[nysbirds-l] Cupsogue Co. Park Saturday Morning (Suffolk Co.)
The highlight of a mornings birding at Cupsogue was a Marbled Godwit (likely the bird being seen off and on this past week) sleeping out on the mudflat opposite the parking lot. Other birds present included a single Black Tern and forty-five Royal Terns. Overall shorebird numbers were not particularly impressive. At Pike's Beach a brief sea watch yielded a few Cory's Shearwaters and a Parasitic Jaeger harassing terns. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Barrier Beach Migrants (Nassau & Suffolk Counties)
At Robert Moses State Park this morning a modest flight of migrants was observed, including Least Flycatcher, American Redstart, Canada Warbler, and Bobolink. At West End later in the morning fifteen species of shorebirds were on the sandbar in the WE2 Marina, including Hudsonian Godwit (1), Stilt Sandpiper(5), and 235 American Oystercatcher. In the non-avian category, there were a good number of dragonflies moving down the beach. Species observed included Swamp Darner, Common Green Darner, Carolina Saddlebags, Widow Skimmer, and Blue Dasher. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] West End/Jones Beach Shorebirds (Nassau Co.)
Late this afternoon at JBWE the heavy rain had created a number of temporary pools of standing water attractive to shorebirds. A total of sixteen species of shorebirds were observed at WE2, including Pectoral(1) White-rumped (3), and Stilt (6) Sandpipers at a pool of standing water in the median of the parkway. The swale south of the WE2 parking lot has a fair amount of water in it and should be attractive to shorebirds. Another location worth checking would be the Jones Beach Pitch/Putt golf course. A brief glimpse of the course while driving by indicated the presence of a number of rainwater pools. Despite observing sixteen species of shorebirds, no godwits were seen. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Baird's Sandpiper at Robert Moses State Park (Suffolk Co.)
Sue and I took a hike down to Democrat Point to look at shorebirds, but number and variety were poor. After four hours we worked our way back to the Field 2 parking lot and, on our way out (about 11:15AM), a Baird's Sandpiper flew into a small puddle in the east end of the parking lot. At Demo Point birds of note included a Manx Shearwater feeding just outside the mouth of the inlet as well as a single Wilson's Storm Petrel. Also present were three Black Terns feeding with Common Terns off the Demo sandbar, and two flyby Royal Terns. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Morning Migration at Robert Moses State Park (Suffolk Co.)
Anticipating a migration along the barrier beach this morning, we arrived at RMSP Field 2 a little before 7:00AM. As soon as we got out of the car flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds and Robins were flying west along the beach, accompanied by a small but steady stream of swallows, predominantly Barn Swallows. In the mix of migrants were Eastern Kingbirds, passing by in flocks of 2-15 birds, Bobolinks in groups of 2-5 birds, Baltimore Orioles, and Cedar Waxwings. As the morning wore on we had started to accumulate some substantial totals for a few species. We then headed down to the hawk watch, where we joined the birders there in enjoying the continuing spectacle. Other than Osprey, we did not see another species of hawk. Warblers were moving down the beach but only five of the common species were observed. Some of out totals for three hours of birding were: Barn Swallow - 10,800 Red-winged Blackbird - 755 American Robin - 345 Tree Swallow - 300 Eastern Kingbird - 199 Chimney Swift - 150 Cedar Waxwing - 128 Baltimore Oriole - 70 Bobolink - 62 Mockingbird - 32 Although the Barn Swallow total is significant, it is probable that the actual number moving down the beach was higher. The swallows were migrating across a wide swath of the beach, including over the ocean and west up Fire Island Inlet, and were too far away to be counted. Furthermore, we stopped counting at about 10:00AM, and the swallow flight was still going strong. Birds of interest were two Cliff Swallows seen at the hawk watch by Shai Mitra, a flyby Whimbrel at Field 2, and a flyby Dickcissel at the hawk watch, seen by Bob Kurtz. At the West End 2 boat basin there were five Gull-billed Terns (two adults feeding three juveniles) on the sandbar. In Jones Inlet three Black Terns were noted. In the "it was too good to last" category, mosquito numbers are increasing at WE2 and repellent is a good idea if any walking on the grass is contemplated. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Common Nighthawks & Baird's Sandpiper at Heckscher State Park (Suffolk Co.)
We visited HSP this evening in hopes of seeing migrating nighthawks. As we drove the oval we briefly stopped in Field 7, which still has standing water from the latest rainfall. The only shorebird present was a Baird's Sandpiper that was frightened away by someone operating a remote-controlled model car that ran through the puddle where the Baird's was standing! This is the second Baird's that we have seen in a parking lot puddle in the last week - perhaps a previously unidentified habitat sometimes used by this species on migration. Also seen from Field 7 were two Royal Terns flying west along the shore of Great South Bay. We were having no luck with nighthawks until we had almost left the park when six Common Nighthawks were observed heading south high over the roadway. This was close to 8:00PM. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] More Sunday Pelagics (Suffolk & Nassau Counties)
Sue and I evacuated our home Saturday night, staying with friends on the north shore. Upon returning to our home we found a large tree limb blocking the driveway that we had to cut up. We did not get out to the beach till after 12:00PM. Nevertheless, we did see a few good species. At Cedar Beach Marina (closed like everything else) there was a Bridled Tern feeding in the marina basin. At Jones Beach Field 10 (closed) we observed a Leach's Storm Petrel feeding off the dock in the State Boat Channel. A few distant photos were obtained that I will post to my Flickr site. A State employee indicated that Jones Beach State Park would be closed on Monday, even though damage to the facilities seemed minimal. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] East End Birding (Suffolk Co.)
We decided to head out east early this morning, in hopes of finding some of the previously reported Hurricane Irene birds. Our previous experiences with day old hurricane strays did not bode well: the vast majority of these birds seem to leave as soon as the storm abates. The one exception to this rule seems to be Sandwich Tern, which we have seen a few days after a hurricane. Such was the case today, when arriving at Mecox Inlet our first bird was a Sandwich Tern, sitting on a pole in Mecox Bay. We eventually observed five more at the cut, as well as Black Tern (16), Caspian Tern (2), Royal Tern (5)., as well as Common, Forster's and Least Terns. At Sagaponack Pond we did not see much except for a flyby Whimbrel and three Black Terns. The road to Hook Pond was closed on the west side so we drove over to the east side and walked west down the beach from the parking lot south of the Maidstone Club - the pond was empty. We decided to try the west side of Napeague Harbor, where we were able to bird for a half hour before the Town of East Hampton kicked us out (no permit). We picked up an additional Sandwich Tern, as well as Roseate Tern (1). We had called ahead and knew that Montauk Point State Park was closed, and traffic was starting to get heavy, so we packed it in. The day was pretty much what we expected, but you never know! I Other birders were out east today and they may have seen some additional species. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Robert Moses State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
There was a modest passerine movement around RMSP Field 2 this morning, with swallows (Barn & Tree), Bobolinks, Baltimore Orioles, and Red-winged Blackbirds comprising the majority of the flying birds. We recorded seven of the common species of warblers in addition to a Yellow-throated Vireo. We then proceeded to Democrat Point, which was a delight to bird, primarily due to the area being closed to four-wheel drive traffic - except for a few surfers we had the Point to ourselves. We recorded eighteen species of shorebirds, highlighted by two Marbled Godwits, four Whimbrel, and our FOS juvenile Western Sandpiper. We missed the previously reported Buff-breasted Sandpipers. Seven species of terns were found, highlighted by a single Sandwich Tern, four Caspian Terns, five Royal Terns, and a single Black Tern. I have posted a few shorebird and tern photos to my flickr site at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Note: RMSP Fileds 4 & 5 were closed this morning, the sign indicating that the closing was due to "environmental conditions" (erosion?). I do not know how long this will last or whether the hawk watch folk were allowed through. If anyone has further information please post it. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Buff-breasted/Baird's Sandpipers at Heckscher State Park
Bob Kurtz found a Buff-breasted Sandpiper at parking Field 7 at Heckscher State Park this morning. At about 12:00PM we relocated the bird feeding in the (mostly) dry, grassy portions of the parking lot. The Buffie was joined by a Baird's Sandpiper that eventually joined a flock of feeding peep. There were a total of eleven species of shorebirds using the temporary rain pools including three Pectoral Sandpipers. A few photos of the Buff-breasted can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ With the high water levels at the Jamaica Bay ponds resulting in poor shorebirdng, it is interesting to see some of the less frequently birded parks getting some attention. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] West End/Jones Beach (Nassau Co.)
Three American Golden Plover were in the WE2 parking lot this morning with Black-bellied Plovers. Nickerson Beach had a good variety of shorebirds in the flooded fields, including White-rumped and Pectoral Sandpipers. Yesterday a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was still present at Heckscher State Park, but was found in the lawn area west of the Field 6 pavilion with Killdeer. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Wilson's Phalaropes at Heckscher State Park (Suffolk Co.)
Pat Lindsay found a Wilson's Phalarope at Field 7 at Heckscher State Park early this morning. At noontime Bob Kurtz found two Wilson's Phalarope in the grassy ponds just east of the Field 7 parking lot. Present with the Phalaropes were two Stilt Sandpipers, a dozen White-rumped Sandpipers, as well as a Western Sandpiper found by Bob Kurtz. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Philadelphia Vireo at Sunken Meadow State Park (Suffolk Co.)
