Kathryn J. Schneider - Birding the Hudson Valley

Acknowledgments

Writing this book was one of the most difficult things I have ever done, and it would never have happened without the support and assistance of so many people. First and foremost, I thank the birding community of the Hudson Valley. Major parts of this work rely on decades of data contributed by birders and assembled into Breeding Bird Atlases, Waterfowl Counts, Christmas Bird Counts, eBird, and other repositories. This cumulative knowledge laid the foundation for this book, and I believe its very existence speaks to the remarkable willingness of birders to share their data, time, and expertise. In many ways, I owe a debt of gratitude to every Hudson Valley birder, but a few deserve to be named specifically.

I thank Bob Budliger, who encouraged University Press of New England to take a chance on this first-time author. He critiqued my book proposal and offered helpful suggestions during the books formative stages. Ted Murin and David Strayer encouraged me and patiently answered my questions about the writing and publication process. Gilbert (Wray) Rominger soothed my concerns about administrative matters. It was he who suggested that University Press of New England approach Furthermore grants in publishing for financial backing that ultimately supported this work.

Birders up and down the Hudson Valley helped select sites for this book. When I asked about their favorite birding destinations, birders were eager to share their knowledge and lobby for their most beloved areas. I am grateful to Janet Allison, Scott Baldinger, Mike Bochnik, Barbara Butler, Steve Chorvas, Bill Cook, Jim de Waal Malefyt, Richard Guthrie, Tait Johansson, John Kent, Carena Pooth, Charlie Roberto, Ann Swaim, Larry Trachtenburg, Chet Vincent, Alan Wells, Phillip Whitney, Tom Williams, and Will Yandik for their input, and I am sorry I could not include all of their wonderful birding places. Thanks also to Tom Burke, Barbara Butler, Steve Chorvas, Elijah Goodwin, Alan Mapes, Carena Pooth, Charlie Roberto, and Ann Swaim, who answered endless questions about sites, maps, and bird distributions in the Hudson Valley. I especially appreciate the contributions of Della Wells, Alan Wells, Jane Graves, Deborah Langford, Brad Smyth, and Rachel Schneider, who read drafts of the manuscript and offered helpful suggestions that improved it greatly.

I am indebted to the bird clubs and their field trip leaders, who welcomed me on their outings and introduced me to their local preserves. Alan and Della Wells, John Kent, Tom Williams, Richard Guthrie, and Robert Lewis set aside time to take me on guided tours of their favorite birding spots. I am grateful to Marian Sole, birding companion extraordinaire, for her birding insights, her uncomplaining attitude, and especially her good sense of direction.

From the very beginning, I wanted this book to be beautiful. Photos draw people to a book, and more than anything, I want this book to be read. I thank talented photographers Alan Wells, Deborah Tracy-Kral, Bruce Dudek, Denise and Scott Stoner, Carena Pooth, Naomi Lloyd, John Hershey, Tom Williams, and Joan Collins, who gave permission to use their images. I am also grateful to Tristan Lowery, who worked evenings, weekends, and holidays to create respectable reference maps, sometimes from notes, GPS tracks, and blurry photos. John Kent, Kara Caputo, Trish Miller, and Matt Young provided much-needed technical help with figures and permissions.

Finally, special thanks to my husband Bill for his patience, support, and encouragement.

Appendix

Rarities, Vagrants, and Extinct Species

This appendix includes birds that have been recorded from the Hudson Valley but are not seen regularly. These species are exceedingly rare for a variety of reasons. Some were historically present in greater numbers, but have declined over time because of habitat changes or other factors. A few, including the Passenger Pigeon and Carolina Parakeet, have become extinct. Others are vagrants, birds that appear irregularly, far outside their normal migration route or breeding range. The vast majority of these are so rare that the acceptance of new records requires review by the New York State Avian Records Committee (nybirds.org/NYSARC). The records listed here reflect the committees decisions through 2012. Birds listed as historical were recorded in our area before the formation of NYSARC in 1977. A few birds on this list are rare in the Hudson Valley, but are not rare in other parts of New York State and are therefore not subject to NYSARC review. In addition, some reports submitted to eBird, listservs, local bird clubs, and rare bird alerts do not reach the committee. Credible reports, usually with photos, are included here. Birds marked with an asterisk have been reported from the Hudson Valley but not reviewed by NYSARC.

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna autumnalisone record, Orange County, March 2011

Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna bicolorone record, Dutchess County, April 1981

Pink-footed Goose, Anser brachyrhynchusmultiple records, increasing

Barnacle Goose, Branta leucopsisauthentic records difficult to distinguish from escapes from captive flocks

Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinatormultiple records

Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligulaone record, Ulster County, April 2009

King Eider, Somateria spectabiliswanders from coastal Long Island

Common Eider, Somateria mollissimaone record, Dutchess County, October 1979

Harlequin Duck, Histrionicus histrionicusregular in winter on coastal Long Island

Eared Grebe, Podiceps nigricollisregular in winter on coastal Long Island

Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalistwo records: Rockland County, January 2009, January 2016*

Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaoctoone record, Orange County, December 2003

Passenger Pigeon, Ectopistes migratoriusextinct

Rufous Hummingbird, Selasphorus rufusmultiple fall records

Calliope Hummingbird, Selasphorus calliopeone record, Westchester County, November 2004

Yellow Rail, Coturnicops noveboracenistwo records: Albany County, May 1984; Dutchess County, September 1992

Black Rail, Laterallus jamaicensisone record, Westchester County, June 1986

Corn Crake, Crex crexhistorical record

King Rail, Rallus elegansmultiple scattered records

Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinicushistorical records

Black-necked Stilt, Himantopus mexicanusone record, Westchester County, August 2011

American Avocet, Recurvirostra americanamultiple records, Lower Hudson

Northern Lapwing, Vanellus vanellusone record, Albany County, March 1991

Hudsonian Godwit, Limosa haemasticafall records

Marbled Godwit, Limosa fedoafall records

Ruff, Calidris pugnaxscattered spring and fall records*

Bairds Sandpiper, Calidris bairdiione record, Dutchess County, May 1979

Western Sandpiper, Calidris mauriscattered fall records, difficult to distinguish from Semipalmated Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper, Tringa glareolaone record, Westchester County, October 1990

Red Phalarope, Phalaropus fulicariusscattered fall records

Long-tailed Jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudushistorical records

Dovekie, Alle allehistorical records

Thick-billed Murre, Uria lomviahistorical records

Black Guillemot, Cepphus gryllehistorical records

Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula arcticahistorical record

Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactylahistorical records

Ivory Gull, Pagophila eburneatwo records: Orange County, January 1981; Rockland County, February 2007

Sabines Gull, Xema sabini