A huge raft of mostly Greater Scaup are between Hunter and Twin Islands in Pelham Bay Park. There are actually three rafts, one off Orchard Beach and two more between the islands. The rafts continuously merge and separate. I’m guessing there are approximately 2000 Scaup, quite a sight as they lift off. Yesterday there were an additional 1500 or so Brant alongside the Scaup. Other species include Horned Grebe, Common Goldeneye, Common Loon, Red-breasted Merganser, American Black Duck, Mallard, Great Blue Heron, Great Cormorant, Bufflehead, Greater Black-backed, Herring and Ring-billed Gulls.
Of note was an Eastern Bluebird, the first I’ve seen here in years. Just as I left the lookout where I scoped the ducks, it flew out and landed nearby. Jack Rothman cityislandbirds.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/ --