This morning a Philadelphia Vireo was observed among a mixed flock of vireos, warblers and chickadees along the road leading to the SMSP golf course. Overall, bird numbers and variety were poor, although seven species of warblers were observed. ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Robert Moses and Sunken Meadow State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
We arrived at RMSP at 6:30AM anticipating a good movement with the arrival of last nights cold front. Very few birds were moving at this early hour but things started to improve as the sun rose. We spished up a Yellow-breasted Chat on the golf course followed shortly by a Gray-cheeked Thrush. A Tennessee Warbler put in a brief appearance, along with Yellow and Yellowthroat Warblers. As the morning wore on it was clear that the fallout was not large, and warbler numbers were low. We did pick up a Blue Grosbeak just north of the Field 2 parking lot and west of the main entrance. We recorded fifteen species of warblers at the park. We then headed to Sunken Meadow State Park to sample the migration on the north shore. We initially found very few birds, with the exception of Red-eyed Vireo, which seemed to be everywhere. We headed to the dump, located at the northwest corner of Field 2 (closed), a good location to bird in the fall. There we were pleased to have another Blue Grosbeak pop up out of the landscape debris followed closely by two others. We surmise that this may have been a family group , as they kept in close contact the whole time they wandered through the dump. We added three more warbler species to our total, finishing the day with eighteen species. It was a nice change to be birding in cool weather with few mosquitoes. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Robert Moses State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
Highlights of a Saturday mornings birding at RMSP were few, but Sue and I found a Yellow-breasted Chat (probably the same bird seen on the golf course the previous day) west of the Field 2 picnic area. Later that morning Sue found a perched-up Lark Sparrow on the south side of the entrance road to the RMSP Administration building. When last seen the bird was on the north side of the entrance road near the hedge that obscures the park manager's home. A distant photo of the bird can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Barrier Beach Birds (Suffolk/Nassau Counties)
On Monday Sue and I started our morning at Robert Moses State Park which, except for a few warblers was quiet. We proceeded west down Ocean Parkway and made a stop at Gilgo Beach, where for the last few years Forster's Terns have been using the floating docks down at the west end of the marina as an early fall roost (we observed thirty-five birds on the docks). As we were leaving we noticed a bird sitting on the wire near the first home at the east end of the Gilgo Beach parking area - Western Kingbird. The bird, an individual in worn plumage, quickly flew toward the parkway and we could not relocate it. We then proceeded to West End, where the previously reported Marbled Godwit was sleeping on the sandbar. At the swale an immature American Golden Plover was picking through the mud. Other shorebirds present in the swale and on the beach included White-rumped, Semi, and Western Sandpipers. Sue and I spent five days on Monhegan Island, Maine, a well known migrant trap twelve miles east of Port Clyde, ME. Although we encountered no cold fronts and birding was slow, we still managed Lark (3) and Clay-colored Sparrows (3), Dickcissel (10), Philadelphia Vireo (2), Orange-crowned Warbler (1), Western Kingbird (1) and Lapland Longspur (2). A few nice looks at Great Shearwater were obtained on the ferry ride home. Photos of some Monhegan Island birds, as well as juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper and the Gilgo Western Kingbird (poor photo) can be found at my flickr website at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Say's Phoebe at Caumsett State Park (Suffolk Co.)
Annie McIntyre and Sue Feustel discovered a Say's Phoebe late this morning in the west fields of Caumsett State Park on Lloyd Neck. The fields are to the west of the park entrance road and parking area/toll booth. If you go you can consult the map in the kiosk just path the toll booth. However, if you just walk in a northwest direction from the parking lot you will crest a hill and see the fields just beyond a few tall Locust trees. Cell phone service is erratic at CSP - you may not be able to call anyone from a given location. Good luck if you go (I am stuck waiting for a LIPA representative to service our burner). Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Say's Phoebe at Caumsett State Park Update (Suffolk Co.)
I was finally able to reach CSP at about 3:30PM and gradually was joined by a small group of birders who all got good spotting scope looks at the phoebe. At one point the phoebe grabbed an Orange Sulphur butterfly and an envious Eastern Phoebe tried to grab it away (no luck). Birders should be aware that this site is part of an active grasslands restoration project and tilling of the field is scheduled to begin tomorrow at about 8:00AM. In addition to the Phoebe there were a good variety of raptors around, including 1-3 Bald Eagles, Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Osprey, Merlin, and American Kestrel. The Phoebe seemed unfazed by all this activity, sitting tight while any raptor was coursing the fields. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Say's Phoebe at Caumsett State Park (Update II)
Derrick Rogers just called us to report that the Say's Phoebe is at the north end of the west fields at Caumsett State Park. Follow directions from my earlier post to reach the site. Good luck if you go! Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Caumsett State Park (Suffolk Co.) Birds
Sue had to attend a meeting on the Grassland Restoration Project at Caumsett State Park this morning, so I tagged along to do some birding while she attended to business. The recently plowed west field held about eighteen American Pipits. Among the Savannah Sparrow and Palm and Yellow-rumped Warblers was a single Vesper Sparrow. The brush pile to the northeast of the west field had a good number of birds, including three Lincoln's Sparrows as well as a few Nashville Warblers. Sue rejoined me after her meeting and we proceeded to the manure pile just west of the polo field. The fields of rank weeds (mostly invasive mile-a-minute) were alive with warblers, mostly Yellow-rumped and Palm, but also including Nashville, Parula, Blackpoll, Orange-crowned (1), and ten Tennessee Warblers (conservative estimate). In the wet puddles around the manure windrows were three Rusty Blackbirds. Many of the wingbar-less warblers (many immatures) posed some interesting identification challenges. I have included in my flickr site photos of Common Yellowthroat (with a big eye ring tempting you to turn it into a Connecticut Warbler), drab immature Nashville Warblers, and a few different plumages of Tennessee Warbler. They can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Yellow-headed Blackbird Images from Captree State Park (Suffolk Co.)
A few additional images of the immature male Yellow-headed Blackbird at Captree State Park can be found at my Flickr site at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Thanks to Shai Mitra for finding the bird and quickly getting the word out! Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] West End/Jones Beach This Afternoon (Nassau Co.)
A large flock of shorebirds was roosting In the WE2 parking lot this afternoon at high tide, undoubtedly avoiding the blowing sand on the beach and marina sandbar. Among the birds were four American Golden Plovers, a Western Sandpiper, and three Short-billed Dowitchers as well as many Red Knot, Dunlin, and Black-bellied Plover. Two Lesser Black-backed Gulls were also in the parking lot and an additional Lesser Black-backed Gull was at Field 6. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Scissor-tailed Flycatcher & Prothonotary Warbler (Suffolk Co.)
Sue and I were feeling pretty good about finding a Prothonotary Warbler at the dump (NW corner of Field 2) at Sunken Meadow State Park until our phone rang and Shai Mitra told us that Ken Thompson had found a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at rarity central, otherwise known as Captree State Park. We headed down there and joined the throngs of birders who were in the upper parking lot, there scopes eagerly trained on the bird in the bushes north of the parking lot. Congratulations to Ken Thompson for finding another rarity! A few mediocre pictures of the flycatcher and warbler can be found at my flickr website at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Caumsett State Park Today (Suffolk Co.)
