Birded the East End pretty hard all weekend with a couple of visiting birders from Madeira, Portugal. Nothing super noteworthy but slight signs of the change of season.
Lots of Snow Buntings moving - had 80+ at Napeague, 60+ at Cupsogue, and one at Teddy Roosevelt CP in Montauk. Also a few American Pipits and lots of Horned Larks coming through. Worked hard on Sparrows, got Seaside and Saltmarsh plus a Red Fox Sparrow at Cupsogue. American Tree is is and there are lots of Fields still around. A few White-crowned scattered around. Biggest surprise was a group of 3 Nelson's Sparrows on Dune Road. I've had them here in late Fall before but always surprised to see them anywhere Out East. Montauk was quiet all weekend, just a few Kittiwakes to liven things up but sea duck numbers are slowly building up. Good seals though (Gray and Harbor) and a few Inshore Bottlenosed Dolphins slaughtering herring under a bombardment of Northern Gannets (very Blue Planet). Pretty much all the expected waterfowl are back. Did not really go goosing near Riverhead but had Greater White-fronted Goose in Bridgehampton and 4 Tundra Swans in East Hampton. Seatuck Creek probably has the best selection, including Canvasbacks and Redheads (my only remaining reliable spot for Canvasbacks these days). Also a Eurasian Wigeon there and a couple of Bald Eagles. Did a lot of owling but nothing except a lot of Eastern Screech and Great Horned. Lots of half-hardys still around but only Myrtle and Pine on the warbler front. 108 species overall. But Winter is Coming so things should look up soon. -- 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/ --
