A lucky day on the 13th with dense fog becoming intermittent as the morning
progressed and finally clearing up in mid afternoon , revealing our best
sighting of the day.
The morning's early dense fog impacted our birding , forcing our attention
towards land birds, which right off the start , just east the Coast Guard
station , the gazebo field, a LAPLAND LONGSPUR cooperatively revealed excellent
looks for several observers until a PEREGRINE FALCON decided to perch on the
short light tower by the Gazebo shelter around noon. The latter by the way
spooked a huge flock of DUNLINS , at least 1500 birds from the ocean side of
the Jones Beach towards West End and eastward where we saw scattered flock
remnants along the bay side, including Coast Guard sand bar areas.
A long walk from the coast guard area towards the Roosevelt Nature Center
offered salvage sightings despite the on and off fog of a flyover AMERICAN
PIPIT, 23 HORNED LARKS in the field to the center's east and at least 40
AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS along the sand trail , by the T junction.
Offshore, a decent number of both Loon species, AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS on the
Coast Guard sandbar, HORNED GREBES and LONG-TAILED DUCKS.
We decided after lunch to walk on thru the NYS DEC closed off fisherman lot (
near the Coast Guard main entrance) and upon passing the end lot, found an
IPSWICH SPARROW. Deciding to continue on in a loop walk,a farther way down,
closer to the mouth of Jones Inlet, we found our day's best bird near the
middle of the inlet waters, a THICK-BILLED MURRE in excellent views, resting a
long time, drifting in outward current flow. Behind the Murre, a distance back
along Point Lookout beach, about 15 COMMON EIDERS at the end of a jetty. A
continuous walk along the jetty wall, about 7 NORTHERN GANNETS seen , some
flying along that jetty wall and later we saw 3 resting in the surf on the
ocean side.
A long , weird weather day but very productive for a well spent winter day in
our favorite season
Peter Dorosh
also observer Mary Eyster
Brooklyn Bird Club
Jones Beach SP, Nassau, US-NY
Jan 13, 2013 10:00 AM - 3:45 PM
Protocol: Traveling
6.0 mile(s)
34 species
Brant X
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
American Black Duck X
Greater Scaup 3
Common Eider 15
Long-tailed Duck X
Bufflehead X
Red-breasted Merganser X
Red-throated Loon X
Common Loon X
Horned Grebe X
Northern Gannet 6
Great Cormorant 2
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Dunlin 1500 one flock apparently spooked by Peregrine Falcon flying in
from
Ocean side
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Thick-billed Murre 1 3 pm mouth of Jones Inlet, short pointy bill, no
white
encroachment in face
Mourning Dove 19
Peregrine Falcon 1 perched an hour on short light tower near Coast Guard
station
Horned Lark 23
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
American Robin 2
Northern Mockingbird X
American Pipit 1 calling bird over Roosevelt Nature center
Lapland Longspur 1 Coast Guard Station field, mult observers
Song Sparrow 11
Dark-eyed Junco X
House Finch X
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X
View this checklist online at http://ebird.
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ARCHIVES:
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