Sue and I spent the morning and early afternoon birding at Caumsett State Park where we encountered a nice mix of late migrants and new arrivals. Late migrants included five Blackpoll Warblers ( feeding on the berries of the invasive vines porcelain berry and mile-a-minute), a Pine Warbler, a Yellow-breasted Chat and a Red-eyed Vireo. New arrivals this fall (for us) included Tree (4) and Fox Sparrows (2), as well as five Purple Finch. We found small flocks of Eastern Bluebirds throughout the park, eventually tallying thirty-six individuals. Big numbers of Robins were making their way through the park; we did not stop to count all the birds passing through, which must have numbered in the thousands. However, we did record a modest seven hundred and ten. Canada Geese numbers are growing at the park - we observed an estimated 995 birds that were constantly on the move with all the park patrons and horseback riders present causing them to fly. No unusual geese were found, however. Five Rusty Blackbirds were present in the migrating robin flocks. All in all a beautiful day in a beautiful park. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Adirondack Birding (Hamilton, Franklin & Essex Counties)
We spent the last three days in the ADK's, visiting relatives and getting in a little birding. Conditions were good, with no snow (either falling or on the ground), warm temperatures (high 40's to low 50's) and no rain. On Tuesday our first stop was at the Durant Lake State Campgrounds outside of Blue Mt. Lake, where we observed small flocks of Pine Siskins and had a nice look at a female Black-backed Woodpecker. The next day (Wednesday) we visited Bloomingdale Bog, where we found Pine Siskin (35), White-winged Crossbill (6), Gray Jay (2), Purple Finch (2), and two Ruffed Grouse (flushed). At Bigelow Road we had another good look at a female Black-backed Woodpecker, in addition to the ubiquitous Pins Siskins (80), and a single White-winged Crossbill, four Gray Jays, a single Boreal Chickadee, and a Ruffed Grouse. At Paul Smith's VIC we encountered a good variety of waterfowl on Barnum Pond, including Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, and an unusual White-winged Scoter. We spent an hour or two over at Lake Champlain, but due in part to forgetting to bring our spotting scopes we did not turn up anything out of the ordinary. A few photos of some birds found on the trip can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Ash-throated Flycatcher at West End/Jones Beach
At approx. 11:00AM this morning I discovered an Ash-throated Flycatcher on the Fisherman's access road. Specifically, at the point where the access road opens up to reveal Jones Inlet on the right. The bird was feeding low along the shrub line on the south side of the road, hawking insects and eating the fruits of Bayberry, and being harassed by a Mockingbird (anybody up for opening a season on Mockingbirds?). Typical of the fall Ash-throated Flycatchers I have observed in the past the bird never perched higher than five feet off the ground. The overall shape of the bird was a small-billed, long tailed, slim Myiarchus. The head showed a crest, and the throat was whitish and the upper breast was a whitish gray. The lower belly and undertail coverts were yellow, the yellow being more intense than most fall Ash-throated's I have seen, which may have been a function of the overcast day, which tends to enhance color (just as a bright sun washes color out). The entire undertail was reddish brown and the terminal portion of the undertail was a darker reddish brown than the rest of the tail. The whitish-gray upperparts eliminated Great Crested and the small bill eliminated both Great-crested and Brown-crested Flycatchers (M. crinitus and M. tyrannulus), while the entirely reddish underparts on the tail rule out Dusky-capped Flycatcher (M. tuberculifer). At one point the bird did pose for me at distance of less than twenty feet, but unfortunately, my camera chose this moment to malfunction (the battery was not seated properly, hence no power). Attempts to relocate the bird were unsuccessful,one birder missed seeing the bird by five minutes. Wednesday weather looks pretty miserable -perhaps the bird will stick around. Also in the general area was an Orange-crowned Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. The two Marbled Godwits continue, feeding on the mud flats on the south side of Meadow Island. As Shane Blodgett indicated in an earlier post, there was a major seabird movement this morning along the south shore that included Red-throated Loon, Scoter and Gannet. I joined Shai Mitra earlier in the morning at Fire Island Field 5 to witness the spectacle. Suffice to say that RTL numbers were in the thousands as were total Scoter numbers. One would think that with all these birds present something interesting would appear. However, other than six flyby Razorbills that were seen shortly after Shai left, nothing notable appeared. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Ash-throated Flycatcher at West End/Jones Beach Update (Nassau Co.)
With the assistance of other birders we observed the Ash-throated Flycatcher about 11:00AM today in the same location it was found yesterday - along the shrub line on the south side of the fisherman's access road where the view of Jones Inlet to the north is first encountered. The bird again disappeared at about 11:30AM and had not been relocated when we left about 12:30PM. A few bad pictures of the bird can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Montauk Pt. & Vicinity (Suffolk Co.)
An atypical (weather-wise) late November at Montauk Pt. yielded a good loon flight, with Red-throated Loons in the majority, a small numbers of Razorbills (19), and a fair number of Bonaparte's Gulls (90). Scoters and Eiders were in the thousands, but the majority of large flocks were well offshore. The weather was just too pleasant for good birds. The previously reported Blue-gray Gnatcatcher put in an appearance on the south side of the Point, call ing frequently in the warm sun. At Deep Hollow Ranch, the Canada Goose flock with the single White-fronted Goose was on the south side of Montauk Highway. At Duryea's Lobster Deck on the east side of Fort Pond Bay,Bob Kurtz discovered a Brown Pelican sleeping on top of one of the mooring poles. At the Town Park at the west end of Navy Road a walk out on the dock into Fort Pond Bay yielded excellent, close looks at eight Red-necked Grebes, the only grebes we saw all day. A few Laughing Gulls were still present at the Point and Lake Montauk jetty. At Napeague Harbor we did not see the Snowy Owl, but reliable Lazy Point Larry (the Lesser Black-backed Gull) was on station, and four species of shorebirds were on the flats. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Robert Moses State Park Sea Watch (Suffolk Co.)
A one hour sea watch from 8:00AM to 9:00AM this morning from RMSP Field 5 produced the following: Parasitic Jaeger -1 Royal Tern - 1 Red-throated Loon - 405 Common Loon - 4 Razorbill - 66 Bonaparte's Gull - 290 Laughing Gull - 1 Long-tailed Duck - 6 Black Scoter - 62 Surf Scoter - 6 Scoter sp. - 35 Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Caumsett State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
We spent the morning and early afternoon birding at Caumsett State Park in northwestern Suffolk County. The usual suspects were present, including decent numbers of Fox Sparrows, Towhees, Hermit Thrushes, and Catbirds. A Turkey Vulture was a nice find, although we have been seeing a single individual at the park since mid-November. Great Egrets continue to hang in, we saw two today and four at Sunken Meadow State Park on Thursday - I would not be surprised if many LI Christmas Counts record them. We had three species of blackbirds (Red-wing, Rusty, Common Grackle) as well. In keeping with the thread of exotic species that has been on the listserve recently Sue and I were jolted by the appearance of a European Goldfinch in the brush pile at Caumsett. It has been years since I had seen this species on LI (once at a feeder in Long Beach if memory serves) and I needed a field guide to corroborate my initial identification. Well, times change and so do bird guides, Nat. Geo. did not have the bird in the book (Sibley has it in the back of the book under "Exotic Finches"). It was nice to get a splash of color after looking through numerous brown sparrows, but a nice Fieldfare would have been better. A photo of the Goldfinch can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Northern Shrike at Cedar Beach (Town of Babylon/Suffolk Co.)
At approx. 10:30AM this morning I briefly observed a Northern Shrike perched up on a Red Cedar tree on the north side of the Ocean Parkway west of the entrance to the Cedar Beach Marina. The bird dropped down below the shrub line and was not seen again. My first Common Goldeneye of the fall, a female, was at Gilgo Marina. On the home front, we have had our second Orange-crowned Warbler in the yard this fall, a drab bird observed this morning. A week and half earlier we had a colorful individual in our backyard. These observations are notable in that, in the thirty-seven years we have lived in our home, we have never seen an OCW in our yard. This is turning out to be an interesting late fall migration. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Jones Beach State Park This Morning (Nassau Co.)
We did a little early scouting for the Southern Nassau CBC at West End this morning. Upon arrival we noticed a pair of Common Ravens being harassed by Common Crows in the parkway median opposite the WE2 concession. The crows quickly chased the Ravens out of sight to the west. We observed two Razorbills off the tip of the West End jetty. Only five Bonaparte's Gulls were observed - not a good sign. A male and female Harlequin Duck were working their way along the Pt. Lookout jetty, while nine Snow Geese and four Common Eider were on the sandbar on the north side of Jones Inlet and south of Meadow Island. Other birds of some interest were six American Oystercatchers, a single Great Egret, and a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Otherwise, land birds were pretty scarce. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Interesting Aythya Duck at Sunken Meadow State Park
For the past few weeks an Aythya Duck had been present on Sunken Meadow Creek that has drawn my interest. The bird's soft parts plumage suggest a male Ring-necked Duck, but the head shape seems too round, and the bill is longer and wider than a typical Ring-necked Duck, giving the head a Scaup-like appearance. The bird sometimes associates with Hooded Mergansers, otherwise staying by itself. I have posted a photo of the duck on my flickr site with a male Ring-necked Duck to its left for comparison. Feel free to weigh in on what you think this bird might be. Pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Montauk Pt. to Dune Road Birds (Suffolk Co.)
A beautiful but not especially productive day on the south fork of LI on Saturday yielded 165 Razorbills at Montauk Pt., a Red-necked Grebe and six Purple Sandpipers at Camp Hero; three Red-Necked Grebes and 45 Razorbills at Culloden Pt.; a Greenland race Greater White-fronted Goose at Hook Pond; and a Snowy Owl, an American Bittern, and a Great Egret on Dune Road. At Caumsett State park this past week, among over eight hundred Canada Geese were a single Greater White-fronted Goose (thanks to Derrick Rogers, Bob Kurtz, and Bob Rosetti for that info), two Cackling Geese, and a single Snow Goose. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Mt. Bluebird Continues at Hulse Landing Road (Suffolk Co.)
After having no luck in the early morning, the Mt. Bluebird was seen again early this afternoon along the line of snow fence in the farm field on the N/E corner of the intersection of NYS Rt. 25A and Hulse Landing Road. It also flew across the road to the field on the south side of Rt 25A, perching high in the Cedars. At Enterprise Park in Calverton (a.k.a. the old Grumman property) there were fifteen Eastern Meadowlarks and six Eastern Bluebirds in the vicinity of the runways. We had learned of an immature Red-headed Woodpecker recently observed at Camp Baiting Hollow on Sound Avenue. We checked out the site, parking at an unmarked parking lot east of the main entrance to the Camp on the north side of Sound Avenue, and taking a trail beginning on the north side of the parking area. We recorded four species of woodpecker, but no Red-headed. The habitat seems prime for the species (large oaks with a sparse understory) and would be worth checking again. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Mt. Bluebird Correction (Suffolk Co.)
I apparently am doing a little future birding, the Mountain Bluebird was seen yesterday (Monday) afternoon at Hulse Landing Road. Ken -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Yesterday (Queens Co.)
