Caspian Terns and newly arrived shorebirds at Sagg Mains and Mecox Inlet - 25 April 2009

The cuts at the Sagaponnack and Mecox Inlets (Bridgehampton, Suffolk Co.) have been opened and the water level on the ponds has begun to fall after being high for quite a while. At Sagg Mains (south end of pond) seven CASPIAN TERNS, a LAUGHING GULL and an estimated 800 or so Double-crested Cormorants were on the main sand bar. The impressive number of cormorants implies a large build up of small fish. A number of newly arrived shorebirds were feeding around the muddy edges, as was a gorgeous looking IPSWICH SPARROW. When I checked back in later, the Caspian Terns had moved up the pond north of the bridge and were just visible through a gap off Parsonage Lane. Hugh McGuinness informed me that a similar number of Caspians (probably the same) had been on Georgica Pond on Thursday.

CASPIAN TERN - 7
LAUGHING GULL - 1
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER - 1
Greater Yellowlegs - 6
LESSER YELLOWLEGS - 2
EASTERN WILLET - 1
LEAST SANDPIPER - 22
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER - 1
IPSWICH SPARROW - 1

At Mecox, the water is still pretty high but I did note:

LEAST TERN - 1
Greater Yellowlegs - 3
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER - 1
Piping Plover - 13
Bufflehead - 26 (no doubt counting the days befor departing)

Virginia Rail at Little Reed Pond, Montauk - 19 April 2009

The birding was pretty slow today on the South Fork of Long Island (Suffolk Co.) - lovely weather but the wind was from the east shift to the south in the afternoon. The three major ponds (Mecox, Sagaponack and Georgica) are full to the brim and essentially birdless. Anyone good with a shovel? An adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWK on Daniel's Lane and an AMERICAN KESTREL nearby were the only birds of note in that area.

Out at Montauk, a confiding GLOSSY IBIS was on the small ponds at Teddy Roosevelt County Park (aka Third House). There have been a few sightings this month from the Montauk area, including four ibis seen yesterday evening by Vicki Bustamante alongside Rt 27 at the eastern end of the Napeague stretch. Three WILSON'S SNIPE were also at TRCP. At Little Reed Pond off East Lake Drive there was no sign of the Little Blue Heron seen as recently as Saturday, but I did get fabulous views of a VIRGINIA RAIL which flew across a ditch in front of me and then proceeded to walk around in fairly open vegetation. Three female-type HOODED MERGANSER continue on Little Reed. A couple of PALM WARBLERS were mixed in with a flock of 40 or so YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS.

Along the ocean beach there was a modest flight of seaduck and loons (see 1 hour count below). As is typical at this time of year, Green-winged Teal and other non-ocean duck were mixed in with the scoter. For the record, I've also included a seawatch count from Saturday evening. It is interesting that Laughing Gulls are still passing offshore, I raise this because I haven't seen that many reports from further west.

**Hither Hills State Park (19 April 09, 12:55-13:55)**
American Black Duck - 6
Green-winged Teal - 34
Greater Scaup - 1
Surf Scoter - 610
White-winged Scoter - 20
Black Scoter - 195
scoter sp. - 320
Long-tailed Duck - 8
Red-throated Loon - 54
Common Loon - 49
loon sp. - 2
Horned Grebe - 1
Northern Gannet - 30
Double-crested Cormorant- 49
Black-bellied Plover - 6
Laughing Gull - 2
Ring-billed Gull - 5
Herring Gull - 20
Great Black-backed Gull - 10

**Atlantic Avenue Beach, Amagansett (18 April 09, 17:20-18:20)**
Anas duck sp. - 2
Surf Scoter - 385
White-winged Scoter - 3
Black Scoter - 585
scoter sp. - 590
Long-tailed Duck - 8
Red-throated Loon - 12
Common Loon - 9
Northern Gannet - 132
Double-crested Cormorant - 2
Laughing Gull - 3
Ring-billed Gull -15
Great Black-backed Gull - 9
gull sp. - 50

TRICOLORED & LITTLE BLUE HERONS continue in Accabonac Harbor - 18 April 2009

Single TRICOLORED and LITTLE BLUE HERONS continue in Accabonac Harbor, East Hampton, Suffolk Co., with the Tricolored sunning itself on the marsh across from the end of Landing Lane (Springs Village) and the Little Blue feeding on the edge of the marsh across the from the mid-way point on Gerard Drive. A WILSON'S SNIPE was also in the marsh at Landing Lane. No sign of the first-summer Black-headed Gull seen as recently as Wednesday. PINE SISKINS continue at our thistle feeder but otherwise there is little evidence of recent landbird migration, at least not this far out on the island. With lingering siskins and White-winged Crossbills all over the region it is going to fun seeing how many actually stay to nest.

Black-headed Gull & Tricolored Heron, Accabonac Habor, Springs - 12 April 2009

Whilst searching the marshes of Accabonac Harbor, Springs, East Hampton (Suffolk Co.) for the Tricolored and Little Blue Herons found earlier in the week by Karen Rubinstein, I noticed a 1st cy. BLACK-HEADED GULL roosting with some Ring-billed Gulls, Dunlin and Turnstones. Karen and Barbara Rubinstein were able to join me and we got good looks at the gull. Later they resighted one of probably two LITTLE BLUE HERONS on the northside of the harbor off Gerard Drive and later in the afternoon I got good looks at the TRICOLORED HERON (quite scarce out here) from Landing Lane this afternoon.

