Hudson-Delaware Region: Winter 2025–2026

Waterfowl

The familiar flock of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks at Wheatley’s Pond in DE reached a peak of 37 on Dec 10 (Jason Horn) and as many as 12 individuals remained into January (John Dunn, Andrew Dunn). This species now breeds annually at this and nearby ponds, with one previous attempt at wintering during the 2020–2021 season.

Large flocks of Greater White-fronted Geese appeared across the region this winter with 17 in New Castle, DE on 21 Dec (Will Krohn) representing a high count for the state. In New Jersey, another flock of 17 spent 6–15 Jan near Manahawkin in Ocean Co (Larry Zirlin, Michael Mandracchia). A group spent much of December and January around the NY/NJ border in the black dirt region; numbers fluctuated but reached a peak of 16 on 19 Jan (Linda Scrima).

This season saw scattered reports of Ross’s Goose with multiple sightings across Long Island including one accompanied by four other species of geese at the Nassau Country Club and surrounding areas 8–13 Dec (m. ob.). Two individuals were present among a flock of Snow Geese at Jamaica Bay 2–26 Dec (Corey Finger, et al), appearing for the first time on the Queens Co CBC. In New Jersey, an immature photographed during the Great Swamp CBC on 20 Dec (Jeff Elllerbusch, m. ob.) was a first for the count. Further south in the region, Delaware’s large flocks of Snow Geese held multiple Ross’s for those observers taking the time to scrutinize. Two birds were present among thousands of Snow Geese in the Raymond Pool at Bombay Hook NWR mid-December (fide Andrew Ednie). Another was well photographed at Fowler’s Beach, Prime Hook NWR on 29 Jan and 1 Feb (Bruce Hoover, Gregory Gough). The diminutive size of this species is often more obvious by direct comparison in flight; two were picked out among flyover flocks at White Clay Creek State Park, New Castle Co 21 Feb (Carolyn Holland, Andrew Ednie).

After an absence of records for the winter of 2024–2025, New Jersey was host to a flock of three Barnacle Geese at Lake Weamaconk in Monmouth Co on 24 Dec (Tom Brown, m. ob.) which remained through 24 Jan (Alex Busato). Single birds remained through the winter in Ithaca, Tompkins Co, NY (Charles Rogers, Sandy Podulka) and in Smyrna, New Castle Co, DE (Andrew Ednie, Ed Wallace). The Ithaca individual represented a first record for Tompkins Co, while the Smyrna bird may have been returning from the previous winter.

Cackling Geese were abundant this winter in Canada Goose flocks prior to the deep freeze and oppressive snow fall. High counts for the season include a flock of 10 in the Black Dirt region of Orange Co, NY on 14 Jan (Jeanne Cimorelli), a total of 12 at Spruce Run Reservoir in Hunterdon Co, NJ on 24 Dec (Jeff Ellerbusch), and five at Wheatley’s Pond in Kent Co, DE on 4 Jan (Andrew Dunn, John Dunn).

A Tundra Bean-Goose on Long Island, first found 3 Nov (Christie Tasjian), remained through 19 Jan (Julie Hart, Daniel Schlaepfer) in the Oyster Bay area of Nassau Co. Though still unrecorded in most of the region (NJ/DE), this represents the fourth record of Tundra Bean-Goose for the state of New York. A Taiga Bean-Goose was found in Rensselaer Co on 10 Jan 26 (Jim de Waal Malefyt) where it stayed for just a couple of days. Presumably, this is the returning individual that spent much of the winter of 2024–2025 in Saratoga Co about 40 miles north of this year’s location.

After several decades of population increase and range expansion, Pink-footed Geese have become an expected annual winter rarity. This season’s three reports represented first records in each of their respective counties: one at the Haverstraw Landfill in Rockland Co, NY on 17 Dec (Della Wells, Zach Schwartz-Weinstein), one at Wenonah Conservation Area in Gloucester Co, NJ on 31 Jan (Danny, Dan, and Mara Cerevalo), and one at Merril Creek Reservoir in Warren Co, NJ from 28 Feb (Jeff Climpson) through 6 Mar (Milton Collins, Heather Van Dyk).

The Pacific subspecies of Brant is a rare visitor to the eastern US but has been nearly annual in the large flocks of Atlantic Brant that winter along our coast. This season saw two reports: one at Floyd Bennet Field, Kings, NY, 3–4 Jan (Casey Ferio) and one in Avalon, Cape May, NJ, 6–12 Feb (Richard Crossley, Scott Whittle).

Trumpeter Swans were pushed into the southern portions of the region with three reports in New Jersey and one in New York City. One juvenile was present at Stafford Forge WMA from 20 Dec–9 Jan (Otys Train, m. ob.), a first record for Ocean Co, NJ. Three more juveniles spent most of January and February in Cape May, moving between Lily Lake and the state park ponds in search of open water (Richard Crossley, m. ob.). A flock of six was present on Round Valley Reservoir in Hunterdon Co from 6–8 Jan (Chris Behany, Daniel Mulleavey, Frank Sencher, Jr.), another overdue county first. In New York City, one bird stayed close with a Mute Swan on the East River from 26–28 Feb (m. ob.) and sampled the local cuisine as it was “fed pizza from the pier” at North 5^th Street in Brooklyn.

Eurasian wigeons were found throughout the coastal areas of the region, making it as far south as Assawoman WA in Sussex Co, DE from late December through January (Cole Tiemann, Brooke Weiss, Michale Moore). Several females were reported in New Jersey, with one photographed in Cape May (Aiden Griffiths, et al) and another on the Long Branch CBC in Monmouth Co (Milton Collins, Heather Van Dyk).

Continuing the trend of recent winters, many Blue-winged Teal have attempted to overwinter at Assawoman WA with as many as 30 present on 5 Jan (Susan Gruver). Other scattered sightings include three at Little Reed Pond on the Montauk CBC 20 Dec (fide Cory Finger), a drake at Patchogue Lake, Suffolk Co, NY, 6 Jan–22 Feb (Dick Cartwright, Patricia Aitkin), and a first cycle male at Lake of the Lilies, Ocean Co, NJ, 30 Dec–28 Feb (Alex Tongas, m. ob.).

An adult male Cinnamon Teal was present for just a few days at Little Creek WA in Kent, DE 11–14 Dec (Michael Moore, Andrew Ednie) before the frigid conditions froze the impoundments. This represents the sixth record of this distinct western species in Delaware.

A record number of Tufted Ducks were pushed south into New York with the harsh conditions this winter, making it as far south as Westchester and Rockland counties. A female was found on New Croton Reservoir on 8 Jan (Gail Benson, Tom Burke), which was joined by two drakes on 31 Jan (Elias Markee-Ratner), and remained into February. A male and female pair at Piermont Pier on 5 Feb (John Dow, Jay and Cassie Luke) may have involved two of the birds from New Croton Reservoir. Working a bit north, a young male was seen on Sylvan Lake in Dutchess Co where it spent 28 Dec–29 Jan (Carena Pooth, m. ob.). What was perhaps that same immature male was then seen on West Branch Reservoir in Putnam Co, 4–6 Feb (Sean Camillieri) after Sylvan Lake froze over. Elsewhere in NY this species was seen at the south end of Cayuga Lake, Tompkins Co 1 Jan–14 Feb (Jay McGowan, m. obs), at Conesus Lake, Livingston Co on 18 Jan (Mike Wasilco, Michael Gullo, et al), at Port Douglas, Essex Co 21 Jan (Sam Meigs), and Ausable Marsh WMA, Clinton Co 14 Jan (Gary Chapin, Brad Carlson). Despite the abundance of Tufted Duck sightings throughout New York this winter, none were reported in New Jersey or Delaware.

