Dune Rd. this morning was relatively quiet with no American Bitterns seen (though there have been 3-4 seen previously this week feeding in the marshes). A Juvenile Black-Crowned Heron was in the marsh and a male Belted Kingfisher was on the wires overhead. The Shinnecock Inlet was virtually vacant, with a few seals popping there heads up and 2 Old Squaw flying by. The raft of Common Eiders was again hugging the Western jetty. The by and large highlight however was a Merlin along Dune Rd. near Dolphin Ln. that had just caught a sanderling. I observed it for about 30 minutes before it was flushed by someone on a bike riding by and I lost track of it. Photos can be seen here: http://birdsoflongisland.blogspot.com/2010/12/merlin-with-sanderling-for-breakfast.html
-- - Luke Ormand, Flanders www.WildLongIsland.blogspot.com www.BirdsOfLongIsland.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/ --
