Lake George area, 17th - 24th August

A family holiday spent at a resort on Lake George on the edge of the Adirondacks. This area is famous as the closest site to find many of the Boreal species, however they are a bit ambitious for a family holiday, so this was more of a recce for future birding trips.

I got out most mornings, and spent my time in the woods on the hills to the west of Lake George. Warblers were my main focus, and I found a reasonable selection. The commonest species were Black-throated Green Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and Black-and-White Warbler. There were smaller numbers of Chestnut-sided Warbler, Canada Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler and Ovenbird. Other species were also present, every bird party had a healthy population of Black-capped Chickadee, and most had at least one Brown Creeper. Both Red-breasted Nuthatch and White-breasted Nuthatch were encountered regularly, the latter being more common. Tufted Titmouse were also common. The tapping of woodpeckers is heard everywhere here, with Hairy Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker being equally common. Less common, but encountered daily were Pileated Woodpecker, a fantastic bird. Other birds included Broad-winged Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Cedar Waxwing, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Ruffed Grouse, Hermit Thrush, Eastern Wood Pewee and Scarlet Tanager

The area has many lakes, waterbirds included Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Common Loons and many Ring-billed Gulls.

Female Chestnut-sided Warbler. An absolutely cracking little bird, the chestnut sides are a little tricky to see in this photo...

...but are more obvious in other pictures...

Female Magnolia Warbler. One of the commoner species in the flocks of warblers in the Lake George area.

Female Black-throated Green Warbler. Another common warbler in the forests here.

Female Black-and-White Warbler. One or two birds in almost every warbler flock. Very nuthatch-like behaviour.

Male Blackburnian Warbler. I wish this was a better photograph of one of the most gorgeous birds I've seen since I got to north America.

Ovenbird. Quite a little stunner, but hard to pin down long enough for a picture.

Female Common Yellowthroat. Found low down in denser vegetation, especially near water.

...juvenile Common Yellowthroats can look quite odd!

Red-eyed Vireo. Quite a large flock feeding on a fruiting bush.

Blue-headed Vireo. Common in mixed flocks.

Non-breeding male Scarlet Tanager.

Juvenile Hermit Thrush.

Adult Hermit Thrush.

Eastern Wood Pewee.

Male Pileated Woodpecker. Encountered on several occasions in the woods above Lake George. A truly spectacular bird.

Male Downy Woodpecker.

White-breasted Nuthatch.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Cooper's Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk.

Red-spotted Newt (Red Eft), Notophthalmus viridescens. Very common in the leaf-litter.

Timber Rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus. Strange name for such a beautiful snake, not horrid at all! Found it crossing the road as we headed back from a hike.