[nysbirds-l] NYC Area RBA: 15 August 2014

2014-08-15 Thread Gail Benson 
-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Aug. 15, 2014
* NYNY1408.15

- Birds Mentioned

FEA’S PETREL+
WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL+
BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL+
BRIDLED TERN+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Cory’s Shearwater
Great Shearwater
AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
LEACH’S STORM-PETREL
BROWN PELICAN
AMERICAN AVOCET
Western Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
LITTLE GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Canada Warbler
LARK SPARROW



If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report
electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at
http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm

You can also send reports and digital image files via email to
nysarc44nybirdsorg

If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or
sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:

Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883

Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070

Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County

Transcriber:  Gail Benson

[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, August 15 at
6:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are pelagic trip results including FEA’S
PETREL, WHITE-FACED, BAND-RUMPED and LEACH’S STORM-PETRELS, AUDUBON’S
SHEARWATER and BRIDLED TERN, plus BROWN PELICAN, LITTLE GULL, AMERICAN
AVOCET, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and LARK SPARROW.

The long-anticipated overnight pelagic trip aboard the Captain Lou Fleet’s
Starstream VIII from Freeport, sponsored by See Life Paulagics, arrived at
the mouth of Hudson Canyon, about 110 miles out in the Atlantic, well
before dawn Tuesday morning, and a spectacular day began.  An impressive
chum slick attracted hundreds of Storm-Petrels as well as a short but very
satisfying visit from a FEA’S PETREL, nicely photographed as it cruised by
the boat.  A WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL also appeared a short while later,
while the intervening time was spent studying and enjoying great looks at
numbers of BAND-RUMPED and LEACH’S STORM-PETRELS as they circulated among
the many WILSON’S.   A few AUDUBON’S SHEARWATERS plus a BRIDLED TERN on the
way back in were among the other highlights.  The official pelagic totals
included the 1 exceptional FEA’S PETREL, 6 CORY’S, 5 GREAT, and 6 AUDUBON’S
SHEARWATERS, over 1,000 WILSON’S, 43 LEACH’S, 56 BAND-RUMPED, and 1
WHITE-FACED STORM-PETRELS, and 1 BRIDLED TERN.  Common and Bottlenose
Dolphins, a breaching Minke Whale, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, and Hammerhead
Shark were some other highlights.  A great trip!

Another pelagic Saturday out over 150 miles southeast of Shinnecock
recorded 1 LEACH’S and 23 BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETRELS, 2 CORY’S, 1 GREAT, and
4 AUDUBON’S SHEARWATERS.

Last Saturday morning a BROWN PELICAN spotted flying east off Jones Beach
West End was, after a cell phone alert, seen again ½ hour later off Robert
Moses State Park Field 2, still continuing east.  Perhaps it was also this
one flying west past Tobay about 2 hours later.

Also at Jones Beach West End, a sub-adult LITTLE GULL found sitting on the
close bar off the Coast Guard Station Sunday morning was seen in that same
area Monday.

Then on Wednesday, a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE visited a dune pool west of the
West End 2 parking lot.

Good numbers of LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS also continue at West End,
occurring in the West End 2 parking lot, at the pools between West End 2
and the Roosevelt Nature Center, or along the outer beach.  In addition, 29
LESSER BLACK-BACKEDS were counted at Smith Point County Park Thursday
evening.

A couple of ROYAL TERNS and a variety of shorebirds have also been at West
End, and 2 ROYALS have also spent some time at Plum Beach in Brooklyn.

The LARK SPARROW found Thursday the 7th at Robert Moses State Park was
still being seen along the north edge of parking field 2 at least to
Saturday, and another was spotted at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn on
Tuesday.

Other shorebird highlights featured an AMERICAN AVOCET present briefly at
Cupsogue County Park in Westhampton Dunes last Saturday morning and the
season’s 1st BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER appearing at Heckscher State Park on
Wednesday and still present there today in the median strip east of the
parking fields.

