Today's highlights from Jones Beach West End were: *Red-headed Woodpecker*, *Olive-sided Flycatcher* (getting late for this one), *Common Nighthawk*and *American Golden-Plover*.
Eastern Phoebes, Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets, with some Pine Siskins and Purple Finches were the dominant birds at Jones Beach this morning. On the sandbar near the Coast Guard Station, there were good numbers of American Oystercatchers, Black-bellied Plovers, Forster's Terns, Black Skimmers and Dunlins. Smaller numbers or single count included 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper, 2 Western Sandpipers, 1 Sanderling 4 Semipalmated Plovers, 1 Pectoral Sandpiper and 1 American Golden Plover. Other notables seen, as I worked the median included *Rose-breasted Grosbeaks*, *Scarlet Tanagers*, *White-crowned Sparrows* and 1 *Blue-headed Vireo*. Several suspicious looking "Clay-colored Sparrow" wannabes AKA *(1st winter/non-breeding Chipping Sparrows)*, failed inspection upon close scrutiny. I suspect there were a lot more birds around than I saw, but most were keeping a low profile given the many Merlins that were flying around picking off those less discrete. Good Birding! Andrew Baksh Queens NY www.birdingdude.blogspot.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
