Day 22: Randall's Island Year Birds

On Sunday, I went birding on Randall's Island with my friend Ryan. We started by going on the 104th street footbridge and scanning from the bridge. I immediately spotted a male Red-Breasted Merganser (#49) and a Bufflehead. Then suddenly, Ryan yells out "Loon!". I got a good look at the Common Loon (#50) that he spotted flying low over the bridge. We then go on the island and head towards and island that is a known cormorant hangout where both Great and Double-Crested Cormorants hang out. There were 3 Great (#51) among the Double-Cresteds. We then went to the Hell Gate Saltmarsh, where I spotted a sleeping Black-Crowned Night Heron (#52), an uncommon but regular winterer on the island. Meanwhile, there were also some Gadwalls (#53) in the marsh as well. For the next hour and a half, we looked for more potential year birds, but came up empty. We did hear a Belted Kingfisher, but didn't know whether it was on the Manhattan or Bronx side of the Bronx Kill. Still a great day!