I birded Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on two different tide cycles to look for any shorebird movement and also to assess the water level on the East Pond.
Shorebirds are definitely on their way as evidenced by the numbers of Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs and Short-billed Dowitchers. Additional shorebird species included, Spotted Sandpiper, Killdeer, Eastern Willet, and Oystercatchers. Other highlights included a Tri-colored Heron, 2 Greater Scaup and 7 Ruddy Ducks. The water on the East Pond remain high, but is definitely lowering and some shoreline, is starting to show up across from the overlook at Big John's Pond. However, there is till some ways to go for ample mud flats before the arrival of the peeps. Let's hope for sustained hot weather with little to no rain. Finally, for those interested in butterflies, there were at least 3 American Snout lurking around the Hackberry Tree outside the visitor's center. Good Birding! Andrew Baksh Queens, NY www.birdingdude.blogspot.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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
