Hudson-Delaware: Fall 2025

Waterfowl

The steady northward range expansion of Black-bellied Whistling-Duck continues, with this once accidental species now removed from the review lists of all three states in the Hudson-Delaware region. Sightings from this season included a trio of birds at Corning Riverfront Park, Albany Co, NY on 27 Aug (Joey Beeles, m. ob.) as well as records from Sussex, Kent, and New Castle Cos in DE. A high count of 40 from Wheatley’s Pond in Kent Co on 15 Nov is notable (Andrew Dunn, John Dunn), and breeding was confirmed at the nearby Amalfi Drive Retention Pond in Aug (ph Warren Chambers, m. ob.). The birds associated with this set of records are reported to have originated from captive escapees, and they lingered in the general area through the end of the period.

Ross’s Geese were reported from all three states in the Hudson-Delaware region this season. NY hosted several individuals, with sightings at Malone Memorial Recreation Area, Franklin Co from 2–8 Nov (Harold Ellingson, m. ob.), Chazy Riverlands, Clinton Co on 6 Nov (Stacy Robinson), and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens and Kings Cos from 29 Nov into the winter (Corey Finger, Eleanor Ray), all in the company of Snow Geese. A southbound bird was reported flying solo past the Avalon Seawatch in Cape May Co, NJ on 14 Nov (Daniel Irons), and another was observed at Silver Lake, Sussex Co, DE from 21–22 Nov (Gregory Gough).

A number of Greater White-fronted Geese were documented across the region, with most records pertaining to single birds or pairs associating with carrier flocks of Canada Geese. A high count of 16 at Lake Flavia in Cattaraugus Co, NY from 21–26 Nov was a notable exception (David Crowe, Kyle Brock, m. ob.). Additional sightings in NY came from Onondaga, Wyoming, Saratoga, Madison, Suffolk, Queens, New York, Clinton, Westchester, and Monroe Cos. NJ hosted a handful of individuals as well, with reports from Mercer, Hunterdon, Middlesex, and Morris Cos. Though this species remains generally scarce in the Hudson-Delaware region, records of birds from both the Greenland and western North American populations are increasing in frequency.

A Tundra Bean-Goose discovered on 3 Nov at Planting Fields Arboretum in Nassau Co represented a third state record for NY and the Hudson-Delaware Region as a whole (Christie Tashjian, m. ob.). The bird spent the remainder of the season moving between several sites in northern Nassau with its adopted flock, including roosts at Beaver Lake and Dosoris Pond as well as grazing grounds at the Nassau Country Club, lingering in the area well into Jan 2026. Tundra Bean-Goose is a widespread Eurasian species, breeding at Arctic latitudes from Scandinavia to Siberia and wintering in western and central Europe and eastern Asia. The species occurs as a vagrant on both the East Coast and the West Coast, with a small handful of records from the interior of the ABA Area. While still quite rare away from western Alaska, reports have become more regular in the Northeastern states and Maritime provinces in the past decade. Patterns of occurrence are somewhat obscured by the identification challenges associated with the strikingly similar Taiga Bean-Goose, and the treatment of species limits within this complex remains a contentious puzzle for taxonomic authorities. In terms of overall structure, however, the bird in question appears wholly consistent with the identification criteria for Tundra Bean-Goose as they are currently understood.

Pink-footed Goose has occurred annually within the Hudson-Delaware region for more than a decade, and fall 2025 was no exception. A lone bird was reported from Miry Run Natural Area in Mercer Co, NJ on 19 Oct (Jessica Howland, Bill Hewitt), and another individual was documented around the farm fields of Riverhead, Suffolk Co, NY from 24–27 Oct (Aidan Perkins, m. ob.). Like so many European waterfowl, this species is rapidly increasing as a fall and winter visitor to the ABA Area due to booming populations of breeding birds in Iceland and Greenland.

Yet another goose with regional records on the rise is the Barnacle Goose. An observation at Pleasant Knolls Golf Course in Oneida Co, NY from 3–10 Sep was a notably early occurrence (Timothy Boundy), perhaps related to a bird that had lingered well into May along Route 46 a few miles to the north. Additional NY reports came from Canandaigua Lake, Ontario Co from 29 Sep–6 Oct (Bill Howe, m. ob.) and Reed Road, Genesee Co on 15 Nov (Melissa Mance-Coniglio). DE also hosted an individual that was sighted at both Wheatley’s Pond and Bombay Hook NWR in Kent Co from 11–30 Nov (Nolan Walker, m. ob.). Barnacle Goose has a more established history of occurrence in comparison to Pink-footed Goose, though most early records were dismissed as presumed escapees from captive collections.

As a result of extensive reintroduction programs in neighboring Ontario during the late 20th century, Trumpeter Swans are now a well-established resident species around the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes, and St. Lawrence River Valley in NY, with occasional records of wintering birds further south in the Hudson-Delaware region. In 2025, a pair successfully bred at Hunter Lake in Sullivan Co, and the family group lingered at this site until at least 19 Oct (John Haas). A sighting of two adults and a juvenile at nearby Kenoza Lake on 27 Oct presumably involved the same birds (Karen Miller).

Eurasian Wigeon is a rare but regular winter visitor in the Hudson-Delaware region, and all three states reported newly arrived birds over the course of the season. Sightings were documented in St. Lawrence, Seneca, Wayne, Queens, and Suffolk Cos in NY,  Atlantic, Cape May, and Ocean Cos in NJ, and Kent Co in DE. In NY, two reports of Tufted Duck came from Clinton Co on 24 Oct (Taylor Sturm) and Essex Co on 13 Nov (Stacy Robinson), potentially pertaining to the same drake moving between these neighboring counties on Lake Champlain, a traditional wintering site for this Eurasian species.

