As a retired Lilco/Brooklyn Union/Marketspan/Keyspan employee with 42 years, 8
months and 23 days service that ended on 1/1/99, I was a tad surprised to be
asked to help out with the "Sandy" crisis, by acting as a crew guide to an out
of state contractor, here to help LIPA/National Grid restore electricity to
it's many affected customers. I did this from 11/7 to 11/20, and although I was
in, or near, many well known birding areas, did not get a minute's worth of
birding in. I was attached to a company from Kansas (PSJ Power) made up of
43-46 men, along with ~ 30 pieces of equipment. We started off (working 16
hours a day) in the Yaphank area, and finished our last 6 days working out of
the LIPA Yard at Beach 108th St. & Beach Channel Drive in Far Rockaway...a real
"war zone". Throughout all of this time, I was very impressed by the work ethic
and "can-do" attitude of PSJ's personnel, especially Brandon Commons, one of
it's General Foreman.
And so, with much anticipation, I finally got "back in the saddle" today, and
with Tom Moran, headed west to Alley Pond Park to try for the Virginia's
Warbler we had missed on 2 previous occasions. We spent ~ 3 hours looking &
listening, but could only come up with a Winter Wren (at the marsh near the s/e
c/o the park) for our efforts.
Upon arriving at Jones Beach, we met Michael McBrien, and his Dad, Mike who
told us of their 1 hour old encounter with 4 Cave Swallows in Pt. Lookout,
where they had them resting on the rocks, as well as roosting on the gutters of
a green house. After not finding the birds there, and just before checking the
rocks, Steve Walter rode by and asked if we wanted to see the swallows. He had
just left them, was in his car ready to leave, saw us, turned around and led us
to the CASW's - which we probably would have missed, on our own...thanks guys!
3 of the 4 birds were huddled together on a s/s ledge on the last house before
the ocean, w/s of the last street before Reynold's Channel. The 4th bird was
aloft at the time, but finally came to sit upon the other 3...forming a warming
ball of protruding wings & feathers ! While at this location, Steve Schellenger
told us about a pair of Harlequin Ducks he had just seen at the 2nd jetty, and
as we approached this spot, were met by a retreating Tom Burke & Gail Bensen,
who had just been informed of a Painted Bunting being seen at Alley Pond Pond.
Responding to the axiom of "2 in the hand is worth 1 in the bush" we found the
ducks and quickly moved on.
Eric Miller, finder of the PABU, was in the group trying to relocate the bird,
when we arrived, at ~ 3:20 PM.After about 1/2 hour, the bunting appeared, quite
close to where it was found originally. This bird (a female) was a state bird
for me, as well as a "lifer" for Tom, who had another "hat trick", with the
Winter Wren & Cave Swallows making up the other two new species.
What a great way to get back in the game !
Cheers,
Bob
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