I led a winter birding excursion for NYC Audubon to Jones Beach yesterday. I think the Snowy Owl has been widely-reported enough that I can mention him without crossing any ethical bounds... and what a treat! It was actually my first Snowy Owl... I've been chasing this bird all over the Northeast for 25-odd years, and they've somehow always eluded me, until now. I have now seen every owl species in North America, a good feeling! He was sort of the ultimate Snowy Owl too: all white, and just massive (although I assume females are larger still). We had a flock of about 14 Snow Buntings fly right over the owl, quite an arctic tableau! Additional sightings of interest included a Marsh Wren hopping along the edge of the phragmites by a path; about 30-40 Horned Larks near the Coastguard Station; a couple Northern Gannets flying over the waves, several Red-throated and Common Loons, and great views of a young Peregrine Falcon and a couple of Northern Harriers hunting over the marshes and dunes. Not a bad day! One thing we missed was Purple Sandpiper; I haven't seen any at their usual hangout in Redhook either this winter. Stay warm, Gabriel WillowNYC Audubon --
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/ --
