Richard Aracil and I birded Pelham Bay Park today, highlights are:
-- 1 cave swallow migrating on the West side of the landfill, it flew low overhead and was photographed by R. Aracil.
-- 5 Petrochelidons were seen at the same spot a few minutes before the cave but could not be id at specific level because of a poor light.
-- good passerine flight with over 15700 birds seen in less than 1.5 hour before 9 am (most of the time was spent looking for swallows and gulls) including:
- 22 late Bobolinks
- 1 Boat-tailed grackle
- >13000 robins
- >750 Red-winged black birds
- >350 Cedar waxwings
- 7 Horned larks
The size of the flight was best appreciated from the North-end of Hunter island, looking West, and secondarily over the landfill (more dispersed but better views).
-- >220 Laughing gulls, with about 200 at the South tip of City Island (where they get food from people), seen with Lynne Hertzog, thanks to a tip from Jack Rothman.
- 39 Bonaparte gulls
Also: Great cormoran, Snow buntings, pipits, Bald eagles, Black vulture, Red-shouldered hawks, Long tailed duck and Black scooter.
No Franklin gulls were seen despite an extensive search for them.
Matthieu
