On Tuesday 1/20, Dad (Ken McDermott) and I ventured to Beacon in Dutchess
County, after finding that all flowing ice was on that side of the Hudson. We
were rewarded with a single first year Iceland Gull, seen from the Long Dock
area near the Beacon Train Station. On Wed. 1/21, the landscape (icescape) of
the river had changed dramatically. The river was completely filled with
flowing ice and contained an estimated 5,000-6,000 gulls. After sifting
through only about 200 gulls, I had already found 2 first year Iceland Gulls,
when an Eagle put up all the gulls. When they settled, I began to scan again,
this time finding 2 first year Icelands within the first 500 or so gulls,
when....you guessed it, another eagle flyby. This time the gulls settled mid
river, just beyond a good distance for ID's. Game called on account of
darkness. Today, after 2 hours of scanning from the Newburgh side with Dad,
Bruce Nott and Peter Schuyler, we had only produced a single first year
Iceland. Anxious to check the Dutchess side, while people were watching on the
Newburgh side, I headed to Beacon. At Long Dock, I was rewarded with 2 first
year Icelands and a FOS Adult Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Gulls numbers are continuing to increase. For anyone trying to figure out a
day trip for this weekend, the conditions are looking promising.
In a 5 minute scan of the Hudson from Newburgh this morning at 9:30, I had
16 Bald Eagles, from a single location, just north of Torches Restaurant.
Good Birding, Curt McDermott
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