Yesterday & today were designated flower planting days, but tomorrow has now been added due to the Little Egret found at Gardiner's Park, Bay Shore by Pete Morris yesterday ! I don't believe I've ever met Pete, and before writing anything else, just want to thank him for his attention to detail !
Taking a break (for both my back and a computer check) and finding that the bird had been seen this AM, my outdoor activity changed from one of labor, to one of love ! Not taking time to change, I made the LIE in record time, and seemed to get to Gardiner's Park (my 1st time there) quite fast. After meeting Ed Brecher in the parking lot, and "double-timing" it down to the bay, we found a small group of folks *not* looking at the bird. Most of them had seen it earlier, before it took off. We were then joined by a few more hopefuls, and before too long, a "possible" was spotted at the n/s of the east-most marsh. With ~ 8 scopes trained on the target bird, and aided by a wind that at times made it's 2 head plumes stand out, along with the egret's grayish lores becoming discernible, *Egretta garzetta* became reality ! The Little Egret stayed active flying a bit (out of sight at times) but finally came down in the marsh, much closer to us than previously. It then flew a hair to the west and landed (still in the east marsh) where a Snowy Egret sachet-ed up to it, for the "mother of all" size comparisons ! It then flew to the west-most marsh, where it gave us a few more abbreviated looks before going down into an un-see-able area at the north edge of that marsh. In addition to the Little Egret, FOY birds for me (at the marshes) were Glossy Ibis, Green Heron and Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow. Also, as we were walking out along the trail to the p/lot, Tom Burke, Gail Benson and Ed B. were instrumental in my seeing both Yellow-billed & Black-billed Cuckoos. Tom first heard the Y-b and then did a neat replica of it's call, until Gail found it. Tom continued calling, which brought in at least one other Y-b. Closer to the p/lot, Tom heard a B-b, and started a series of it's call until Ed found that bird, which became my 4th FOY of the day. Bring on the Geraniums ! Cheers, Bob * Little Egret first seen on 9/19/96 in Florence, Italy, on the shore of the Arno River. -- 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/ --
