[nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge East Pond 8-30
After a few weeks of being back in the area, I finally made it to the East
Pond. Upon arriving at the South End, I was quite saddened to see that the
water level was still high but decided to give the pond a crack.
I managed to do a complete survey of the pond, spending just over 7 hours
making the schelp from South to the North end. Note, the water in many areas
continue to be over the ankle for my waders and several spots require careful
navigating. However, overall it was not too bad for me and there are some spots
where peeps were comfortably feeding. A very pleasing sight!
And now for the birds. Shorebirds: 12 species totaling just over 200 hundred
birds with Short-billed Dowitchers being the high number. Highlights included
multiple Western Sandpipers, Stilt Sandpipers and Pectoral Sandpipers. However,
the low numbers of juvenile Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers was disheartening.
Non shorebird highlights, included an adult Caspian Tern which was on the Raunt
early on but took off as I made my up north. Several American Oystercatchers
also on the Raunt did not stick around as I moved further up the pond.
A couple of Cliff Swallows and a lone Raven were the other notables. Among the
“Duckage” mass, there were several Blue-winged and Green-winged Teals. 5 Wood
Ducks in drab plumage were also noted.
While the shorebird numbers were not spectacular, it was quite nice to be out
on the East Pond. For those intrepid folks willing to take on the challenge of
the pond in the state that it is in, please note that “Calidrid Crossing” has
overgrown a bit with Poison Ivy in abundance. I managed to get through that
“sticky wicket” to get up north on Friday but plan to get back in there
sometime next week in order to cut back the Poison Ivy for easier access.
Lastly, I and others have begun discussions with NPS about the pond and
drainage. An update on the progress of that conversation will be made available
when I have something of note to report. As of now, please know that there are
eyes on the situation and we will get to the bottom of the issue if there is
one. Many thanks to those of you who have written to me offering their help and
support.
For now, get out to the Pond and see the birds as best as you can.
Cheers,
"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of
others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence." ~ Frederick
Douglass
風 Swift as the wind
林 Quiet as the forest
火 Conquer like the fire
山 Steady as the mountain
Sun Tzu The Art of War
> (\__/)
> (= '.'=)
> (") _ (")
> Sent from somewhere in the field using my mobile device!
Andrew Baksh
www.birdingdude.blogspot.com
--
NYSbirds-L List Info:
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm
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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01
Please submit your observations to eBird:
http://ebird.org/content/ebird/
--
[nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge East Pond 8-30
After a few weeks of being back in the area, I finally made it to the East
Pond. Upon arriving at the South End, I was quite saddened to see that the
water level was still high but decided to give the pond a crack.
I managed to do a complete survey of the pond, spending just over 7 hours
making the schelp from South to the North end. Note, the water in many areas
continue to be over the ankle for my waders and several spots require careful
navigating. However, overall it was not too bad for me and there are some spots
where peeps were comfortably feeding. A very pleasing sight!
And now for the birds. Shorebirds: 12 species totaling just over 200 hundred
birds with Short-billed Dowitchers being the high number. Highlights included
multiple Western Sandpipers, Stilt Sandpipers and Pectoral Sandpipers. However,
the low numbers of juvenile Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers was disheartening.
Non shorebird highlights, included an adult Caspian Tern which was on the Raunt
early on but took off as I made my up north. Several American Oystercatchers
also on the Raunt did not stick around as I moved further up the pond.
A couple of Cliff Swallows and a lone Raven were the other notables. Among the
“Duckage” mass, there were several Blue-winged and Green-winged Teals. 5 Wood
Ducks in drab plumage were also noted.
While the shorebird numbers were not spectacular, it was quite nice to be out
on the East Pond. For those intrepid folks willing to take on the challenge of
the pond in the state that it is in, please note that “Calidrid Crossing” has
overgrown a bit with Poison Ivy in abundance. I managed to get through that
“sticky wicket” to get up north on Friday but plan to get back in there
sometime next week in order to cut back the Poison Ivy for easier access.
Lastly, I and others have begun discussions with NPS about the pond and
drainage. An update on the progress of that conversation will be made available
when I have something of note to report. As of now, please know that there are
eyes on the situation and we will get to the bottom of the issue if there is
one. Many thanks to those of you who have written to me offering their help and
support.
For now, get out to the Pond and see the birds as best as you can.
Cheers,
"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of
others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence." ~ Frederick
Douglass
風 Swift as the wind
林 Quiet as the forest
火 Conquer like the fire
山 Steady as the mountain
Sun Tzu The Art of War
> (\__/)
> (= '.'=)
> (") _ (")
> Sent from somewhere in the field using my mobile device!
Andrew Baksh
www.birdingdude.blogspot.com
--
NYSbirds-L List Info:
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm
http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm
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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01
Please submit your observations to eBird:
http://ebird.org/content/ebird/
--
