[nysbirds-l] Pacific Loon - Western LI Sound (Bronx/Nassau Co), 4 Jan
A Pacific Loon is present this morning in the western end of the Long Island Sound. I originally found it as it was floating north past my office at the US Merchant Marine Academy (where access is unfortunately restricted). However the bird is publicly visible from Stepping Stones Park in Kings Point, Nassau Co. The bird is slowly floating northbound through the Stepping Stones channel on the ebbing tide — it would likely be visible from City Island (looking east) and potentially from Larchmont, Mamaroneck or Sands Point very soon if it continues moving north. For those potentially following up from the Nassau side, the shoal around the Stepping Stones Lighthouse has had some large groups of ducks, as well as an assortment of gulls. A small, dark mantled and shawled gull (resembling Short-billed) was present earlier this morning. Best regards,Mike McBrien -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Pacific Loon - Western LI Sound (Bronx/Nassau Co), 4 Jan
A Pacific Loon is present this morning in the western end of the Long Island Sound. I originally found it as it was floating north past my office at the US Merchant Marine Academy (where access is unfortunately restricted). However the bird is publicly visible from Stepping Stones Park in Kings Point, Nassau Co. The bird is slowly floating northbound through the Stepping Stones channel on the ebbing tide — it would likely be visible from City Island (looking east) and potentially from Larchmont, Mamaroneck or Sands Point very soon if it continues moving north. For those potentially following up from the Nassau side, the shoal around the Stepping Stones Lighthouse has had some large groups of ducks, as well as an assortment of gulls. A small, dark mantled and shawled gull (resembling Short-billed) was present earlier this morning. Best regards,Mike McBrien -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] White Ibis - Cedar Beach, Suffolk Co., 9.21.22
An immature White Ibis was present at the Cedar Beach marsh in Suffolk County this morning. The bird passed down the barrier strip east to west, but circled back dropping into marsh directly north of the RV campground. The bird was still visible feeding with large flocks of egrets and herons when I departed a short bit ago. Best,Mike McBrienAmityville, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] White Ibis - Cedar Beach, Suffolk Co., 9.21.22
An immature White Ibis was present at the Cedar Beach marsh in Suffolk County this morning. The bird passed down the barrier strip east to west, but circled back dropping into marsh directly north of the RV campground. The bird was still visible feeding with large flocks of egrets and herons when I departed a short bit ago. Best,Mike McBrienAmityville, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Bar-tailed Godwit - Moriches Inlet, Suffolk, 19 July
Good afternoon, Yesterday evening (19 July) , Ben Bolduc discovered a godwit at Moriches Inlet, Suffolk County. I came across the photos earlier this afternoon and after circulating among several top birders in the area, there was agreement the godwit appears to be a Bar-tailed - likely a drab SY-type bird. The bird is fairly long-billed like a Marbled, but in Ben’s photos, it also appears rather drab gray, lacking the upperpart checkering of a Marbled, with fine streaking on the coverts, and subtly longer primaries projecting beyond the terts and tail -all seeming consistent with Bar-tailed. I wanted to circulate this news so others can search to relocate the bird. Photos of the bird can be see on Ben’s checklist:https://ebird.org/checklist/S115409477 Good luck! Best,Mike McBrien -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Bar-tailed Godwit - Moriches Inlet, Suffolk, 19 July
Good afternoon, Yesterday evening (19 July) , Ben Bolduc discovered a godwit at Moriches Inlet, Suffolk County. I came across the photos earlier this afternoon and after circulating among several top birders in the area, there was agreement the godwit appears to be a Bar-tailed - likely a drab SY-type bird. The bird is fairly long-billed like a Marbled, but in Ben’s photos, it also appears rather drab gray, lacking the upperpart checkering of a Marbled, with fine streaking on the coverts, and subtly longer primaries projecting beyond the terts and tail -all seeming consistent with Bar-tailed. I wanted to circulate this news so others can search to relocate the bird. Photos of the bird can be see on Ben’s checklist:https://ebird.org/checklist/S115409477 Good luck! Best,Mike McBrien -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re: [nysbirds-l] Long Island's rare geese
