Hi Alex & all, Some attempt at answering your questions below, hopefully of some help.
Tom Fiore, Manhattan - - ---> -----Original Message----- >From: Alexander Burdo <alexanderburdo AT mac.com> >Sent: Jul 27, 2010 5:27 PM >To: nysbirds-l@cornell.edu >Subject: [nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay Questions > >Hi all- > >I know this is last minute but I'm visiting Jamaica Bay NWR tomorrow >and have a few quick questions the birding spots. > >1. Does anyone have a good map to JamBay? I downloaded one from the >Brooklyn Bird Club website and am curious if it's adequate. - The maps I see are adequate but possibly a bit outdated. The basic layout however is as illustrated. >2. East Pond is probably the top spot I want to visit. Should I access >the pond from the trail along Cross Bay Blvd., the trail to Big John's >pond or a trail along North Dike Road? - Any of those 3 access points will get you there but the trail[s] to Big John's Pond don't normally allow access to the area of the East Pond away from the "raunt" - which the east terminus of the Big John's Pond trail overlooks. It also does not provide adequate views of all of the flats where shorebirds congregate at the East Pond, only a small portion in addition to the "raunt" area. USE GREAT CARE when walking the shores of the East Pond, both in not disturbing any birds beyond what will happen the moment the first of the yellowlegs starts scolding you or any other "interlopers" (all birders), but also in finding your footing. The mud at the northern edges of the East Pond is not just soft but is potentially dangerous & birders have sunk in there deeper than their waists!!! It is usually signed as to where to stay away - the northwest & northeast "corners" have access trails in the phragmites and then on the pond edge one may safely proceed south from either corner but NOT east nor west across the north edge. >3. I know the Raunt but are there any other good sites with large >congregations of shorbs? - Normally the shorebirds will be found in concentrations (assuming they are at the East Pond in good numbers on the day) at the southern portion and the northern portion of the East Pond, and also in modest to excellent numbers along the edges of the pond (for those unfamiliar, the East Pond is long & somewhat narrow, with its long axis more-or-less north & south, the narrow axis more-or less east-west. Some birders have a preference for either the north or south ends of the E. Pond, but the numbers & variety of shorebirds can vary & fluctuate from year to year, & week to week, & even day to day - dependent on a variety of factors including the conditions at the pond, such as the water levels, the winds, especially if quite strong, the presence or absence of any predators, especially Peregrines, & more. At times, the West Pond may also have fairly good numbers of shorebirds and of course some of the great rarities have spent much time there rather than at the East Pond (best example perhaps being the mega-rare Broad-billed Sandpiper there some years ago). >4. Is the American White Pelican or Wilson's Phalarope still there? >Can you provide details on where they are? - This info perhaps relayed by any birders who were at the Refuge today... >5. Any other good spots within Jamaica Bay to visit? West Pond? Big >John's Pond, etc?? - Big John's Pond is always worth a stop if one has the time. Please be quiet as you approach the blind there - many photographers and also non-photographers will thank you for not disturbing birds in that smaller space. The "Gardens" along the more wooded inner (east) section of the West Pond trail can be good for a variety of smaller & land-based birds including many land bird migrants on days of good migration for those, as well as modest variety of some of the breeding birds & (in that season) fall-winter visitors. There are additional corners of the Refuge as well, including the "firebreak" trails & more but that may be too much to handle even on a standard one-day visit! The Refuge is a fantastic place that rewards a degree of patience and re-visits. >6. Since high tide is around 10:30 tomorrow, should I arrive early and >do West Pond and then East Pond when the tide's high? - This is a reasonable plan. My own preference and that of some other experienced birders is to get to view the East Pond by about 2 (to as many as 4) hours before the onset of the peak (highest) tide, but anytime that is within an hour or more is good. On some days there may be a fair number of shorebirds lingering through, that is even on the lower (ebb) cycle of the daily tides, but generally there will always be fewer (sometimes vastly fewer) shorebirds at the times just before, during & after lowest points of local tide. The West Pond shores also would similarly be more likely to have a greater number of shorebirds around the times of higher tides. This is a bit general and there can be some variation but overall the rule holds. >Thanks so much for any help you can provide!!!!! > >-Alex Burdo >Fairfield, CT ______________ -- 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/ --
