While conducting the Alley Creek Hawk Watch, a little after 4:00 I spotted what I believe to be a Sandhill Crane. Here are the comments submitted to e-bird.
Having seen 100 migrating Great Blue Herons today (and 7 Great Egrets), I think I'd recognize a different looking long necked and long legged bird. Migrating very high and past me when I got on it, so head not well seen. But flying with neck outstretched. Even gray coloring. It should have looked darker given the viewing conditions, but clearly lighter colored than the Great Blues. And because of the lighter color, I ruled out Glossy Ibis. More slender looking than Great Blues. Migrating eastward, whereas Great Blues were going east-northeast or northeast. I mentioned the 100 Great Blue Herons (exact count, not an estimate). That was the highlight of today's migration watch. Most were between 9:30 and 10:30, and then after 4:00 (including a group of 26). Raptor highlights for the weekend were 3 Black Vultures Saturday and 14 Bald Eagles for the two days. That brings the season total to 46. I could never have envisioned that for a Long Island watch, much less the spring. The most numerous migrants have been Turkey Vulture and Osprey (a nice for spring total of 29 today). Steve Walter Bayside, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