Sue and I spent a few hours at JBWR yesterday morning searching for some of the uncommon species reported from the refuge. We had no luck finding the Eared Grebe from the West Pond trail and likewise missed the Barrow's Goldeneye, observing only four Common Goldeneye on the Bay. We headed over to the East Pond where the Big John's Pond Barn Owl appeared in the entrance to its nest box. We then found the sleeping Eurasian Wigeon on the west side of the East Pond. We ran into a birder who told us that he had the Eared Grebe that morning from the end of 10th Street in Broad Channel (make a right from Cross Bay Boulevard about a half mile south of JBWR). Arriving at the end of 10th Street we quickly found the Eared Grebe with approx. ten Horned Grebes. The bird is easy to pick out by virtue of its dark head and neck and two white spots on the back of the neck. A poor photo of the bird with a Horned Grebe and Ruddy Duck is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Photos of Yellow-rumped (Audubon's and Myrtle) Warblers
To further the discussion of the Audubon's Warbler at Sunken Meadow State Park (SMSP) found by Shai Mitra and Pat Lindsay, I have posted six pictures of Yellow-rumped Warbler, three pictures of various age/sex classes of Myrtle Warbler, and three of various age/sex classes of Audubon's Warbler. The last picture of Audubon's Warbler, possibly an immature female, is the bird found at SMSP, the other two are from Arizona. On all three Myrtle Warblers (the first three pictures), note the white throat patch extending onto the side of the neck, while all three Audubon's Warblers have a restricted throat patch and a nonexistent, or very vague, supercillium. Unfortunately, my photo of the Audubon's Warbler at SMSP is overexposed, so the light yellow wash on the throat is not visible. Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Little Gull at Jones Inlet (Nassau Co.)
I had not been to Jones Inlet since the Southern Nassau CBC and wanted to see what changes in the Inlet's bird populations may have occurred as a result of the recent cold spell. Upon arrival at the Fisherman's Parking Lot there were clearly more Bonaparte's Gulls then my early January visit. After scoping for a few minutes a good size flock of Bonies (60+) was seen feeding on the northwest side of the Inlet. In the flock was a diminutive gull with a bold black "M" on the upperwings, and a dusky cap - a first winter Little Gull. The flock scattered and continued to feed up and down the Inlet, and the Little Gull was not relocated. There were good numbers of Common and Red-throated Loons in the Inlet, but I was unable to find a Pacific Loon. Other birds of note were a single Razorbill and one Common Eider. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Dune Road, Quogue, and Central Suffolk Birds (Suffolk Co.)
I spent an unproductive morning on Dune Road this morning, hoping that the cold weather and high tides would push some birds out of the marsh. Other than a first winter Lesser Black-backed Gull at Shinnecock Inlet, the birding was slow. I stopped by the Quogue Wildllfe Refuge to see if the previously reported Orange-crowned Warbler (OCW) was present. No OCW, but I did observe two Pine Warblers, one a first year female type and the second a colorful adult male, photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ The sub-adult Red-headed Woodpecker continues at the Baiting Hollow Boy Scout Camp. Park in the unmarked parking lot on the north side of Sound Ave., east of the main entrance to the Camp. Proceed north along the trail. When you see a pond on your left proceed up the trail that goes up the east side of the pond. Search the Black Locusts (medium size trees with light , furrowed bark) that are between the trail and the pond. The bird is most often seen near the north-facing sign "Asharoken". The two times we have seen the bird it was high in the Locusts, feeding quietly and could be easily missed. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Jones Beach/West End This Morning (Nassau Co.)
We spent two hours at West End this morning, scoping Jones Inlet and the sandbar at the West End Marina. Among a flock of some eight hundred Dunlin were two basic plumaged Western Sandpipers. On the lawn between the bathrooms and the gazebo an American Pipit put in a brief appearance. Birds in the Inlet included a single Red-necked Grebe, a Razorbill, three Harlequin Ducks, and five Common Eider. The number of Bonaparte's Gulls seemed lower than in recent days, as did the number of loons. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] West End/Jones Beach Saturday Morning and Adirondack Birds (Nassau, Essex, and Franklin Counties)
A Spring-like day birding at Jones Beach provided a only a fair variety of birds. When one compares today, however, with the weather at this time a year ago, who can complain? Highlights of the mornings walk was a Piping and Semipalmated Plover, likely the birds reported earlier this month, seen together along the north end of the West End jetty. Razorbill numbers were paltry (testifying to how rapidly things can change in Jones Inlet) - we observed four individuals. Other species present in good numbers were Common Eider (300), Dunlin (3200) and Brant (in the many thousands). Photos of the two plovers are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ On a related note, Sue and I spent three days (Tuesday through Thursday) up in the Adirondacks, where birding was fair, but not particularly exciting. Lake Champlain was unfrozen, but waterfowl numbers (as opposed to variety) were not impressive. There was little snow in the Saranac Lake/Lake Placid Area, but plenty of icy trails. We saw only one snowmobiler the entire time. Birds of interest were White-winged Crossbill (Bigelow Road, Bloomingdale Bog), Pine Siskin (same locations), Boreal Chickadee (Bigelow Road),, Gray Jay (Bigelow Road & Bloomingdale Bog) Northern Shrike (Rt 86 between Paul Smith's and Saranac Lake), Rough-legged Hawk (Lake Champlain area near Whallonsburg known as "The Magic Triangle" bordered by Clark, Cross, and Lake Shore Roads). Bohemian Waxwings were just starting to appear in the Saranac area and may be easier to find next month. We encountered one flock of twenty-four Cedar Waxwings in downtown Saranac Lake on Thursday, only to hear later about a flock of some 300 Bohemians seen the next day at the intersection of Rt. 73 and 9N in Keene (which we passed on our way home). Good Birding to All - Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Red-shouldered Hawk at Massapequa Preserve (Nassau Co.)
We spent part of the morning at Pt. Lookout (west side of Jones Inlet) where, besides a few Purple Sandpipers and a Razorbill, little of note was observed. We proceeded to the north end of Massapequa Preserve. While traveling south on Parkside Blvd. we observed an adult Red-shouldered Hawk perched in a tree some fifty yards east of the roadway. More specifically, at the intersection of Boston Avenue and Parkside Blvd. A photo of the hawk can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Other birds of note were both kinglets, and Gray Catbird. Massapequa Lake (north side of Montauk Highway) held a good variety of waterfowl, but not big numbers. Present were Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Northern Pintail, Lesser and Greater Scaup, Ring-necked Duck, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Ruddy Duck, and Bufflehead. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (JBWR) This Morning (Queens Co.)
We arrived at JBWR at 6:45AM. We quickly located the Barrow's Goldeneye on the West Pond in the company of nearly one hundred Common Goldeneye. The Barrow's flew out to the bay (southwest direction) with the Common Goldeneye at 7:30AM. While searching through the rafts of waterfowl on the northwest side of the West Pond a Virginia Rail made an appearance in an opening in the Phragmites. We then headed over to the East Pond where we missed the Eurasian Wigeon, although twenty-six American Wigeon were at the south end of the pond. We also observed a second winter Iceland Gull on the East Pond. On a related bird note, on Sunday morning at Sunken Meadow State Park there were eighteen Great Egrets feeding in Sunken Meadow Creek west of the foot bridge. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Nassau County Birds and One Mammal
I went over to Hempstead Lake State Park (HJSP) this morning to see if the previously reported Chat was present - no luck. Other birders reported the same results. However, taking my normal "Spring" circuit of the park resulted in a decent variety of birds, including Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Brown Thrasher. The South Pond had Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, American Wigeon, and Ruddy Duck. Fortunately the rain held off and the windless conditions seemed ideal so I proceeded to Jones Beach/West End. There were plenty of Loons in the Inlet, and a smattering of Razorbills (nine total). The previously reported plover buddies (Piping & Semipalmated) were still at the north end of the West End jetty. Three Harlequin Ducks (two males and a female) were off the tip of the west End jetty. The highlight of the trip (bird-wise) were two dowitchers feeding in the brackish pond as viewed from the southeast corner of the WE2 parking lot. These birds were observed among the numerous Black Duck, and often hidden from view. Based on the bill length, and humped-backed appearance while feeding they are probably Long-billed Dowitchers. However, I did not hear them call and couldn't observe critical plumage details in order to be certain. On the way back from the WE2 jetty there was a seal hauled out on the beach. I took a few photos for identification and being concerned about the seals health, headed down to the T.R. Nature Center to inform the staff of the seals presence. Based on my photos the seal was identified as a Gray Seal pup. The T.R. staff decided to head down the beach to determine the condition of the pup. I will put a few photos of the seal on my flickr site when I clear up some problems with my computer. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Audubon's Warbler continues at Sunken Meadow State Park (Suffolk Co.)
At Sunken Meadow State Park (SMSP) this morning the Audubon's Warbler put in a brief appearance with Myrtle Warblers and Black-capped Chickadees at the east end of the trail that borders the south side of Sunken Meadow Creek, just south of the creek outlet. The warblers quickly left the chickadees and started working their way up the hillside, favoring the Junipers. A photo of the warbler can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Tree Swallows at Jones Beach/West End (Nassau Co.)
