Apologies for accidentally sending an incomplete message. I started today with an hour's sea-watch at Montauk Point and worked westward. Strong wind and choppy waters made viewing conditions difficult in many places.
RAZORBILLS continue to be fairly abundant at Montauk Point. Between 7:00 and 7:30, I focussed on counting Razorbills, and counted 83, all flying to the right, and almost all well beyond the (rather distant) scoter flock. I saw a few other flocks of 7-8 while scanniing elsewhere after that time. I saw only 1 NORTHERN GANNET and no Kittiwakes. At Camp Hero, 12 PURPLE SANDPIPERS occupied one small rock, fluttering above breaking waves. At Culloden Point, the large number (>100) of COMMON EIDER was notable; likewise later at Shinnecock Inlet, where a flock of at least 300 was in the bay. Several people have remarked that this species has been largely restricted to ocean sites in past years, but has spread abundantly into bays this winter. GRAY CATBIRDS were seen at two sites near Montauk Point. A pair of WILD TURKEYS were near Montauk Highway in snowy woods, about a mile west of the Point. At Ditch Plains (where tide was too high to walk the beach for a good view of rocks and possible Eiders), a sign of spring: a GREAT CORMORANT with nuptial flank patches. The "resident" LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was on the rocks in the southwest sector of Fort Pond Bay.. Along Dune Road immediately east of Mecox Bay, an immature WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW and three SWAMP SPARROWS. (I note these and other species that are often viewed as "half-hardy," since their survival through winter may be of interest.) My final stop was in Eastport, where a male REDHEAD and about 48 CANVASBACK were on the pond, while directly across the highway, an actively feeding WILSON'S SNIPE provided a close study. Doug Futuyma Stony Brook, 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/ --
