Was at the 79th St Boat Basin from about 3:30 to 5:30pm today. There was little rain when I arrived, and the cafe provided a safe high-ground haven well protected from the elements to scan the river - from chairs even. Nothing much to report - although watching the birds battling up-river against the north wind reminded me of watching mimes pushing invisible walls. Highlights were a flock of about 2 dozen brazen Brants gaining momentum and dipping in the water for short rests, a couple of Canadian Geese with less aerodynamic success, a couple of small flocks of Mallards doing no better than heading sideways, occasional Ring-billed gulls whipping around, one Black-backed gull, and a Coot seen since yesterday bobbing leisurely among boats which were violently lifting 6 feet out of the water. As the sky darkened, the wind and rain picked up and I was drenched by the time I got home.
Stay safe, Alan Drogin -- 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/ --
