This morning, Scott Baldinger and I birded the Bashakill, concentrating on passerines. Waterfowl has continued to be about the same, so we stuck to the woods for a while. Highlights there were my FOS county YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS! There were four or five of these early arrivals. Golden-crowned Kinglets and Brown Creepers seemed to be everywhere as did Song Sparrows. Scott had had a Palm Warbler yesterday and Pine Warbler this morning, but I struck out on these. We split up, having met up with Steve Altman, he an Scott heading to the Birch Trail to try for the Wilson’s Snipe Karen Miller an I have been seeing. I walked the trial behind the DEC Parking Lot, looking for my first Pine Warbler, but an abundance of Gold-crowned Kinglets were all I found. As I was heading out to the Duck Blind, I got a call from Scott. He and Steve had found three BLUE-WINGED TEAL just off the Main Boat Launch. I zoomed right over. We had great looks at these new year birds. We walked out the Birch Trail for the snipe, but didn’t find them this morning. The calling VIRGINIA RAIL was a FOS for Steve. Once we headed back to the boat launch, several other birders had arrived. Mary Buskey, Clay Spencer and Karen Miller all got to see the Blue-winged Teal as well. It was a beautiful and productive morning.
Bashakill Birder 
Hey John,
Would it be right that I heard pine warblers singing from the top of Belleayre mountain today? I always have to relearn that call come spring, but listening to calls on my app now, seems dead on. Would they be singing yet?
I’m starting a two year research project on migratory birds at two locations in Oneonta, comparing which birds show up where/when/etc. based on slightly different habitats. Knocked out killdeer this week at one of them, so hoping to start checking off others soon.
Hope all is well!
Kyle
On Sat, Mar 31, 2018 at 5:08 PM, Bashakill Birder wrote:
> bashakillbirder posted: ” This morning, Scott Baldinger and I birded the > Bashakill, concentrating on passerines. Waterfowl has continued to be > about the same, so we stuck to the woods for a while. Highlights there > were my FOS county YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS! There were four or ” >
Its very possible Kyle, I haven’t had one yet, but others have and we’re right at that time. Sounds like an interesting project, good luck with it! Keep us posted, John