Preliminary Post-Earl reports - 4 Sep 2010

Alas the storm did not live up to expectations in terms of dropping unusual birds onto the South Fork; weakening and veering east faster than initially predicted. None-the-less some nice migrants were found by folks who ventured out first thing on Saturday morning (4 Sep 2010). Here are some of the highlights of reports that have come in so far:

Hugh McGuinness found a lone PECTORAL SANDPIPER at Mecox Inlet, where John Shemilt also noted a female NORTHERN SHOVELER. Hugh also viewed a SORA that had been found dead by Marilee Foster at her farm in Sagaponack. In Bridgehampton, Jim Ash found five SOLITARY SANDPIPERS on the flooded fields behind the SoFo Museum.

Further east, Vicki Bustamante found an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER on the pasture in Deep Hollow Ranch in Montauk. At the Point Seth Ausubel, Brent Bomkamp and Stella Miller spotted a CASPIAN TERN and WHIMBREL that flew in off the ocean and landed on the beach on the north side. Waterbirds around the Point included a lone WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, four COMMON EIDERS and 9 BLACK TERNS. Passerine migrants were highlighted by a flock of 15 BOBOLINKS.

In yesterdays report (3 Sep) I erroneously omitted seven BLACK TERNS noted by Vicki Bustamante off Gin Beach on the east side of Montauk Inlet and a LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL on the beach at Fort Pond, possibly marking the return of the bird that has wintered along this stretch for the past few years.

By the way, up on the North Fork, John Sep found a Hudsonian Godwit on Dam Pond on the north side of the causeway between East Marion and Orient. Clearly a bird to look for on the South Fork.