Sunday, 15 August 2010
Actually, some of the species may simply be working up to expansion of
their ranges in the northeast. There are advocates for the notion or
theory that we birders not refer as much to "strays", rather more to
"scouts".
A Mountain Bluebird has been in New Brunswick, Canada (near Murray
Beach Provincial Park), and was reportedly photographed there this
past Friday. A Common Ringed Plover was found and photographed by
Bruce Mactavish and Ken Knowles on Newfoundland, Canada on 7 August.
That province has had a number of documented records of the mostly-
Eurasian breeder. On the subject of Eurasian-breeding shorebirds,
there have been no further reports or updates from Massachusetts on
the Bar-tailed Godwit reported to that state's birding list, albeit
belatedly from 9 August.
Adding to the several dozen (or more) reports of Black-bellied
Whistling Ducks in the greater northeast to mid-Atlantic regions in
the past several months of 2010, one was just noted this past Friday
from Delaware.
There are also at least a couple of reports of Eurasian Collared-Dove
from points just south & west of NY, such as in Pennsylvania, where 2
birds were seen recently in Northampton Co., a first record for that
county. There have been several reports of this dove species from
Atlantic Canada in recent weeks, as well.
Two (separate, and very-long-lingering) Scissor-tailed Flycatchers
have continued to be reported from Plum Island in northeast
Massachusetts, and from Ontario Canada.
There is a very recent report (8/14) of a Black Vulture sighting from
Digby Neck in Nova Scotia Canada, as well as a report from Houlton,
Aroostook Co. in far northeast Maine, each representing a major
northeastward extension of that vulture species' wanderings.
Of far more 'expected' species, the number of reports of Baird's
Sandpiper from these same regions (greater northeast & mid-Atlantic)
have become a bit too common to count. Upland Sandpiper reports have
also begun to increase away from their known breeding areas. Now's a
good time to look for these as well as American Golden-Plover, all
sometimes referred to as the "grass-pipers" for these 3 species'
frequent habitat preferences.
On Staten Island, and more specifically the southern half including
the south-most point in NY state, I was able to locate a dozen species
of shorebirds looking in a half-dozen locations over a period of
several hours. The prime area for variety was one where I typically
don't expect all too many shorebird species, Mount Loretto's shore (a
NY DEC "Unique" area), although Wolfe's Pond & Great Kills Parks with
a low-ish tide also produced. A report will be sent to the local list
for Staten Island. Much of the day was focused on other creatures and
flora, but birds were "unavoidable"!
The latest report of the lingering White-tailed Kite at coastal
Connecticut is not good, seemingly bad behavior from some "chasing"
the raptor.
Unethical, and potentially criminal act, if done intentionally. No
birds should be harassed at all "for better views" or for "closer
photographs"...
Good birding & we hope to hear a report from NY's Jamaica Bay Wildlife
Refuge in the aftermath of the many observers there all this weekend.
Tom Fiore,
Manhattan
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