Joe Giunta, Sam Jannazzo and I (Sy Schiff) started the new year (2 Jan) with a comprehensive birding day on Long Island. We started in Hempstead Harbor before dark and saw the TUFTED DUCK after the sun arrived. From there we went to Caumsett SP to look for Pipit without success, but did see a single SNOW GOOSE in the Canada Goose Flock. A RED-TAILED HAWK flew by.
Moving to the South Shore and Hecksher SP, we struck out on the Longspur but did see RED CROSSBILLS, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS and a single COMMON REDPOLL near closed field #7. Also, a small flock of TREE SPARROWS was feeding by the side of the road nearby. Heading west via Robert Moses causeway and Ocean Parkway, we arrived at the Jones Beach Coast Guard Station and found LONG-TAILED DUCK, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, RED-THROATED and COMMON LOON and a HORNED GREBE in the water. Driving to West End #2 lot, we put up an adult RED-SHOULDER HAWK. Buteos on the barrier beaches are uncommon and this species is unprecedented. Between Captree and the west end, we observed 5 NORTHERN HARRIERS, a good number. At the Nature Center we saw SNOW BUNTINGS flying off to the west and a single HORNED LARK on the lawn. Six AMERICAN PIPIT were on the grass divider in front of closed field #1. After lunch at Pt. Lookout (in the car because of the cold), we went over to the west jetty and found LONG-TAILED DUCK, BLACK and SURF SCOTER, 17 COMMON EIDER plus BRANT in the water and 2 GREAT CORMORANT, 2 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, DUNLIN and SANDERLING on the rocks. A most satisfactory birding day in the cold and wind. SY -- 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/ --