Highlights on the east pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge last weekend
included WESTERN, WHITE-RUMPED, PECTORAL, and STILT SANDPIPERS.  Stilt
numbers reached 39 on Wednesday, and a CASPIAN TERN was seen on the pond
Wednesday and today.  And note that the rains have again raised the east
pond water level, so

[nysbirds-l] Prospect Park Warblers Today

2014-08-15 Thread Rob Jett 
It was kind of a crazy afternoon for warblers in Prospect Park with the 
highlights being GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER and CERULEAN WARBLER.

Will Pollard had been sending out tweets from the park since before 9am with 
various updates of warbler activity. I didn't run in until around 11:30 when he 
reported a Golden-winged Warbler. He had been following a mixed flock that was 
feeding along the lower edge of the wooded Quaker Ridge next to Center Drive. 
The birds were moving south towards the Quaker Cemetery. We managed to relocate 
the Golden-winged Warbler about 5 minutes after I arrived. Surprisingly, it was 
within a flock that contained Northern Waterthrush, 2 Blue-winged Warblers, a 
few Black-and-white Warblers, several American Redstarts, a Northern Parula 
(which sang a few times) and a Chestnut-sided Warbler. The golden-winged 
vanished shortly thereafter, but we continued scanning the saplings along the 
edge of the bridle path. A few minutes later a female Cerulean Warbler flew, 
let us watch for about 15 seconds, then continued towards the Quaker Cemetery. 
Sean Sime managed to refind it a couple of hours later in a tree near the 
cemetery entrance.

At last count, the warbler list for Prospect Park today was 16 species:

Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
Black-and-white Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
CERULEAN WARBLER
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Canada Warbler

Of those I personally only saw 10 species and that's not a complaint as I don't 
think I've ever seen that many before in Brooklyn in mid-August. Now back to 
the shorebirds…

Good birding,

Rob

http://citybirder.blogspot.com
@thecitybirder


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[nysbirds-l] Prospect Park Cerulean Warbler, Kings County

2014-08-15 Thread Sean Sime 
This city park seemed to echo the heavy migration theme today. In a two
hour (unsuccessful) stakeout of a Golden-winged Warbler seen an hour
earlier I managed to see 10 species of warbler from essentially a single
spot at the gate of Quaker Cemetery.

Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Nashville Warbler
American Redstart
Cerulean Warbler
Northern Parula
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler

Others reported an additional 4 or 5 species. Although the activity was
patchy, there were certainly birds around.

Cheers,

Sean Sime
Brooklyn, NY

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Re: [nysbirds-l] Long Island: Lesser Black-backed Gulls staging along the Atlantic beach front

2014-08-15 Thread Peter Post 

I carefully checked the gull flocks at Nickerson Beach yesterday morning (from 
8:00 on) but could't find any Lesser-black Backs. But Ardith Bondi and I had 
two second summer birds at Jones Beach (parking field 6) in the early evening.
 
Peter Post
NYC

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 15, 2014, at 2:39 PM, Angus Wilson  wrote:
> 
> In addition to the first southbound passerine migrants, observers birding 
> along the south shore of Long Island over the next few days should been on 
> the lookout for Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 
> 
> Several checklists have been entered into eBird with counts in the high teens 
> and upwards. Derek Rogers tallied 29 on the outer beach at Smith Point CP 
> last night and Mike Anderson logged 37 on the seaward side of Jones Beach 
> (West End) SP that same day (14 Aug 2014). 
> 
> Almost certainly there are many more scattered across the 120 or so miles of 
> ocean beach and perhaps at other staging sites such as the northshore. Has 
> anyone looked at the Lido Beach/Nickerson Beach gull flocks in the past 
> couple of days?
> 
> Most of the birds seem to be subadults (1st summer, 2nd summer and upwards). 
> It's probably a tad early for the first juveniles to appear and similarly the 
> breeding adults may still be on or near the nesting grounds (Greenland?) but 
> will start coming through soon.
> 
> Submitting numbers to eBird is a terrific way to pool our individual 
> observations and ultimately decode these mysterious arrivals. It is worth 
> checking the birds for bands as we still do not really understand where these 
> gulls are coming from and going to. Of course be careful to identify subadult 
> gulls carefully. Many of the local 1st summer American Herring Gulls look 
> similar to Lessers at the moment.
> 
> Cheers, Angus Wilson
> New York City
> --
> NYSbirds-L List Info:
> Welcome and Basics
> Rules and Information
> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave
> Archives:
> The Mail Archive
> Surfbirds
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> Please submit your observations to eBird!
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[nysbirds-l] Long Island: Lesser Black-backed Gulls staging along the Atlantic beach front

