This afternoon I found myself birding on Dune Rd., from the Post La. Bridge to Shinnicock Inlet, for the 4th day in a row ! Today's jaunt was very quiet, although I did get 4 Boat-tailed Grackles ! Using this outing's low production as a challenge, when I reached Montauk Highway on my way home, instead of turning left, I turned right (easterly) and headed to Southampton, to ride the "other" Dune Rd., aka Meadow La. This is the western end of Meadow La.- running from Halsey Neck La. to the e/s of Shinnicock Inlet. While driving the 1,or,2 miles to the inlet you pass many large, gorgeous homes (ie, small castles) mostly on the ocean side, with most of the bay side filled up by marshes ! Through the years this location has provided many good birds, ranging from the Curlew Sandpiper, found by Julius & Cecilia Hastings, members of Moriches Bay Audubon Society, before it was called ELIAS, to the Short-eared Owl that we spooked during a "Big Day" in May, led by Steve Biasetti, a few years back ! Today's providence came on the wings of my FOS Osprey, sitting on the only Osprey nest along this great blue way ! Another highlight was the female N.Harrier that was hunting while flying in a westerly direction !
Cheers, Bob P.S...After not using the "term" FOS for quite awhile, I now found myself using it 2 days running. I had been using it for many, many "seasons", until a very knowledgeable and respected birder asked me about my use of it. He then asked me if I had ever thought of another interpretation, which stopped me cold ! My look of shock gave him a good laugh, and I can't remember using it until yesterday ! His words of wisdom brought forth the possibility of FOS standing for "Full of .... ! I just love the birds and people I have met during these 53 years of birding ! -- 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/ --
