Re:[nysbirds-l] Death on the Beach

A search of eBird data (Explore Data -- Species Maps -- filters: Great Shearwater - May and June - Current Year - Massachusetts) produced results that indicate a corresponding lack of Great (and Cory's) shearwaters from Cape Cod and coastal New England waters (Block Island to Maine) as a whole:

[nysbirds-l] Cave Swallows

Maybe I’m jumping the gun on this and good numbers of Cave Swallows will be seen along the Atlantic coast of NY this weekend, but I find it puzzling that so many have been seen down in Cape May recently and only a handful here thus far. Even taking into account Cape May’s history of hosting subs

[nysbirds-l] Bryant Park Chuck-will's-widow--YES

I saw the Bryant Park Chuck-will's-widow yesterday and today (4/15 & 4/16), still roosting in sycamores near the NE corner of the lawn behind the Public Library. One can't help but wonder if the nocturnal insect population in the park is currently sufficient to sustain it. -- NYSbirds-L List

Re:[nysbirds-l] Caracara's left eye

I haven't been able to get up to Orange County to see the caracara in person yet, but taking a closer look at some of the better photos embedded in eBird checklists does indeed show what looks to be an empty socket where the bird's left eye should be: https://www.flickr.com/photos/129581436@N08

[nysbirds-l] EXTRALIMITAL REPORT: SURFBIRD in Maine

For shorebird-philes and/or those inclined to make long-range chases, a SURFBIRD was found in Biddeford Pool, Maine this past Saturday and was still present today. Details and photos at the links below. http://birding.aba.org/maillist/MAINE http://ebird.org/ebird/map/surfbi?neg=true&env.minX=&

RE:[nysbirds-l] Pine Siskins in the Adirondacks (& other migration phenomena)

There was definite migratory movement by Blue Jays on Long Island's north shore Sunday morning. Nothing comparable with what Mickey Scilingo has been experiencing upstate, but I counted a minimum of 250 over the first 2 hours or so of my visit (7:15-10:45) when I was in more open habitat close

Re:[nysbirds-l] Bryant Park

I did a quick (15 min.) loop walk around the perimeter of the lawn late this morning (~11:40) on the way to work. I did not see any of the species Alan mentioned in his post (maybe the Pine, but no bins so not sure), but I did have repeated point-blank looks at a male Bay-breasted Warbler in th

Re:[nysbirds-l] The Scope of the NYSBirds List

I don't know how difficult the logistics if implementing this would be, and more streamlined tech solutions are probably available (e.g. RSS feed), but a possible solution might be a digest email of all the various state lists rolled into one, available as an additional service for subscribers

Re:[nysbirds-l] More thoughts on Wilson's Plover/Golden Plover

More intrigue. The yellow-toned face and breast Justin said his girlfriend recalled could describe a basic-plumaged or pre-alternate molt European Golden Plover, at least according to the comparative images of that species and basic American Golden which I've been looking at online today. Ameri

Re:[nysbirds-l] EXTRALIMITAL: Zone-tailed Hawk in Massachusetts

Sorry about the last link I posted not working. Here's the correct one. http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=686704&MLID=MASS&MLNM=Massachusetts -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding

[nysbirds-l] EXTRALIMITAL: Zone-tailed Hawk in Masachusetts

Almost makes Wilson's Plover seem pedestrian... http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=686704&MLID=MASS&MLNM=Massachusetts -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeCon

Re:[nysbirds-l] WILSON'S PLOVER, Cupsogue Beach County Park, Westhampton Beach

The Wilson's Plover is a great find. But I'm even more intrigued by the American Golden Plovers also mentioned as an aside. American Golden Plover is an uncommon migrant in spring on Long Island, and it seems fairly early as well. As there have been ~20 EUROPEAN Golden Plovers reported up in Ne

Re:[nysbirds-l] No BBCOs (Bird Banding COdes)

Here's a link to a downloadable PDF of banding codes for North American birds...for those list members who choose to live dangerously by using them. http://www.birdpop.org/DownloadDocuments/Alpha_codes_tax.pdf -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www

Re:[nysbirds-l] Phoebes!

