Vineyard Field 2017

This morning's walk in Vineyard Field in back of the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) and co-sponsored by both SOFO and ELIAS (Eastern Long Island Audubon Society) pulled a good crowd and showed a lot of birds, particularly in the early part of the walk. Vineyard Field has largely been cleared of invasive vegetation by the Friends
of the Long Island Greenbelt and has taken on the character of a true LI grassland with bush habitat, water holes and surrounding woodland as well. This habitat, increasingly rare on Eastern LI, has nesting birds that need this kind of savannah habitat and that have become increasingly rare elsewhere.

The star attraction here is the Indigo Bunting which has at least 4 or 5 territories around the field, each one complete with singing male, generally perched high at the edge of the woods. This species does not have a very impressive song but that is more than made up for by his stunning looks -- all shining indigo blue. Another success story here is the Orchard Oriole which can be seen and heard all around the field edges. Baltimore Orioles love this habitat as well and were present in amazing numbers. Both orioles have striking songs and we actually found nests of both species: the well-known hanging nest of the Baltimore and the more traditional -- but tightly woven -- cup nest of the Orchard.

Other birds that like this habitat include Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and Blue-winged Warbler. Heard (but not seen) specialties included Warbling Vireo and Field Sparrow. A more complete list is below; thirty in all (I might have missed one or two flyovers). A big miss was Eastern Bluebird which seems to have had all its nest boxes usurped by Tree Swallows and, in one case, at least, House Wren.

The photos are all males taken on the walk against an overcast sky as follows: Orchard Oriole;  Yellow Warbler;  Indigo Bunting;  Cedar Waxwing;  Baltimore Oriole

My list for the morning:

Osprey (overhead carrying a fish)
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Wood-pewee
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Barn Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tree Swallow
Purple Martin
House Wren
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Indigo Bunting
Northern Cardinal
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
Orchard Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle

Eric Salzman