2014-08-15 Thread Angus Wilson 
In addition to the first southbound passerine migrants, observers birding
along the south shore of Long Island over the next few days should been on
the lookout for Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Several checklists have been entered into eBird with counts in the high
teens and upwards. Derek Rogers tallied 29 on the outer beach at Smith
Point CP last night and Mike Anderson logged 37 on the seaward side of
Jones Beach (West End) SP that same day (14 Aug 2014).

Almost certainly there are many more scattered across the 120 or so miles
of ocean beach and perhaps at other staging sites such as the northshore.
Has anyone looked at the Lido Beach/Nickerson Beach gull flocks in the past
couple of days?

Most of the birds seem to be subadults (1st summer, 2nd summer and
upwards). It's probably a tad early for the first juveniles to appear and
similarly the breeding adults may still be on or near the nesting grounds
(Greenland?) but will start coming through soon.

Submitting numbers to eBird is a terrific way to pool our individual
observations and ultimately decode these mysterious arrivals. It is worth
checking the birds for bands as we still do not really understand where
these gulls are coming from and going to. Of course be careful to identify
subadult gulls carefully. Many of the local 1st summer American Herring
Gulls look similar to Lessers at the moment.

Cheers, Angus Wilson
New York City

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[nysbirds-l] Barrier Beach Migration and Morning Flight

2014-08-15 Thread Shaibal Mitra 
The cold front that passed through on Wednesday produced some interesting 
migratory movements on Long Island's barrier beaches on Thursday and Friday 
mornings. Doug Gochfeld and I spent some time both mornings, from Fort Tilden, 
Queens and Fire Island, Suffolk, yielding some interesting comparisons.

Typical migrants of the season that were conspicuous at both sites included 
Eastern Kingbird, various swallows, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Cedar Waxwing, 
Northern Waterthrush, Yellow Warbler, American Redstart, Black-and-white 
Warbler, Red-winged Blackbird, and Bobolink.

Most notable in my opinion was the definite presence of several species 
normally scarce at this season on the barrier beach, which, collectively, often 
foretell broader irruptions of northern forest-breeding species: Downy 
Woodpecker (both sites), Myrtle Warbler (FT), and Purple Finch (RMSP). (I even 
think I saw a Brown Creeper flying along the inlet shore yesterday, but I 
didn't nail it well enough to be sure.)

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19475370
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19475267
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19474923
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19474995

Shai Mitra
Bay Shore


CSI Represents NY in Nationwide State Rankings. Learn 
more>>>

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[nysbirds-l] Buff breasted sandpiper -no

2014-08-15 Thread Pat Palladino 
Check that, Buff breasted is a no, a single pectoral is a yes. Sorry for the 
confusion. 

Patrick F. Palladino


> On Aug 14, 2014, at 3:22 PM, "Arie Gilbert"  wrote:
> 
> Hechsher stpk.
> 
> Being seen w Bob Anderson & Gary Straus
> 
> Here is my current  location:  
> 40.700282,-73.163261
> 
> 08/14/2014 @ 3:19 PM
> 
> Arie Gilbert 
> No. Babylon NY 
> 
> 
> Sent from "Loretta IV" in the field
> --
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[nysbirds-l] Buff breasted Sandpiper - Hecksher SP -yes

2014-08-15 Thread Pat Palladino 
Currently being viewed in the same location. 