Rob's Phoebes at Greenwood are most likely migrants returning to/passing through the area, unlike the two I found on consecutive days back in January while doing the NYSOA Waterfowl Count (eBird checklist links below). Those birds picked a bad year to try overwintering at this latitude. Unless

[nysbirds-l] Black Dirt Region birds (Sunday 2/23)

On Sunday (2/23), Tim Dunn, Pete Morris, and myself (John Gluth) made the trip up to Orange County to see the birds reported over the past few weeks throughout the Black Dirt Region (BDR). Before heading for the BDR, we made two preliminary stops. We began in River Vale, NJ, hoping to see a st

[nysbirds-l] Connetquot River SP--Now hosting TWO Red-necked Grebes

I visited Connetquot River State Park this morning, hoping the previously reported RED-NECKED GREBE had stuck around--luckily it had. I spotted it rather quickly, ~100' out on the river north of the mill. After I had observed it for a while, as it swam actively and dove a couple of times, I sta

Re:[nysbirds-l] Ruff at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Queens Co.)

With the usual caveats about reliably identifying a bird based solely a few photos stated up front. Andrew's images of today's Ruff show a bird with much more brightly colored legs than the individual he photographed back on the 15th. Soft part coloration typically decreases in intensity post-br

[nysbirds-l] Re: Franklin's Gulls—NO

I was one of those who unsuccessfully searched for the 2 Franklin's Gulls at both Captree and Robert Moses State Parks this morning (9:35­11:25). I started at Captree where I found a gathering of gulls (~50 birds) in the eastern half of the parking lot (past the bait and tackle shop). Most of t

[nysbirds-l] Heckscher State Park (Suffolk Co.): 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS (Monday, 10/18)

Yesterday afternoon (Monday 10/18—sorry about the late post) the were 2 basic-plumaged AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS at Heckscher State Park. They were part of a mixed shorebird flock on the beach south of the pavilion of parking field #8. In addition to the AGPLs there were 35 Black-bellied Plovers,

[nysbirds-l] Edgewood Preserve birds this morning, including Purple Finch

I birded Edgewood Preserve (Commack, Suffolk Co.) this morning from 9:15 to 11:00. The highlight of the visit was a pair of female PURPLE FINCHES. Apart from them there were a modest number of expected October migrants. Yellow-rumped Warblers and Robins were the most numerous species, but sever

[nysbirds-l] Hoyt Farm redux: 4 vireo sp., including Philly V again!

I had more time to spend at Hoyt Farm early this afternoon (12:10-2:00) before work and the benefit was more birds, always a good thing. Based on yesterday's experience I headed straight for the pond. On the way I immediately noticed that the Barbara Hoyt Stokes memorial waterfall was flowing t

[nysbirds-l] Philadelphia Vireo at Hoyt Farm Park (Commack, Suffolk Co.)

A brief early afternoon (1:10-2:00) visit to Hoyt Farm Park turned up a PHILADELPHIA VIREO at the permanent pond behind the museum (40.822022, -73.269700). Also seen bathing in or feeding around the pond were a Red-eyed Vireo, a Veery, several Catbirds, a B&W Warbler, a Redstart, a "Baypoll" war

[nysbirds-l] Heckscher Park Buff-breasted Sandpiper—YES

The juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper reported by Ken Fuestel yesterday was still present this morning (10:30-11:00), but farther east, in the median opposite the radio-controlled model airplane field. It was again associating with a flock of Killdeer (12-15). The Buffie fed close to the road, co

[nysbirds-l] Memorial Day Whip-poor-wills at Edgewood Preserve (Suffolk Co.)

Memorial Day evening I paid a visit to Edgewood Preserve (DEC) in Commack hoping to hear Whip-poor-wills, as I had last year. But by nearly 9:00pm I'd heard only other locally nesting species settling in to roost. Then, as I stood quietly just off the pavement of Old Commack Road (southern end)

[nysbirds-l] More Central Park birds, including Summer Tanager

In addition to the birds seen by the AMNH group in Central Park earlier in the morning, there was a first Spring male SUMMER TANAGER (salmon colored head, breast, and vent area, yellow belly) calling repeatedly on the east slope of Strawberry Fields just after 12:30; another Lincoln's Sparrow a