[nysbirds-l] NYC Area RBA: 1 August 2014

[Ben Cacace]

- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Aug. 1, 2014
* NYNY1408.01

- Birds mentioned

RED-NECKED GREBE
BROWN PELICAN
LEAST BITTERN
Merlin
AMERICAN AVOCET
UPLAND SANDPIPER
WHIMBREL
HUDSONIAN GODWIT
WESTERN SANDPIPER
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
Pectoral Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
WILSON'S PHALAROPE
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Black Tern
Royal Tern
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Blue-winged Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush

- Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report
electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at
http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm

You can also send reports and digital image files via email to
nysarc44(at)nybirds{dot}org.

If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or
sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:

Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883

Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070

To report sightings call:
Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays, during the day)
Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 (Long Island)

Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County

Transcriber: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, August 1st 2014
at 6pm. The highlights of today's tape are BROWN PELICAN, AMERICAN AVOCET,
HUDSONIAN GODWIT, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, BAIRD'S, WESTERN, UPLAND SANDPIPERS,
WHIMBREL, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, LEAST BITTERN and RED-NECKED GREBE.

A decent variety of shorebirds highlighted this week's regional activity
with AMERICAN AVOCET appearing in three separate locations. On Monday two
were found at the north end of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
this total increasing to three on Tuesday but dropping down to one
Wednesday through today. Another AVOCET was found Monday in an impoundment
off the beach at Smith Point County Park about 3.5 miles east of the main
parking area and was still present there today and a fifth AVOCET was seen
at low tide Wednesday morning in the creek at Sunken Meadow State Park but
not seen since.

Other highlights on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge during the
week featured a WILSON'S PHALAROPE Tuesday plus one or two LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHERS and WESTERN and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, a few STILT SANDPIPERS and
some other more expected shorebirds. A GULL-BILLED TERN has also been seen
on the East Pond unusually at the south end.

Out at Jones Beach West End an adult BAIRD'S SANDPIPER found last Saturday
in one of the pools between the Roosevelt Nature Center and the West End 2
parking lot was still present there at least to Wednesday often seen in the
grassy areas in the pool in front of the bird blind. Also at West End 14
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were counted in the West End 2 parking lot last
Sunday and 3 WHIMBREL flew over that location on Monday.

Noted late last week a BROWN PELICAN was spotted off the Lemon Creek Pier
on Staten Island last Friday.

Also out on the flats at Cupsogue County Park in Westhampton Dunes last
Friday birders were treated to brief visits from an HUDSONIAN GODWIT and
then a WHIMBREL, a PECTORAL SANDPIPER and 2 ROYAL TERNS were also there. On
the large mudflat found by boaters in Moriches Bay Wednesday was covered
with many shorebirds so they are out there.

Three UPLAND SANDPIPERS were heard and then seen moving over Rocky Point on
Wednesday morning.

At the Mecox flats there was a WHIMBREL Monday and two BLACK TERNS
Wednesday and a RED-NECKED GREBE has been residing there in the bay for
awhile now and was still present yesterday.

WHIMBREL have again this year been visiting Cedar Point Park in Southold on
Long Island's north fork. Also on the north fork a LEAST BITTERN was still
being seen as of last Saturday from the observation tower at Arshamomaque
Preserve off Chapel Lane just west of Greenport.

Landbird migration recently has featured a MERLIN or two, YELLOW-BILLED
CUCKOO and various generally regionally breeding warblers including
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER and
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSHES with others also present
or expected.

To phone in reports on Long Island, call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 or
weekdays call Tom Burke at (212) 372-1483.

This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the
National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.

- End transcript

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Re: [nysbirds-l] Cupsogue Suffolk County Park

[Mike]

Improved numbers of shorebirds this morning at Cupsogue County Park in 
Westhampton Suffolk Co included about 200 Short- billed Dowitchers and about 
200 total of 11 other species- no notable rarities among them. Best were a 
single breeding plumaged Red Knot and 2 Western Willets.  

A sea watch produced no pelagic birds, but a large pod of about 50 dolphins 
slowly made their way from west to east. Several individuals breached entirely 
out if the water- something I haven't seen from land here before. A single 
Leaser Black- backed Gull was loafing in the beach.   

At Shinnecock, a large fin cruising along offshore was probably connected to a 
Basking Shark. 