While birding down at West End this morning, Sue and i observed three Tree Swallows flying west of the entrance to the Coast Guard Station over the dunes and parkway. Also present was a calling Killdeer, while the two plovers (Piping and Semipalmated) continue at the north end of the West End jetty. A single Razorbill was in the inlet. Viewing conditions on the ocean and inlet were poor, owing to the strong winds and choppy seas. Good Birding to All, Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Sunken Meadow State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
We recorded fifty-four species of birds during a morning of birding at SMSP, including a good variety of waterfowl. Species of note included a Pine Warbler and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (likely overwintering birds). The large group of Great Egrets (as many as eighteen) present in the Park over the winter has apparently dispersed. We have not seen any egrets in our last three visits, although the egrets have a habit of disappearing for some period of time and then reappearing, perhaps feeding in the Nissequogue River to the east of the park. A Great Egret put in a brief appearance on the pond in our backyard on the south shore on March 2, beating the previous early date of March 20. We observed two Yellow-rumped Warblers on the trail on the south side of Sunken Meadow Creek but no Audubon's. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Sunken Meadow State Park Birds (Suffolk County)
We spent a few hours this morning birding at SMSP. Birding was slow, particularly the passerines. Recent arrivals, or in some cases overwintering birds, included Osprey (2), Great Egret (2), Blue-winged Teal (pair), Tree Swallow (group of at least sixty birds), and Hermit Thrush (1). Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Nassau/Suffolk County Birds
A slow morning at Hempstead Lake State Park yielded Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1), Eastern Phoebe (1), Golden-crowned Kinglet (3) Pine Warbler (2), Rusty Blackbird (8) and a Chat we did not see (but seen by a few lucky birders). At Connetquot River State Park Pine Warblers were present in good numbers (they breed here) - we observed fourteen singing birds. Other birds of note were our FOS Northern Rough-winged Swallows (2) feeding over Deep Hole Pond with about ten Tree Swallows. Sue and I spent a few weeks birding in Costa Rica. I have downloaded photos (mostly birds) of the trip to my flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Click on "Costa Rica Trip Photos" to view them in chronological order. Good Birding To All, Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Southard's Pond Birds (Suffolk County)
Sue and I spent a few hours this morning birding the trails south of Southard's Pond in the Village of Babylon. Highlights included Palm Warbler (5), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1), Hermit Thrush (2), and Winter Wren (1). Pine Warblers were missed entirely. We were hoping for Louisiana Waterthrush (this area is prime habitat), but no luck. Birding Odds n' Ends There has been an immature Bald Eagle hanging out the last few days at Sunken Meadow State Park, much to the chagrin of the local Ospreys. A walk down the West End jetty yesterday was unproductive. We did not see a single Piping Plover, subsequently discovering that there were eighteen on the Pt. Lookout side. There were good numbers of both Common and Red-throated Loons in the inlet, and a gorgeous breeding plumage Horned Hrebe. Gannets were feeding well inside the inlet, observed opposite the WE2 boat basin - apparently now an annual early spring event. In the median we had four species of butterflies, a male Checkered White, American Copper, Clouded Sulphur, and Cabbage White, and no mosquitoes! Good Birding, Ken & Sue -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Sunken Meadow State Park Birds (Suffolk County)
There was a good variety (and in some cases numbers) of early Spring migrants at SMSP today, though nothing particularly noteworthy. We observed sixty-eight species, with the best birding along the Marsh Trail. Highlights included Wood Duck (1), Snowy Egret (2), three species of swallow - Tree (many), Barn (1), and Rough-winged (2), Blue-grey Gnatcatcher (1), Ruby-crowned Kinglet (16), Golden-crowned Kinglet (10), Hermit Thrush (12), Brown Creeper (4), Winter Wren (2), Yellow Palm Warbler (15), Pine Warbler (5), plus Field (4) and Swamp Sparrows (2). An added bonus was a calling Screech Owl in the early afternoon. A beautiful day with plenty to look at! Kern & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Yellow-throated Warbler Seen Today at Alley Pond Park (Queens Co.)
Joe Viglietta called us from Alley Pond Park at about 7:00AM this morning to say that he was looking at the YTWA at the previously mentioned location (76th Street & Cloverdale Blvd.). Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Nassau and Western Suffolk County Birds
A cold morning began at Southard's Pond in Babylon Village where there was little evidence of migration other than a few Pine Warblers. The next stop was a sea watch at Robert Moses State Park Field 2. A first glance revealed the ocean covered with Northern Gannets - overwhelmingly adults. I estimated 3,200 birds off Field 2. At Hempstead Lake State Park there were a few Pine Warblers, Rusty Blackbirds (five observed, more heard), and Blue-winged Teal (3). Upon returning home an Orange-crowned Warbler was singing in our backyard followed shortly after by a noisy group of four Monk Parakeets heading east. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Jones Beach State Park Birds (Nassau Co.)
Sue and I spent a worthwhile four hours at JBSP this morning, birding from West End east to Zach's Bay. There was a good movement of birds along the Jones barrier beach, certainly the best we have seen this Spring. Highlights were our FOY Parula Warbler and Blue-headed Vireo. There were good numbers of Northern Flickers (115) and Hermit Thrush (20), but perhaps the most impressive was the fifty-seven Ruby-crowned Kinglets we recorded. There was a decent variety of sparrows (six species), with Dark-eyed Junco (66) being the most numerous. Also present were four Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, five Foster's Terns, and three Brown Thrashers. This was not a big warbler day with Palm (4), Pine(1), Yellow-rumped (16), and Parula (1) being the only representatives. Photos of the Blue-headed Vireo observed today and the Hempstead Lake State Park Yellow-breasted Chat (seen on April 5th) can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Yellow-throated & Hooded Warblers at West End/Jones Beach (Nassau County)
About midmorning I found a male Hooded Warbler in the median of West End 2/Jones Beach, east of the large Poplar tree. A subsequent search by a group of birders did not locate the bird. However, about 12:15PM I received a phone call from Sam Janazzo - the group found a Yellow-throated Warbler in the lone pine that stands in the NW corner of the WE2 Marina parking lot! Other birds of note at WE2 were White-eyed Vireo, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, and House Wren. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Barrier Beach Birds (Suffolk/Nassau Counties)
I did a little late morning and early afternoon birding along the Fire and Jones barrier beach today. Sunday's coastal storm brought in Lesser Black-backed Gulls to the barrier beach - I recorded one at Robert Moses, three at Captree, and one at West End. At Captree State Park my FOY Indigo Buntings (3 - 2M, 1F)) appeared. My last stop was at West End 2, where, among the many Dunlin and Black-bellied Plover were single Semipalmated Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Red Knot. There were about a dozen Bonaparte's Gulls on the WE2 Marina sandbar, including three in full breeding plumage. On the north side of the hedgerow six Indigo Buntings flew north into the Coast Guard Station grounds (4M, 2F), providing a nice splash of color on a cloudy day. An additional male Indigo Bunting was in the planting area just north of the WE2 pavilion. Birds in the median included a single female Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Gray Catbird. Sue Feustel reported single Iceland and Lesser Black-backed Gulls this afternoon from Heckscher State Park while Sam Janazzo observed a female Hooded Warbler at West End this morning. Good Birding to All, Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Sunken Meadow State Park Birds (Suffolk County)
A cool, breezy morning at SMSP yielded a paltry number of migrants. Fortunately, SMSP has a good variety of breeding birds which kept us occupied. Four species of swallow were observed, including Bank, Rough-winged, Barn , and Tree (all breed at SMSP). Orchard Orioles put on a good show, with four observed singing along Sunken Meadow Creek. Our FOY Spotted Sandpiper was also along Sunken Meadow Creek, as well as our first Chimney Swifts. Waterfowl included both Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal as well as a few late Ring-necked Ducks. Yellow Warblers and Warbling Vireos are now present in numbers at SMSP, while migrant warblers included Black-throated Green, Palm, Black , and Yellow-rumped. After the early warm weather this Spring, the recent cool weather appears to have stunted migration somewhat here in western Suffolk County. Nevertheless, Spring arrival dates for our yard continue to be a week to two weeks ahead of schedule. Good Birding to All, Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Robert Moses State Park Birds (Suffolk County)
i visited RMSP this morning with the intention of doing a sea watch but was frustrated by abundant fog. However, while driving around the park I noted good numbers of White-throated Sparrows, eventually tallying 145 birds. As the rain let up I started to see small number of migrants along the shoulder of the parkway, including Swainson's Thrush (1), Great-crested Flycatcher (1), Scarlet Tanager (1), Indigo Bunting (1), and Baltimore Oriole (2). It would be interesting to see if this is just a localized movement or whether there were birds at other barrier beach locations. Good Birding, Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Southwestern Suffolk County Birds
Sue and I started our morning's birding at Southard's Pond in Babylon Village, where there was a good variety of birds, including thirteen species of warblers, but nothing particularly rare. After exhausting the possibilities at Southard's we traveled east to Connetquot River State Park (CRSP), where a three mile walk up the east side and down the west side of the river produced a good number of the local breeders, including seventeen Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, fifteen Pine Warblers, and numerous Catbirds and Towhees. A singing Hooded Warbler on the east side of the river ignored our efforts to make him show himself, while the continuing Yellow-throated Warbler was seen, and heard, in the front of the park in the White Pines on the west side of the paved road to the fish hatchery, opposite the maintenance building with the new, unpainted wood shingles. The previously reported Blue Grosbeaks were not seen, although our effort in searching for them was far from thorough. Good Birding, Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Barrier Beach Migration at Robert Moses State Park (Suffolk Co.)