Patrick F. Palladino


> On Aug 14, 2014, at 3:22 PM, "Arie Gilbert"  wrote:
> 
> Hechsher stpk.
> 
> Being seen w Bob Anderson & Gary Straus
> 
> Here is my current  location:  
> 40.700282,-73.163261
> 
> 08/14/2014 @ 3:19 PM
> 
> Arie Gilbert 
> No. Babylon NY 
> 
> 
> Sent from "Loretta IV" in the field
> --
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> Welcome and Basics
> Rules and Information
> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave
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> The Mail Archive
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> Please submit your observations to eBird!
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[nysbirds-l] Buff breasted sandpiper -no

2014-08-15 Thread Pat Palladino 
Check that, Buff breasted is a no, a single pectoral is a yes. Sorry for the 
confusion. 

Patrick F. Palladino


 On Aug 14, 2014, at 3:22 PM, Arie Gilbert ariegilb...@optonline.net wrote:
 
 Hechsher stpk.
 
 Being seen w Bob Anderson  Gary Straus
 
 Here is my current  location:  
 40.700282,-73.163261
 
 08/14/2014 @ 3:19 PM
 
 Arie Gilbert 
 No. Babylon NY 
 
 
 Sent from Loretta IV in the field
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Please submit your observations to eBird:
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[nysbirds-l] Barrier Beach Migration and Morning Flight

2014-08-15 Thread Shaibal Mitra 
The cold front that passed through on Wednesday produced some interesting 
migratory movements on Long Island's barrier beaches on Thursday and Friday 
mornings. Doug Gochfeld and I spent some time both mornings, from Fort Tilden, 
Queens and Fire Island, Suffolk, yielding some interesting comparisons.

Typical migrants of the season that were conspicuous at both sites included 
Eastern Kingbird, various swallows, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Cedar Waxwing, 
Northern Waterthrush, Yellow Warbler, American Redstart, Black-and-white 
Warbler, Red-winged Blackbird, and Bobolink.

Most notable in my opinion was the definite presence of several species 
normally scarce at this season on the barrier beach, which, collectively, often 
foretell broader irruptions of northern forest-breeding species: Downy 
Woodpecker (both sites), Myrtle Warbler (FT), and Purple Finch (RMSP). (I even 
think I saw a Brown Creeper flying along the inlet shore yesterday, but I 
didn't nail it well enough to be sure.)

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19475370
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19475267
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19474923
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19474995

Shai Mitra
Bay Shore


CSI Represents NY in Nationwide State Rankings. Learn 
morehttp://csitoday.com/2014/04/csi-represents-ny-in-nationwide-state-rankings/

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Please submit your observations to eBird:
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[nysbirds-l] Long Island: Lesser Black-backed Gulls staging along the Atlantic beach front

2014-08-15 Thread Angus Wilson 
In addition to the first southbound passerine migrants, observers birding
along the south shore of Long Island over the next few days should been on
the lookout for Lesser Black-backed Gulls.

Several checklists have been entered into eBird with counts in the high
teens and upwards. Derek Rogers tallied 29 on the outer beach at Smith
Point CP last night and Mike Anderson logged 37 on the seaward side of
Jones Beach (West End) SP that same day (14 Aug 2014).

Almost certainly there are many more scattered across the 120 or so miles
of ocean beach and perhaps at other staging sites such as the northshore.
Has anyone looked at the Lido Beach/Nickerson Beach gull flocks in the past
couple of days?

Most of the birds seem to be subadults (1st summer, 2nd summer and
upwards). It's probably a tad early for the first juveniles to appear and
similarly the breeding adults may still be on or near the nesting grounds
(Greenland?) but will start coming through soon.

Submitting numbers to eBird is a terrific way to pool our individual
observations and ultimately decode these mysterious arrivals. It is worth
checking the birds for bands as we still do not really understand where
these gulls are coming from and going to. Of course be careful to identify
subadult gulls carefully. Many of the local 1st summer American Herring
Gulls look similar to Lessers at the moment.

Cheers, Angus Wilson
New York City

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Please submit your observations to eBird:
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--

Re: [nysbirds-l] Long Island: Lesser Black-backed Gulls staging along the Atlantic beach front

2014-08-15 Thread Peter Post 

I carefully checked the gull flocks at Nickerson Beach yesterday morning (from 
8:00 on) but could't find any Lesser-black Backs. But Ardith Bondi and I had 
two second summer birds at Jones Beach (parking field 6) in the early evening.
 