Mike Cooper
Ridge, LI, NY


Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 1, 2014, at 4:01 PM, jgiunta...@aol.com wrote:

> Date: Aug. 1,2014
> Location: Jamaica Bay-East Pond
>  
> The water conditions have improved since my last visit earlier in the week. 
> On the south end of the East Pond I only had to walk through 50 feet of 2 
> inch water to reach the "Raunt" area. On the north end of the East Pond I 
> walked through 20 feet of 2 inch water before reaching a path that leads to 
> an dry area opposite the "Island". Going further is still a challenge.
>  
> The birds were very good. My visit was between 10 am and 1pm, just before 
> high tide. I saw the following:
>  
> American Avocet-1 ( good color)
> Am. Oystercatcher- 2
> Black-bellied Plover- 12
> Semipalmated Plover- 30 
> Short-billed Dowitcher- 100
> Greater Yellowlegs-2
> Lesser Yellowlegs-1
> Spotted Sandpiper- 4
> Semiplamated Sandpiper- 900
> Least Sandpiper- 10
> Stilt Sandpiper- 3
>  
> Also present were:Gull-billed Tern, Marsh Wren. Little Blue Heron, Peregrine 
> Falcon (satisfied and left after it picked off some shorebird)
>  
> Good Birding,
> Joe Giunta
> --
> NYSbirds-L List Info:
> Welcome and Basics
> Rules and Information
> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave
> Archives:
> The Mail Archive
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> Please submit your observations to eBird!
> --

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[nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay- East Pond

[JGIUNTA746]

Date: Aug. 1,2014
Location: Jamaica Bay-East Pond
 
The water conditions have improved since my last visit earlier in the week. 
 On the south end of the East Pond I only had to walk through 50 feet of 2 
inch  water to reach the "Raunt" area. On the north end of the East Pond I 
walked  through 20 feet of 2 inch water before reaching a path that leads to 
an dry area  opposite the "Island". Going further is still a challenge.
 
The birds were very good. My visit was between 10 am and 1pm, just before  
high tide. I saw the following:
 
American Avocet-1 ( good color)
Am. Oystercatcher- 2
Black-bellied Plover- 12
Semipalmated Plover- 30 
Short-billed Dowitcher- 100
Greater Yellowlegs-2
Lesser Yellowlegs-1
Spotted Sandpiper- 4
Semiplamated Sandpiper- 900
Least Sandpiper- 10
Stilt Sandpiper- 3
 
Also present were:Gull-billed Tern, Marsh Wren. Little Blue Heron,  
Peregrine Falcon (satisfied and left after it picked off some shorebird)
 
Good Birding,
Joe Giunta
--

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Please submit your observations to eBird:
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--

Re:[nysbirds-l] The Scope of the NYSBirds List

[J GLUTH]

I don't know how difficult the logistics if implementing this would be, 
and more streamlined tech solutions are probably available (e.g. RSS 
feed), but a possible solution might be a digest email of all the 
various state lists rolled into one, available as an additional service 
for subscribers to any of those lists. I currently subscribe to the 
state-wide list and receive a single digest email (shortly after 12am 
every night). For someone like myself, who can't go off at the drop of a 
hat to chase rarities, this delivery option (as opposed to piecemeal 
emails) makes it easier to quickly scan for what's interesting, ignore 
what's not, and then delete. A multi-list digest would also be easier 
than what I currently have to resort to for news from elsewhere in the 
state—monitoring the other 6 state lists on the ABA's online archives.

--

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ARCHIVES:
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Please submit your observations to eBird:
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--

RE:[nysbirds-l] Birding at the Ridgewood Reservoir

[Rob Jett]

Here is a corrected link to the Google map of Ridgewood Reservoir. Sorry about 
that:

http://goo.gl/maps/VuhH8

Rob


> For decades many Queens and Brooklyn birders have known that the Ridgewood 
> Reservoir's 50 acres is an incredible birding hotspot. Unfortunately, it's 
> wetlands and emerging forests are now in danger of being destroyed because of 
> an incorrect classification as a "Class C, High Hazard Dam" by the NYS 
> Department of Environmental Conservation. I've been working with a dedicated 
> group of individuals at the Highland Park/Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance for 
> nearly 8 years in an attempt to protect this amazing place from development. 
> While birders have been fighting to close a breach on the West Pond at 
> Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, the HPRRA is now in a struggle to prevent 
> multiple breaches and a roadway from being constructed at the Ridgewood 
> Reservoir (and at a huge expense to taxpayers). 
> 
> Please take 30 seconds to sign our petition to the NYSDEC here:
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/nwlcv2h
> 
> 
> If you've never birded at the Ridgewood Reservoir, I'll be leading a trip for 
> the Newtown Historical Society on August 17th. Otherwise, here is a link to a 
> Google map:
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/cjl53nq
> 
> Good birding,
> 
> Rob
> 
> PS - Here's a link to the eBird species list for Ridgewood Reservoir: 
> http://tinyurl.com/l2wel79
> 
> http://citybirder.blogspot.com
> @thecitybirder
> 

