I spent 2.5 hours birding Mecox Inlet (Suffolk County) this gray, drizzly morning, and, as Hugh said earlier this week, shorebird numbers have increased. I also saw more terns, both in species and numbers than I have all summer: Common, Forster's, Least, and one BLACK TERN.
The 11 shorebird species viewed included about 150 Sanderlings, 20 Black Skimmers, including one with a silver band (numbers not legible in photographs unfortunately), and at least 8 immature Piping Plovers (pretty good considering I only saw 2 pairs of adults earlier in the summer; I was told by the shorebird monitors that there was an additional breeding pair further down the beach). I did not see the Red-Necked Grebe, which does not mean it was not there. One good thing about gray, drizzly mornings--less people taking their boats across the bay and parking on the flats. One not so good thing--more people walking their dogs off leash, despite the 'no dogs after 9am' sign. Donna *---------------------------------------* *Donna L. SchulmanForest Hills, NY queensgir...@gmail.com <queensgir...@gmail.com>* * <http://www.flickr.com/photos/queensgirl>* On Wed, Jul 30, 2014 at 12:44 PM, Hugh McGuinness <hdmcguinn...@gmail.com> wrote: > The cut at Mecox Bay (Suffolk Co.) was opened recently, and even though it > has closed again, there is an extensive flat. Shorebird and tern numbers > are building. On Monday I saw a WHIMBREL. Today there were two BLACK TERNS. > The best find of the day today was a RED-NECKED GREBE sleeping in the > middle of the bay a little east of north from the mud flat. > > For those wishing to visit, hassles will be minimized by leaving before > 8:30 am and arriving after 6 pm. > > BTW, dolphins have been close to shore at this spot all week. > > Hugh > > > -- > Hugh McGuinness > Washington, D.C. > -- > *NYSbirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html> > *Please submit your observations to **eBird* > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>*!* > -- > -- 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/ --