To add a tangibly scary observation to further elucidate Pat’s point, yesterday afternoon hunters were actively shooting at parts of the Riverhead goose herd (which often have held rare, sought-after species in the past, and may or may not this year as well) as they made short flights shuffling between farm fields. While there are always going to be hunters out there in general, the ideas Pat mentioned are just a small change of something us birders on Eastern LI can do to make it a little safer on these birds - especially given the ease that the micro-location specificity of eBird and other reports can allow for hunters in that area. Best, Mike McBrien Amityville, NY On Friday, January 14, 2022, 06:26:11 PM EST, Andrew Baksh wrote: This morning, I shared your post to NYS birders on Facebook immediately after reading it and also crossed posted to Phil Jeffery’s group, which is more local. Additionally, I also tweeted this AM that no rare Geese or Ducks will be reported from either my account or the NYRareBirdAlert Twitter account. Many Twitter users have pushed that tweet out to other social media sites and groups. Best, “Tenderness and Kindness are not signs of weakness and despair but manifestations of strength and resolution” ~ Khalil Gibran "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 mountainSun Tzu The Art of War (\__/) (= '.'=) (") _ (") Sent from somewhere in the field using my mobile device! Andrew Bakshwww.birdingdude.blogspot.com On Jan 14, 2022, at 6:04 PM, Patricia Lindsay wrote: Thanks to everyone for your support and understanding of this sensitive issue. Ronnie, Thank you for pointing this out, absolutely, in fact I neglected to mention this in my original email and was intending to send a second email asking anyone who agrees and is willing, to cross-post to the various other social media outlets (none of which I belong to). Elliot, As far as the eBird control is concerned, this is out of my purview, but I would ask the eBird folks reading this whether this is something they consider important enough to consider. Darlene, YES, I believe keeping the lists hidden from public will work. All, I encourage everyone to call DEC if they see anything illegal going on. Long Island is DEC Region 1. The general number is 631-444-0200. They can at least direct you to the enforcement number, which I seem to have misplaced after calling them a previous year when we saw hunters gunning down dozens of Canada Geese coming in to their decoys from their perch in a field. Turned out it was legal at that time. The hunters just piled them all up and left them there, not sure what happened to the carcasses later. Patricia Lindsay On Fri, Jan 14, 2022 at 10:02 AM Ronnie Almonte wrote: Thank you Pat, can I post a version of this on social media, in order to spread the word? On Fri, Jan 14, 2022 at 8:12 AM Patricia Lindsay wrote: With the hunting season now upon us, and the Waterfowl Count starting on Saturday, we would like to make a serious plea that birders and photographers not post reports of rare geese from Riverhead and the East End of Long Island on eBird, Facebook, this listserv, or any other social media platform until the end of the season. It has become very clear here on LI that hunters have caught on to eBird, the listservs, and social media, and are targeting the rare geese (and ducks also) using information obtained from birders. One of the only Pink-footed Geese in the Riverhead area last winter was shot this way, and we personally know of other cases involving Ross's and Barnacle Geese (and King Eiders, etc.). A Greylag Goose, very likely of wild origins and if so, extremely rare, was also shot in this area a few years ago. The problem is most acute in the Riverhead area and on the South Fork, from November to the end of hunting season (9 Feb for Canada Goose, 6 Mar for Snow Goose). We understand that the birding community does not want war with the hunters, but the situation here is very sensitive--everybody knows the very limited number of specific fields used by the geese, and it seems a shame that the rarer species are being exposed to this level of danger. We would suggest Cackling, Ross's, Barnacle, Pink-footed, and Greater White-fronted Geese, and of course any mega rare species, seen in these areas not be reported until hunting season ends or at least until the geese seem to have moved on. Cackling and Greater White-fronted Goose may be taken legally as part of the Canada Goose bag limits. Snow and Ross's Geese may be taken as part of the Snow Goose bag limits. The others are not listed as game species on