Most winters see a few King Eiders making their way down the coast to this region, but the only sightings in NY for fall 2025 were a pair of upstate records: one at Ticonderoga Ferry, Essex Co from 15–16 Nov (Stacy Robinson, Gary Chapin) and another at Hamlin Beach, Monroe Co on 18 Nov (Andy Guthrie). NJ reported a few individuals from more traditional oceanfront sites, including Tuckerton, Ocean Co from 12–26 Sep (Joshua Gant, m. ob.), Cape May on 28 Oct (Daniel Irons, m. ob.), and Island Beach, Ocean Co on 8 Nov (Chelsea Hockenbury, Doug Hockenbury).

This season produced just one report of Barrow’s Goldeneye for the region, a drake at Blockhouse Park, Saratoga Co, NY from 18–21 Nov (ph Liz Roos, m. ob.), though a few additional records of this scarce wintering species were noted after the period had ended.

Grebes to Rails

Eared Grebe is a scarce but regular stray from the western portion of the continent, and this period saw a handful of reports in the Hudson-Delaware region. Long-staying individuals stuck around for similar tenures at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Atlantic Co, NJ from 18 Sep–25 Nov (Bill Elrick, m. ob.) and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens/Kings Co, NY from 23 Sep–23 Nov (Jonathan Green, m. ob.). Additional NY records came from Batavia Wastewater Treatment Plant, Genesee Co on 20 Sep (Michael Tetlow), Coles Creek SP, St. Lawrence Co on 27 Oct (Jeff Bolsinger), and Shinnecock Bay, Suffolk Co from 19–23 Nov (Aidan Perkins, m. ob.).

The vagrancy potential of White-winged Dove is well-documented. Records of this Southwestern and Caribbean species can conceivably occur anywhere in the region at any time of year, though they seldom linger for long. In keeping with this established pattern, records from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens Co, NY on 14 Sep (David Chernack, Courtney Lawlor, Sean Carroll) and Leipsic River Bridge, Kent Co, DE on 21 Oct (Steven Grunwald) both involved birds that failed to stick around for subsequent searchers. Eurasian Collared-Dove remains surprisingly rare in the Hudson-Delaware region, standing in stark contrast to its ongoing conquest of the southern and western portions of the ABA Area. The sole record of this introduced species for the period came from Sodus, Wayne Co, NY on 5 Aug (Phil Mills).

The discovery of a Common Cuckoo in Riverhead, Suffolk Co, NY on 23 Oct was one of the more sensational stories of the season, both for the impressive nature of the vagrant itself and the serendipitous circumstances of the initial find. The cuckoo was originally spotted by Roy William Gardner while he was in the midst of a round of golf. Recognizing the bird as something out of the ordinary, he sent a series of cell phone photos to his nephew Chris Sayers, who subsequently relayed them to Jay McGowan for dissemination to the broader birding community. The juvenile bird was observed foraging for caterpillars at several sites around Riverhead, including the Vineyards Golf and Country Club, the Woods at Cherry Creek, and the adjacent farm fields, drawing large crowds of eager observers throughout the entirety of its stay until 26 Oct. Careful study of fine plumage details, including the extent of markings on the primaries and the underwing coverts, helped to rule out other lookalike Cuculus species like Oriental Cuckoo. The saga of this celebrated state and regional first proved to be a bit of a breakout media story, with widespread coverage on various non-birding news channels. Common Cuckoo is a long-distance migrant that breeds across Eurasia and winters in sub-Saharan Africa. Reports are essentially annual in western Alaska, but there are only a handful of vagrancy records elsewhere in the ABA Area, supplemented by an additional smattering of observations in the Lesser Antilles. On the East Coast, the only prior occurrences come from May 1981 in Massachusetts, Sep 2013 in Quebec, and Nov 2020 in Rhode Island, though fall 2025 saw the addition of yet another record from New Hampshire in Nov.

In recent decades, Black-chinned Hummingbird has become a regular vagrant to the eastern portion of the ABA Area. Despite the identification challenges associated with its eastern counterpart, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, there are documented records for all three states in the Hudson-Delaware region. Fall 2025 produced another record for NJ, with a bird in Northfield, Atlantic Co that visited a private feeder from 24–27 Oct (Nancy Phillips, m. ob.).

With the longest migration route of any hummingbird species, Rufous Hummingbird has a strong natural propensity for vagrancy. The perennial popularity of hummingbird feeders has seen this species expanding its wintering range to include the Gulf Coast, resulting in a corresponding increase in records along the Eastern Seaboard. Sightings from this period come from private homes in Carmel, Putnam Co from 3–7 Aug (Sean Camillieri, Gail Benson) and Rocky Point, Suffolk Co from 1–30 Nov (Jeanne Eggers, m. ob.) in NY, as well as a report from Liftwood, New Castle Co, DE on 17 Sep (Kim Steininger). All observations of vagrant Selasphorus hummingbirds should be carefully scrutinized to rule out the even rarer Allen’s Hummingbird, with special attention paid to the fine details of tail feather structure. Without clear images of the spread rectrices, such reports are often best left at a genus level identification.

In contrast with the previous two species, Broad-billed Hummingbird is considerably rarer as a vagrant to the Northeast, with only three prior records of this Southwestern specialty for the Hudson-Delaware region. A bird attending private feeders at the home of Kathy Tucker in Derby, Erie Co this fall represented the third record for NY, nearly two full decades after the previous two occurrences from Jun and Aug 2006. The hummingbird visited the Tucker property from 22 Oct–24 Nov, though there were days when it was only seen briefly or did not visit at all, and it was banded by Andrea Heine early in its tenure at this site. The only other record for the region comes from NJ in Nov 2022.

