Seventeen participants showed up for today's Buffalo Ornithological Society field trip to Dunkirk Harbor in Chautauqua Co. to enjoy the fair weather and 38 species of birds.
Upon arrival to the Central Avenue pier, the "regular" trio of LITTLE GULLS (adult and two 1st-cycles) gave great looks as they foraged point blank off of the pier, and were easily more visible than the few BONAPARTE'S GULLS that put in brief appearances. Hearing the Little Gulls occasionally give their high pitched squeaky "keek" calls as they flew near each other was also a nice treat. Looking west from the main pier, the two immature drake HARLEQUIN DUCKS put in a close appearance along the west inner breakwall as they constantly dove and continued to swim west before disappearing out of sight. Scoping a mixed flock of Scaup and Canvasbacks just outside the west inner breakwall, Doug Beattie spotted a nice hen LONG-TAILED DUCK that was sleeping amongst the group. Near the outer breakwall, an adult GLAUCOUS GULL was observed displaying and quarreling a bit with a few Great Black-backeds and Herrings, while a distant pale 1st-cycle ICELAND GULL and pair of NORTHERN PINTAILS were seen swimming around amongst the Common Mergansers. An immature WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, 4 AMERICAN WIGEON, 8 GADWALL, 11 RUDDY DUCKS, 32 HOODED MERGANSERS, 12 HORNED GREBES, 159 DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS, and 19 GREAT BLUE HERONS, all counted by Bill Watson, were the other waterbird highlights from the pier. Over at the west end near the Dunkirk Conservation Club, Joe Mitchell re-found the two HARLEQUIN DUCKS out in the fog looking NE towards the west inner breakwall, allowing views for a few participants who missed them early on. While scanning the gulls, an adult BALD EAGLE and 4 HORNED LARKS flew by overheard, followed shortly by a juvenile COOPER'S HAWK that zipped by over the docks. Numerous flocks of ducks and gulls were present in the open ice leads at the east end of the harbor, and scoping from the Main St. beach, a sleeping hen BLACK SCOTER was spotted in amongst a distant flock of Scaup and Goldeneye. The 1st-cycle ICELAND GULL also put in an another appearance, giving much closer views as it sat on the ice at the edge of the beach and flew around amongst Ring-bills. The other highlights here were a near adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL sleeping out on the ice, along with at least 7 distant BALD EAGLES of various ages that were widely scattered on the ice. By about noon most of the field trip had broken up, although a few continued back to the Central Ave. pier where the lighting had improved, and the long-staying EARED GREBE finally put in an appearance amongst a group of HORNEDS inside the east inner breakwall. Jim Pawlicki Amherst, NY -- 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/ --
