Patricia Lindsay reports that SEVEN Baird's Sandpipers and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper were present at Jones Beach West End this morning, around 6:30-7:00.
These birds, all juvs as expected, were present in the beach-side area described by Steve Walter yesterday (see below). Catching up on a few birds from Sunday, Fire Island was flanked by adult/juv duos of Caspian Terns, at Robert Moses SP (near Fire Island Inlet) and Cupsogue (near Moriches Inlet). We could find only two Marbled Godwits at Cupsogue. Shorebird numbers seemed rather low, but I did record my first two juv Red Knots of the season. Shai Mitra Bay Shore ________________________________________ From: [email protected] [[email protected]] On Behalf Of Steve Walter [[email protected]] Sent: Monday, August 30, 2010 8:06 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [nysbirds-l] Baird's Birds at Jones Beach This morning at Jones Beach, I observed 6 (possibly as many as 9) Baird's Sandpipers. These were not in the "swale", where Baird's are often found, but, continuing past the swale toward the beach and turning left, at a rain pool. A group of 6 was present briefly around 10:30. I got off one long distance picture that captured 4 in the frame, before they took off. See http://www.hmana.org/steve/bairds.htm . The birds seemed flighty and not in need of much reason to move on. Certainly, from this distance, it wasn't me that put them on their way. Earlier, at about 9:35, there was a single individual. About 15 minutes later, I saw another Baird's that took off with another bird that I didn't get a chance to ID. In these cases, my movements may have been responsible for causing them to leave. I say all this because I got the feeling that these were migrating through and just making brief stopovers, and the group of 6 didn't include the earlier birds. But good luck to anyone that wants to check it out tomorrow. One other shorebird note was a still present Piping Plover. Otherwise, the routine stuff. On many days, seeing 6 Baird's together would make for the exciting moment of the day. But later this day, I laid eyes on my first ever New York record of Variegated Meadowhawk, a western dragonly with known vagrancy tendencies (I saw one in Cape May 15 years ago). This one was at Lido Beach Nature Area. This picture can be seen at http://www.hmana.org/steve/corruptm.htm . After 5 days of predominantly north and northwest winds, there are loads of migratory dragonflies (and butterflies) along the beach. Steve Walter Bayside, NY Think green before you print this email. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
