At Sandy Hook, New Jersey a Swallow-tailed Kite was reported moving north past the north tip on Friday, 5/27. That trajectory could have brought it to NY... - - - - - - - - - - Not from New York, but well off Maine & Canada's coast, "Machias Seal Island" experienced a modest fall-out earlier this week, and a photographer was there - for those who haven't seen such an event, here's how it can look. Some who have been on the island know how small it is, perhaps 15 acres, at most.
All of the photos are by Ralph Eldridge (not an acquaintance) and are from his photo-site (best viewed in the original size): http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054460/original http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054461 http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054462 http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054463 http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054464 http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054465 http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054466 http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054467 http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054468 http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054469 http://www.pbase.com/lightrae/image/135054470 That reminds me, in the morning of Wed., 5/25, I found several small migrant birds along Riverside Drive's sidewalks (in NYC), seemingly dazed and in some danger of wandering out into traffic - I actively herded any that I found in potential danger back across into the relative safety of the actual park's vegetation. At least one individual (an Ovenbird) was nearly determined to try and risk its' neck in traffic but I was happy to "convince" it to get in and under cover in the park, which it did after a comical (folks walking along, not sure what to make of me and the small bird they may or may not have seen being 'herded' on) 15+ minutes... Common Yellowthroats and a Magnolia Warbler were perhaps less dazed. & more easily went for the habitat. It's a very small reminder of all that these migrants deal with. Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
