With my usual Monday afternoon activity from 3 to 6:30 cancelled, I wasted no time in heading down to Dune Rd, between the Post La. Bridge, Quogue and Shinnicock Inlet, Hampton Bays. Although I had just seen my FOS Sharp-shinned Hawk flying very low (hunting) in downtown Riverhead, the only hawk I saw along the barrier beach and bay was a single Osprey.
The most notable bird seen was a juvenile Clapper Rail, which alternatively fed, and very weakly tried to fly in ~ 6' spurts, without ever leaving the ground ! The most curious bird (?) seen was the "Snowy Mop/ Owl", standing upright, found on an inactive bird-blind in the bay. My first impression was Snowy Owl, quickly followed by Snowy Owl decoy, and finally, the "gotcha" white mop. The "jizz", at first, cried out owl, but realization of date, aided by a blowing wind, "blew that out of the water" ! The head and face profiles were good, the body size was good, but when the wind caused the wing and body feathers to elongate into many rope strands (~ 12" long) the bubble burst ! After having a good laugh, I asked myself the following question: Did you ever once think of waterfowl hunters as house-cleaners ? Be honest now ! Cheers, Bob -- 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/ --