King Rail is a scarce and secretive species in the Northeast, with sporadic breeding records throughout the Hudson-Delaware region occasionally involving birds that pair with local Clapper Rails. The presence of hybrid offspring produced by these pairings necessitates caution in the identification of colorful, well-marked Rallus, especially at coastal sites where both parent species could conceivably occur. Accepted King Rail reports from this period include a bird at Richard W. DeKorte Park, Bergen Co, NJ from 27–28 Oct (Matt Schuler, m. ob.) and another in Middletown, New Castle Co, DE on 2 Sep (Edward Patten, David Harrison).

Like so many rallids, Purple Gallinule has a long history of dispersal far from its typical haunts in the subtropical regions of the ABA Area. NY documented multiple records this fall, including birds at Montezuma NWR, Wayne Co from 30 Aug–13 Sep (Noah Brinkman, Rajan Rao, Eaton Ekarintaragun, m. ob.), Freese Road, Tompkins Co from 18–22 Sep (Fabricio Gorleri, m. ob.), Lackawanna, Erie Co on 24 Sep (SPCA rehab), and Fort Pond, Suffolk Co from 5–11 Nov (Aimee Lusty, m. ob.). NJ also reported a single bird this period, from Hugh Force Canal Park, Morris Co from 15–18 Oct (Carolyn Rubenfeld, m. ob.).

Shorebirds to Jaegers

After a notably strong showing during the spring of 2025, Black-necked Stilt continued at multiple sites throughout the Hudson-Delaware region. The species has recently become established as a breeder in DE, with good numbers reported at multiple sites in Kent and Sussex Cos. In NJ, a trio of birds were documented at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR from 11–25 Aug (Jason Nargiz, Scott Angus, m. ob.), and the lone record for NY this period came from Jones Beach SP, Nassau Co on 19 Aug (Hayden Uresk).

The Hudson-Delaware region lies between typical migratory routes of Bar-tailed Godwit populations, but records of this species have nevertheless been documented in all three states. Fall 2025 saw a report of a lone individual at Cupsogue Beach CP, Suffolk Co, NY on 17 Oct (Lukas Musher, Ben Bolduc, m. ob.). The bird’s plumage patterns were confirmed to be consistent with the nominate European subspecies, which predictably accounts for the majority of records on the Eastern Seaboard. There is precedent, however, for individuals from the Alaskan and Siberian populations reaching the Atlantic Coast of North America as well, including a prior record from NY.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is a scarce vagrant on the East Coast, with records being slightly less than annual in the past decade. All of the states in the Hudson-Delaware region have previously documented multiple occurrences of this species, which breeds in Alaska and Russia and winters in Southeast Asia and Oceania. This period saw an individual visiting Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE from 9–20 Nov (Jack Fuller, m. ob.).

Reports of Curlew Sandpiper in the Hudson-Delaware region may not be quite as reliable as they once were, but this Eurasian species remains a fairly expected vagrant among migratory flocks of shorebirds. This period saw two reports, one from Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE from 15 Aug–6 Sep (Christopher Hinkle, Benjamin Filreis, m. ob.) and another at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Atlantic Co, NJ from 14 Sep–11 Oct (Bill Elrick, m. ob.)

Although Red Phalarope is an expected migrant in the offshore pelagic waters of the region, the species is a considerably rarer sight from land. NY documented multiple records this season, with sightings at Piseco Lake, Hamilton Co from 16–17 Sep (Betsy Berglund, Gregg Dashnau) and Braddock Bay, Monroe Co on 12 Oct (Peter Burns, m. ob.), as well as an individual that was seen at both Hamburg SP and Woodlawn Beach SP in Erie Co on 4–5 Nov (Josh Ketry, m. ob.). NJ reported just one observation for this period, with a flyby at the Avalon Seawatch in Cape May Co on 16 Nov (Daniel Irons).

The period’s sole report of South Polar Skua came from the Cape May Co, NJ pelagic zone on 1 Oct, with a bird sighted off the continental shelf east of Wilmington Canyon (Christopher Di Corrado), a fairly late date for a species more typically associated with spring and summer in this region.

Pomarine Jaeger occurred in typical context over the deep waters of the pelagic zone near the continental shelf edge, with reports of 2 individuals around the Hudson Canyon, Suffolk Co, NY on 13 Sep (Jake LaBelle) and another in the same vicinity on 19 Sep (Steven Weiss).

Both modes of expected occurrence for migrant Long-tailed Jaegers were represented in this season’s reports. Offshore sightings in NJ waters were documented near Wilmington Canyon, Cape May Co on 17 Aug (Jason Denesevich, m. ob.) and Hudson Canyon, Ocean Co on 31 Aug (R.J. Curcio). Additional reports from the Suffolk Co, NY pelagic zone came from Hudson Canyon on 13 and 14 Sep (Steven Weiss). Onshore observations included a bird seen from Edgemere Drive along the shores of Lake Ontario in Monroe Co, NY on 19 Aug (Mitchell Barry) and another at the Avalon Seawatch in Cape May Co, NJ on 2 Oct (Daniel Irons).

Alcids to Shearwaters

Black Guillemot is only seen sporadically south of Cape Cod, preferring to keep to the rockier coastlines of New England. A flyby bird spotted during a seawatch at Cape May Point, Cape May Co, NJ on 3 Nov (Bob Fogg) was notably early in addition to being notably far from its typical wintering range.

