All, Shawn Billerman and I had an awesome seawatch from Montauk Point this morning, highlighted by a nice RAZORBILL flight which included three DOVEKIES and two THICK-BILLED MURRES. A male KING EIDER flew in and landed near the biggest scoter and eider flocks, and we finally got on an adult BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE flying out in the distance. All three scoters, Common Eiders, Common and Red-throated loons, and Northern Gannets were all in abundance. Essentially all the Razorbills, loons, and scoters that were moving were headed south or southwest around the end of the point. Full eBird list with our best estimates at numbers is here: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33269618
Once the rain started we checked a few other spots. Montauk Inlet had an immature GREAT CORMORANT and a 1st cycle ICELAND GULL. At Hook Pond we did not find any swans, but another 1st cycle ICELAND GULL was in the gull flock loafing at the edge of the golf course. Shinnecock Inlet hosted a SNOWY OWL and two HARLEQUIN DUCKS, a female and an immature male, foraging and inexplicably diving in the shallow surf near the base of the jetty. Dune Road was fairly quiet but we did spot a nice CLAPPER RAIL in a ditch right along the road. Yesterday I stopped at a few locations on my way over from checking out the obliging Rock Wren in New Jersey. At least two BLACK SKIMMERS continue on Coney Island Beach. The adult is banded and I have been informed that it was banded this summer in Goshen, NJ. The Hendrickson Park PINK-FOOTED GOOSE was still there on the lake yesterday afternoon around 3:30. I was not able to find the Cammanns Pond Black-headed Gull just before dusk, but an immature ICELAND GULL was there in the small flock of gulls at the parking lot. Good birding! Jay -- Jay McGowan Macaulay Library Cornell Lab of Ornithology jw...@cornell.edu -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
