It was an interesting day at Jones Beach West End, to say the least. Among the birds seen were Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cave Swallow, Common Redpoll, Little Gull, the continuing Northern Shrike, and Lapland Longspur.
While driving out of the western exit from the West End 2 parking lot at about 9:30, I found the Ash-throated Flycatcher at the edge of the median strip. After a few minutes, the bird flew into the interior of the median. At this point, I moved my car back to the lot and made some phone calls. The group that assembled to make the first effort at relocating the flycatcher was stunned when a Cave Swallow landed on the roadway a feet away. The swallow stayed for at least a couple of hours, periodically making flights and returning to the pavement. It provided us with anxiety for a while. I took it upon myself to babysit for it and guard it from traffic. Later on, it tended to land on grassy areas. Hopefully, it stayed out of harm's way later on. While searching for the flycatcher, Tom Burke followed a calling flyover and put a scope on it when it landed in a distant cottonwood - Common Redpoll. He later relocated it on the ground. While observing that, several people were treated to a group of 3 flyby Cave Swallows (not including the first one). Tom and I later heard and observed a flyover Lapland Longspur. The Bonaparte's Gull flock now numbers in the hundreds. Many are visible, at various distances, from Short Beach. Some are coming close in by the boat basin. Seth Ausebel and Stella Miller were lucky enough to time it right to see an adult Little Gull (so a different bird than seen by Ken and Sue Feustel a few days ago). By the way, the Ash-throated Flycatcher was not relocated -- I'd say kind of unusual for a species that's often cooperative. But it still could be in the area. Perhaps a warm spell -- could be a brief one tomorrow -- that brings out insects will bring it out. Pictures of the flycatcher and swallow can be seen at http://www.hmana.org/steve/jb1125.htm Steve Walter Bayside, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