A number of Sandwich Tern records were documented throughout the Hudson-Delaware region this fall. In DE, a pair of birds were reported at Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co from 11–31 Aug (Frank Rohrbacher, Gregory Gough, m. ob.), with a high count of 13 at Bethany Beach, Sussex Co on 16 Aug (Rachel Landers) and an additional bird at Dewey Beach, Sussex Co on 6 Sep (Justin Ellis-Joyce). NJ saw a number of sightings around Cape May Co between 12 Aug and 6 Sep (Cliff Miller, Joe Gyekis, m. ob.), as well as birds at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Atlantic Co from 16–19 Aug (Will Krohn, Donald Freiday) and at Tuckerton Creek and nearby Green Street Dock in Ocean Co on 20 Aug and 14 Sep, respectively (Joshua Gant). A pair of birds was also seen at Cupsogue Beach CP, Suffolk Co from 15–17 Aug (Ken Feustel, Sue Feustel, m. ob.). All reports from this period evidently pertain to the American population of this widespread species, which is common up the East Coast to the Chesapeake Bay.

Reports of Black-headed Gull for fall 2025 included a long-staying bird at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Atlantic Co, NJ, continuing from July and lingering until 6 Oct (Bill Elrick, m. ob.). Additional NJ reports came from the Hackensack River, Bergen Co on 21 Oct (Michael Turso, Drew McQuade) and Manasquan Reservoir, Monmouth Co on 3 Nov (Paul Mandala, Robert Maltz). In NY, there were reports of birds at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens Co on 10 Oct (John Huggard), Plumb Beach, Kings Co on 23 Nov (Ant Taboada), Prospect Park, Kings Co on 28 Nov (Ant Taboada), and Bush Terminal Piers, Kings Co on 28 Nov (Andrew Baksh), as well as at least one immature and one adult hanging around Montauk, Suffolk Co from 5–28 Nov (Aidan Perkins, Angus Wilson). This Eurasian species has been established as a breeder in North America since the late 1970s, with regular records of migrants and wintering birds south to the Mid-Atlantic.

Franklin’s Gulls were found in all three states in the Hudson-Delaware region this season. NY sightings involved a mature bird at Bennett Beach, Erie Co on 25 Aug (Bill Massaro), an adult that moved between Montezuma NWR in Seneca Co and FLX Marina in Cayuga Co from 9–21 Sep (Jay McGowan, m. ob.), a young bird at Myers Point (Jay McGowan) that was later joined by an adult at Stewart Park in Tompkins Co (Jeremy Collison) on 20 Oct, and a subadult at Sylvan Beach, Oneida Co on 22 Oct (Zach Timmins). In Cape May Co, NJ, solo adult birds were observed at Cape May Inlet on 23–24 Sep (Jesse Amesbury, m. ob.) and the Avalon Seawatch on 23 Oct (Daniel Irons). DE reported just one individual this period, with a mature individual at Lewes Beach, Sussex Co on 24 Sep (Gregory Gough). The vagrancy potential of this long-distance migrant is truly impressive, with documented records for more than 60 countries and territories outside the Americas. Within the Hudson-Delaware region, Franklin’s Gull seems to be an increasingly regular visitor, with multiple reports each year.

A lone California Gull was recorded at Hereford Inlet Lighthouse, Cape May Co, NJ on 14 Oct (Daniel Irons, m. ob.). This species is a rare visitor from the interior of the continent and the West Coast, and it should always be watched for when surveying congregations of more expected local gulls along the Atlantic Coast.

Among the most sought-after seabirds in the North Atlantic, White-faced Storm-Petrel has become something of a seasonal specialty for late summer and early fall pelagics in our region. Intriguingly, fall 2025 produced two different reports from Suffolk Co, NY in relatively shallow waters over the continental shelf rather than the more traditionally expected areas near the shelf break. One bird was found just barely 20 miles south of the Hamptons on 14 Aug (Allison Black, Cameron Cox), and another was observed closer to the Hudson Canyon on 14 Sep (Steven Weiss).

Sargasso Shearwater is an expected summer visitor to the warm offshore waters of the Hudson-Delaware region. The sole NY record for the period was surprisingly close to shore, with a bird observed from a whale watching vessel just 7 miles south of Montauk Point, Suffolk Co on 25 Aug (Ant Taboada, Michael Silber, Casey Ferio, Chelsea L.). Another was encountered in the Sussex Co, DE pelagic zone during a Hillstar Nature pelagic voyage on 16 Aug (m. ob.).

Boobies to Pelicans

Like so many southern waterbirds, Brown Booby has undergone a rapid and dramatic range expansion in recent decades. Formerly considered accidental at these latitudes, the species now occurs annually in some numbers along the coast, with occasional sightings well inland. NJ hosted up to 5 long-staying individuals around Newark Bay, Hudson/Essex Co from 24 Aug–11 Oct (Alex Bernzweig, m. ob.), and these birds were occasionally visible from the shores of Staten Island, Richmond Co, NY (Anthony V. Ciancimino, Richard Fleming). Additional reports for fall 2025 included sightings at Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co, DE on 21 Aug (Jason Horn), Fire Island Wilderness East, Suffolk Co, NY on 25 Aug (Hanyang Ye), Wheelabrator Wildlife Refuge, Gloucester Co, NJ on 8 Sep (Rob Keefe), and Higbee Beach WMA and Cape May Point in Cape May Co, NJ on 30 Oct (Aaron Reb, m. ob.).

Formerly a rare visitor to the region, White Ibis continues its dramatic push to become an established component of Hudson-Delaware’s breeding avifauna. High counts at the Ocean City Welcome Center heronry in Cape May Co, NJ, where nesting was first documented in 2020, produced an estimate of some 2000 birds on 7 Sep (Liz Blazure). In DE, an estimated high of 1000 birds was recorded at Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co on 2 Oct (Gregory Gough). White Ibis were abundant and widespread along the coasts of both states, with a few records in the upper reaches of Delaware Bay, New Castle Co, DE and north to Monmouth and Hudson Cos, NJ. Observations for NY were more scattered, with reports from New York City, the Hudson Valley, the Capital Region, the Finger Lakes, and the North Country. The northernmost record this period was an individual that visited Ausable Marsh, Clinton Co from 18 Aug–1 Sep (Donna Ferguson, m. ob.).

