Manx Shearwaters, Wilson's SPs, Amagansett - 20 Jun 1009

The waters off Montauk Point (Suffolk Co.) were shrouded in fog today peventing me from doing any seawatching but by evening the visibility was improved off Amagansett, about 15 miles further east. During the hour before dusk (6:00-7:00 pm) offshore movement was slow but the diversity reasonable.

Northern Gannet - 28
D.c. Cormorant - 4
Common Loon - 2
MANX SHEARWATER - 2 (both zooming west)
WILSON'S STORM-PETREL - 44 ++
PARASITIC JAEGER - 1 subad.
Laughing Gull - 4 subads.

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN -1 (leapt clear of the water a couple of times showing a nice pink belly)

The jaeger set up shop on the ocean to the west of me and every 20 mins or so would lift off the water and go after a Common Tern, successfully on each occasion. The count of WILSON'S STORM-PETREL was very good for this location and likely a significant under-estimate of the real number. Storm-petrels were strung out all along the horizon and seemed to steadily working eastward. Considering the momentus arrival of the 'summer shearwaters' into the regions earlier in the week, I was suprised to see so many storm-petrels and yet log no Cory's or Great Shearwaters. Water temperature might be a factor in this, being a few degrees cooler around the eastern tip of the island compared to spots further west.