After a successful wild goose chase in Smithtown, I continued to have a great day out at Montauk Point. I crossed paths and teamed up with lots of birders throughout the day, and almost everyone had a spread of excellent sightings to share. My personal highlights included the stunning views of the continuing drake King Eider between the lighthouse and Camp Hero, a young Glaucous Gull along with adult and subadult Iceland Gulls at the inlet to Lake Montauk, a Red-necked Grebe at Culloden Point, and several Virginia Rails at Big Reed Pond. The biggest surprise was a flyby Black Guillemot heading east, again between the lighthouse and the CH bluffs. It appeared a bit duskier than the photos of the bird from January 1st, with more pepper than salt in the plumage of its upperside. I only saw it briefly before losing it in the swells, but the chunky body, low, buzzy flight, and white wing patches were distinctive. There were plenty of the expected sea ducks and loons off the point. Other birds of note included Razorbills, goldeneye, scaup, Bufflehead, both cormorants, Purple Sandpiper, Snow Geese, harrier, and Sharp-shin.
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S26801108 Cheers! -Tim H 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/ --