White-faced Ibis reports came from Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on 9–17 Aug (Chris Bennett, m. ob.) and the Cape May Point hawkwatch platform in Cape May Co, NJ on 24 Oct (David Benvent, m. ob.). Reports of this western species have been annual in the Hudson-Delaware region in recent decades, almost always in association with congregations of Glossy Ibis.

Following the trends of recent years, Roseate Spoonbills made a good push to the north of their typical breeding range this season. In DE, an individual originally detected at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co on 9 Jun lingered until 7 Sep (Chuck Babbitt, m. ob.), with an additional report from Cape Henlopen SP Sussex Co on 8 Sep (Andrew Albright). NJ hosted several long-staying birds, with a lone individual at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Atlantic Co from 1 Aug–19 Sep (Bill Elrick, m. ob.) and a trio at Orlando Drive Marsh, Ocean Co that continued from 21 Jul to 21 Aug (Owen Barton, m. ob.). Additional sightings included a bird at Glades Wildlife Refuge, Cumberland Co on 18 Sep (Jim Austin-Cole) and a pair seen around Cape Island, Cape May Co on 20 Sep, with additional sporadic records of singles through to 29 Sep (Josh Davidson, m. ob.). The sole NY report for the period came from the northernmost limits of the state at Bayside Cemetery in Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co on 18 Aug (Stacey Tarbox).

As the breeding range of American White Pelican gradually expands eastwards, records in the Hudson-Delaware region continue to increase in frequency. The sole report from NY this season came from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens/Kings Co, where an oversummering individual initially detected on 16 Jun lingered through to 20 Sep (Nelson Pascuzzi, m. ob.). A southbound bird was observed over Cape May Point, Cape May Co, NJ on 21 Sep (David Benvent, m. ob.). DE documented multiple records of the species at half a dozen sites along the coasts of Kent and Sussex Cos between 1 Oct and 27 Nov, with a high count of 23 individuals documented at Bombay Hook NWR in Kent Co on 26 Nov (Lindsay Morris).

Egrets to Falcons

In contrast with many other species of southern waterbirds that regularly wander up the East Coast, Reddish Egret is a notably rare sight north of the Carolinas. An individual that visited Stone Harbor, Cape May Co from 19 Aug–28 Sep represented just the fourth record for NJ (Mikey Lutmerding, Jo Lutmerding, Phoebe Lutmerding, Wren Lutmerding, m. ob.), nearly a decade after the last report in 2016. There’s only a few accepted records elsewhere in the region, with three for DE and two for NY.

A Swallow-tailed Kite at Marble Street Island, Onondaga Co, NY from 17–19 Aug was the sole record of the species for this period (Gregg Dashnau, m. ob.). This striking southern raptor is rare but regular in the Hudson-Delaware region, appearing mostly annually but more commonly in the spring than in the summer or fall.

Fall 2025 saw just a handful of Mississippi Kite reports, with singles at Braddock Bay, Monroe Co on 23 Aug (Samuel Payne) and Brooktondale, Tompkins Co on 25 Sep (Tristan Herwood) in NY, as well as an additional sighting at Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co, DE on 22 Sep (Susan Gruver). Records of this species are on the rise in the Hudson-Delaware region, with increasingly frequent spring observations and a few documented breeding attempts in NY and NJ in recent decades.

NJ reported multiple Swainson’s Hawks over the course of the season, highlighted by a long-staying bird that was initially observed over South Cape May Meadows, Cape May Co on 29 Oct (Michael O’Brien, Louise Zemaitis, m. ob.), where it was banded and outfitted with a transmitter by Tricia Miller and Paul Engman. The hawk remained in the area until 29 Nov, ranging from Whitesboro to Cape May Point but mostly favoring the vicinity of Higbee Beach WMA. A separate individual was observed passing over the hawkwatch platform at Cape May Point on 17 Oct (David Benvent, m. ob.) and another was documented over Sandy Hook, Monmouth Co on 29 Nov (Jeff Ellerbusch, Priscilla Petitti, Simon Lane, m. ob.).

After two consecutive winters with markedly poor showings in the region, Snowy Owls once again made a decent push south in the latter months of 2025. The season began with a fairly early arrival date of 9 Nov at Perry Road, Onondaga Co, NY (Andrew Mosher), followed by a number of reports from traditional sites along the ocean coast of Long Island and the Great Lakes shoreline.

A Burrowing Owl was photographed on a residential rooftop in Little Egg Harbor Township, Ocean Co, NJ on 31 Aug (Anonymous eBirder), representing only the second documented record for the state. The visible plumage features in the provided images appear consistent with the heavily-marked Floridian subspecies rather than the paler western taxa, with dense streaking rather than spotting on the crown and coarser barring on the breast. Previous vagrants in the Hudson-Delaware region have originated from both populations, with multiple occurrences in NY and an additional record for DE.

