I visited 3 of my regular spots in S. Nassau today.....(Sunday - July 3, 7-12PM) starting at Nickerson Beach, then Lido Passive Nature Center and finishing up at Jones Beach West End (JBWE) with pretty much expected species in expected numbers for around this time, with the exception an incredible number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls found at both Nickerson and JBWE. Of the roughly 125 non-breeding Gulls loafing around just west of the Tern colonies at Nickerson were initially 11 LBB Gulls. After turning my attention elsewhere, and having noticed that group had re-assembled after a vehicle disruption, I took another count and came up with 15! These included 6 -1st Summer, 6 - 2nd Summer and 3 - 3rd Summer birds. JBWE had 3 more on the beach and a bright 3rd summer bird in the Parking Lot. The birds on the beach were 2 - 1st Summer and 1 - 3rd summer for a total of 19 on the day - by far the highest tally I've ever had in 1 outing. Least Terns were generally down in numbers at Nickerson, but there seemed to be more than usual at JBWE than last year, and recent years. A 1/2 hour sea-watch from Nickerson (which usually isn't productive) turned up 2 Wilson's Storm-Petrels and a near-adult Common Eider. Piping Plovers may be a bit down at Nickerson, but I noticed at least 14 at JBWE with many cages up, and at least 5 chicks in the swale. A fresh juvenile Laughing Gull on the sandbar near the CG Station is a nice early date. Bobby Berlingeri Elmont, NY --
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/ --
