Hi all, I spent a few hours at the Read Sanctuary in Rye today. Started around 6:30 am watching the Sound and at 8 started walking around the property a bit more. A gorgeous morning - no wind, diffuse light, pleasant temperatures. The highlights:
41+ Common Loons (almost all flying NW/N/NE) 7 Great Egret 13 Snowy Egret (9! along the shore, others observed in flight) LITTLE BLUE HERON (flyover at medium distance, but an obvious Little Blue - uncommon in Westchester) 11 Black-crowned Night-Heron (a couple along the shore, others moving NE) Merlin Northern Harrier Lesser Yellowlegs 3 Spotted Sandpiper 3 American Oystercatcher Chimney Swift Eastern Kingbird (Flying W overhead. Had it in the scope - structure and flight pattern similar to Robin (spurts of fast flapping), but with white underside and dark cap.) Various swallows (Tree, N. Rough-winged, Barn) 3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Veery 4 Gray Catbird (2 displaying) 10+ Yellow Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Ovenbird (great looks) Northern Waterthrush 3 Orchard Oriole (2 males, who seemed to be fighting over a lone female) At my house in White Plains were Pine and Black-throated Green Warblers. I also happened to notice a lone Broad-wing circling overhead when I got home. Looks like more migrants are poised to reach us this weekend with with these SW winds! Good birding, Benjamin Van Doren White Plains, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