Re: [nysbirds-l] Long Island's rare geese
To add a tangibly scary observation to further elucidate Pat’s point, yesterday afternoon hunters were actively shooting at parts of the Riverhead goose herd (which often have held rare, sought-after species in the past, and may or may not this year as well) as they made short flights shuffling between farm fields. While there are always going to be hunters out there in general, the ideas Pat mentioned are just a small change of something us birders on Eastern LI can do to make it a little safer on these birds - especially given the ease that the micro-location specificity of eBird and other reports can allow for hunters in that area. Best, Mike McBrien Amityville, NY On Friday, January 14, 2022, 06:26:11 PM EST, Andrew Baksh wrote: This morning, I shared your post to NYS birders on Facebook immediately after reading it and also crossed posted to Phil Jeffery’s group, which is more local. Additionally, I also tweeted this AM that no rare Geese or Ducks will be reported from either my account or the NYRareBirdAlert Twitter account. Many Twitter users have pushed that tweet out to other social media sites and groups. Best, “Tenderness and Kindness are not signs of weakness and despair but manifestations of strength and resolution” ~ Khalil Gibran "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 mountainSun Tzu The Art of War (\__/) (= '.'=) (") _ (") Sent from somewhere in the field using my mobile device! Andrew Bakshwww.birdingdude.blogspot.com On Jan 14, 2022, at 6:04 PM, Patricia Lindsay wrote: Thanks to everyone for your support and understanding of this sensitive issue. Ronnie, Thank you for pointing this out, absolutely, in fact I neglected to mention this in my original email and was intending to send a second email asking anyone who agrees and is willing, to cross-post to the various other social media outlets (none of which I belong to). Elliot, As far as the eBird control is concerned, this is out of my purview, but I would ask the eBird folks reading this whether this is something they consider important enough to consider. Darlene, YES, I believe keeping the lists hidden from public will work. All, I encourage everyone to call DEC if they see anything illegal going on. Long Island is DEC Region 1. The general number is 631-444-0200. They can at least direct you to the enforcement number, which I seem to have misplaced after calling them a previous year when we saw hunters gunning down dozens of Canada Geese coming in to their decoys from their perch in a field. Turned out it was legal at that time. The hunters just piled them all up and left them there, not sure what happened to the carcasses later. Patricia Lindsay On Fri, Jan 14, 2022 at 10:02 AM Ronnie Almonte wrote: Thank you Pat, can I post a version of this on social media, in order to spread the word? On Fri, Jan 14, 2022 at 8:12 AM Patricia Lindsay wrote: With the hunting season now upon us, and the Waterfowl Count starting on Saturday, we would like to make a serious plea that birders and photographers not post reports of rare geese from Riverhead and the East End of Long Island on eBird, Facebook, this listserv, or any other social media platform until the end of the season. It has become very clear here on LI that hunters have caught on to eBird, the listservs, and social media, and are targeting the rare geese (and ducks also) using information obtained from birders. One of the only Pink-footed Geese in the Riverhead area last winter was shot this way, and we personally know of other cases involving Ross's and Barnacle Geese (and King Eiders, etc.). A Greylag Goose, very likely of wild origins and if so, extremely rare, was also shot in this area a few years ago. The problem is most acute in the Riverhead area and on the South Fork, from November to the end of hunting season (9 Feb for Canada Goose, 6 Mar for Snow Goose). We understand that the birding community does not want war with the hunters, but the situation here is very sensitive--everybody knows the very limited number of specific fields used by the geese, and it seems a shame that the rarer species are being exposed to this level of danger. We would suggest Cackling, Ross's, Barnacle, Pink-footed, and Greater White-fronted Geese, and of course any mega rare species, seen in these areas not be reported until hunting season ends or at least until the geese seem to have moved on. Cackling and Greater White-fronted Goose may be taken legally as part of the Canada Goose bag limits. Snow and Ross's Geese may be taken as part of the Snow Goose bag limits. The others are not listed as game species on