Peter Post
NYC

Sent from my iPhone

 On Aug 15, 2014, at 2:39 PM, Angus Wilson oceanwander...@gmail.com wrote:
 
 In addition to the first southbound passerine migrants, observers birding 
 along the south shore of Long Island over the next few days should been on 
 the lookout for Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 
 
 Several checklists have been entered into eBird with counts in the high teens 
 and upwards. Derek Rogers tallied 29 on the outer beach at Smith Point CP 
 last night and Mike Anderson logged 37 on the seaward side of Jones Beach 
 (West End) SP that same day (14 Aug 2014). 
 
 Almost certainly there are many more scattered across the 120 or so miles of 
 ocean beach and perhaps at other staging sites such as the northshore. Has 
 anyone looked at the Lido Beach/Nickerson Beach gull flocks in the past 
 couple of days?
 
 Most of the birds seem to be subadults (1st summer, 2nd summer and upwards). 
 It's probably a tad early for the first juveniles to appear and similarly the 
 breeding adults may still be on or near the nesting grounds (Greenland?) but 
 will start coming through soon.
 
 Submitting numbers to eBird is a terrific way to pool our individual 
 observations and ultimately decode these mysterious arrivals. It is worth 
 checking the birds for bands as we still do not really understand where these 
 gulls are coming from and going to. Of course be careful to identify subadult 
 gulls carefully. Many of the local 1st summer American Herring Gulls look 
 similar to Lessers at the moment.
 
 Cheers, Angus Wilson
 New York City
 --
 NYSbirds-L List Info:
 Welcome and Basics
 Rules and Information
 Subscribe, Configuration and Leave
 Archives:
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 Surfbirds
 BirdingOnThe.Net
 Please submit your observations to eBird!
 --

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[nysbirds-l] Prospect Park Cerulean Warbler, Kings County

2014-08-15 Thread Sean Sime 
This city park seemed to echo the heavy migration theme today. In a two
hour (unsuccessful) stakeout of a Golden-winged Warbler seen an hour
earlier I managed to see 10 species of warbler from essentially a single
spot at the gate of Quaker Cemetery.

Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Nashville Warbler
American Redstart
Cerulean Warbler
Northern Parula
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler

Others reported an additional 4 or 5 species. Although the activity was
patchy, there were certainly birds around.

Cheers,

Sean Sime
Brooklyn, NY

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[nysbirds-l] Prospect Park Warblers Today

2014-08-15 Thread Rob Jett 
It was kind of a crazy afternoon for warblers in Prospect Park with the 
highlights being GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER and CERULEAN WARBLER.

Will Pollard had been sending out tweets from the park since before 9am with 
various updates of warbler activity. I didn't run in until around 11:30 when he 
reported a Golden-winged Warbler. He had been following a mixed flock that was 
feeding along the lower edge of the wooded Quaker Ridge next to Center Drive. 
The birds were moving south towards the Quaker Cemetery. We managed to relocate 
the Golden-winged Warbler about 5 minutes after I arrived. Surprisingly, it was 
within a flock that contained Northern Waterthrush, 2 Blue-winged Warblers, a 
few Black-and-white Warblers, several American Redstarts, a Northern Parula 
(which sang a few times) and a Chestnut-sided Warbler. The golden-winged 
vanished shortly thereafter, but we continued scanning the saplings along the 
edge of the bridle path. A few minutes later a female Cerulean Warbler flew, 
let us watch for about 15 seconds, then continued towards the Quaker Cemetery. 
Sean Sime managed to refind it a couple of hours later in a tree near the 
cemetery entrance.