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Please submit your observations to eBird:
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--

[nysbirds-l] The Scope of the NYSBirds List

[Shaibal Mitra]

Having participated in this statewide list since the beginning, Kevin, Isaac, 
and I have seen it change a lot as the birding information environment has 
changed. I think that recognizing the optimal threshold for inclusion/exclusion 
of posts is more difficult and takes more skill than most people recognize. It 
is therefore inevitable that people will disagree on the suitability of posts 
from time to time. Nevertheless, I believe that Kevin's and Isaac's criticisms 
are valid enough to warrant discussion--and a post to the list!

As Kevin senses and Isaac agrees, there has emerged a tendency downstate for 
over-reporting very common-place things (but I'm not convinced that Avocets 
really fall on that side of the threshold). This is probably mostly a function 
of inexperience and is usually amenable to improvement over time, sometimes, 
perhaps, with gentle prompts from more senior people, sent privately.

At least as striking, however, is Isaac's point about inappropriate 
non-reporting from upstate. I guess the best we can do in that department is to 
praise Joan and Jay and Andy and others when they do make the effort to get the 
info out to the rest of the state, but some very remarkable records have failed 
to reach the statewide list in recent years.

The Avocet business that pushed Kevin's buttons falls in an intermediate 
position. This species is usually rare enough statewide that I personally 
believe it deserves to be reported to the list, but I'll acknowledge that 
during a good flight, detailed accounting of the comings and goings of multiple 
individuals in a single region can get tedious.

In my opinion, the first two extremes (over-reporting of really mundane stuff 
downstate and under-reporting of genuinely newsworthy birds upstate) are not 
only more serious than the Avocet sort of problem, but that they are also much 
more easily defined and remedied. In other words, we could do a lot worse than 
to take Avocet's statewide status as the approximate threshold for reporting 
birds to the list: it's easy to suggest to beginning birders downstate that a 
bird might not need to be reported to the list unless it approaches the rarity 
of Avocet; and it's similarly simple and logical to chide the central NY 
birding mafia for failing to report things that are much, much rarer than 
Avocet.

Shai Mitra
Bay Shore


CSI Represents NY in Nationwide State Rankings. Learn 
more>>>

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ARCHIVES:
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2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L
3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html

Please submit your observations to eBird:
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--

[nysbirds-l] Birding at the Ridgewood Reservoir

[Rob Jett]

For decades many Queens and Brooklyn birders have known that the Ridgewood 
Reservoir's 50 acres is an incredible birding hotspot. Unfortunately, it's 
wetlands and emerging forests are now in danger of being destroyed because of 
an incorrect classification as a "Class C, High Hazard Dam" by the NYS 
Department of Environmental Conservation. I've been working with a dedicated 
group of individuals at the Highland Park/Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance for 
nearly 8 years in an attempt to protect this amazing place from development. 
While birders have been fighting to close a breach on the West Pond at Jamaica 
Bay Wildlife Refuge, the HPRRA is now in a struggle to prevent multiple 
breaches and a roadway from being constructed at the Ridgewood Reservoir (and 
at a huge expense to taxpayers). 

Please take 30 seconds to sign our petition to the NYSDEC here:

http://tinyurl.com/nwlcv2h


If you've never birded at the Ridgewood Reservoir, I'll be leading a trip for 
the Newtown Historical Society on August 17th. Otherwise, here is a link to a 
Google map:

http://tinyurl.com/cjl53nq

Good birding,

Rob

PS - Here's a link to the eBird species list for Ridgewood Reservoir: 
http://tinyurl.com/l2wel79

http://citybirder.blogspot.com
@thecitybirder


--

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Please submit your observations to eBird:
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--

[nysbirds-l] Jones Beach Coast Guard* Clapper Rails

[Robert Taylor]

Was there from 600 to 645 at low tide- saw a Clapper Rail with at least 3
chicks- on east side of sandbar/ spit around the reeds.  Also saw 3 Black
Scoters.

