Extending my recent trend of getting a late start on the day's birding (Monday's destination being the Robert Moses Hawkwatch) I found myself heading south on the R. M. Parkway, just a hair north of the first bridge, when I saw a Rough-legged Hawk.This was a light morph * bird, and the earliest I have ever recorded this species in the fall ! Not being able to stop the car because of traffic, once over the bridge, I turned around and re-crossed the bridge in hope of getting a photo, but the bird was gone.
Once on the barrier beach, I had a single Lesser Black-backed Gull (a 3rd winter bird) at Parking Field # 2, and while at the park (except for at the hawk-watch proper) had 9 Merlins, 2 Kestrels, 1 Peregrine, 1 Red-tailed Hawk and an Osprey. The activity level at the watching grandstand was high, with Bobby Kurtz (the day's official score-keeper) stating (at around 1:15 PM) that today was the busiest day of the season ! While I was there, the following species of raptors were observed: Bald Eagle (probable 3rd year bird); N. Harrier; Sharp-shinned Hawk; Osprey; Kestrel; Merlin and Peregrine Falcon. After keeping a car appointment back in Riverhead, I headed up to the sod farms on, and around, Sound Ave. At the field on the s/e/c/o Sound & Osborne Aves there were 11 Golden Plovers, 1 Black-bellied Plover and 22 Killdeers. * Upon arrival at the hawk-watch, in my excited haste, I'm pretty sure I announced (in error) this individual to be a dark morph. 😥 Cheers, Bob. -- 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/ --