Today was not suppose to be a birding day, but a day to do all the errands that we have been ignoring while we had been birding. It was not to be, while I (Ken) was at a doctor's appointment Pat Lindsay gave me a call and said she had done a little birding before work and that the beach was alive with birds. So much for the chores - we headed for the beach at 10:00AM. Before we arrived at a foggy Field 2 we could see the warblers, orioles, and tanagers streaming west down the beach. We birded for the next three hours, birding from the main entrance to RMSP Field 2 west to the golf course. It is too bad we arrived so late in the morning, we are sure the migration would have been even more impressive. Some birds occurring in good numbers included Baltimore Oriole (52), Orchard Oriole (10), Rose-breasted Grosbeak (15), Indigo Bunting (10), Gray Catbird (82), Eastern Towhee (62), Black & White Warbler (17), Magnolia Warbler (14), and Yellow Warbler (23). We observed thirteen species of warblers including Blackburnian, Canada, and Wilson's. Joan Quinlan had a Hooded Warbler at the RMSP golf course maintenance shed. Other species of note were White-crowned Sparrow (5), Scarlet Tanager (12), and Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1). Photos of the days birds can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Good Birding To All, Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Basherkill WMA, Blue Chip Farm & Shawangunk NWR Birds Yesterday (Sullivan/Ulster Counties)
As a result of the accelerated migration this Spring Sue and I decided to bird various upstate locations a week and a half earlier than usual. Our first stop was Basherkill WMA, where from Haven Road we observed a few Common Gallinules and many Wood Ducks. After crossing the marsh and parking along the road some local birders quickly alerted us to the presence of a singing Golden-winged Warbler which we quickly found. Along the trail on the south side of the marsh we encountered American Bittern and Virginia Rail. Further south along the east side of Basherkill we finally located, with the able assistance of a local birder, a Cerulean Warbler, singing an atypical song. We tallied sixteen species of warblers at Basherkill. At Blue Chip Farm (BCF) we found, after considerable scanning, an Upland Sandpiper, as viewed from the east side of Hoagerburgh Road looking east into the BCF paddocks. At Shawangunk NWR there were small numbers of Bobolinks and Eastern Meadowlarks. Until site work is completed and the grasslands restored, we would expect lower numbers of these resident species. We did not stop at the county park that borders the north side of the wildlife refuge, there may still be more suitable habitat there. Good Birding, Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Parasitic Jaeger(s) at Robert Moses State Park (Suffolk Co.)
A forty minute sea watch from RMSP Field 2 consisted of mostly watching feeding Northern Gannets. However, after about twenty minutes an adult Parasitic Jaeger flew by, close to shore and heading east. About ten minutes later a second adult Parasitic Jaeger, possibly the same bird, passed by further offshore, flying west. Otherwise there were a few Least and Common Terns, a smattering of Common Loon flybys, and a few small groups of Laughing Gulls. Passerine activity at the park seemed minimal. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Hempstead Lake State Park Birds (Nassau Co.)
We spent four hours birding Hempstead Lake State Park this morning, finding nineteen species of warblers. Our best find was a Bay-breasted Warbler and a late Yellow-throated Vireo. We were unable to relocate the Prothonotary Warbler found Thursday morning at the stream outlet to the South Pond. A stop at Connetquot River State Park in early afternoon yielded a good number of butterflies (twelve species), but few birds. Two warbler species were added to the days list, however (Pine and Blue-winged) giving us a total of twenty-one species for the day. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Doodletown; Iona Island; Mine Road Birds (Rockland & Orange Counties)
A beautiful day along the west side of the Hudson River at Bear Mountain State Park (BMSP) produced a number of good birds. On our way to Doodletown from the Palisades Parkway through BMSP we picked up singing Tennessee and Worm-eating Warblers. Upon arriving at Doodletown and commencing our hike up the path we were greeted by numerous Cerulean Warblers, the most we can recall seeing and hearing in the last few years. Beyond Timp Brook, as the trail climbs an Olive-sided Flycatcher was hawking insects from the top of a dead snag. We ran into a group of birders who alerted us to the presence of a Kentucky Warbler. We walked along the 1777 trail (north side of the main trail) and heard the Kentucky but could not see it. A little later we heard the same (or a second bird) singing on the south side of the trail. This bird was uncooperative until it came closer to the main trail and we realized it was calling from twenty feet up in a tree. it briefly posed for a few photos, one of which I posted at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ We saw a number of Blue-winged Warblers at Doodletown, in addition to observing a non-singing Brewster's Warbler. At Iona Island, we observed another Worm-eating Warbler, a few Orchard Orioles, and not much else. We headed to Mine Road where every year we marvel at the number of Indigo Buntings singing along the roadway. There was a report of a Golden-winged Warbler but all we found were more Blue-winged Warblers and a singing Brewster's (singing a Golden-winged song). On balance, there seemed to be more local breeders present than migrants. We did manage a few Canada Warblers, one Magnolia, two Black-throated Blues, two Black-throated Greens, and a few Parula Warblers. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Yellow-throated Warbler Continues at Connetquot River S. P. (Suffolk Co.)
During a breeding bird survey at CRSP I again encountered the previously reported Yellow-throated Warbler singing on both sides of the road to the fish hatchery. This bird has now been present in the same location since early May.The bird ranged from the entrance road toll booth north to the gray barn building. The bird moved frequently and was actively singing, but no evidence of breeding was observed. Otherwise, the birding was slow. No Acadian Flycatchers were noted, and only three Wood Pewees were recorded in a five mile walk. No migrant warblers were heard or seen. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Hempstead Lake State Park Birds (Nassau Co.)
We stopped by HLSP this morning in hopes of seeing a Mourning Warbler (there had been one reported at HLSP on Saturday from the South Pond area) with no luck. However, we did observe a calling Acadian Flycatcher along the stream opposite the restrooms. Eastern Wood Pewees were present in fair numbers and later in the morning there were a number of Willow Flycatchers calling at West End. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Mecox Inlet Birds (Suffolk Co.)
Early this morning we stopped at Jones Beach Golf Course and Zach's Bay, where the previously reported Black-necked Stilt was a no-show. We then headed out east to Mecox Inlet arriving at 9:00AM. After a little scanning, we came upon the two Wilson's Phalaropes careening around the sand flats. Also present with the shorebird contingent on the flats were six breeding-plumaged White-rumped Sandpipers. We drove back west along Dune Road but did not turn up anything noteworthy. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Pike's Beach; Cupsogue Co. Park; Calverton Grasslands (Suffolk Co.)
Sue and I spent a nice low humidity/bugless morning at the west end of Dune Road, starting at Pike's Beach. Pike's Beach had the usual shorebirds in fair numbers with the only bird of note a single White-rumped Sandpiper. At Cupsogue Co. Park we waded across the marsh drain to take a look at the terns that always seem to gather as far away from a stable viewing platform as possible. We quickly picked up four Roseate Terns as well two first summer Common Terns. Scattered among the group of terns that we estimated at 170 birds were two immature Forster's Terns. We came upon an interesting looking tern among the Commons, and preliminarily identified it as an Arctic Tern (it was sleeping with head tucked in). We were joined on the flat by Ken Thompson and we continued to study this individual, an adult except for some salt and pepper plumage on the forehead. The bird finally woke up and we were able to see it both in direct comparison to a nearby Common Tern as well as in flight and stretching its wings. A few photos can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ We proceeded to the Calverton Grasslands (aka Old Grumman Property and/or Enterprise Park at Calverton) where there was a good amount of activity despite the afternoon hour. We recorded American Kestrel, Horned Lark, Grasshopper Sparrow and Eastern Meadowlark as well as a cool looking Red-tailed Hawk (at flickr site). Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Robert Moses State Park Sea Watch (Suffolk Co.)
There is a good movement of seabirds going on this morning at RMSP Field 2. In forty-five minutes of observation, starting at 7:00AM, I observed 225 Sooty Shearwaters, 5 Great Shearwaters, 4 Wilson's Storm Petrels and small numbers of Common Loons and Northern Gannets. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Gabreski Airport; Mecox Inlet; Calverton Pond Preserve Birds (Suffolk Co.)
On our way out east to Mecox Inlet today we stopped by Gabreski Airport, where we recorded Vesper Sparrow and Horned Lark. We caught the tail-end of the "Contractor's Parade" on Rt. 39, finally arriving at Mecox Inlet at 8:30AM. There was a smattering of shorebirds out on the flats, where we briefly observed one Wilson's Phalarope. It took a while to find the Red-necked Phalarope, which was on the far side of the furthest sandbar, as seen from the east side of the Inlet, and at times was partially hidden from view. A few White-rumped Sandpipers were still present. Leaving Mecox, we journeyed north to Calverton Ponds Preserve to look for odonates, but the cool weather and lack of sun hampered our success. Hooded Warblers continue to pop up at various Long Island locations. Yesterday (Monday) there was a male singing near the dump at Sunken Meadow State Park. Today, we had a female along the trail at the north end of Calverton Ponds Preserve. Over the years we have run across a number of Hooded Warblers in early June on Long Island, mostly singing males who typically disappear after a few days. This is one of the few females we have seen at this time of year. However, we did not hear or see a male Hooded. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Kentucky Warbler Continues at Rocky Point (Suffolk Co.)