Widespread sightings of Barrow’s Goldeneye occurred in New York with reports from Lake Ontario, Lake Champlain, multiple points along the Hudson River, and several on Long Island Sound. This winter’s southern-most Barrow’s Goldeneye was a female photographed at Mount Loretto Beach, Richmond Co on 19 Feb (Anthony V. Ciancimino, Ronit Wrubel).

With the complete ice cover across the Great Lakes came the expected influx of Red-necked Grebes to our area. Numbers peaked at Breezy Point in Queens with four individuals seen on 17 Jan (Julian Elman et al) while the species was seen at a minimum of 10 different locations across Long Island. Inland sightings in New Jersey occurred on the large reservoirs with reports from 6 Dec–29 Jan at Round Valley (Eddie Politz, Pete Kwiatek, et al) and 10–11 Feb at Merrill Creek (Kristin Mylecraine). In Delaware, one bird spent a few days along Fowler Beach Road in Prime Hook NWR from 10–12 Feb (Michael Norman, Wayne Longbottom, et al) and two birds were seen in Lewes 14 Feb on a boat trip out to the breakwaters (Gregory Gough, Ryan Harris, Scott Class, m. ob.).

Eared Grebe has become an annual expected rarity in the region. This year, New York State was host to two individuals: one at Jones Inlet, Suffolk Co on 2 Jan (Shawn Billerman, Mary Beth Billerman) and one on Cayuga Lake from 21–24 Feb (Jay McGowan, m. ob.). In New Jersey, an Eared Grebe off Seven Presidents Park in Monmouth Co on 2 Jan was well described (Scott Barnes, m. ob.), and perhaps this same individual was then photographed about two hours later and five miles south at the Allenhurst Boardwalk.

Doves to Cranes

The proliferation of Eurasian Collared-Doves in the south central United States in recent decades has not yet affected the Hudson-Delaware Region. We received only two reports: one near Clinton, Hunterdon Co, NJ 10 Feb (Kyle Rambo) and another at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE 6 Jan (Joy Hersey). Several hummingbirds remained at feeders in the Hudson-Delaware Region well into December, though none are known to have lasted past late January. Notably late were an immature male Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Cape May from 26 Dec–18 Jan (Michael O’Brien, Louise Zemaitis), and an adult male of the same species at Little Egg Harbor, Ocean Co, NJ also until 18 Jan (David Roth, Robert Dodelson). Another immature male Ruby-throated Hummingbird in West Cape May from 31 Dec–29 Jan (Michael Lanzone) was the latest recorded this season. A female Selasphorus at Rocky Point State Pine Barrens Preserve, Suffolk Co,  LI, NY from 22 Dec–3 Jan was deemed a Rufous Hummingbird by the feeder owner (Jeanne Eggers), but without an examination of the rectrices Allen’s Hummingbird can not be ruled out.

A few Virginia Rails turned up on regional CBCs as usual, but several later in the season were more unexpected. Two profited from a naturally warm spring in Mendon Twp., Monroe Co, NY as late as 3 Jan (Rosemary Reilly, Greg Lawrence, m. ob.) and one was still there on 24 Jan (Erike and Brady Venniro). One was photographed remarkably late at Assawoman WA, Sussex Co, DE 2 Feb along with a Sora (ph. Gregory Gough). Another Sora continued at Bear Swamp, Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE from 9 Jan (ph. David Thomas et al.) to 24 Jan (Josh Bernstein).

A flock of 16–18 Sandhill Cranes (counts differ) overwintered successfully in the Cape May area between 26 Dec (Bill Boyle et al., ph. Karen Thompson) and 1 Mar (Jim Schlickenrieder) and continued into the spring season. A few individual cranes moved through. One was at Rhinebeck, Dutchess Co, NY from 31 Dec (Justin Schmidt) to 3 Jan (Jacqueline Poblete), while two south of Tewskbury, Hunterdon Co, NJ on 23 Feb (Frank Sencher, Jr.) departed northwards (!) on 24 Feb (Narasinham Sunderan, ph. Alan Boyd, m. ob.)

Shorebirds

American Avocets diminished rapidly from their late summer accumulation in the Delaware wetlands to 60 at Bombay Hook on 6 Dec (John Garrison) and then to zero. A few American Oystercatchers, not unusual in December in this region, overwintered successfully. Northerly examples were singles at Floyd Bennett Field, Kings Co (Brooklyn), NY (ph. Janet Rogers), and at Mt. Sinai harbor, Suffolk Co, NY (Michael Walter), both 28 Feb. Up to 30 were at Stone Harbor, Cape May Co, on 21 Feb (Jim Schickenrieder). By 27 Feb some already occupied a nesting site on Horseshoe Island, Cape May Co, NJ (Ben Wurst, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey).

Five Killdeers at Pelham Bay, Bronx Co, NY on 28 Dec (Shade Chapman) and six there on 22 Jan (Julian Battista) probably indicate a true overwintering population. Later reports further north, such as Rome, Oneida Co on 19 Feb (Bruce Carpenter), Sherburne, Chenango Co also on 19 Feb (Michael DeWispelaere), Rushford, Allegany Co on 21–22 Feb (Karl Schmidt), Nations Road, Geneseo Co on 28 Feb (ph. Michael Gullo), and five at Sheridan, Chautauqua Co on 28 Feb (Gale VerHague) probably represent birds moving north to occupy breeding territories. Four Semipalmated Plovers remained very late at Philip B. Healey Beach, Massapequa, Nassau Co, NY on 3 Jan (Michael Bochnik, Joe Rothstein), as did two at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Atlantic Co, NJ (hereafter Forsythe) on 28 Dec (ph. Kristin Mylecrain) and one there on 9 Jan (ph. Frank Santasiero, Jeremy Cohen). Six Semipalmated Plovers at Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE on 26 Dec (ph. Kelly White, Bruce White) were found again on 18 Jan (ph. Cynthia Nickerson). One was reported on 17 Feb at the Dupont Nature Center, Sussex Co (Kurt Gaskill). Individual Piping Plovers remained remarkably late at Plumb Beach, Kings Co, New York on 14 Jan (Elijah Schiffer, Robin EdIger-Seto) and at the east end of Shinnecock Road, Suffolk Co,  LI, NY 24 Jan (Susan Benson). A Marbled Godwit at Nummy Island, Cape May Co, NJ on 13–14 Feb (Cynthia Allen) probably overwintered.

Ruddy Turnstones are frequently recorded on regional CBCs. A record high of 35 appeared on the Queens Co CBC on 14 Dec, surpassing the previous high of 33 set 34 years ago (Corey Finger). One at Brighton Beach on 10 Feb (Casey Ferio) and two the same day at Coney Island (Karen Becker) and again on 15 Feb (Maureen Matthews), both Kings Co, NY may well have made it through the winter. Sanderlings are another frequent entry on regional CBCs. Sixty at Stone Harbor, Cape May Co, on 21 Feb (Jim Schickenrieder) had a good chance of surviving until spring. The most abundant wintering shorebird was Dunlin, as expected; 1200 were at Stone Harbor, Cape May Co, NJ on 21 Feb (Jim Schickenrieder). Far out of place at Niagara Falls SP was a Purple Sandpiper on 16 Feb (Joyce Hodgson, Jenny Bruce, Marcus Rosten) and 28 Feb (ph. Niki Banke, Tom Kerr, Tim Goff, m. ob.). Also unexpected were three Least Sandpipers and one Semipalmated Sandpiper at the Edwin R. Forsythe NWR on 27 Dec (David Mizrahi) with one of each still there on 9 Jan (Jeremy Cohen). A Pectoral Sandpiper was (record?) late on 3 Dec at Bombay Hook (ph. Bert Filemyr, Michael Rosengerten). A high count of 10 Long-billed Dowitchers was only the sixth occurrence on the Queens Co CBC (Corey Finger) on 14 Dec.