One of the most surprising reports of the fall 2025 period was the discovery of a Yellow-headed Caracara at the Port of Wilmington, New Castle Co, DE on 18 Nov (Jeanette Sloper, Lauren Morgens, m. ob.). The bird strongly favored the Kalmar Nyckel shipyard, where it showed cooperatively for several days before disappearing after 22 Nov. Incredibly, this individual resurfaced the following season near Milford, Kent Co on 24 Jan 2026 (Jay Mengel, m. ob.). Yellow-headed Caracara is a widespread Neotropical species that has undergone an impressive range expansion in recent decades, now regularly found as far north as southern Nicaragua. The past few years have seen a smattering of observations throughout northern Central America, the Caribbean, and the southern United States. The species was added to the ABA Checklist following the acceptance of a record from Florida, initially detected in late 2022 and continuing into 2026. Texas likewise has an accepted record from 2024–2025, as well as a prior unaccepted report from 2023. California has a pair of unaccepted reports from 2008 and 2024, and another caracara found in North Carolina in 2016 was rejected by the local committee at the time. The DE sighting naturally represents a pending first record for the state and the Hudson-Delaware region. This steadily expanding collection of observations serves as strong evidence for the vagrancy potential of this species, though the specter of potential ship assistance has confounded the review of some reports. For such an adaptable and opportunistic scavenger, it seems equally plausible that these out-of-range birds could be riding northbound vessels far from home or simply gravitating towards coastal hubs of human activity where they are likely to find food. Hopefully future observations will reveal more about the mechanisms behind these fascinating extralimital occurrences as the pattern continues to develop.

Flycatchers to Swallows

Ash-throated Flycatchers were reported from all three states in the region. NJ sightings of this expected western vagrant came from Cape May, Monmouth, Bergen, and Atlantic Cos. NY documented birds in Queens and Kings Cos, and a single bird was reported from Kent Co in DE.

Western Kingbird is regularly encountered in the Hudson-Delaware region during fall migration, especially at productive coastal migrant traps. Cape May Co alone tallied roughly 10 records between 12 Sep and 27 Nov (m. ob.), with additional NJ sightings from Ocean, Hunterdon, Cumberland, and Somerset Cos. Reports for NY came from Queens, Nassau, Suffolk, and New York Cos.

Gray Kingbirds made a strong showing along the East Coast in fall 2025, with records from 11 different sites between North Carolina and Quebec, including a sighting in Bermuda. Only one of these reports came from the Hudson-Delaware region, with a bird seen at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Atlantic Co on 24 Nov (Matt Webster, Ron Fry). This Caribbean species is abundant in Florida during the breeding season, with a well-established pattern of vagrancy to the north during the spring and fall.

NJ logged two records of Fork-tailed Flycatcher this season, highlighted by a stunning and accommodating adult male that lingered at Higbee Beach WMA, Cape May Co from 12–14 Sep (Tom Reed, Josh Davidson, m. ob.). Another bird was observed at Seaside Heights Beach, Ocean Co on 24 Nov (Nicco Tartaglia), quickly disappearing in a manner more typical for this infamously ephemeral species. Fork-tailed Flycatchers of the nominate South American population are long-distance austral migrants, and vagrants have been documented throughout the ABA Area from California to Newfoundland. Extralimital records show a strong tendency towards the spring and fall migration seasons.

NY’s seventh record of Hammond’s Flycatcher was discovered at Unqua Lake, Nassau Co on 29 Sep (Kris Long). This western Empidonax species is quite rare in the Hudson-Delaware region, with only one record apiece for DE and NJ. Say’s Phoebes were documented at Sandy Hook, Monmouth Co from 5–7 Sep (Milton Collins, m. ob.) and Cape May Point SP, Cape May Co from 8–14 Oct (Debbie Howell, m. ob.), with an additional report from Maine Hill Road, Cattaraugus Co, NY on 17 Sep (Jeffrey Reed). Most regional records of this western species are documented in the fall.

Continental weather conditions leading into Nov 2025 were primed for a widespread incursion of Cave Swallows into the Hudson-Delaware region, with an extended period of prevailing winds from the southwest followed by strong cold fronts sweeping to the coast. In NY, the species made strong showings along the shores of Lake Ontario and the Atlantic Ocean, with documented sightings in Monroe, Niagara, Queens, Wayne, Kings, Suffolk, Bronx, Westchester, New York, Richmond, Tompkins, Nassau, Orleans, Ontario, Oswego, and Onondaga Cos over a period from 3 to 28 Nov. NJ recorded a similarly impressive suite of mostly coastal records from Cape May, Atlantic, Monmouth, Hunterdon, Ocean, and Essex Cos between 4 and 29 Nov, highlighted by an impressive high count of 369 individuals at Cape May Point, Cape May Co on 6 Nov (David Benvent, Jack McDonough, Josh Davidson). Sightings in DE were documented for Sussex, Kent, and New Castle Cos between Nov 6–19.

Leaf Warblers to Wheatears

Perhaps the single most unexpected rarity of the fall 2025 season, at least in terms of raw distance from all prior documented records, was the appearance of an Arctic Warbler at Randall’s Island, New York Co, NY from 27–28 Sep (Ryan Zucker, Timothy Healy, Dmitriy Aronov, Adam Cunningham, m. ob.). The bird favored the vicinity of the park’s Urban Farm and Cottage Garden, where it mostly foraged in the upper canopy of the surrounding trees. Although this individual was quite furtive and often disappeared for extended periods of time, dedicated observers still managed to collect a substantial bounty of media, including high-quality recordings of the bird’s calls and subsong. The identification of Phylloscopus leaf warblers is notoriously challenging, requiring careful analysis of plumage and structural details as well as vocalizations. Arctic Warbler, in particular, is nearly identical in physical appearance to Kamchatka Leaf Warbler and Japanese Leaf Warbler, two former conspecifics that were split in 2014. Fortunately, in this instance the accumulated body of evidence was sufficient to confidently identify this remarkable vagrant. The breeding range of this predominantly Eurasian passerine encompasses a wide swath of shrubby taiga habitat from Scandinavia to Siberia, with established populations in western Alaska that migrate to the same wintering grounds in Southeast Asia. Vagrant records for “Arctic-type” warblers have been reported on the West Coast from the Yukon to Baja California, but precious few of these have been accompanied by diagnostic audio. Extralimital occurrences are well-documented in Europe, and a 2014 observation from Bermuda hinted at the more extreme vagrancy potential of the species. This observation represented a first record for the entire eastern portion of the continent and the addition of a new family to the official NY checklist. Coincidentally, Bermudian birders documented the archipelago’s second record of Arctic Warbler in Oct 2025, mere weeks after the NY sighting.

