Black-legged Kittiwakes and male King Eider off Main Beach in East Hampton - 28 Nov 2009

The South Fork of Long Island was buffeted by strong WNW winds (22-36 mph) this morning as the front pushed out yesterdays wet weather giving blue skies by late morning. I seawatched for an hour and a half (8:38-10:08 am) from Main Beach in East Hampton and noted a good showing of BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES (28 total) and assortment of waterfowl passing offshore headlined by a full adult male KING EIDER flying east. A 2nd winter LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL briefly joined the regular species feeding in the surf as the tide dropped. The kittiwakes passed westward in small groups mixed with Bonaparte's and Laughing Gulls. Here's my tally:

Red-throated Loon - 46
Common Loon - 9
loon sp. - 12
Northern Gannet - 595
Brant - 3
Canada Goose - 8
Wood Duck - 2
Mallard - 1
Green-winged Teal - 3
Greater Scaup - 1
Common Eider - 9
KING EIDER - 1 (ad. male flying east)
Long-tailed Duck - 42
White-winged Scoter - 49
Surf Scoter - 55
Black Scoter - 865
dark winged scoter - 380
Hooded Merganser - 12
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE - 28 (6 ads & 22 juvs)
Bonaparte's Gull - 80
Laughing Gull - 36 (mostly ads)
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1 (2nd winter)
Herring Gull - 60
Great Black-backed Gull - 45
Ring-billed Gull - 75