After a visit to the VA Clinic in the Suffolk Co. Court Complex in Riverhead, I decided to continue south on Route 51 to check out the Eastport Sod Farms, where I found Gary Straus looking at 16 Black-bellied Plovers. He also had a small group of black-bellies, in addition to 1 Golden Plover, take off just before I arrived.
We then headed toward the Osborne/Sound Aves, Riv. sod field, where we found Mary Laura & Eric Lamont (Osborne side) looking at 68 goldens, 1 bairds, 2 pectorals, and a number of leasts and killdeers. Except for the goldens, all of these birds were quite close, with the bairds being much closer than yesterday. Earlier, they also had 6-8 bobolinks (all in their fall attire) in this field, before they flew off. Once again, 1-2 Turkey Vultures were observed in the general area. While we all were still there, Peter Dorosh & Mary Eyster arrived and saw all of the above, except, of course, the bobolinks. Two other non-birders stopped their cars, got out, and got some nice birds for their curiosity. One of them, a local farmer, informed us of a possible reason this particular field is attracting and holding so many birds. It seems this field (owned by the Talmage families' Friar's Head Farm) is no longer harvested, as it was when it was rented out to the DeLalio Sod Co. It is still cut and fertilized, but not with chemicals (strictly organic) - thereby, providing more food (insects, etc.) for resident & migrating birds. Cheers, Bob -- 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/ --