Hardy Wilson’s Snipes were widespread, with 15 on the Queens Co CBC (the previous high count was seven two years earlier) and singles as far north as Onondaga Lake, Onondaga Co on 10 Feb (Andrew Mosher) and all winter at Maine Hill Road, Cattaraugus Co (Jeffrey Reed), both NY. There were five mid-winter Wilson’s Snipe records in n. New Jersey. A Lesser Yellowlegs was carefully described on Dune Road, Suffolk Co, NY on 15 Feb (Eileen Schwinn) and another was at Forsythe on 5 Feb (Robert Dodelson). Four of the more usual Greater Yellowlegs were recorded on the Montauk Point,  LI CBC on 20 Dec, while singles remained at Pelham Bay Park, Bronx, NYC on 9 Jan (Michael Bochnik), 12 Jan (Patrick Horan), and 22 Jan (Timothy Graves) and at the nearby Catherine Scott Promenade on City Island, NYC on 24 Jan (Hailey Clancy). In New Jersey, 13 Greater Yellowlegs overflew Amasa Landing, south of New Gretna, Burlington Co, on 23 Jan (Steve Sobocinski); two remained there, clearly overwintering, on 27 Feb (ibid.). In Delaware five Greater Yellowlegs were at Bombay Hook on 25 Dec (Jeff Snyder). A single Red Phalarope was a surprise on an 18 Jan pelagic trip to Hudson Canyon (Jay McGowan, Doug Gochfeld), about which more below.

Alcids

An all-day trip to Hudson Canyon out of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, aboard the American Princess on 18 Jan recorded 187 Dovekies and 50 Razorbills, but only one Black-legged Kittiwake and one Iceland Gull (Doug Gochfeld, Jay McGowan, Paul Guris, Bob Diebold). From land, Dovekies were encountered regularly at Montauk Point, with a maximum of 11 on 3 Jan (Corey Finger). An incursion to Long Island south shore beaches on 9 Jan brought one to the bay side of Cupsogue County Park (Glenn Koehler), eight to Shinnecock Inlet on the same day (ph Jay Rand) and 11 there on 10 Jan (ph. Aidan Perkins). An ailing Dovekie at the West End of Jones Beach SP on Long Island was finished off by a Great Black-backed Gull on 8 Jan (m. ob., video Dawn Hanay). A flyby Dovekie westbound at Shinnecock Inlet West on 19 Jan (Douglas Futuyma) rounds out an exceptional winter flight for this species. More than usual were observed from shore in New Jersey as well, beginning with a flyby at Sandy Hook on 6 Jan (Bob Diebold) and concluding with two northbound at Avalon, NJ 19 Jan (Tom Reed). The most active alcid site in New Jersey was Manasquan Inlet, Monmouth and Ocean Counties, where there was one on 13 Jan (ph. Steven Weiss), four on 17 Jan (Jeff Ellerbusch) and four again on 22 Jan (Mike Heine). In Delaware 10 Dovekies were counted on the Hillstar pelagic on 15 Feb (m. ob.).

Manasquan scored again with a Common Murre on 22 Jan (ph. Shawn Wainwright), and another Common Murre was photographed on the Hillstar pelagic on 15 Feb (Stephen Davies, Luc and Therese Jacobs, m. ob.). Five single Thick-billed Murres, above average, were reported in New York: a flyby at Montauk Point on 31 Dec (Aidan Perkins); one off Conference House Park, Staten Island 14, 22 and 24 Jan (ph. Jeff Stetson, Edward Johnson, Anthony Ciancimino), a bird that was also seen on the New Jersey side; West End of Jones Beach 14 and 16 Jan (Shai Mitra, m. ob.); Lido West Town Park, Nassau Co 14 Feb, looking unwell (Denise Grossarth), and a flyby at Gravesend Bay off Caesar’s Bay Bazaar 26 Feb (NYC RBA). Seven Thick-billed Murres were reported in New Jersey, including one at the Perth Amboy waterfront already reported from the Staten Island side (ph. Fray Duffy, Marc Chelemer, Emma Price). Other reports came from Long Branch, Monmouth Co on 8 Jan (ph Mike Lee); North Brigantine Natural Area, Atlantic Co, 15 Feb (ph Milton Collins; ph Heather Van Dyk); Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, Ocean Co continuing on 21 Feb (Scott Barnes and New Jersey Audubon Young Birders Joseph Woodmansee, Debra Stewart, Liam Phipany et al.); Manasquan Inlet, Ocean Co 15 Feb (Robert Dodelson); a dead bird found on the beach at Island Beach SP, Ocean Co, 17 Feb (ph Steven Weiss); and finally, and southernmost, a beached bird released into the sea at Peck Beach, Ocean City, Cape May Co, on 12 Jan (Britt Hubbard).

The most numerous alcids were Razorbills, 2171 of which passed Montauk Pt from dawn to mid-morning on 20 Dec (Patrick Markee). A one-time count of 335 Razorbills was obtained there on 8 Jan (Hugh McGuinness). Razorbill numbers dropped off sharply further west on Long Island, the biggest count there being 36 at the West End of Jones Beach on 17 Jan (Jay mcGowan). Smaller numbers were found at almost any coastal vantage point, including a few within New York Harbor during and after a storm 30 Jan–3 Feb (Heydi Lopes, Eliana Drier). Razorbills also reached New Jersey. Twelve were at Long Beach on 8 Jan (ph Steven Weiss), and four at Manasquan Inlet on 13 Jan (Steven Weiss). The southernmost Razorbills reached Delaware: one at Indian River Inlet, Sussex Co, on 4 Feb (Michael Gardner), and 23 offshore during the Hillstar pelagic trip 15 Feb (ph Stephen Davies, m. ob.). The only Black Guillemot reported was at the Jones Beach West End jetty 11 Jan (ph. Ashley Pichon). Two Atlantic Puffins on the Hillstar pelagic off Delaware on 15 Feb (ph. Charles Lyon, ph Stephen Davies, Luc and Therese Jacobs) concluded an exceptional alcid season.

Gulls

A Black-legged Kittiwake on Lake Ontario at Bear Creek Harbor, Wayne Co on 24 Dec (Chris Wood) was far from the sea, though Great Lakes records are nearly annual. Single Black-headed Gulls ranged far beyond the traditional site at Point Lookout, Nassau Co, NY where there were two on 17 Feb (ph Dennis Elder, John Gluth, et al.). Reports came from all over New York Harbor and from multiple Long Island locations including Sunken Meadow SP on 25 Dec (ph. Lani Sherman), Setauket Harbor during the week of 16 Jan (Kathleen Cole), Sagaponack Pond on 17 Jan (Charlie Plimpton), and Montauk Harbor during the week of 18 Dec (Michael Walter et al.). In New Jersey, Black-headed Gulls were reported almost daily in January from the Cape May area, including two (an adult and an immature) at the Higbee Beach canal overlook on 6 Jan (Mike Heine). Other New Jersey locations for Black-headed Gulls were Forsythe 1–13 Jan (ph. Austin Oleksy) and Downe twp, near Dividing Creek on the Delaware River, Cumberland Co 29–30 Jan (ph. Dustin Welch, Stephen Glynn). One at Cramer Hill Waterfront Park at Camden on the Delaware River on 16 Feb was a second Camden Co record (ph Julian Pozzi, ph Chip Krilowicz). In Delaware, five Black-headed Gulls were at the Wolfe Neck Wastewater Treatment Facility, at Lewes, a known location, on 4 Jan (David Fees, ph. Carolyn Holland). Single birds were at Gordon’s Pond, Sussex Co, on 5 and 13 Jan (Michael Moore, Elie Weislogel), Big Stone Beach, Kent Co on 26 Jan (ph. Jason Horne), and Rehoboth Beach on 8 Feb (ph. David Carr, Judy Masi). In a surprising contrast, Little Gulls went unreported.