Good birding,
Rob in Massapequa
longislandbirding.blogspot.com

--

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ARCHIVES:
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Please submit your observations to eBird:
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--

[nysbirds-l] Jones Beach Coast Guard* Clapper Rails

[Robert Taylor]

Was there from 600 to 645 at low tide- saw a Clapper Rail with at least 3
chicks- on east side of sandbar/ spit around the reeds.  Also saw 3 Black
Scoters.

Good birding,
Rob in Massapequa
longislandbirding.blogspot.com

--

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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/

--

[nysbirds-l] Birding at the Ridgewood Reservoir

[Rob Jett]

For decades many Queens and Brooklyn birders have known that the Ridgewood 
Reservoir's 50 acres is an incredible birding hotspot. Unfortunately, it's 
wetlands and emerging forests are now in danger of being destroyed because of 
an incorrect classification as a Class C, High Hazard Dam by the NYS 
Department of Environmental Conservation. I've been working with a dedicated 
group of individuals at the Highland Park/Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance for 
nearly 8 years in an attempt to protect this amazing place from development. 
While birders have been fighting to close a breach on the West Pond at Jamaica 
Bay Wildlife Refuge, the HPRRA is now in a struggle to prevent multiple 
breaches and a roadway from being constructed at the Ridgewood Reservoir (and 
at a huge expense to taxpayers). 

Please take 30 seconds to sign our petition to the NYSDEC here:

http://tinyurl.com/nwlcv2h


If you've never birded at the Ridgewood Reservoir, I'll be leading a trip for 
the Newtown Historical Society on August 17th. Otherwise, here is a link to a 
Google map:

http://tinyurl.com/cjl53nq

Good birding,

Rob

PS - Here's a link to the eBird species list for Ridgewood Reservoir: 
http://tinyurl.com/l2wel79

http://citybirder.blogspot.com
@thecitybirder


--

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/

--

[nysbirds-l] The Scope of the NYSBirds List

[Shaibal Mitra]

Having participated in this statewide list since the beginning, Kevin, Isaac, 
and I have seen it change a lot as the birding information environment has 
changed. I think that recognizing the optimal threshold for inclusion/exclusion 
of posts is more difficult and takes more skill than most people recognize. It 
is therefore inevitable that people will disagree on the suitability of posts 
from time to time. Nevertheless, I believe that Kevin's and Isaac's criticisms 
are valid enough to warrant discussion--and a post to the list!

As Kevin senses and Isaac agrees, there has emerged a tendency downstate for 
over-reporting very common-place things (but I'm not convinced that Avocets 
really fall on that side of the threshold). This is probably mostly a function 
of inexperience and is usually amenable to improvement over time, sometimes, 
perhaps, with gentle prompts from more senior people, sent privately.

At least as striking, however, is Isaac's point about inappropriate 
non-reporting from upstate. I guess the best we can do in that department is to 
praise Joan and Jay and Andy and others when they do make the effort to get the 
info out to the rest of the state, but some very remarkable records have failed 
to reach the statewide list in recent years.

The Avocet business that pushed Kevin's buttons falls in an intermediate 
position. This species is usually rare enough statewide that I personally 
believe it deserves to be reported to the list, but I'll acknowledge that 
during a good flight, detailed accounting of the comings and goings of multiple 
individuals in a single region can get tedious.

In my opinion, the first two extremes (over-reporting of really mundane stuff 
downstate and under-reporting of genuinely newsworthy birds upstate) are not 
only more serious than the Avocet sort of problem, but that they are also much 
more easily defined and remedied. In other words, we could do a lot worse than 
to take Avocet's statewide status as the approximate threshold for reporting 
birds to the list: it's easy to suggest to beginning birders downstate that a 
bird might not need to be reported to the list unless it approaches the rarity 
of Avocet; and it's similarly simple and logical to chide the central NY 
birding mafia for failing to report things that are much, much rarer than 
Avocet.

