Below is a description from Dick Veit. I sent out a message to NYSBirds early this morning, and I still don't see it listed on the aba website.
Tshrike19 [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: Richard Veit <[email protected]> To: sin <[email protected]>; Simon Perkins <[email protected]>; samanthamonier <[email protected]>; ellen jedrey <[email protected]>; Laney White <[email protected]>; Jonathan Shuster <[email protected]>; Angus Wilson <[email protected]>; Shaibal Mitra <[email protected]> Cc: Lisa Manne <[email protected]> Sent: Tue, Sep 11, 2012 11:00 am Subject: [SINaturaList] Bell's Vireo at Mt Loretto, Staten Island. There is a Bell's Vireo at Mt Loretto, south end of Staten Island, New York. This is potentially a third record for New York State, though there have been an increasing number of records in the northeast, especially near Cape May. To reach this bird, take a left on the marshlands trail after walking south from the parking lot (at Hylan Blvd, 1/2 mile south of Sharrotts). Walk to the point (1/4 mile?) where the trail makes a near 90 degree turn towards the priests house (old lighthouse) at the top of the hill. Where the trail curves, there are several large, dead, leafless trees. They are the largest dead trees in the area. the Bells Vireo has been hanging out around the base of the biggest dead trees. the bird is instantly recognizable as a Bell's Vireo, and actually does not look that much like a vireo - almost more like a wren or ant bird by virture of its upcocked tail and rather slow jerky action. It is gray-green above, with yellow flanks, grayish head with distinct blackish eyeline and solidly blackish eye with partial white eye ring. The characteristic wingbars are faint, and the lower one is more prominent than the upper and both are pencil-thin compared top even a hy white-eyed vireo (there are philadelphia, white-eyed and warbling vireos present in the area, plus several traill's flycatchers, so be careful!). When you see the bell's vireo there will be no question - the cocked tail and overall bland appearance are distinctive. I did not hear any vocalizations. I have three photographs that are just barely identifiable. I saw the bird first at 0645; then nothing until about 0830, when Seth Wollney and I saw it three times over about a 10-15 minute period. It is favoring the virginia creeper and other vines (smilax?) around the base of the dead tree. Richard R. Veit Professor Biology Department CSI/CUNY 2800 Victory Boulevard Staten Island, NY 10314 718-982-4144 Fax 718-982-3852 __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group | Reply via web post | Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (1) Recent Activity: Visit Your Group Visit BirdingOnStatenIsland.com for information about where and when to go birding on Staten Island! Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest • Unsubscribe • Terms of Use . __,_._,___ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
