A morning's walk at CRSP yielded some early spring migrants and some lingering winter birds. Highlights included a slightly early Northern Rough-winged Swallow flying over the lower pond and, on the other end of the migratory spectrum, an adult Iceland (Kumlien's) Gull in the lower pond with Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. Pine Warblers were poorly represented, with only two being noted in a park where they commonly breed. Eastern Phoebe (1) was back on territory, as well as Eastern Bluebird (3) at nest boxes. A few Rusty Blackbirds were heard singing in the wet woods.
Heading east, a drive along Dune Road was quiet, with the only birds of note the numerous Great Egrets (23) and one Eastern Phoebe. There were good numbers of all three Scoters at Shinnecock Inlet and Cupsogue, the numbers exceeding anything we had observed at Montauk this winter. However, the estimate of a thousand scoters (in order of abundance Black, Surf, and White-winged of those that were identifiable) pales in comparison to other years. Ken Feustel -- 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/[email protected]/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/ --
