We birded Pt. Lookout this morning with mediocre results. Our best bird was a Western Willet feeding along the rocks at Fireman's Park, undoubtedly the same bird reported a few weeks ago from this location. Our most intriguing (and disappointing) bird was a small loon feeding on the outgoing tide on the WE2 side of the inlet. The bird was observed in the vicinity of red buoy # 8 about 10:30 AM. The bird had a brownish nape, lighter than the dark back. The bill was narrow, straight and held at the horizontal to the water. The head was nicely rounded with no forehead bump as seen on Common Loons. Due to frequent diving, we had multiple, brief looks at the bird as it drifted in to the mouth of the inlet (and straight into the sun). We could not see sufficient detail to see the sharp dark/light demarcation on the side of the neck, nor whether the bird had a chin strap. Once the bird drifted to a point where we were looking directly into the sun, we gave up, only to have the bird reappear near buoy # 8. We realized that we would have much closer looks from the WE2 side so to the east side of the inlet we went. We found all the birds that were in the general vicinity of the mystery loon (Common, and Red-throated Loons, Horned Grebe, and Long-tailed Duck) but not the loon in question. After spending some time scoping the area It was becoming uncomfortable facing into a stiffening west wind so we packed it in and headed for Massapequa Preserve. Birders looking in the inlet should keep an eye out for this bird, which may be Shawn Billerman's Pacific Loon observed a few weeks ago from the WE2 boat basin. At Mass. Preserve the Eurasian Wigeon hybrid and young male were feeding with American Wigeon on the ballfield with Canada Geese. Other birds present were Hermit Thrush, Brown Thrasher, and Winter Wren. Photos of the Willet and a few waterfowl are on my flickr site.
Seen by Others Ed Becher had the elusive Northern Shrike in mid-morning at West End west of the northwest corner of the WE2 parking lot. 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/ --
