I spent a good 8 + hours birding both West and East Ponds at Jamaica Bay
Wildlife Refuge (JBWR), Queens Co.
I am pleased to report that the area near bench 4 on the West Pond trail was
mowed this morning. The cut back allows better viewing of the South East corner
of the West Pond which as of late has attracted a good number of shorebirds.
For example, I counted 35 Stilt Sandpipers there this AM and I am sure to have
missed a few.
While the viewing is much better now. It would be nice to have views with the
rising sun behind you. To that effect, I have begun a conversation with NPS on
the idea of opening up trails through the Phragmites bordering the South
Garden. This is not a new ask. Some of you will remember the fanfare around
“Blue-ribbon” discussions at the Refuge where this was brought up but like many
ideas, was shelved for more er...pressing matters. More on that later as I let
this conversation marinate a bit.
The only other highlight on the West Pond was a Ruddy Duck.
On the East Pond, I did a compete end to end survey (south to north and back).
A total of 16 species of Shorebirds. The highlights were 2 Whimbrels (flyover
on the North End), 6 Pectoral Sandpipers, 1 Ruddy Turnstone, 27 Stilt
Sandpipers, 1 Long-billed Dowitcher (different looking than the one I reported
on July 31st) and 2 Red Knots among the usual suspects.
Non shorebird highlights included: Two Bonaparte’s Gulls continuing on the
pond. This afternoon they were loafing near “Gull Point.” Also of note, 1
Green-winged Teal hiding among the duckage.
Overall, the shorebird numbers were decent. Mostly peeps, scattered throughout
the pond. Among them, I pulled out 2 flagged Semipalmated Sandpipers. A few
juvenile Least Sandpipers were a first for the season for me, as well as one
juvenile Lesser Yellowlegs.
No Western or White-rumped Sandpipers today despite sifting through the peeps
as best as I could.
P.S. Mosquitoes remain hungry and fierce.
Cheers,
“Precisely at the point when you begin to develop a conscience, you must find
yourself at war with your society.” ~ James Baldwin
--------
"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of
others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence." ~ Frederick
Douglass
風 Swift as the wind
林 Quiet as the forest
火 Conquer like the fire
山 Steady as the mountain
Sun Tzu The Art of War
> (\__/)
> (= '.'=)
> (") _ (")
> Sent from somewhere in the field using my mobile device!
Andrew Baksh
www.birdingdude.blogspot.com
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