I made the 1 hour drive out to Sagaponack this afternoon to see the 2 SANDHILL CRANES. Both birds were in the Daniel's Lane corn field when I arrived at 3:20. My elation at the bird's presence turned to chagrin when I also saw 2 photographers well out in the field. Thankfully they didn't approach the birds too closely and the birds seemed tolerant, but that's beside the point. Apparently the ABA Code of Ethics, (and common sense- they're trespassing on private property after all!), is either unknown or ignored by such people. Anyway both photogs retreated and left after a bit and a few more respectful birders arrived to observe the cranes. I stayed for an hour or so doing that and capturing still images and video of the stately birds, after which I went down to nearby Sagg Pond. There, I found a first-cycle ICELAND GULL out on a spit toward the north end of the pond, among a congregation of ~150 Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. A quick check of the ocean yielded ~10 adult N. Gannets moving east a quarter mile or so offshore, as well as a flock of 20-25 Surf Scoters doing likewise closer in. I then headed up to Bridge Lane to check the upper end of the pond. There I saw 4 Coot, 4 Common Mergansers, 2 Hooded Mergs, and a few Gadwall. The corn fields adjacent to the pond held a large flock of icterids. I checked it carefully but saw only Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles.
I returned to Daniel's Lane to find the cranes still feeding in the stubble. As an added bonus there was also a male RING-NECKED PHEASANT feeding very close to the road. I saw another pheasant on the Sunrise Highway median on the drive home, about a half mile east of Route 51. P.S. Speaking of pheasants, does anyone know anything about a breeding farm for them located in the Sag Harbor area? I stumbled across one while hiking the Mulvihill Preserve trail east of Brick Kiln Lane last weekend (Google map here: http://tinyurl.com/ykyugh6). I did a bit of research online and learned that the state DEC has only one such facility and it's upstate near Ithaca. Anyone know who runs this one? I assume it's Pheasants Forever or another hunting concern, but I'm curious. Also, the manmade pond at the edge of the complex harbored a few hundred free-flying Mallards who made quite a din. Who knows what other ducks might be found there earlier in winter. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
