There seems to be a major eastward flight of terns and other larids along the ocean side of Long Island today, presumably brought about by the heavy rains. Winds were moderate swinging around from the S to the E during the middle part of the day. I seawatched from Main Beach in East Hampton (Suffolk Co) late this morning. Visibility was limited to a few hundred yards but there was enough movement very close inshore (and overland) to keep it interesting.
A 1-hour tally (11:40-12:40) produced: Wilson's Storm-petrel - 5 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE - 1 juv. Laughing Gull - 6 Common Tern - 1,423 Forster's Tern - 19 Roseate Tern - 326 Least Tern - 265 Black Tern - 11 Andy Baldelli (via Hugh McGuinness) also watched from Main Beach earlier in the morning and I believe he logged 6 PARASITIC JAEGERS, numerous Wilson's Storm-Petrels and Black Terns - again all going east fairly close to shore. In Napeague Bay I counted 200+ BLACK TERNS but there could easily be more as it was impossible to scope properly in the driving rain. There were also a few Roseate and Forster's Terns. An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was on the Maidstone Golf Course and in only a few minutes of looking skyward, I noted several hundred terns flying out of Hook Pond and back onto the ocean. Like observers to the west, I am currently puzzled by the numbers of Roseate Terns (mix of adults and juvs) in this eastward movement. Since the bulk of the breeding population is already east of these watchpoints but perhaps they had moved south offshore and are now spinning back up to avoid the worst of the weather? Angus Wilson New York City & The Springs, NY, USA -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Temporary archive: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