Bohemian Waxwings made a modest push south from their Canadian strongholds this season, with scattered reports from the Adirondacks and the Lake Ontario shoreline. The southernmost record for the period was a flyby observation of a lone bird in a flock of Cedar Waxwings at Croton Point Park, Westchester Co on 16 Nov (Scott Reing). A single Townsend’s Solitaire was reported this season from Cape May Point, Cape May Co, NJ on 25 Oct (Frank Lenik, Charlie Roberto). This understated thrush is a regular visitor from the western portion of the continent in fall and winter, typically appearing annually in the Hudson-Delaware region.

Bicknell’s Thrush is seldom detected during migration in the Hudson-Delaware region, and the majority of such records come from the spring season when birds are more likely to be identified by song. This fall, two individuals were banded and confirmed via in-hand measurements in NJ, with one at Meadowlands District IBA, Bergen Co on 30 Sep (Jordan Parham, Michael Turso) and another at Featherbed Lane, Mercer Co on 5 Oct (Sharyn Magee). Away from the Adirondack breeding grounds, the only report in NY this season was a putative sight record from Central Park, New York Co on 20 Sep, submitted by an observer who has hands-on field research experience with the species (Gabriel Willow, Brendan Michael Lowden).

Undoubtedly one of the highlights of the fall 2025 season, a Redwing discovered at a private residence in Hilton, Monroe Co on 19 Nov, furnished NY with its second state record (Luke Seitz, Maili Waters). The bird did not linger long, departing for parts unknown with a flock of American Robins roughly an hour after the initial sighting. A previous observation from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens Co in Feb 1959 represents the only other record of this handsome Eurasian thrush in the Hudson-Delaware region. The species is considered casual in the ABA Area, with an established pattern of occurrence on both sides of the North American continent. Records in the Northeastern States and Maritime Provinces may include birds that originated in mainland Europe or in Iceland, with the most recent NY bird tentatively assigned to the latter population on the basis of its comparatively dark, well-marked plumage aspect.

In NY, an adult male Varied Thrush at Prospect Park, Kings Co entertained birders from 27 Oct to 8 Nov (Asher Fusco, m. ob.). Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, this species is an increasingly regular vagrant to the eastern portion of the continent, most commonly occurring during the colder months of the year.

The sole regional record of Northern Wheatear this season came from South Cape May Meadows, Cape May Co, NJ on 28 Oct (Mike Sciortino, m. ob.). This species occasionally stops over on the East Coast during fall migration, which sees these Arctic-nesting songbirds hurdling the Atlantic Ocean en route to their wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa.

Finches to Sparrows

As foretold by the perennially popular Winter Finch Forecast, Evening Grosbeaks made a strong showing throughout the region in fall 2025. Reports began trickling in from upstate NY as early as 3 Aug at Padanarum Road, Warren Co (Patricia Demko, Joe Demko), and by the end of the period the birds were widespread across much of the state. Much of the action in NJ was restricted to the northern portion of the state, starting with a record at Spruce Run Recreation Area, Hunterdon Co on 2 Nov (Eddit Politz), though there were a handful of sightings of flyby migrants in Cape May Co as well. Reports from DE came from Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co on 24 Nov (Susan Gruver, Ann Dinkel) and Blackiston Wildlife Area, Kent Co on 25 Nov (Will Krohn, Aaron Coolman).

Pine Grosbeaks were also on the move in some numbers this fall, but most of them kept to the northern reaches of NY in the Adirondacks and the Lake Ontario forelands. The season’s earliest report came from Whiteface Mountain, Essex Co on 4 Oct (Anthony Russo), and the most southerly occurrence was documented at a private residence in Albany Co on 10 Nov (Alison Van Keuren).

The first Redpoll sighting of the season came at the shockingly early date of 31 Aug in New Bremen, Lewis Co, NY (Cheyenne Lee). This species made a decent push into the northern portion of the state with a few scattered records further afield, reaching their southern maximum at Robert Moses SP, Suffolk Co on 4 Nov (Aidan Perkins). A single report from NJ involved a small flock at Culvers Lake, Sussex Co on 18 Nov (Bradley White).

Red Crossbills were present across much of NY during this period, reaching the ocean coasts of Long Island on 18 Nov at Cupsogue Beach SP, Suffolk Co (Ben Bolduc) and 29 Nov at Jones Beach SP, Nassau Co (John Gluth). Reports from NJ began as early as 9 Aug in Wharton SF, Burlington Co (Jack McDonough), followed by scattered reports from Mills Reservation, Essex Co on 20 Nov (Jon Hills) and Stokes SF, Sussex Co on 29 Nov (Benjamin Banaag, Michael Heifetz). Two reports from Sussex Co, DE came from Milford on 14 Nov (Gina Sheridan) and Cape Henlopen SP on 28 Nov (Chelsea Zachary).

The Winter Finch Forecast predicted that White-winged Crossbill activity in the East would be minimal, and the scattered reports for this season were limited to the regions of NY closest to the Canadian border. Roving individuals reached Franklin Co on 2 Sep (Rich Hanlon), St. Lawrence Co on 11 Oct (Ila Terry), Monroe Co on 19 Nov (Jonathan Mott), and Erie Co on 25 Nov (Phil Mills).