Very few Laughing Gulls wintered: one ad. at Cammann’s Pond Park, Merrick, Nassau Co,  LI on 1 Feb (Joseph Landesberg) and, in New Jersey, one continuing at Camden 13 Jan (Doreen Lynch), and another 2 Feb at Spring Lake moving later that day to Lake Como, both Monmouth Co (Scott Barnes). A Short-billed Gull was closely studied at Randall’s Island, in New York Harbor, possibly a returning bird at a favored site, on 19 Dec (Ryan Zucker, Tim Healy). Another was carefully described at the Great Kills Park mudflats, Richmond Co (Staten Island), NYC (Richard Veit, Anthony V. Ciancimino). It was “the best winter for [Iceland Gulls] in the region in my lifetime,” according to Joseph Tressa. In addition to widespread coastal records, one on the Hudson River between Dobbs Ferry and Irvington on 24 Feb (Reed Wilford) was a first record for the lower Rivertowns. Another, considered thayeri by Jay McGowan, was among the many gulls at the Stevenson Road Game Farm and Compost, Varna, Tompkins Co on 24 Feb (Jeremy Collison) and 26 Feb (ph. Chris Wood, ph. Noah Brinkman). Further east on Long Island an immature was at Crab Meadow Beach, Northport, Suffolk Co, 28 Feb (Taylor Sturm). In New Jersey, in addition to widespread records from coastal and Delaware River localities, several Iceland Gulls were far inland at Round Valley Recreation Area, Hunterdon Co, among a very large gull concentration on 21 Feb (ph Eddie Politz), and one visited Merrill Creek Res., Warren Co on 26 Feb (ph. Kristin Mylecrain). In Delaware, Iceland Gull reports clustered around Lewes and the Lewes-Cape May ferry and Cape Henlopen. Other reports include one at Silver Lake, Rehoboth, Sussex Co on 27 Feb (ph Shawn Rakes, m. ob.) and one on the Delaware River at Delaware City, New Castle Co, on 28 Feb (Will Krohn, Aeli Hevalow). The most notable concentrations of Lesser Black-backed Gulls occurred inland, the largest counts known to us being 180 at Spruce Run Recreation Area, Hunterdon Co, on 8 Jan (Eddie Politz), 147 At Merrill Creek Reservoir, Warren Co on 26 Feb (Kristin Mylecrain), and 300 at Round Valley Recreation Area, Hunterdon Co on 21 Feb (ph Eddie Politz).

The outstanding gull event of the season was an adult Glaucous-winged Gull found by James Kennerly on 25 Feb in a large gull concentration at the Stevenson Road Game Farm and Compost, Varna, Tompkins Co and extensively studied and photographed (Marshall Iliff, Chris Wood, ph. Gary Kohnlenberg, et al.) until at least 6 March. We are aware of only a few Glaucous-winged Gull records east of Illinois, where there are eight records. Even Pacific coast Glaucous-winged Gulls do not often leave the immediate coast. Two Glaucous-winged Gull records from the Western Palearctic have also been published: the Canary Islands on 7–10 Feb 1992 and Morocco on 31 Jan 1995 (Dutch Birding, Vol. 23 No. 5 2001 p. 247); these may well have come from eastern Siberia.

Glaucous Gulls were, as is expected, much less widely reported than Iceland Gulls. A cluster of reports centered upon New York harbor and environs. Northernmost was a first-cycle Glaucous Gull at Cumberland Bay, near Plattsburgh, on Lake Champlain (Gary Chapin, Brad Carlson). Two were found in the gull concentration at the Stevenson Road Game Farm and Compost, Varna, Tompkins Co, NY on 27 Feb (J. Gary Kohlenberg, Joe Wing), and one was on the Hudson River at the Beacon Waterfront, Dutchess Co on 3 Jan (John Askildsen et al. In New Jersey single Glaucous Gulls were at several locations in the northern conurbation such as the port of Newark (ph. James Lukenda), the Hudson Mall mudflats (Milton Collins), and Liberty SP (Avery C. Large, John Coyle, Milton Collins). There were also singles at lower Delaware River sites such as Palmyra Cove Nature Park on 28 Jan (Tom Bailey) and Riverton on 2 Feb (Audrey Dorofy), both Burlington Co. Reports thinned out as expected in Delaware, where the species is not annual, with singles at Lewes harbor on 17 Jan (ph. Cynthia Nickerson, ph. Gregeory Gough, ph. Mike Saccone) and, southernmost, Indian River Inlet 30 Jan (Andrew Ednie). A Great Black-backed Gull was far inland at Round Valley Recreational Area, Hunterdon Co, NJ on 22 Jan (Frank Sencher, Jr.). A Black Skimmer was very late at the South Cape May Meadows on 27 Dec (Mark Garland, Alan & Robin Crawford).

Loons to Vultures

A Red-throated Loon was surprising inland, at Round Valley Recreational Area, Hunterdon Co, on 15 Jan (Frank Sencher, Jr., Beth Meriweather). A Pacific Loon was carefully described at Hallock Landing Beach, Rocky Point, Suffolk Co,  LI on 17 Dec (Aidan Perkins, Brenda Bull), and another (or possibly the same) was off nearby Sunken Meadow SP on 26 Dec (ph. John Huggard). Surely different was one at the West End of Jones Beach SP 21–22 Jan (Kevin Rogers, ph. Casey Ferio, Michael Bochnik), seen again on 15 Feb on both sides of Jones Inlet (ph. William Buswell, Patricia Lindsay, Shai Mitra, Cornell Bird Club) and yet again on 6 Mar (Haoyu Zhang, Hanyang Ye, Mulan Hu).

A clicker count of 3756 Northern Gannets westbound at the tip of Breezy Point, Queens, NYC between dawn and 9 a.m. on 20 Dec was perhaps a record (Sean Sime et al.). A Great Cormorant was inland at Round Valley Reservoir, Hunterdon Co, on 4 Jan (ph. Daniel Mulleavey). More Double-crested Cormorants are lingering into winter. Thirty-five were at the tip of Breezy Point, Queens, NYC on 20 Dec (Sean Sime). The same is true of Brown Pelicans, 17 of which were seen from the American Princess as she passed Breezy Pt on 6 Dec (m. ob.). Six of them were at the Indian River Inlet on 29 Dec (ph. Gregory Gough, ph. Jonah Schwartz).

