Yesterday afternoon, I observed an impressive movement of various waterbirds along the north shore of the Great South Bay, as viewed from the north end of Patchogue Cove. The fog and SE breeze pushed most of the migrants within several hundred yards of shore. It was quite a surreal experience as flocks of cormorants along with numerous migrating gulls, terns, shorebirds, and egrets appeared out of the fog banks just to my west, passed by often within a few hundred feet, and continued east.
I watched from 4:40 pm until 5:15 when the heavy fog reduced visibility to less than 100 yds. Tallies from that count period can be seen at:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14045304
I resumed watching at 5:50 pm and continued for another hour, until the flight ended. A tally of the species as well as several photos can be seen at:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S14045374
Notable were two Caspian Terns and four late Bonaparte's Gulls, one of which was in complete alternate plumage.
Double-crested Cormorants put on quite a show during my first visit, with 4296 tallied. Interestingly, the movement was almost nonexistent less than forty-five minutes later with only 63 migrating during my second visit.
Also of note was the distinct movement of larids. Numerous Laughing and Herring Gulls, along with several Great Black-backs, Ring-bills, and the previously mentioned Bonies, were observed in apparent migration, with all birds moving deliberately to the east. All of the terns, shorebirds, loons, and egrets recorded in the above eBird checklists were engaging in similar behavior.
Good spring birding,
Michael McBrien
East Patchogue
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