Consistent with Angus' observations, 71 Wilson's Storm-Petrels were present in eastern Long Island Sound today, visible from the New London, CT-Orient Pt, LI ferry. These birds were mainly in several tight flocks along surface drift lines of weed, from near mid-crossing (north of Great Gull Island) to the area north of the eastern tip of Plum Island.
I've observed this species on this ferry crossing on about 20 occasions since 1996, usually in single digits. Today's tally was second only to a count of 120 north of Great Gull Island on 3 Aug 2003; the next highest total was just 16, on 18 Jun 2005. Shai Mitra Bay Shore ________________________________ From: bounce-62706850-3714...@list.cornell.edu [bounce-62706850-3714...@list.cornell.edu] on behalf of Angus Wilson [oceanwander...@gmail.com] Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2012 1:36 PM To: NYSBIRDS-L Subject: [nysbirds-l] South Fork LI: Wilson's Storm-Petrels continue in Block Island Sound Numbers of WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS continue in the body of water separating the North and South Forks of Long Island (Suffolk Co.) as first reported by Bruce Horwith from last weekend. This morning I counted 74 from Culloden Point in Montauk. A telescope is required and the birds were feeding over a relatively broad area to the east of Gardiner's Island and south of Great Gull Island. Small numbers of storm-petrels have frequented this same area is past summers but it's unclear what attracts them. By contrast, no tubenoses of any kind were seen in a brief scan east or south of Montauk Point. A bedraggled flock of summering seaduck continue in Shagwong Bay (off Oyster Pond) with 9 SURF SCOTER, 2 WHITE-WINGED SCOTER and 2 COMMON EIDER. -- Angus Wilson New York City & The Springs, NY, USA http://birdingtotheend.blogspot.com/ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- ________________________________ Out of respect for others and the environment, the College of Staten Island is a 100% Tobacco-Free Campus. -- 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/ --
