Encouraged by recent reports from the Montauk area (many including Pat & Shai's Thursday encounters https://ebird.org/checklist/S126535539), my Dad and I visited the area today, 21 Jan. The clear highlight was two separate Common Murres - a transitioning bird on the ocean below the Camp Hero bluffs, and a basic bird on the sound off Culloden. While this species is regular just a bit farther offshore, it is a true novel rarity in the inshore waters! These birds (as well as the well-documented bird at Breezy Pt earlier this month and one on the Thames River, CT this week) furnish interesting records this winter, and are quite possibly the rarest birds in context in those respective regions so far this month. In addition to the unseasonably high counts of certain species (RTLO, NOGA, RAZO), Black-legged Kittiwake numbers continue around the Point. We had over 80 at the point proper (a high tally, but not as many as recently), and later arrived to an incredible scene during the mid-ebb tide at the Montauk Inlet. We observed flocks of kittiwakes feeding IN the inlet and the north end of Lake Montauk. Observing kittiwakes feeding just feet away, calling in the gull frenzies, and circling low over our cars in the Gosmans Inlet lot was simply surreal - and something I never expected to experience from land in NYS. Other highlights included:Pacific Loon - Lake MontaukThick-billed Murres - Lake Montauk Inlet & Montauk PtDovekie - multiples on both sides of the point& many others I am still submitting and updating eBird checklists from the day, but preliminary lists can be temporarily found at: https://ebird.org/tripreport/102982 Best regards,Mike McBrien
-- 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/ --