The Kentucky Warbler was seen for about an hour and a half this morning (7:30AM to 9:00AM) at the Rocky Point Conservation Area previously described. Despite the almost non-stop vocalizing, I never did get a good look at the bird, as it stayed within two feet of the ground in the many brushy tangles. It would briefly fly higher to chase off avian intruders, even tangling with a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, only to return to the shrubby understory. I would think, given the birds behavior, there is a fair chance the bird is part of a mated pair and is nesting -- it would be worthwhile to keep the bird under observation. In the last Breeding Bird Atlas (2000-2005) there was only one confirmed breeding record on Long Island, a pair that nested at Shu Swamp in Northern Nassau County. Good Birding, Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Brown Pelican at Robert Moses State Park (Suffolk Co.)
While doing a sea watch at RMSP this morning, a single Brown Pelican flew low over the water heading east (about 7:55AM). Otherwise, the ocean was mostly empty with the exception of an unidentified, distant shearwater sitting on the water and small numbers of Common Terns feeding in the low swells. In the Field 2 and 5 parking lots were two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and about fifty Laughing Gulls. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Cupsogue Co. Park Birds (Suffolk County)
I spent a few hours early this morning birding at Cupsogue County Park in Westhampton Dunes on an incoming tide. Shorebirds were not plentiful in either number or variety. Highlights included four Whimbrel that flew in from the east, stayed briefly on the far flat, then continued their journey west. Terns included seventeen Royal and two Black Terns. At Pike's Beach there were ten Royal Terns and a single Caspian Tern. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Ruff at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Queens Co.)
Sue and I birded the East Pond at JBWR this morning, starting at the south end and working our way along the east side of the pond. We found the birding to be better at the north end of the pond, where we quickly saw the American Avocet. An immature Peregrine Falcon kept us company for much of the walk up the pond, scattering the shorebirds in all directions. We had reached North Island when we noticed a Ruff/Reeve on the east side of the pond a little north of the island. We watched the bird for a while and I obtained some poor pictures before something scared the birds and we could not relocate the Ruff. There has been some speculation that this bird might be the same Reeve that was present earlier on the East Pond. Sexual dimorphism in Ruffs is well known, and over the years I have observed many (relative term) more Ruffs than Reeves. So size differences in Reeves is not something I have had much experience with. What struck us (and Andrew Baksh as well) was that this bird appeared larger than the Short-billed Dowitchers (11") around it. If this was a Reeve (10") you would expect it to be smaller than the dowitchers, although Paulson in "Shorebirds of North America" indicates that a female "is of dowitcher size" while a Ruff is similar in size to a Greater Yellowlegs (14"). I had observed the Reeve at the south end of the East Pond a few weeks ago in the company of Lesser Yellowlegs (10.5") and the birds appeared fairly similar in size. A Ruff (12") would seem to be a better fit for today's bird, at least in terms of size. My photograph of today's bird shows white feathering around the base of the bill, a feature that is largely missing from last week's Reeve. I have posted a poor photograph of the Ruff on my Flickr site. Compare the size of the Ruff to the sleeping dowitcher on the extreme left of the photo. A photo of the Reeve that was observed in July is also on the site at http://flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ There is likely better photos of the Ruff/Reeve floating around, so stay tuned. Good Birding! Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Lark Sparrrow Continues at West End (Nassau Co.)
The previously reported Lark Sparrow was observed by a sharp-eyed Derek Rogers this morning about 9:00AM feeding in the northwest corner of the West End 2 parking lot. Specifically, the bird was feeding in the vegetated cracks in the concrete of the parking lot. While making a few phone calls a gull flew in and frightened the bird into the vegetation on the north side of the parking lot. I would begin my search from the intersection of the westernmost entrance to WE2 and the northwest corner of the parking lot east for about 100 yards. Good luck if you go - Ken Feustel Observers: Derek Rogers, Mike Schiebel, and Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] West End/Jones Beach Bird Update
The Brown Pelicans observed yesterday in Jones Inlet from the WE boat basin were not seen during the morning, despite the many birders looking for them. In the absence of any afternoon reports I assume the birds were not seen this afternoon as well. "Parking Lot Pete", the West End Lark Sparrow wandered around the edges of the WE2 parking lot this morning, his favorite feeding haunts being the vegetation growing through the cracks in the pavement. When we last saw Pete, he was west of the main entrance to WE2, on the north side of the parking lot. Also present today was a single Whimbrel on the north side of the inlet by Meadow Island. Yesterday there was a single Black Tern in the lagoon east of the boat basin. Good Birding, Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Birds (Queens Co.)
Shorebird numbers at JBWR were still down today, with Black-bellied Plover being the only species that has increased since my last visit a little over a week ago. Highlights of the trip included a single Baird's Sandpiper on the east side of the East Pond below North Island (perhaps the same bird reported earlier this week). The White Pelican continues on the west side of the East Pond north of the blind, where it associated with Mute Swans and various waterfowl. The bird is best viewed from the east side of the East Pond north of the raunt. Good Birding to All, Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Caumsett State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
A long walk on Sunday at Caumsett State Park was not particularly birdy, although good numbers of certain species were recorded, including House Wren (18), Catbird (81), and Chipping Sparrow (46). Highlights were twenty one Bobolinks in the grassland restoration fields northwest of the parking lot as well as a confiding Worm- eating Warbler on Harbor Road (the road/trail that parallels Long Island Sound). Photos of the Bobolinks and warbler can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Good Birding, Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Robert Moses State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
In anticipation of a gooding morning flight, Sue and I ventured to Robert Moses State Park (RMSP) this morning, only to discover that Field 2 will be closed the next four day due to construction work at the golf course. Not to be denied, we parked at the Administration Building parking lot at Field 3 and got permission to park there, then commenced our walk westward down to Field 2. As we began our birding it was clear that there was a good movement of warblers. However, very few actually stopped their rapid westward movement down the beach. We observed Yellowthroats, Redstarts, and Northern Waterthrushes, but we had been seeing these species at RMSP (in much smaller numbers) for the past week. At the entrance to Field 3, we intercepted a small (six birds) flight of Purple Finch, pausing to watch one as it sang on a bare pine branch. At the volleyball courts, we found our first fall Clay-colored Sparrow. Just east of the entrance to Field 2 we finally located a few additional warbler species, including Parula, Magnolia, Prairie, Pine, and Wilson's. The birds were very skittish, owing to the good hawk flight consisting of Merlins, Kestrels, and Ospreys. Most of the activity ended a little after 9:00AM. The most impressive flight of the day, however, was Red-breasted Nuthatch; We observed one hundred and five individuals in our three plus hours at RMSP. Good Birding, Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Sunken Meadow State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
A not particularly birdy morning at SMSP was highlighted by a good number of Vireos foraging through the trees in the company of Black-capped Chickadees. We patiently looked over the mixed flocks, which was dominated by Red-eyed Vireos with a few Warbling Vireos mixed in. At our last stop along the road to the golf course we came across another small group of Chickadees with some Vireos, and were rewarded with a cooperative Philadelphia Vireo, that posed for a photo at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ We only recorded seven species of warblers, as southwest winds again seemed to cause the "trickle through" effect. Perhaps there will be better migration weather on Sunday. Good Birding, Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Robert Moses State Park & Jones Beach/West End (Suffolk & Nassau Counties)
A morning flight at RMSP this morning had a good variety of birds, although warblers were again frustratingly difficult to locate as they moved down the beach or dove into the shrubbery. We spent our time along the eastern boundary of the golf course where we got in about an hour of birding before the golfers started playing through. Highlights included a lone calling Pine Siskin shortly after we arrived, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Blue Grosbeak, Dickcissel, and Lincoln's Sparrow. I headed down to Jones Beach/West End where birders informed me that the mosquitoes were engaged in their annual post Labor Day binge. Luckily, shortly after I passed the toll booth I spied a Western Kingbird in the median sitting on the wooden guardrail. Photo at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Having seen the Kingbird, I decided to forego the pleasure of feeding the mosquitoes in the median and called it a day. Good Birding, Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Fork-tailed Flycatcher Photo from Oceanside MNSA (Nassau Co.)
