Great South Bay Audubon had a trip out east today, starting at Montauk Point. Expected species were seen. More bonaparte's gulls and long-tailed ducks than usual, many common eiders on the move, scoters (surf being most numerous), gannet, loons and other expected species.
Gin Beach turned up 3 purple sandpipers found by Helga Merryman on the western jetty and one great cormorant. No white winged gulls. Star Island had a merlin and great blue heron. Ditch Plains and Napeague had expected species but were overall quiet. Hook Pond is frozen over except a small area, and no Tundra Swans were seen. John Gluth and I then headed over towards Riverhead. Shorts Pond had 16 snow geese among the Canadas and mallards. The Canada goose flock at Doctors Path numbered approximately 2500, with a second flock closer to Northville Turnpike of about 500. Within the larger flock were two greater white-fronted geese, one snow goose and the highlight, one Ross's Goose, seen around 4pm and still there when we left. One "frankengoose" was present in each flock. Pink-footed was not seen by us in either flock and we looked closely, though the density of the birds could have kept it from our view. Two harriers were seen, including one very pale gray ghost that gave good views. Two short-eared owls and a late harrier put on a good show at EPCAL as sunset approached. Thanks, Tim Dunn Babylon, NY Sent from my iPhone -- 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/ --