At last count, the warbler list for Prospect Park today was 16 species:

Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
Black-and-white Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
CERULEAN WARBLER
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Canada Warbler

Of those I personally only saw 10 species and that's not a complaint as I don't 
think I've ever seen that many before in Brooklyn in mid-August. Now back to 
the shorebirds…

Good birding,

Rob

http://citybirder.blogspot.com
@thecitybirder


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[nysbirds-l] NYC Area RBA: 15 August 2014

2014-08-15 Thread Gail Benson 
-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Aug. 15, 2014
* NYNY1408.15

- Birds Mentioned

FEA’S PETREL+
WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL+
BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL+
BRIDLED TERN+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Cory’s Shearwater
Great Shearwater
AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
LEACH’S STORM-PETREL
BROWN PELICAN
AMERICAN AVOCET
Western Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
LITTLE GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Hooded Warbler
Canada Warbler
LARK SPARROW



If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report
electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at
http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm

You can also send reports and digital image files via email to
nysarc44atnybirdsdotorg

If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or
sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:

Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883

Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070

Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County

Transcriber:  Gail Benson

[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, August 15 at
6:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are pelagic trip results including FEA’S
PETREL, WHITE-FACED, BAND-RUMPED and LEACH’S STORM-PETRELS, AUDUBON’S
SHEARWATER and BRIDLED TERN, plus BROWN PELICAN, LITTLE GULL, AMERICAN
AVOCET, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and LARK SPARROW.

The long-anticipated overnight pelagic trip aboard the Captain Lou Fleet’s
Starstream VIII from Freeport, sponsored by See Life Paulagics, arrived at
the mouth of Hudson Canyon, about 110 miles out in the Atlantic, well
before dawn Tuesday morning, and a spectacular day began.  An impressive
chum slick attracted hundreds of Storm-Petrels as well as a short but very
satisfying visit from a FEA’S PETREL, nicely photographed as it cruised by
the boat.  A WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL also appeared a short while later,
while the intervening time was spent studying and enjoying great looks at
numbers of BAND-RUMPED and LEACH’S STORM-PETRELS as they circulated among
the many WILSON’S.   A few AUDUBON’S SHEARWATERS plus a BRIDLED TERN on the
way back in were among the other highlights.  The official pelagic totals
included the 1 exceptional FEA’S PETREL, 6 CORY’S, 5 GREAT, and 6 AUDUBON’S
SHEARWATERS, over 1,000 WILSON’S, 43 LEACH’S, 56 BAND-RUMPED, and 1
WHITE-FACED STORM-PETRELS, and 1 BRIDLED TERN.  Common and Bottlenose
Dolphins, a breaching Minke Whale, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, and Hammerhead
Shark were some other highlights.  A great trip!

Another pelagic Saturday out over 150 miles southeast of Shinnecock
recorded 1 LEACH’S and 23 BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETRELS, 2 CORY’S, 1 GREAT, and
4 AUDUBON’S SHEARWATERS.

Last Saturday morning a BROWN PELICAN spotted flying east off Jones Beach
West End was, after a cell phone alert, seen again ½ hour later off Robert
Moses State Park Field 2, still continuing east.  Perhaps it was also this
one flying west past Tobay about 2 hours later.

Also at Jones Beach West End, a sub-adult LITTLE GULL found sitting on the
close bar off the Coast Guard Station Sunday morning was seen in that same
area Monday.

Then on Wednesday, a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE visited a dune pool west of the
West End 2 parking lot.

Good numbers of LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS also continue at West End,
occurring in the West End 2 parking lot, at the pools between West End 2
and the Roosevelt Nature Center, or along the outer beach.  In addition, 29
LESSER BLACK-BACKEDS were counted at Smith Point County Park Thursday
evening.

A couple of ROYAL TERNS and a variety of shorebirds have also been at West
End, and 2 ROYALS have also spent some time at Plum Beach in Brooklyn.

The LARK SPARROW found Thursday the 7th at Robert Moses State Park was
still being seen along the north edge of parking field 2 at least to
Saturday, and another was spotted at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn on
Tuesday.

Other shorebird highlights featured an AMERICAN AVOCET present briefly at
Cupsogue County Park in Westhampton Dunes last Saturday morning and the
season’s 1st BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER appearing at Heckscher State Park on
Wednesday and still present there today in the median strip east of the
parking fields.

Highlights on the east pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge last weekend
included WESTERN, WHITE-RUMPED, PECTORAL, and STILT SANDPIPERS.  Stilt
numbers reached 39 on Wednesday, and a CASPIAN TERN was seen on the pond
Wednesday and today.  And note that the rains have again raised the east
pond water