The warm spring at Mendon Ponds, Monroe Co, NY also sheltered an American Bittern 4–17 Jan (Rock Stevens; ph. Brad Carlson, m. ob.). A Snowy Egret lingered at Two-mile Landing, Cape May Co, NJ after 20 Dec (Bill Boyle et al.), accompanied by a Tricolored Heron on 26–29 Dec (Sarah Thomasson), until the exceptionally late date of 22 Jan (Mack McCormick, Kathleen & Roger Horn). Single imm. Little Blue Herons were a surprise on 17 Dec at Edwin B. Forsythe NWR (ph. Linda Mack, Scott Barnes) and at Barnegat, Ocean Co, NJ on 23 Jan (ph. Larry Zirlin), as were six Tricolored Herons on 28 Dec at Island Beach SP, Ocean Co, NJ (MJ Hetherington), two of which were still present on 23 Jan (Marc Chelemer, Andres Choussy, Steven Weiss) along with two at nearby Waretown (Larry Zirlin) and another further south at Nummy Island, Cape May Co (Scott Whittle). The northernmost lingering Black-crowned Night Heron was an immature at Rye, NY 25 Dec and again 24 Jan (both Gail Benson). The ad. Yellow-crowned Night Heron at the site of the Ocean City, NJ Welcome Center colony on 18 Jan (Robert Dodelson) was more surprising.

Given the recent surge of White Ibis into this region, overwintering was to be expected. Northernmost was an imm. at the Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Ocean Co, NJ on 13 Jan (Terri Kirk), again the next day (Kathy Klusman) and again on 5 Feb (Robert Dodelston). Six (two adults and six immatures) overflew Absecon Blvd, Atlantic City, Atlantic Co, on 28 Jan (Stephen Greenwood, Donald Magda). Overwintering White Ibis at Cape May grew from eight and nine at Two-mile Landing on 14–15 Feb (ph. Gene Muller, ph. Ruth Bergstrom) to 20 there on 28 Feb (Harvey Tomlinson), probably marking some movement north. One lingered in Delaware at the DuPont Nature Center, Mispillion Inlet, Sussex Co, on 5 Dec (Andrew Ednie, Birdline Delaware).

Black Vultures overwinter here ever more frequently. The northernmost this season were three at St. Peter’s Church, Lewiston, Niagara Co, described on 17 Feb as a “known location” (Edward Patten, James Wojewodzki, David Harrison), and an Adirondacks population in and around Ticonderoga, Essex Co. A roost in downtown Ticonderoga grew from 15 on 18 Jan (Valerie Sleeper, Stacy Robinson) to 24 on 2 Feb (Glen and Mellinda Chapman), and another roost on the upper La Chute River south of Ticonderoga reached a maximum of 21 at the end of February (Stacey Robinson). Still another site on Racetrack Road, Ticonderoga, held 9 on 24 Feb (Glen and Melinda Chapman). At the east end of  LI, NY, where all vultures are scarce, a Black Vulture roosting at the Roanoke Ave, School in Riverhead on 25 Dec (Doug Gochfeld) was joined by two others by 17 Jan (Rosemary Valente, Kathleen Coyle), declining thereafter. Two at Dundee, Yates Co, on 29–31 Jan (ph. Kyle Gage, Doug Daniels, Dominic Sherony, Adam Farid) increased to three by 10 Feb (Reuben Stoltzfus). Another two were at Vestal, Broome Co, on 21 Feb (ph. David Nicosia, who remarked that they are “getting regular”), and two more at Waverly, Tioga Co, on 15 Feb (Edward Patten). A number of late February records across southeastern New York probably represent movement north.

Osprey to Owls

A few Ospreys overwintered in all three states. In New York one was at Jamaica Bay WR on 19 Jan (Isha Rudramurthy), while another at Sea Cliff Beach, Nassau Co, LI on 30 Jan was carrying “something stick-like” (Justin Jakubowski). An Osprey at Ripley, Chautauqua Co, on 20 Feb (Jess Clippinger) was quite likely returning, as were individuals at Hillsborough, Somerset Co, NJ 15 Feb (Billy Flood) and at Dover Air Force Base, Kent Co, DE on 14 Feb (Ed Wreniewski). An Osprey at Bombay Hook NWR on 21 Jan was likely an authentic winterer (Dean Snyder).

A Golden Eagle at Fort Miller, Washington Co, NY on 28 Dec (K. Randall) was perhaps a delayed migrant, but an authentic winterer at West Fulton, Schoharie Co, on 21 Feb had been there for the past two months (Bill Combs, Jr.). Midwinter Golden Eagles were at the Alpha, Warren Co, NJ grasslands on 28 Jan (Peter Kwiatek) and at Round Valley Reservoir, Hunterdon Co the same day (William Pakin). A Swainson’s Hawk, now in adult plumage, returned for its fourth winter to the SIMS recycling plant in Brooklyn, NYC on 17 Feb (Michael Silber, m. ob.) and was abundantly photographed until 9 March (NYC RBA 13 March). This was a modest but authentic irruption winter for Rough-legged Hawks. They were observed in seven New York counties, mostly southern but also including Monroe on Lake Ontario; in eight of New Jersey’s 21 counties; and in all three Delaware counties. These terms also describe the Snowy Owl flight, which included the Finger Lakes Regional Airport in Seneca Co on 21 Feb (ph. David Kennedy), JFK airport, and a dozen sites on Long Island beaches along with five coastal sites in New Jersey including Forsythe NWR, Island Beach, Long Beach Island, and Cape May. We received no reports of Snowy Owls from Delaware. A nearly mythical Boreal Owl was found and photographed at Webster Park, Monroe Co, NY on 8 Feb (Cronan Kobylak et al.).

Woodpeckers to Shrikes

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers overwintered in nine counties in c. and w. New York, the most northerly being Monroe (Webster Park, 17 Feb [Michael Gullo]). Hans Kunze reports that Genesee Co Parkland Forest, Bethany, NY is “a frequent overwintering site [for Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers] several years now.” Two Black-backed Woodpeckers were found on a New York State Ornithological Association Winter Birding Weekend at Long Lake, Hamilton Co, in the Adirondacks 31 Jan–1 Feb (Joan Collins, New York Birders 55:1 [spring 2026] p. 4].)

A totally unexpected Yellow-headed Caracara was found at the Kalmar Nyckel shipyard in downtown Wilmington on 19 Nov 2025 (Lauren Morgens). It was Delaware’s first, and only the sixth observation in North America. What is presumed the same bird was found near Frederika, Kent Co on 24 Jan (Jay Mengel), the day before a blizzard, and then rediscovered on 10 Feb at Hill Farms, between Harrington and Milford, Kent Co (Ann Fruth). It was then photographed by multitudes in that vicinity until a final disappearance after 18 Feb (fide Andrew Ednie).

Western Kingbirds, expected each fall along the coast, seldom remain after December. One discovered on 9 Jan at the main entrance to the Little Creek Wildlife Area near Dover, DE (ph. Samantha Stetzar) was observed and photographed almost daily (m. ob.) until 23 Jan (Andrew Ednie). A very late Eastern Phoebe was photographed on 27 Dec at Bond Lake County Park, Niagara Co, NY (Katelyn Davis, Devin Banning). One at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, NYC on 17 Feb (Brad Mielke) may have survived the winter. About a dozen January records in New Jersey include one well upland at the Spruce run Recreation Area, Hunterdon Co, 8 Jan (Eddie Politz). One was still alive at Assunpink WMA, Allentown, Monmouth Co, NJ on 8 Feb (Robert Dodelson).

