Having just returned from a three week trip to Arizona last evening, I couldn't wait to get out this morning to see some of the great stuff my friends have been getting the last five days or so. This morning was not what I was hoping for since I awoke to thunder and lighting and torrential rains. Finally it let up a little and I went out around 9:30 am. Yankee Lake still had lots of waterfowl, including Loons, Cormorants,Grebes, Ducks and Gulls. A few warblers were around as well. When I got to the Bashakill, the skies had opened again. It didn't stop the birds though. I added bird after bird and was trying to get a look at one of many Common Moorhens at 10:15 am when I spotted a brown bird in the marsh grass. It was hunkered down and looked small. I got my scope and quickly realized it was a heron. A brown heron? At the time it was difficult to see and it just didn't quite add up. It was looking directly away from me, but I finally got a good look at the face. It had an extremely long bill that was darkish, but yellow below and near the base. I was pretty sure I knew the ID and got Karen Mattern on the bird. I explained what I thought it was, but I needed a better look. Finally the rain stopped and the Heron stood up. A beautiful TRI-COLORED HERON!! The second record ever for Sullivan County. Arelene Borko then arrived to see the bird and I made many phone calls. The bird was showing well now and we waited for others to arrive. Scott Baldinger arrived next and also had great looks at the bird, we could even see the white plumes on the back of the head. Several others arrived at 12:15. As I greeted them, Scott yelled it was taking off. It flew directly away from us and the flight looks were not good. Curt McDermott followed it closely with a scope. It flew to the far end of the Bashakill and disappeared behind the island. Extensive searching failed to find it again. Many Warblers, Orioles, Vireos, Kingbirds etc were seen during the search. What a great day for early migration. John Haas
-- 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/ --
