sight nemesis, the Yellow Warbler. Those birds must not like me; I have heard them all over the place, including in my own backyard, but never seen one. But on this day at APEC those bright little birds were very cooperative.

Yellow Warbler

I kept down on the path, where there was a female Red-winged Blackbird and a bunch more Yellow Warblers and plenty of Baltimore Orioles. 

Moving down a wood walkway through a marsh, I encountered two pairs of LOVEBIRDS, not the feathered ones but the human types, an adult pair and a younger pair. Both stood there and did some stuff, which I am going to skip over.

I passed the lovebirds and came out to an overlook that surveys a marsh and some water. I there found the other birder, who gave me some more good tips, but I also found Tree and Barn Swallows, zipping around and occasionally perching on nest boxes. A Red-tailed Hawk soared way off in the distance and then disappeared, not phasing the Mallards on the water. A Great Egret flew across the the marsh and landed next to a Black-crowned Night-Heron.

Great Egret and Black-crowned Night-Heron

The sun was setting, a Red-winged Blackbird yelled at me because, well, I don't know, and a Song Sparrow sat on a branch. I looked around a little bit more and a male American Redstart sang happily. 

American Redstart

And then I left. I had gotten two lifers and a bunch more on my year list, and some great photos. It was late, I was hungry and tired, but thrilled to have seen such great birds!

Barn Swallow