Shai Mitra
Bay Shore


CSI Represents NY in Nationwide State Rankings. Learn 
morehttp://csitoday.com/2014/04/csi-represents-ny-in-nationwide-state-rankings/

--

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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/

--

RE:[nysbirds-l] Birding at the Ridgewood Reservoir

[Rob Jett]

Here is a corrected link to the Google map of Ridgewood Reservoir. Sorry about 
that:

http://goo.gl/maps/VuhH8

Rob


 For decades many Queens and Brooklyn birders have known that the Ridgewood 
 Reservoir's 50 acres is an incredible birding hotspot. Unfortunately, it's 
 wetlands and emerging forests are now in danger of being destroyed because of 
 an incorrect classification as a Class C, High Hazard Dam by the NYS 
 Department of Environmental Conservation. I've been working with a dedicated 
 group of individuals at the Highland Park/Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance for 
 nearly 8 years in an attempt to protect this amazing place from development. 
 While birders have been fighting to close a breach on the West Pond at 
 Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, the HPRRA is now in a struggle to prevent 
 multiple breaches and a roadway from being constructed at the Ridgewood 
 Reservoir (and at a huge expense to taxpayers). 
 
 Please take 30 seconds to sign our petition to the NYSDEC here:
 
 http://tinyurl.com/nwlcv2h
 
 
 If you've never birded at the Ridgewood Reservoir, I'll be leading a trip for 
 the Newtown Historical Society on August 17th. Otherwise, here is a link to a 
 Google map:
 
 http://tinyurl.com/cjl53nq
 
 Good birding,
 
 Rob
 
 PS - Here's a link to the eBird species list for Ridgewood Reservoir: 
 http://tinyurl.com/l2wel79
 
 http://citybirder.blogspot.com
 @thecitybirder
 

--

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/

--

Re:[nysbirds-l] The Scope of the NYSBirds List

[J GLUTH]

I don't know how difficult the logistics if implementing this would be, 
and more streamlined tech solutions are probably available (e.g. RSS 
feed), but a possible solution might be a digest email of all the 
various state lists rolled into one, available as an additional service 
for subscribers to any of those lists. I currently subscribe to the 
state-wide list and receive a single digest email (shortly after 12am 
every night). For someone like myself, who can't go off at the drop of a 
hat to chase rarities, this delivery option (as opposed to piecemeal 
emails) makes it easier to quickly scan for what's interesting, ignore 
what's not, and then delete. A multi-list digest would also be easier 
than what I currently have to resort to for news from elsewhere in the 
state—monitoring the other 6 state lists on the ABA's online archives.

--

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[nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay- East Pond

[JGIUNTA746]

Date: Aug. 1,2014
Location: Jamaica Bay-East Pond
 
The water conditions have improved since my last visit earlier in the week. 
 On the south end of the East Pond I only had to walk through 50 feet of 2 
inch  water to reach the Raunt area. On the north end of the East Pond I 
walked  through 20 feet of 2 inch water before reaching a path that leads to 
an dry area  opposite the Island. Going further is still a challenge.
 
The birds were very good. My visit was between 10 am and 1pm, just before  
high tide. I saw the following:
 
American Avocet-1 ( good color)
Am. Oystercatcher- 2
Black-bellied Plover- 12
Semipalmated Plover- 30 
Short-billed Dowitcher- 100
Greater Yellowlegs-2
Lesser Yellowlegs-1
Spotted Sandpiper- 4
Semiplamated Sandpiper- 900
Least Sandpiper- 10
Stilt Sandpiper- 3
 
Also present were:Gull-billed Tern, Marsh Wren. Little Blue Heron,  
Peregrine Falcon (satisfied and left after it picked off some shorebird)
 
Good Birding,
Joe Giunta
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Re: [nysbirds-l] Cupsogue Suffolk County Park

[Mike]

Improved numbers of shorebirds this morning at Cupsogue County Park in 
Westhampton Suffolk Co included about 200 Short- billed Dowitchers and about 
200 total of 11 other species- no notable rarities among them. Best were a 
single breeding plumaged Red Knot and 2 Western Willets.  

A sea watch produced no pelagic birds, but a large pod of about 50 dolphins 
slowly made their way from west to east. Several individuals breached entirely 
out if the water- something I haven't seen from land here before. A single 
Leaser Black- backed Gull was loafing in the beach.   

At Shinnecock, a large fin cruising along offshore was probably connected to a 
Basking Shark. 


Mike Cooper
Ridge, LI, NY


Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 1, 2014, at 4:01 PM, jgiunta...@aol.com wrote:

 Date: Aug. 1,2014
 Location: Jamaica Bay-East Pond
  
 The water conditions have improved since my last visit earlier in the week. 
 On the south end of the East Pond I only had to walk through 50 feet of 2 
 inch water to reach the Raunt area. On the north end of the East Pond I 
 walked through 20 feet of 2 inch water before reaching a path that leads to 
 an dry area opposite the Island. Going further is still a challenge.
  
