Less than 200 shorebirds on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge as I birded on the rising and low tide.
The highlights were *MARBLED GODWIT*, hiding out among the hundreds of Double Crested Cormorants. This was a little more than half way down the pond on the east side near the North Island. This is the first Godwit that I am aware of on the East Pond this year. Juvenile* WILSON's PHALAROPE*, on the north end feeding profusely with peeps. A study of this bird revealed that it had a metal band, *(my first such documented bird)* and I managed some photos which I will post later. Other shorebird highlights included: juvenile *STILT SANDPIPER, *juvenile*EASTERN WILLET, WESTERN SANDPIPER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER * and *WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. * In the gardens near Big John's Pond, a new birder I met whose first name I got, Jonathon, got off to a flying start when a *BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO*decided to welcome him to the game with killer looks. The *BARN OWL* came up for air and a White-eyed Vireo was calling up a storm near the blind. The almost dried up Big John's pond hosted a few shorebirds including a *SOLITARY SANDPIPER*. Andrew Baksh Queens, NY www.birdingdude.blogspot.com -- 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/ --
