Ed Becher and I spent a day in Suffolk County catching up on the reported rarities. An early morning stop at Belmont Lake produced the elusive Barnacle Goose already cued up by Taylor Sturm. A stop at nearby Elda Lake produced a roosting Greater White-fronted Goose but not the 3 Ross's Geese from the previous day. Next up was Patchogue Lake, a previously reported Blue-winged Teal was AWOL. The Atlantic Point Apartments in Bellport hosted the continuing Glaucous and Iceland Gulls. Eastport Lake was completely frozen over and did not harbor the Eurasian Widgeon reported by Ken and Sue Feustel. A scheduled appointment with 2 Rufous Hummingbirds in Aquebogue, where we met up with Douglas Futyma, did not disappoint. A scan of Alvahs Lane fields did not turn up any American Pipits, though Mike Zito and Robert Taylor had much better results. Southold did produce the Townsend's Solitaire and Cesar Castillo got his lifer. A shortcut through Shelter Island to the South Fork turned up a small flock of Wild Turkeys. The Wainscott Sandhill Crane was seen earlier, but a no show when Ed and I arrived. All in all a great birding day. Robert A. Proniewych
-- 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/ --
