Jones Beach West End 27 July After the weekend activities, the island in front of the marina was free of boaters, sunbathers and campers. There were 11 species of shorebirds including 100 American Oystercatchers (I counted 104); 50+Black-bellied Plover; 20 Red Knot, some still in plumage, a dozen Short-billed Dowitcher, some in plumage and smaller numbers of others.
The swale had a single Killdeer in the center. As I approached, it did its broken wing bit and then flew off (number 12 for the morn). This is either a re-nest due to earlier flooding or a second brood. Down on the beach, to the west, there was a group of 150-200 Sanderling resting on the beach just above the wrack line The most interesting, of course, was a Lesser Black-backed Gull on the parking lot. This unusual summer plumaged gull had adult legs, bill, head color without streaking, pale eye color with proper orbital ring color and charcoal back, but had very worn BROWN greater coverts and tertials. My photos do not match anything in the books. An adult in arrested development? Sy Schiff -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Temporary archive: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
