A productive seawatch from Robert Moses SP, Suffolk, LI, yesterday afternoon stirred lots of anticipation for this morning's storm. Under good viewing conditions yesterday I had jaegers in view at all times, a good study of a rare-from-land Pomarine attacking a Parasitic, 8 juvenile Black-legged Kittiwakes, and at least 600 Bonaparte's Gulls.
https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49480749 This morning, the conditions at RMSP were abysmal, with heavy rain and very poor visibility. Our team, led by Pete Morris, Taylor Sturm, and Tim Healy, managed a handful of jaegers and two Kittiwakes, but overall it was quite a gloomy experience. We saw a Northern Harrier come in off the ocean at 8:30 that might not have survived had the wind bearing been a few more degrees north of east, and Sue Feustel noticed a living passerine being tumbled along the pavement by the wind. I ran out and found it to be a gasping, sodden Phoebe, still alive. I put it in the shelter of the car, but it didn't make it. Standing in the lots were six species of gulls, including 6 Bonaparte's and 22 Lesser Black-backs, as well as 7 Dunlin, a Semipalmated Sandpiper, and a Greater Yellowlegs. Further west, Doug Gochfeld, Sean Sime, and Peter Paul had less rain at Riis Park and saw quite a bit more than we did, but mostly along the same lines. A probable Black Tern there was quite notable for the date. Shai Mitra Bay Shore -- 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/ --
