In light of the buzz going around about the Dovekie out at Timber Point I though I would share information with the group. This was sent to me and folks in our LE office from one of our ENCON officers that had a run in with an injured Dovekie. ...."a bunch of calls have come in from all over the island about Dovekies. They are small, black and white birds related to the Puffin, and have a stubby black bill and black webbed feet. I got called to one in Bayshore, but they are popping up everywhere including Miller Place, Sayville, Medford, Patchogue, and the Hamptons. They are small enough to sit in the palm of your hand and people describe them as looking like a tiny penguin. They are usually way offshore; there is a large population in Greenland and once in a while they end up in New England. It is rare for them to be this far south, especially this late in the year. One theory out there is that they were blown off course following the storm and heavy winds a few days ago. Supposedly the last time they popped up on Long Island in these numbers was in the 1950s. If you find one, that is injured please call the Selden Animal Hospital on the southeast corner of Rt 25 and North Ocean Ave (631-698-2225). A rehabilitator is taking them from there. Avoid handling them, but if you must please use rubber gloves if possible as their feathers are very sensitive to human oils and at least one has died already".... Thank you all and good birding ! Chip Hamilton Bird Conservation Biologist NYS DEC Region 1 50 Circle Road SUNY Stony Brook Stony Brook, NY 11790 631) 444-0308
-- 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/ --