Blue-headed Vireos, the hardiest of their family, survived until 4 Jan at East Point Road, Heislerville, Cumberland Co, NJ (John Ward) and until 31 Dec at Trap Pond SP, Sussex Co, DE (Andrew Ednie). It was a good year for Northern Shrikes in n. New York State, starting with one on 25 Dec at Van Dyne Spoor Rd., Montezuma NWR, Wayne Co, NY (ph. Carmen Gumina) and continuing in 11 of New York’s 62 counties, the southernmost location being Whitney Point, Broome Co from 21 Jan (Sam Deane) to at least 16 Feb (David Nicosia) and nearby Upper Lisle 23 Feb (Dan Watkins).

Corvids to Wrens

Fish Crows are becoming a “common species year long around the western New York waterfront,” (Phil Mills). In addition to the long-established population around Buffalo (m. ob.), we have reports from Union Springs, Cayuga Co on 17 Jan (Ken Rosenberg), from the lower stretches of the Oswego Canal (Robert Whitman, Bill Purcell), from Watertown, Jefferson Co on 10 Feb (Ellie Campbell), and along the lower Susquehanna River near Barton and Nichols, Tioga Co, on 24 Jan (Derek Green) and 28 Feb (David McCartt). Common Ravens continue their recent recovery of their historic coastal range. Twenty on the Montauk CBC on 20 Dec was an all-time high (Corey Finger); 38 on the Southern Nassau CBC,  LI, on 3 Jan vaulted above the ten-year average of 14 and the 86-year average of two (Patricia Lindsay, Shai Mitra). A record high of 15 Common Ravens on the Rochester CBC easily bested the previous record of nine set in 2022 (Little Gull 51:2).

Bull’s Birds of New York held that Ruby-crowned Kinglets are “much rarer” in winter inland than on the coast, which was truer in 1998 than it is today. Ruby-crowned Kinglets now survive far into winter well upstate. The northernmost this season was at Howland Island, Cayuga Co, NY on 17 Jan (Chris Wood), followed by Fayette, Seneca Co NY on 21 Feb (Jay McGowan, Ashwin Viswanathan) and on 24 Feb (Brad Carlson); by singles at Lamp Post Village, near Manlius 26 Jan (J. S. Ross) and Kirkville 17 Feb (Zach Timmins), both Onondaga Co; and by one on 21 Jan at Schenectady (Ernie Casile).

“Hundreds” of Bohemian Waxwings were encountered during the New York State Ornithological Association’s Winter Birding Weekend at Long Lake 31 Jan–1 Feb (Joan Collins, New York Birders 55: 1 p. 11). Elsewhere, Bohemian Waxwings were barely present: one at Hague, on Lake George, Warren Co on 3 Jan and again on 8 Jan (Gary Chapin, Stacy Robinson), and two at the Whiting Road Nature Preserve, Webster, Monroe Co on 17 Jan (Lorenzo Colantoni, Gabriele Colantoni), both within flocks of Cedar Waxwings. Red-breasted Nuthatches were locally abundant in western New York, but this was not an irruption year. Although 117 made the Letchworth Silver Lake CBC, at the juncture of Wyoming, Livingston, and Genesee Cos, few others were reported regionwide. Single Northern House Wrens, fairly frequent lingerers into early winter, were photographed at Cranbury, Middlesex Co, NJ on 8 Jan (Jeremy Cohen), and at Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, DE on 24 Dec (Gregory Gough; John and Andrew Dunn). Very late Sedge Wrens were at the Pole Farm, Trenton, Mercer Co, NJ 20 Jan (ph. Eddie Politz) and again 22 Jan (Cameron Shapiro, Richard Robinson). Two were at Stipson Island Road, Cape May, NJ 13–22 Jan (Scott Whittle, Stephen Greenwood). A very late Marsh Wren remained at the Swan River Preserve, East Patchogue, Suffolk Co, NY on 20 Jan (Shai Mitra, Patricia Lindsay) and another responded to tape at the Thousand Acre Marsh, south of Delaware CIty, New Castle Co on 11 Jan (Will Krohn).

Mimids to Thrushes

A few Gray Catbirds remain each year into early winter. One was north almost to Lake Ontario at Williamson, Wayne Co, NY and almost to the end of winter on 18 Feb (ph Mamie Weed). Nearly as far north was one at Pittsford, in the suburbs of Rochester, at a suet feeder on 15 Feb (Nancy Filiaci). We have reports of others from seven counties in central New York and three counties in New Jersey. One found warmth at the end of January by entering a refreshment stand in Bryant Park,  NYC (Tom Fiore). Brown Thrashers winter in this region less frequently than Catbirds, but we have January reports from South Wales, Erie Co 5–6 Jan (ph Carl Carbone); from Lansing, Tompkins Co 3 Jan (Will Cawley); several from Queens,  NYC, one as late as 14 Feb (Matthis Foellmer); and from six counties in New Jersey. In Delaware two were photographed at Prime Hook NWR on 28 Dec (Phil Misseldine), and one at Bombay Hook on 24 Jan (Kevin Bronson). Urban settings may be advantageous for overwintering birds like this, with fruiting shrubs and trees fueling their stay. Northern Mockingbirds wintered all the way north to the Adirondack mountains, with reports from Plattsburgh, Clinton Co, on 12 Jan (ph. Patricia Chartier, Mar Bodine) and from Ticonderoga, Essex Co on 6 Feb (Stacy Robinson).

Two vagrant Townsend’s Solitaires settled in for the winter: one at Elka Park, Greene Co, NY from 9 Jan (Steve Decker) to 17 Feb (Martin Kutz), and another at Hidden Valley, Cape May, NJ from 3 Jan (Maria Cerevalo, Dan Cerevalo, m. ob.) to 5 Feb (ph William Paquin)—the fifth Cape May Co record, and the first in winter. A Hermit Thrush persisted at Wilmington, Essex Co, 18 Feb (Aaron Lehr), in the Adirondacks, well north of normal wintering areas.

Grosbeaks to Longspurs

Following a big spruce budworm hatch in summer 2025 and a poor cone harvest in fall 2025, Evening Grosbeaks mounted their biggest irruption since 2020. Having gradually declined for many years, however, the numbers involved were well below those encountered in pre-1970 irruptions. In the winter of 2025–2026 Evening Grosbeaks visited 28 of New York’s 62 counties, eight of New Jersey’s 21 counties, and a single site in Delaware: Trap Pond SP, near Laurel. Sussex Co, with a maximum of 13 birds on 6 Jan (ph. Eli Hevalow, ph. Carolyn Holland, m. ob.). There was no discernible pattern except that these birds’ nomadic movements began in earnest in November and continued to build throughout the winter season and in some cases into April. They were curiously absent from the lower Hudson Valley and Long Island, and the New Jersey and Delaware birds may have arrived from the northwest. Counting Evening Grosbeak visitations can be an imprecise art—banding has demonstrated that what appears to be a stable flock at one’s feeder turns out to be a circulating fraction of a larger regional pool. The biggest counts reported to us this season were 132 “continuing and seemingly increasing” on 28 Feb near Alder Creek, Oneida Co, NY (Doug Batt); 95 with numbers “apparently building” near Edinburg, Saratoga Co, NY on 28 Feb (“greichen” and “Recer”); and 78 at Shindagin Hollow State Forest, Caroline twp., Tompkins Co, NY on 28 Dec (Jay McGowan, Livia Santana). They devoured “copious amounts of black oil sunflower seeds” (Rob Mrowka). In a few cases the visitation was a single bird.

