An upstate jaunt

Westchester, NY

Friday 20 May 2022 72 °F

TUESDAY, MAY 10 — very behind on posting at this point due to a crazy schedule…

Today, I took advantage of a free day to head a bit upstate into Westchester County and bird and herp the Cranberry Lake Preserve. It was about a twenty-minute walk from the train and I had a number of birds, and even a herp, along the way! Here is a NORTHERN PARULA:

RED-TAILED HAWK:

And after noticing a little movement to the side of the path, I discovered my first snake of the year, a little Eastern Gartersnake!

Of course I had to pick him/her up for the in-hand shot.

Soon, I made it to the preserve after a bit of bush-whacking and explored the great trail system there. Female BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER:

A small Green Frog:

My first stop in the preserve was a spring-fed creek where Northern Two-lined Salamanders live, a would-be lifer for me. Sure enough, after the second rock flipped, I had my lifer!

My other target species today was Pickerel Frog, a type of heavily-spotted leopard frog inhabiting the same system of springs which would also be a lifer if found.

Pretty soon, I made it to a beautiful vernal pool in the middle of the woods that was teaming with wildlife.

I spotted the snout of a large, algae-covered Common Snapping Turtle poking out of the water:

As well as some Eastern Painted Turtles sunning themselves — so great to see species other than the nonnative Sliders that populate Central Park:

Northern Watersnake:

I ran into a modest pocket of warblers including this OVENBIRD:

And this unusually-high male BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER:

WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, nice to see they’re still around:

An in-hand American Bullfrog was nice — this is actually the proper way to hold frogs so they can’t kick out and accidentally dislocate their strong legs:

I summited a modest rocky outcropping on the eastern side of the preserve allowing for great views:

This flipped Eastern Red-backed Salamander was also nice to see:

Another pocket of warblers yielded my first flipped COMMON YELLOWTHROAT of the year:

And a male YELLOW WARBLER:

Red-eared Sliders out sunning on Cranberry Lake:

My first-of-the-year VEERY!

Unfortunately, I never found a Pickerel Frog though I did have a frog get away from me at one point that might have been one. Always good to save something for later! Had to celebrate 5 miles of walking with the obligatory ice cream while waiting for the train back to the city.