Many thanks to Karen Rubenstein for finding the Northern Wheatear in Montauk and to Hugh McGuiness, Angus Wilson and others who reported the location with such accuracy. We saw found it easily on Sunday around 12:30. The description in the Crossly guide fit the behavior so perfectly we wondered if the bird had been prepping for his appearance: "A tundra breeder that prefers open countryside on migration where it hops, runs, and then quickly stops to look for food. Tilts forward as it stands on rocks, posts, and other perches. Long-legged and potbellied, stand tall when it stops moving" Good luck to others who have a chance to look for it this week. Does anyone have any thoughts about where this bird might be heading for the winter? Surely not planning to cross the Atlantic to Africa?? And does anyone think that this might be the same bird sighted earlier last week at a Westchester Train station? On our way to Montauk, passed some extremely large flocks of migrating tree swallows, also reported by others, in the vicinity of Atlantic Beach Amagansett, the Napeague stretch (behind Lobster Roll restaurant) and earlier in the weekend near Ocean Road Bridgehampton. Jane F. Ross International Education Consultant 1112 Park Avenue New York, New York 10128 212-348-7975
Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2011 09:38:33 -0400 Subject: [nysbirds-l] Wheatear From: hmcguinn...@ross.org To: nysbirds-l@cornell.edu; btb...@yahoogroups.com Karen Rubinstein has just found a NORTHERN WHEATEAR at Theodore Roosevelt County Park in Montauk, eastern Suffolk County. Take Rt 27 through the village of Montauk and look for the park on the left (north) about a half mile after East Lake Drive. Turn into the park and park near the buildings. Walk east toward the barn to a gate and notice a wide path that lead to the barn. The Wheatear has been foraging to the left (north) of the path among the small plants (goldenrods) on the slope above the west side of the pond that lies north of the barn. Hugh -- Hugh McGuinness The Ross School 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, NY 11937 -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- 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/ --