A much smaller movement brought Pine Grosbeaks to the four n. New York counties of Essex, Madison, Warren, and Monroe. The largest counts were 15 at the Wolf Pond and Trail, Essex Co, in the Adirondacks, on 20 Dec (“WB”) and the same number of females and/or immature males at the Whiting Road Nature Preserve, Webster Park, Monroe Co on 14 Jan (ph. Nate Chu, Roger Clark). Curiously, Purple Finches did not participate in this finch flight. They were reported only in single digits, sparingly in all three states. The biggest count was eight at Trap Pond SP, Sussex Co, DE (Andrew Ednie, Alison Ellicott). Common Redpolls were even scarcer. In New York a handful visited the Buffalo area, and the only credible New Jersey report was of a single bird at Lake of the Lilies, Point Pleasant Beach, Ocean Co (Robert Dodelson).

Red Crossbill irruption was extensive in range but modest in numbers, ranging across 12 mostly c. and w. New York counties and four New Jersey counties, both coastal and upland. The biggest counts were all in New York: 37 at McDonough, Chenango Co on 7 Jan (Dan Watkins, ph. Michael DeWispelaere), 30 at Machias, Cattaraugus Co “continuing for a while” on 19 Feb (Kyle Brock), and 22 at Keeney Swamp SF, Grove, Allegany Co on 14 Jan (Karl Schmdt). Two at Early’s Crossing, in the Brendan T. Byrne SF, Burlington Co, NJ on 15 Feb (Jim Schill) were in a known Pine Barrens breeding area. The only verified White-winged Crossbill sighting was of 10+ at Long Lake, Hamilton Co, NY during the New York State Ornithological Association’s Winter Birding Weekend, 31 Jan–1 Feb (Joan Collins in New York Birders 55:1 p. 4). No crossbills were reliably reported from Delaware. Pine Siskins, usually ubiquitous in major finch flights, hardly appeared, the biggest report known to us being a paltry 10 at the Rogers Environmental Center, Sherburne, Chenango Co NY on 11 Jan (Jacob McPeak).

Lapland Longspurs continued their long-term decline, with no reports above single digits. They were often found in ones or twos in the company of Snow Buntings on beaches and airports, such as Long Island’s south shore, Floyd Bennett Field, King’s Co (Brooklyn), NY and at multiple sites in coastal Delaware. The only bigger report was seven on the southern Nassau Co CBC, on the south shore of Long Island, on 3 Jan (Shai Mitra et al.).

Sparrows

New York’s second Cassin’s Sparrow was a prestigious find at Montauk Point at the eastern tip of Long Island, on 6 Dec (Max Epstein, m. ob.) The first was in 2000, also on Long Island. “Staggeringly cooperative” (Tim Healy), it fed placidly at the edge of the parking lot, usually in the company of a late Grasshopper Sparrow, until at least 27 Jan. The identification was all the more remarkable since the diagnostic barred inner rectrices were largely missing (Tim Healy). Single Lark Sparrows, fairly frequent late autumn holdovers but less than annual in deep winter, persisted at Plumb Beach, Kings Co (Brooklyn) until 31 Jan (ph Joshua Malbin), at Stevens Street, Cape May, NJ until the same date (Robert Dodelson), and at Millsboro, Sussex Co, DE until mid-February (Andrew Ednie), but apparently not thereafter. A few Chipping Sparrows lingered as usual, the northernmost known to us being at Constantia, Oswego Co, NY on 7 Jan (Mickey Scilingo). One overwintered into March at Manorville, Suffolk Co,  LI (Steve Biasetti), and possibly others, but winter Chipping Sparrows, most of which lack red caps, are often misidentified. A Clay-colored Sparrow was at Heckscher SP, East Islip, Suffolk Co,  LI, NY 13–24 Jan (ph. Dennis Elder, ph. Shai Mitra, ph. Lisa Nasta, m. ob.) and another was at Emley’s Hill Cemetery, Cream Ridge, Monmouth Co NJ on 22 Jan (ph. Cliff Miller). The northernmost midwinter Field Sparrow known to us was at Penn Yan, Yates Co, NY on 31 Jan (ph Michael Gullo). One near Coventry, Chenango Co NY on 19 Feb was likely overwintering (Michael DeWispelaer). A Red Fox Sparrow far north at Orchard Park, Erie Co, NY on 21 Jan depended on grain under a feeder (Kathy O’Connor-Mullen).

American Tree Sparrows, once a winter mainstay but now undergoing serious long-term decline and range contraction, were widespread but in poor numbers. Fourteen at Nichols, Tioga Co, NY on 14 Feb (Derek Green), 10 at Lisle, Broome Co NY on 2 Jan (Michael DeWispelaere), and nine at the tip of Breezy Point, Queens, NYC on 20 Dec (Sean Sime) were among the largest counts known to us. A small wintering group at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE whose maximum count was five on 22 Feb (Wendy Cesario) may well have been the southernmost American Tree Sparrows in all of eastern North America this winter. An “Oregon” Dark-eyed Junco lingered at Acqua Lane Park, Tonawanda Twp., Erie Co, NY 6–24 Jan (ph. Phil Mills, ph. Karen Lee Lews, ph. Kevin Rybczynski). “Gambel’s” White-crowned Sparrows were found at Floyd Bennett Field, King’s Co (Brooklyn) on 11 Jan (ph. Doug Gochfeld, ph. Sean Sime), at the Wallkill River NWR, Orange Co on 24 Jan (Travis Rubio), and at the John Sanford Farmland Preserve at Branchburg Park, Somerset Co, NJ on 2, 22, and 29 Jan (Jeff Ellerbusch, Chris Behany). Two Vesper Sparrows at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center at Yaphank on 6 Feb (Audan Perkins, ph Tom Moran) and again on 16 Feb (m. ob.) may have successfully overwintered. Three Vesper Sparrows were at the Beanery/Rea Farm, Cape May, NJ discovered on 13 Dec (Robert Mercer, Rachel Adler et al.), two of which were still there on 12 Jan (Roger & Kathleen Horne). The species winters less than annually in New Jersey. A LeConte’s Sparrow was a spectacular find at Croton Point, Westchester Co 29–31 Jan (Charlie Roberto, m. ob.). A Nelson’s Sparrow was detected at Crab Meadow Beach, Suffolk Co, NY on 31 Jan (ph. Hayden Uresk, Taylor Sturm) and two at Ridgewood Pond, Sussex Co, DE on 3 Jan (Gregory Gough).

Chat to Blackbirds

Yellow-breasted Chats often linger here into early winter, as one did at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on 15 Dec (Louis Liable-Sands). Two CBCs recorded Chats: Queens Co on 14 Dec, the species’ fourth occurrence there (Corey Finger), and Montauk on 20 Dec (ph. Patrick Markee). The latest in New York was at Lynbrook, Nassau Co on 18 Jan (ph. Richard Norton). Still another lingered at the Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Atlantic Co, NJ from 3 Jan (Bill Elrick, ph Eddie Politz on 5 Jan) to at least 17 Feb (ph. Richard Norton). A male Yellow-headed Blackbird flocked with thousands of other blackbirds on Dyke Branch Road, Dover, DE on 11 Jan (ph. Carolyn Holland, Andrew Ednie, Grace Muench et al.), while a female or young male frequented a feeder at Woodside, Kent Co, DE on 25 Jan (ph Jesse Foor). The only Eastern Meadowlarks were 14 at Edgemere Landfill, Queens, NYC on 24 Jan (Chuck Beilman, Nelson Pascuzzi), and two at David B. Crabiel Park, Milltown, Middlesex Co on 13 Jan (Stephen Greenwood). A first-year male Bullock’s Oriole was at East Islip, Suffolk Co, NY on 24–25 Dec (ph. Caroline Polanish) and remained in the general vicinity until 17 Jan (Patricia Lindsay, Jay McGowan). Feeders probably account for most of the proliferation of wintering Baltimore Orioles. Some examples include one at a Wainscott, Suffolk Co, NY feeder from 24 Jan until 17 Feb (Joi Jackson Perle), and a male at Farmingdale, Monmouth Co, NJ (accompanied at first by a female or young male that soon departed) from 25–26 Dec daily until 1 Mar (Debra Stewart).

