Sue and I decided to "embrace the winter'" today with a mornings birding in Nassau County. We started at Jones Beach/West End where we anticipated that snow cover might bring some interesting species. As we drove in to the boat basin parking lot we observed four American Pipits busily feeding on the lawn east of the restrooms. In a short time they were joined by approximately six Horned Larks. As we switched between scoping the inlet and observing birds on the lawn we suddenly noted a single Lapland Longspur with the Pipits. it soon flushed and came down at the edge of the grass next to the dock, where it could be easily missed. Nothing else of note was observed. We then proceeded to Massapequa Preserve, where we hoped the snow might have the same effect as at West End. We were pleased to see that a wide pathway had been plowed on both the paved and unpaved paths. We found a young male Eurasian Wigeon in the stream just west of the pond that lies north of the Pittsburgh Avenue pond. In the stream along the main (paved) trail we observed a Eurasian x American Wigeon hybrid. One of the few walkers that were out this morning flushed two Wilson's Snipe in the general area where the Screech Owl has been seen - it did not show today. In the same location we noted a single Rusty Blackbird feeding along the creek. Other birds of interest were Hermit Thrush, Winter Wren, and Swamp Sparrow. Photos of some of the days birds are on our flickr site.
Ken & Sue Feustel http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ -- 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/ --