 The birds were very good. My visit was between 10 am and 1pm, just before 
 high tide. I saw the following:
  
 American Avocet-1 ( good color)
 Am. Oystercatcher- 2
 Black-bellied Plover- 12
 Semipalmated Plover- 30 
 Short-billed Dowitcher- 100
 Greater Yellowlegs-2
 Lesser Yellowlegs-1
 Spotted Sandpiper- 4
 Semiplamated Sandpiper- 900
 Least Sandpiper- 10
 Stilt Sandpiper- 3
  
 Also present were:Gull-billed Tern, Marsh Wren. Little Blue Heron, Peregrine 
 Falcon (satisfied and left after it picked off some shorebird)
  
 Good Birding,
 Joe Giunta
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[nysbirds-l] NYC Area RBA: 1 August 2014

[Ben Cacace]

- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Aug. 1, 2014
* NYNY1408.01

- Birds mentioned

RED-NECKED GREBE
BROWN PELICAN
LEAST BITTERN
Merlin
AMERICAN AVOCET
UPLAND SANDPIPER
WHIMBREL
HUDSONIAN GODWIT
WESTERN SANDPIPER
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
Pectoral Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
WILSON'S PHALAROPE
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Black Tern
Royal Tern
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Blue-winged Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush

- Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report
electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at
http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm

You can also send reports and digital image files via email to
nysarc44(at)nybirds{dot}org.

If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or
sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:

Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883

Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070

To report sightings call:
Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays, during the day)
Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 (Long Island)

Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County

Transcriber: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, August 1st 2014
at 6pm. The highlights of today's tape are BROWN PELICAN, AMERICAN AVOCET,
HUDSONIAN GODWIT, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, BAIRD'S, WESTERN, UPLAND SANDPIPERS,
WHIMBREL, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, LEAST BITTERN and RED-NECKED GREBE.

A decent variety of shorebirds highlighted this week's regional activity
with AMERICAN AVOCET appearing in three separate locations. On Monday two
were found at the north end of the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
this total increasing to three on Tuesday but dropping down to one
Wednesday through today. Another AVOCET was found Monday in an impoundment
off the beach at Smith Point County Park about 3.5 miles east of the main
parking area and was still present there today and a fifth AVOCET was seen
at low tide Wednesday morning in the creek at Sunken Meadow State Park but
not seen since.

Other highlights on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge during the
week featured a WILSON'S PHALAROPE Tuesday plus one or two LONG-BILLED
DOWITCHERS and WESTERN and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, a few STILT SANDPIPERS and
some other more expected shorebirds. A GULL-BILLED TERN has also been seen
on the East Pond unusually at the south end.

Out at Jones Beach West End an adult BAIRD'S SANDPIPER found last Saturday
in one of the pools between the Roosevelt Nature Center and the West End 2
parking lot was still present there at least to Wednesday often seen in the
grassy areas in the pool in front of the bird blind. Also at West End 14
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were counted in the West End 2 parking lot last
Sunday and 3 WHIMBREL flew over that location on Monday.

Noted late last week a BROWN PELICAN was spotted off the Lemon Creek Pier
on Staten Island last Friday.

Also out on the flats at Cupsogue County Park in Westhampton Dunes last
Friday birders were treated to brief visits from an HUDSONIAN GODWIT and
then a WHIMBREL, a PECTORAL SANDPIPER and 2 ROYAL TERNS were also there. On
the large mudflat found by boaters in Moriches Bay Wednesday was covered
with many shorebirds so they are out there.

Three UPLAND SANDPIPERS were heard and then seen moving over Rocky Point on
Wednesday morning.

At the Mecox flats there was a WHIMBREL Monday and two BLACK TERNS
Wednesday and a RED-NECKED GREBE has been residing there in the bay for
awhile now and was still present yesterday.

WHIMBREL have again this year been visiting Cedar Point Park in Southold on
Long Island's north fork. Also on the north fork a LEAST BITTERN was still
being seen as of last Saturday from the observation tower at Arshamomaque
Preserve off Chapel Lane just west of Greenport.

Landbird migration recently has featured a MERLIN or two, YELLOW-BILLED
CUCKOO and various generally regionally breeding warblers including
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER and
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSHES with others also present
or expected.

To phone in reports on Long Island, call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 or
weekdays call Tom Burke at (212) 372-1483.

This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the
National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.

- End transcript

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