The northernmost of a number of mid-winter Rusty Blackbirds were one at feeders in Ithaca, Tompkins Co, on 27 Jan (Jay McGowan) and two at Bayberry, Onondaga Co, at suet on 10 Feb (Elizabeth Herrick). All other records were from Long Island south. The largest concentrations there were 18 at Big John’s Pond at Jamaica Bay WR and a group in Queens, at Alley Pond Park’s Oakland Lake, that grew from 23 on 17 Feb (ph. Tim Healy) to 78 there on 21 Feb (Brendan Fogarty, “maybe my best count ever”). The only double-digit report further south was 10 at Lake Lekau, near Clementon, Camden Co, NJ on 5 Feb (Kyle Gallagher). One Common Grackle lingered far north at feeders near Newcomb, Essex Co, in the Adirondacks, on 31 Jan (Julien Amsellem). An estimated 2500 at Alley Pond Park on 21 Feb (Brendan Fogarty) were probably already moving north. Boat-tailed Grackles, which expanded their breeding range to Long Island in the 1970s, are now wintering there in small numbers. One on the Montauk CBC on 20 Dec (fide Corey Finger) was a second count record. An impressive 55 were at Amasa Landing, at the Burlington Co edge of the Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, on 11 Jan (Tom Bailey).

Warblers

As might be expected after a mild fall, many warblers remained well into winter. A Black-and-White Warbler at Baldwinsville, Onondaga Co on 8 Jan was reputed the “latest eBird sighting for upstate New York” (Gregg Dashnau), and another was at Prospect Park, Queens, NYC on 17 Feb (Jude Loscar). Nashville Warblers are one of the more frequent lingering species, and they were present in all three states. One remained at Carl Schurz Park, NYC 3 Dec (Tom Fiore) and 8 Jan (Karen Fung, Amanda Bielskas); New Jersey had December records from Bergen, Camden, and Middlesex counties, and January records from Monmouth, Camden, and Cape May counties, the latest of which was at Shark River, Monmouth Co on 16 Jan (Tim Mullen); Delaware had two records: Woodland Beach, Kent Co (Carolyn Holland), and The Nature Conservancy’s McCabe Nature Preserve, Milton, Sussex Co on 5 Jan (Alice Mohrman) and 9 Jan (ph. Gregory Gough, ph. Randy Fisher). There were of course multiple Orange-crowned Warblers in all three states, the northernmost of which was at the Newburgh Sewage Treatment Plant, Orange Co, NY 22 Jan (Bruce Nott, Rock Hansen). Common Yellowthroats were surprisingly scarce (or underreported?). We learned of only two: the Central Suffolk Co, NY CBC on 27 Dec, and a male at Floyd Bennett Field, Kings Co 9 Jan (Richard Fleming) and again 11 Jan (ph. Doug Gochfeld). A surprising case was a Northern Yellow Warbler, a species of tropical affinities, for the second winter in a row (possibly the same bird) at the Newburgh, Orange Co, NY Sewage Treatment Plant 6–24 Jan (ph. Silas Wareham, ph. Rick Hansen, ph. Travis Rubio, Bruce Nott). A Blackpoll Warbler was record-late at Round Valley Recreation Area, Hunterdon Co, 3 Dec (Frank Sencher, Jr.). Pine Warblers were, as expected, among the commonest wintering warblers, with 13 records in New Jersey, and four in Delaware, though surprisingly none were reported in New York north of Long Island. Yellow-rumped Warblers were of course the most widespread wintering warbler. Notably, the Rochester CBC on 21 Dec recorded a record 16 Yellow-rumped “Myrtle” Warblers; the previous high had been 13 in 1953.

The most notorious winter warbler was a Yellow-throated Warbler found in Carl Schurz Park, on the Upper East Side of  NYC, on 23 Nov (Jordan Spindel) photographed by hundreds of visitors until 30 Dec (Sara Ogger). It survived on sap and insects at Sapsucker holes. This was the sixth winter record for New York. New Jersey has one winter record, Massachusetts four and Pennsylvania one. The New York City bird was attributed by some to the expected albilora race. A second Yellow-throated Warbler visited a feeder in Ithaca, Tompkins Co on 24 Jan (Carl Pohlman, m. ob.). One of the more unexpected winter warblers was a Prairie Warbler at Henlopen Point, DE on 4 Jan (Andrew Ednie; Evan Jarman).

Tanagers to Dickcissel

Each state had at least one Western Tanager. One was in Morningside Park, Manhattan, on 22 Dec only (ph. Karen Fung). New Jersey had three: one at Matawan, Middlesex Co on 13 Jan (ph Ellen Katye Hartley); a female or immature in the Cape May area for several days, documented on 11 Jan (ph. Michael O’Brien, Louise Zemaitis); and a male at Crestwood, Manchester Twp, Ocean Co on 13 Feb (ph. Karen Pomante). In Delaware a Western Tanager was discovered on 23 Dec at Prime Hook NWR, Sussex Co, by an observer who wishes to be identified only as “George A” and remained until 22 Jan (Gregory Gough, ph. Phil Misseldine, ph. Randy Fisher, ph. Chris Bennett, ph. Anthony Gonzon).

An Indigo Bunting on the Queens Co CBC on 14 Dec was the third count record. A female-type Indigo Bunting was on Randall’s Island, New York Harbor, 11 Jan (Adam Cunningham). Each state reported one or more Painted Buntings, now a regular if rare visitor. A female or immature male appeared on Long Island at Hampton Bays, Suffolk Co on 24–25 Jan and reappeared 15 and 19 Feb (ph. and video, Claudette Garley-Rottkamp). A male remained at the Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery, Hudson Co, NJ from 21 Dec (Michael De Korte) off and on to at least 28 Mar (ph. Marc Chelemer). A female or imm male Painted Bunting, possibly the same as one there in November, was at Bombay Hook NWR, Kent Co, DE on 14 Dec (Kim Steininger, ph. David Brown) and was seen almost daily (ph. Al Guarente, 10 Jan) until 24 Jan (John & Andrew Dunn). A Dickcissel in sub-adult plumage was at Central Park, NYC 6–7 Dec (ph. Alison Quammi, ph. David Jeffrey Ringer). Two Dickcissels were reported in New Jersey: Franklin Twp., Somerset Co 29–30 Jan (Chris Williams, Debbie Puksas), and Archers Corner, western Ocean Co, 20–23 Feb (ph. John Wheelock).

Exotics

A strangely patterned crow that hung out with Common Crows at Angola, Erie Co on 8 Feb (ph. Sharon Welsh), thought by some to be a Hooded Crow from Eurasia, was probably an aberrant Common Crow (Andrew Farnsworth). A European Goldfinch photographed on 3 Jan in Richmond Co (Staten Island), NY (Anthony Ciancimino, Tom Preston) was likely an escape. The small population established for a time in the early twentieth century on Long Island was extirpated by the 1950s, according to Bull’s Birds of New York State (Cornell University Press, 1998).

Report edited by Andrew Keaveney, 9 Jul 2026.