15 Nov 2008 - Pomarine Jaeger and other seabirds off Montauk

A 2-hour gap between the heavy rain showers this afternoon gave me a chance to seawatch off Montauk Point (Suffolk Co.). The strong wind was from the south, bringing in a warm wet airflow. A very impressive showing of NORTHERN GANNETS and LAUGHING GULLs were feeding over the rip in front of the Lighthouse, with even greater numbers of both species some distance to the north in Block Island Sound proper. The highlight was a juv-like POMARINE JAEGER that swung in towards the Point just after 3 pm. It was one of those hefty rich-brown birds with very prominent wing flashes and I confess that I was convinced it was skua for the first minute or two, as I watched it assault some Herring Gulls. However, with better views of the body/tail proportions and head, I realized that it was actually a young Pom. The two-tone bill and barring on the undertail coverts clinched it. A few minutes later 3 adult-type, light-phase PARASITIC JAEGERS came in from the NE and set upon some Laughing Gulls. Whilst watching them drift off into the mist, I picked up a 4th PARASITIC JAEGER, this time a juv-type that remained in the area until I was forced away by a torrential downpour. Present in the melee were an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, 2 first-winter BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES and a 'COMMIC TERN' (most likely Common Tern). Throngs of RED-THROATED LOONS rounded the point during the same wind/tide change that brought the jaegers. A GRAY SEAL munched a skate just beyond the casting range of the surf fishermen. The other spots I visited were quiet but of course, the weather was far from optimal.

** Montauk Point **
Green-winged Teal - 1 (on ocean off Pt)
Common Eider - 100+
All 3 scoter
Red-throated Loon - 170
Common Loon - 90
Northern Gannet - 3,000++
Double-crested Cormorant - 35
GREAT CORMORANT - 1
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE - 2 (1st winter)
Bonaparte's Gull - 50
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - 1 ad.
Laughing Gull - 5,000++
Common/Arctic Tern - 1
POMARINE JAEGER - 1 (juv-type)
PARASITIC JAEGER - 4 (3 ad-type, 1 juv-type)

** Deep Hollow Pasture **
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - 1 ad.
Killdeer - 38

** Lazy Point, Nappeague **
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - 1 ad. ('Larry')