A Chestnut-collared Longspur visited the beachfront at the Villas in Cape May Co, NJ from 21–23 Oct (Jim Dowdell, m. ob.). This specialty species of the continent’s interior breeds in shortgrass prairie habitat and winters in open desert grasslands, and vagrant records on the East Coast are quite sparse. This season’s observation represented the fourth documented occurrence in NJ, complementing a set of some half a dozen records from NY.

The discovery of a Smith’s Longspur at Shinnecock Inlet, Suffolk Co was a noteworthy find for NY (Aidan Perkins, Anthony Collerton). Including this observation, there have been nine documented records for the state, with five of those occurring since 2022. The only other records for the Hudson-Delaware region are a trio of reports from NJ. Smith’s Longspur breeds on the Arctic tundra of Canada and Alaska and winters on the grasslands of the Central United States, only rarely making its way to the Eastern Seaboard.

LeConte’s Sparrows are genuinely scarce in the Hudson-Delaware region, but their apparent rarity is surely amplified by their secretive habits and preference for densely vegetated meadows and wetlands. All three states logged sightings in fall 2025, with reports from Montezuma NWR, Seneca Co on 5 Oct (David Kennedy, Mark Miller) and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens Co from 19–20 Nov (Austin Johnson, m. ob.) in NY, Alpha Preserve, Warren Co from 25 Oct–3 Nov (Ryan Goldberg, m. ob.), Sandy Hook, Monmouth Co on 26 Oct (Jeff Ellerbusch), and Budd’s Bogg, Burlington Co from 15–29 Nov (Steve Sobocinski, Thierry Besançon) in NJ, and Cape Henlopen SP, Sussex Co on 5 Nov in DE (Bruce Barrow).

Formerly a widespread breeder in NY and NJ, Henslow’s Sparrow has disappeared from much of its former range as the overgrown grasslands it favors have been replaced by maturing forests and urban developments. A few individuals lingered at a known breeding site on Dog Hill Road, Jefferson Co, NY into the fall, with sightings on 6 Aug (Bruce Wills) and 23 Aug (Chris Wood, Mitchell Barry). A migrant individual was also detected at Croton Point Park, Westchester Co on 18 Oct (Kevin Kelly).

Blackbirds to Buntings

Fall 2025 saw records of Yellow-headed Blackbirds from all three states of the Hudson-Delaware region. Sightings in NJ came from the Cape May Point hawkwatch platform in Cape May Co on 30 Aug (David Benvent) and Manahawkin Lake, Ocean Co from 30 Oct–1 Nov (Jason Keley, Robert Dodelson), both involving solo birds without any associated flock. An individual at Sandy Pond Outlet, Oswego Co, NY on 24 Sep (Matthew Brown) was similarly unattached, whereas birds seen foraging at Horsemill Lane, Suffolk Co on 21 Oct (Aidan Perkins, Ben Bolduc) and migrating over Midtown Manhattan, New York Co on 24 Nov (Andrew Farnsworth) were both accompanied by flocks that included Red-winged Blackbirds and European Starlings. The sole DE report in Townsend, New Castle Co on 11 Nov (Jason Horn) involved a bird mixed in with a large congregation of other icterids. Regional records of Yellow-headed Blackbirds have increased alongside the eastward expansion of the breeding range, and although this species may occur at any time of year it is most regular in the fall and winter in the company of other blackbirds.

A MacGillivray’s Warbler at Spruce Run Recreation Area, Hunterdon Co from 13–29 Nov (Frank Sencher Jr., Peter Kwiatek, David Bernstein, m. ob.) furnished NJ with its third state record. This western species has only been recorded seven times in NY and has yet to be documented in DE. Actual frequency of occurrence is likely obscured by the skulky nature of this bird and potential confusion with its eastern counterpart, Mourning Warbler. Beyond the Hudson-Delaware region, vagrant records have occurred all along the East Coast from Florida to Newfoundland.

Suffolk Co, NY produced two reports of Black-throated Gray Warbler this period, one at Fisher’s Island on 31 Aug (Will Brooks, James Brooks) and another at Maidstone Park on 27 Sep (Evan Schumann). This species is a regular stray from the West, occurring nearly annually in the Hudson-Delaware region since the turn of the century. NY and NJ have several dozen records between them, mostly occurring during fall migration, and there are two accepted reports for DE.

Single Townsend’s Warblers were recorded in each state in the region during this period. NJ’s came from Cape May Point, Cape May Co on 21 Sep (Doug Gochfeld, Laura Hardy, Elisa Taylor-Godwin, Lucy Ormund), and DE’s second state record was discovered at Assawoman Wildlife Area, Sussex Co on 6 Oct (Donna Carter), just over a year after the state first. In NY, an individual visited Highbridge Park, New York Co from 20–24 Nov (Augie Kramer, m. ob.). This species breeds in the Pacific Northwest and winters as far south as Costa Rica, and vagrants are regular throughout the eastern portion of the continent. In the Hudson-Delaware region, the species has occurred almost every year for the past two decades.

Western Tanagers are fairly reliable visitors to the Eastern ABA Area, but there was only one report for the Hudson-Delaware region this season: a male associating with a Scarlet Tanager at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co on 10 Sep (Michael Moore). Fall and winter are typically the most productive times of year for extralimital records of this species.

Recent decades have seen a steady increase in records of Painted Bunting in the Northeast, so much so that this distinctive species has now been removed from the review lists of all three states in the Hudson-Delaware region. At Harsimus Cemetery, Hudson Co, NJ, a brilliant adult male was present from 11 Nov through the end of the period, returning to the same feeder set up that it favored the previous year (Harriet Bailey, m. ob.). An additional report of a green-plumaged individual came from Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on 29 Nov (Rod Murray).

Report edited by Andrew Keaveney, 28 Mar 2026.