Although separated by 115 miles, my experience in and around Montauk Point (Suffolk Co.) this morning mirrored that of Dave Klauber at Fort Tilden (Queens Co.), effectively the other end of the near continuous ocean beach. Highlights included 30 *WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS* (all immatures, present at each stop), 2 *LINCOLN SPARROWS* (in garden area below lighthouse), 1 *RUSTY BLACKBIRD* (Eddy Eckert Park, always nice on the South Fork), a *WHITE-EYED VIREO* (lighthouse) and 2 *PURPLE FINCH*. I noticed a few songbirds coming in off the ocean after first light but the strong sunlight made identification impossible.
As we've come to expect, warbler diversity was low; with Yellow-rumped Warbler the dominant species (200 or so) followed by Palm Warbler (19), and single Pine and Blackpolls. Several flocks of *BRANT* crossed Block Island Sound headed west (my first of the season also) accompanied by large skeins of cormorants (without making a particular effort I tallied around 6,000 in the morning). Hawks (Merlin, Kestrel, Sharp-shinned, Northern Harrier and Osprey) also made a good showing coming in off the water and I noted one Peregrine carrying a tern. Speaking of larids, an estimated 5,000 Laughing Gulls and 1,000 Common Terns continue around Montauk Point and Shagwong Point. Scoter numbers are beginning to build with White-winged Scoter the most numerous (255 noted). -- Angus Wilson New York City & The Springs, NY, USA http://birdingtotheend.blogspot.com/ -- 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/ --
