Yesterday's email from photographer Tom Reichert re; easy accessibility for taking pictures of a Red-necked Grebe was both very timely and "right on" !
After having my hearing aids repaired at the VA Hospital in Northport, I headed for C.S.H., but didn't find the bird during my first pass of the public docks/parking areas on Rt.25A. Since I was heading west, I continued on to St. John's Pond, where I didn't find the grebe, but did manage to find my FOS Eurasian Wigeon, a male in full, alternate plumage. Also of note were a pair of Redheads and ~ 90 Ring-necked Ducks. I then re-checked the dock/parking areas and found a single, feeding Red-necked, which eventually worked itself in, to as close as 30' from the south-most dock. Needless to say, Tom was right...this certainly is the spot for your "show shot" ! I found that, although many of it's dives covered distances of 35-50', it also registered almost as many that were much longer, 75-125'. It was on (or so I thought) one of those longer "feeds" that I got my first inkling of the possibility of a 2nd bird. A short while later this was confirmed, when both appeared on the water simultaneously, once as close as 50-60' from each other. When it started to sprinkle, and having taken many "keeper" photos, I decided to return to the pond, to see if the Eurasian Wigeon was close enough this time, to get a picture. Upon arrival, I found less ducks than before, with the wigeon one of the absentees. As I was scanning, I came upon a long-necked bird that wasn't here the first time around...a possible 3rd, Red-necked Grebe ! Hightailing it back to the dock area, I eventually found both earlier birds...but was this proof-positive ? Unfortunately, no, for the pond bird could have "double backed" ! Maybe someone, in the near future, can put this question to rest ! Cheers, Bob -- 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/ --