A poor photo of the adult Fork-tailed Flycatcher and nearby Eastern Kingbird at the Oceanside MNSA can be seen at http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Congratulations to Mike Farina on a great find! Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Fire/Jones Barrier Beach This Morning (Suffolk/Nassau Counties)
There was a modest movement of birds along the barrier beach this AM, dominated by Flickers, Catbirds, and Phoebes. There was more sparrow diversity but still low numbers. At Jones Beach West End there were good numbers of Oystercatchers, Black-bellied Plovers, Forster's Terns, and Black Skimmers on the sandbar. Mixed in with the shorebirds were single Semipalmated and Western Sandpipers. After looking through the numerous Black-bellied's, with no sign of a Golden Plover, I found a lone Golden in the WE2 parking lot on my way out. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Robert Moses State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
We arrived at RMSP this morning in the hope of finding migrants after listening to the overnight weather report that forecast light northwest winds. What we found at first was fog - lots of fog. Birding started out slowly at the golf course, but we were eventually able to see a good variety of sparrows, including two Clay-colored and one Lincoln's Sparrow. As the fog lifted birds starting moving down the beach, highlighted by Yellow-rumped Warblers and Pine Siskins. Siskins continued down the beach all morning - we eventually tallied 129 birds. Other birds moving down the beach in number were Eastern Phoebe, Cedar Waxwing, and Goldfinch. We heard two Dickcissels calling, as well as observing two colorful Bobolinks in the shrubbery at the main entrance to Field 2. As the birding died down the butterflies (Red Admiral, Monarch, Mourning Cloak, and Painted Lady, among others) and dragonflies (mostly Common Green Darner and Black Saddlebags) started moving down the beach in number. By late morning the temperature was approaching August-like levels and we called it a day. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Caumsett State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
We spent the morning and early afternoon birding at Caumsett State Park today, recording 77 species, one of our highest one-day October species counts at the park. There was plenty to look at throughout the park, but the fields were the most interesting. The restoration fields were alive with sparrows, mostly Savannah and Swamp Sparrows. We flushed a dozen Eastern Meadowlarks in the field and found two Vesper Sparrows along Fisherman's Road. On Long Island Sound we observed our first of season Horned Grebes. As we walked through the woods numbers of White-throated Sparrows flushed from the trail edges. We only recorded five warbler species (Blackpoll and BT Blue being the most interesting) for the day. At the manure pile we observed a late Solitary Sandpiper that we did our best to try to turn into a Wood Sandpiper- to no avail. Also present at the site were two Rusty Blackbirds, an additional Vesper Sparrow, and a number of Purple Finches. On Fresh Pond there were six Snow Geese with the numerous Canada's along with American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, and Ruddy Duck. As we headed towards the parking lot a small flock of Eastern Bluebirds called from the trees - a great day in a very nice park. Good birding to all, Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Robert Moses State Park Birds This Morning (Suffolk Co.)
Before I relate the details of our morning's birding at RMSP, let me first say that we searched unsuccessfully for the previously reported Say's Phoebe from 11:30AM to 12:30PM around the FI Lighthouse and the trails leading back to the hawk watch. When we left the bird had not been relocated. As a comparison the dates of last years Suffolk County Say's Phoebes were Oct 4-5 (Caumsett State Park) and Oct 7 (RMSP). The Pine Siskin and Yellow-rumped Warbler show continued with thousands of each species streaming down the beach. The flight also featured good numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds and American Goldfinch. Birds occurring in modest numbers were Flicker, American Robin, Purple Finch, and Cedar Waxwing. Highlights were few, but included a single Lincoln's Sparrow just east of the Field 2 toll booths, and a Blue Grosbeak that John Gluth first saw by the volleyball courts and we then picked up in the parkway median. Eastern Meadowlarks were observed in one and twos during the morning, a few stopping in the planted islands in front of the Field 2 concession. Sparrow numbers were unimpressive, the most numerous being Dark-eyed Junco. We have never experienced the sustained Siskin flight of the last few weeks, where over a thousand individuals have frequently been recorded in a few hours birding. On a related Siskin note, we observed two flock of Siskins moving north across Great South Bay on the east side of the Captree Bridge, thereby avoiding the west winds that had developed by the early afternoon. Good Birding, Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Massapequa Preserve Birds (Nassau Co)
Massapequa Preserve continues to be a good location for lingering warblers this fall, with a late immature Yellow Warbler seen this morning. In the past few weeks warblers at MP have included Orange- crowned, Black-throated Blue, Parula, and Palm. Last Sunday a late Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was on the west side of the Pittsburgh Ave. pond. The drake Eurasian Wigeon continues on the pond in the company of American Wigeon. The continuing closure of the barrier beaches have been a source of frustration for area birders, even more so when Annie McIntyre reported that a Northern Lapwing was seen and photographed by a State employee in the median at Robert Moses State Park yesterday, but not observed by Annie today. Lets hope that the beaches open in time for the Christmas CBC's! Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Red Crossbills at Heckscher State Park (Suffolk Co.)
Late this afternoon at Heckscher State Park there was a flock of approx. thirty Red Crossbills in the pines east of Field 7. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Montauk Pt. Birds (Suffolk Co.)
Birds seen at Montauk today: Razorbills - 350 (from Point to Fort Pond Bay) Iceland Gull - 2, one 1st year at Point, one winter adult at Lk. Montauk jetties. Cackling Goose - 1 at Deep Hollow Ranch with Canada Geese Black-l Kittiwake - 1 at Point in late afternoon Brown Pelican - 1 at Lk. Montauk jetties Ken & Sue Feustel Sent from my iPhone -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Sunday Birds at Montauk Pt.
MP birds seen today: Turtle Cove- Red-necked Grebe (1) and Purple Sandpiper (3) Lake Montauk Jetty - Brown Pelican and Iceland Gull (1st year) Ken & Sue Feustel Sent from my iPhone -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Caumsett State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
We spent a pleasant morning and early afternoon at CSP today. Highlights included eight species of sparrows in the northern section of the restoration fields, the most notable being a single Vesper Sparrow. At the manure pile a single Common Redpoll made a brief appearance. In the fields south of the mansion a flock of approx. fifty American Pipits were feeding in the short grass. Despite viewing over a thousand Canada Geese at various field locations, we could not pick out anything of interest - even a hybrid frankengoose. Other birds present in good numbers were Fox Sparrow (15), Field Sparrow (8), Winter Wren (8), and Song Sparrow (58) - take that Andrew! Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Black-headed Gull at Setauket Mill Pond
Seen briefly at 9:50AM today in tidal portion of Setauket Mill Pond. Ken & Sue Feustel Sent from my iPhone -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] American Golden Plover at Heckscher State Park (Suffolk Co.)
While looking at feeding groups of Red and White-winged Crossbills, we spied a late American Golden Plover feeding in the median just east of Field 8. The count period for the Captree CBC starts tomorrow. Perhaps (however unlikely) the bird will stay till Sunday. Attempts to turn the bird into a Pacific or European Golden Plover were unsuccessful. A photo of the bird can be seen at http//www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Link to My Flickr Site for AMGP Photo
For those having trouble with viewing the photo of the American Golden Plover the correct link is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Caumsett State Park Birds (Suffolk Co.)
We birded Caumsett State Park today as part of the Northern Nassau CBC. Highlights of the day's birding was an American White Pelican seen in the late afternoon flying east over Lloyd Harbor towards Huntington Bay. Perhaps this is the same bird that was seen in early November at Lloyd Point by Annie McIntyre. Other birds of interest was a Nelson's Sparrow that unexpectedly popped up in the Spartina grass at the Caumsett marsh, a flyby White-winged Crossbill along the beach, a Cackling Goose in the hundreds of Canada Geese (comparison photos of the two geese are on my flickr site), and an Eastern Phoebe found by Jerry & Beth Platt at the Seminary on the east side of West Neck Road in Lloyd Harbor Village. It was a great weather day for birding and the birds cooperated. Ken & Sue Feustel http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] West End/Jones Beach Yesterday (Nassau Co.)
We did a pre-bird count scouting expedition of the West End/Jones Beach area yesterday in late morning and early afternoon. Things were pretty quiet, birds of note included three White-crowned Sparrows on the western side of the Coast Guard compound, a single Razorbill in the mouth of Jones Inlet, and five Common Eider near the west jetty. Conspicuously missing were Bonaparte's Gulls, Crossbills, and Snow Buntings. While the warm weather is making for pleasant birding (on some days!) a blast of winter weather in New England and upstate New York might help push a few species further south. I have included a gallery of Red Crossbill pictures on my flickr site. It is interesting to watch the flocks of crossbills feeding - if they sit still long enough. While recently watching a flock of Red Crossbills I noticed the Red-breasted Nuthach's following the crossbills, quickly picking up and eating pine cone seed remnants that had been dropped. Here on LI we have little opportunity to observe crossbill behavior, so this fall has been particularly interesting. Ken Feustel http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfeustel/ -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] West End/Jones Beach Birds This Afternoon (Nassau Co.)
At WE2 this afternoon there was a flock of twenty-three Red Crossbills in the median and seventeen Tree Swallows seen by Jerry & Beth Platt near the jetty. There has also been a single Lapland Longspur associating with Horned Larks, seen and photographed approx. two days ago by Jerry and Beth on the lawn east of the WE2 marina restrooms. Ken & Sue Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Lapland Longspur at Heckscher State Park (Suffolk Co.)
Sue Feustel found a Lapland Longspur feeding with a small flock of Horned Larks at the east side of the Field 6 parking lot near the playground equipment at Heckscher State Park around 3:30PM this afternoon. Eventually the flock took off and headed east. I arrived about a half-hour later and relocated the flock of five Horned Larks and one Lapland Longspur feeding in the Field 7 parking lot. This was my first Lapland Longspur of the year (and not a moment to soon). Let's hope it hangs around till tomorrow for those starting their 2013 list. Ken Feustel -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Barnacle Goose at Belmont Lake State Park
Barnacle Goose present on west side of lake at 7:40 AM. Ken Feustel Sent from my iPhone -- 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/ --
