-RBA * New York * New York City, Long Island, Westchester County * July 17, 2026 * NYNY2607.17
- Birds Mentioned: RUFF+ CURLEW SANDPIPER+ (+ Details requested by NYSARC) BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK Stilt Sandpiper Baird’s Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Parasitic Jaeger LITTLE GULL Glaucous Gull ARCTIC TERN Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Cory’s Shearwater Scopoli’s Shearwater Great Shearwater Sooty Shearwater Manx Shearwater BROWN PELICAN SUMMER TANAGER BLUE GROSBEAK If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44<at>nybirds<dot>org If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to: Gary Chapin - Secretary NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) 125 Pine Springs Drive Ticonderoga, NY 12883 Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert Number: (212) 979-3070 Compiler: Tom Burke Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County Transcriber: Gail Benson [~BEGIN RBA TAPE~] Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, July 17, 2026 at 11:00 pm. The highlights of today’s vacation-shortened tape are BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK, RUFF, CURLEW SANDPIPER, LITTLE GULL, ARCTIC TERN, BROWN PELICAN, BLUE GROSBEAK, SUMMER TANAGER and more. But first, a very saddening note that earlier this week Guy Tudor passed away suddenly but peacefully. Guy was an exceptionally gifted artist, portraying birds with amazing lifelike accuracy. A great friend, but always uniquely himself, Mr. Guy will never be duplicated but will be deeply missed. Two BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCKS appeared Tuesday at the College Point Wetlands in Queens and have continued there through today, this the site of the former Flushing Airport just west of route 678. The molting RUFF and nicely plumaged CURLEW SANDPIPER, both showing up last Friday at Jones Beach West End, continued into this week, though the CURLEW was not seen today. The RUFF moves between dune pools located between West End Fields 1 and 2 and the flats off the Coast Guard Station. Interestingly, the CURLEW was seen at West End each day except last Saturday, when one was reported farther east out at Tiana Beach. An immature LITTLE GULL was present Monday and Tuesday out on eastern Long Island at Georgica Inlet, and up to four ARCTIC TERNS were present Monday at Mecox, with singles spotted there Saturday and Thursday, while the GLAUCOUS GULL was seen again Tuesday off the Coney Island Pier. Several sightings of BROWN PELICANS on Monday featured 2 at Breezy Point, 5 off Jones Beach, and 4 off Fire Island, with 1 at Mecox Inlet the previous Saturday. The half -day CRESLI whale-watching boat trips out of Montauk were again this week also good for pelagic birds, including WILSON’S STORM-PETREL, CORY’S, GREAT, SOOTY, and MANX SHEARWATERS, with SCOPOLI’S also reported, plus small numbers of PARASITIC JAEGERS. Some shorebirds showing up recently have included a few WESTERN and STILT SANDPIPERS plus a BAIRD’S SANDPIPER identified out at Mecox yesterday. Some BLUE GROSBEAKS and a SUMMER TANAGER continue at the Prestons Pond Complex, the GROSBEAKS also at other sites around Calverton. To phone in reports call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922. This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling. - End transcript -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Visit: http://LISTS.cornell.edu for more information Posting Address: [email protected] Archives: The Mail Archive: https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at http://www.ebird.org --