At Lazy Point, in Napeague Harbor, 'Larry' the LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was still present and is now in essentially full breeding condition with gleaming white head and bright orange-yellow legs. At Hither Hills State Park I saw my first PURPLE MARTIN of the season and a raft of roughly 1,000 Surf Scoter was gathered offshore. There was good flight of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS today in spite the strong and chilly NW winds and it was interesting to see the flocks working east along the ocean and then cutting northeast, either over the narrow neck of land at Napeague or over the Montauk Peninsula itself. Those I could follow seemed to be heading straight for Rhode Island.

AMERICAN ROBINS were also very much in evidence - by far the commonest bird of the day. There were, for example, more than 350 feeding on the pasture on the south side of Rt 27 at Deep Hollow. Two WILSON'S SNIPE were on the pond at Theodore Rooseveldt State Park and another was feeding on a puddle in the middle of the horse pasture along with 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS. Lastly, the 1st cy. ICELAND GULL continue at Montauk Inlet.

Blue Grosbeak (Brown Pelican & Black Vulture), Montauk - 5 April 2009

Karen Rubinstein and I went to Montauk Harbor in search of the BROWN PELICAN found earlier in the morning by Jack Passie (see earlier post by Hugh McGuinness) and a BLACK VULTURE seen near Ditch Plains by Vicki Bustamante. Unfortunately, we were unable to relocate either bird. Apparently the pelican gulls were harassing the pelican and it was last seen flying towards the Montauk Inlet. Who knows perhaps it will reappear when some fishing boats return to the dock. On a more positive note we did find the following.

At the entrance to Theodore Roosevelt County Park (Third House) we found a subadult male BLUE GROSBEAK. Otherwise, passerine migrants of any kind seemed extremely scarce. Also in Deep Hollow, the horse pasture on the southside of Rt 27 had 2 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS with killdeer and Black-bellied Plover. A BARN SWALLOW was coarsing over the ranch pond on the northside of the road. We did see at least 3 TURKEY VULTURES soaring over the eastern side of Lake Montauk. Lastly, the 1st cycle KUMLEIN'S ICELAND GULL was still present at the Montuak Inlet. Large numbers of Common Loons continue around Montauk Point, along with good numbers of Black Scoter. Our thanks to Hugh and Vicki for quickly alerting us to the pelican and vulture.

Little Blue Heron, East Hampton - 29 Mar 2009

An adult LITTLE BLUE HERON, looking distinctly bedraggled and miserable in the drizzle, was on the eastern arm of Hook Pond, East Hampton, Suffolk Co. today. Although widespread in saltmarsh habitat on Long Island during the summer, Little Blue's are fairly scarce on the South Fork, east of Shinnecock Bay. Not much else to report from a quick tour of East Hampton, except for newly arrived Ospreys and Great Egrets in several places and a couple of Turkey Vultures at Napeague.

Seabird movement & Northern Goshawk - 4 April 2009

Today's persistent westerly winds (21-25 mph) produced a nice flight of seabirds and ducks along the Atlantic seafront of the South Fork of Long Island. A one-hour count in the early afternoon (1:30-2:30 pm) from Atlantic Ave, Amagansett, Suffolk Co., logged 9,811 birds - the vast majority flying east. The highlight were my first of the season LAUGHING GULLS, a RAZORBILL and two COMMON EIDER.

Northern Gannet - 770
Red-throated Loon - 145
Common Loon - 9
loon sp. - 9
RAZORBILL - 1
Black Scoter - 2,550
Surf Scoter - 60
White-winged Scoter - 4
scoter sp. -5,350
Long-tailed Duck - 75
COMMON EIDER - 2 (females)
Red-breasted Merganser - 55
Atlantic Brant - 18
Canada Goose - 30
Green-winged Teal - 2
duck sp. - 600+
LAUGHING GULL - 4 (all adults)
Herring Gull - 92
Great Black-backed Gull - 30
Ring-billed Gull - 5

In Napeague, 'Larry' the LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL was still in its favored spot at the narrows between Lazy Point and Hick's Island. On Promised Land Road near the fish hatchery I was treated to spectacular views of an immature NORTHERN GOSHAWK fighting its way into the wind over the strip of pines that runs parallel to the railway. Goshawks tends to get over reported on Long Island, when people to mistake large Cooper's Hawks for Goshawks. What prompted me to pull off the road and get out of the car today was how un-accipiter-like the hawk looked. My first impression was of a small buteo, perhaps a Red-shouldered Hawk rather than a typical accipiter. I encounter Goshawks so infrequently, and often so briefly, that a chance for proper study is a real treat.

Early Indigo Bunting in Springs - 4 April 2009

This morning a sub-adult male INDIGO BUNTING was attracted to seed in our Springs yard. I haven't noticed any other reports from New York State so far this spring. Still have 10 or so PINE SISKIN visiting out thistle seed feeder.