May 6, 2006: During a work party to prepare for Greensprings’ dedication. Lynn Leopold noted these birds:
 

      Sharpshined Hawk

      Redtailed Hawk

      Yellow Billed Cuckoo

      Flicker

      Yellow Bellied Sapsucker

      Mourning Dove

      Easter Phoebe

      Least Flycatcher

      Blackcapped Chickadee

      Whitebreasted Nuthatch

      American Robin

      Veery

      Wood Thrush

      Eastern Bluebird

      Cedar Waxwing

      Gray Catbird

      Brown Thrasher

      House Wren

      Eastern Bluejay

      Crow

      Redwinged Blackbird

      Northern Oriole

      Bobolink

      Brownheaded Cowbird

      Cardinal

      American Goldfinch

      Rosebreasted Grosbeak

      Indigo Bunting

      Yellow Warbler

      Common Yellowthroat

      Ovenbird

      Prairie Warbler

      American Redstart

      Chestnutsided Warbler

      Scarlet Tanager

      Eastern Towhee

      Chipping Sparrow

      Field Sparrow

      Song Sparrow

      Purple Finch
       

Location: Greensprings Natural Cemetery

Observation date: 8/19/06

Number of species: 19

On Saturday morning, Bob McGuire, Leslie Connors, and I joined Herb Engman on a trip to Greensprings Natural Cemetery in Newfield at the northern edge of the Arnot Forest. Open as a cemetery since June 2006, Greensprings is the only natural cemetery in New York, and as of this summer, only one of three in the United States.

Birding was somewhat slow, as expected given the season and the cool, wet weather. Still, we found many fine birds including six PRAIRIE WARBLERS (including two fluffy-headed juveniles), one molting CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, one female BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER and several RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES just over the cemetery boundary in Newfield State Forest, eleven BOBOLINKS flying over, many FIELD SPARROWS, and four small WILD TURKEYS.

Notably, Herb says that he thinks he has heard Henslow's Sparrows singing here at night as recently as two or three years ago. We found no Henslow's Sparrows today, but the grassy areas may still make for viable nesting habitat. Herb also found breeding Northern Harriers, two or three owl species, American Woodcock, and much more when he lived at the Greensprings site. At Herb's request, I plan to conduct periodic bird surveys to help guide future plans for managing this land. Today was our first such survey.
 

      Wild Turkey 4

      Northern Flicker 2

      Eastern Phoebe 3

      Red-eyed Vireo 1

      Blue Jay 4

      Barn Swallow 3

      Black-capped Chickadee 20

      American Robin 8

      Cedar Waxwing 20

      Chestnut-sided Warbler 1

      Prairie Warbler 6

      Common Yellowthroat 20

      Eastern Towhee 4

      Chipping Sparrow 4

      Field Sparrow 12

      Song Sparrow 10

      Bobolink 11

      Purple Finch 1

      American Goldfinch 6