Registrar: Dale Dancis
Participants: 9
Weather: Saturday sunny am, cloudy pm, upper 20’s, 30’s F. Sunday upper 30’s-40’s, rain and wind, then cloudy and misty.
Bird Species: 65
Our journey began at the Jones Beach West End Beaches, Coast Guard area with a sighting of a Northern Saw-whet Owl. At the Coast Guard Station itself, the sun was shining on Long-tailed Ducks, Surf Scoters, Common Loons and a close Horned Grebe. From the West End parking lots we saw Horned Larks, and—at the Nature Center—Snow Buntings and American Goldfinches. Traveling eastward, Oak Beach produced excellent sightings of Common Goldeneye. Our next stop was Eastport where we enjoyed viewing 2 Canvasbacks, a few Redheads, Ring-necked Ducks, numerous Greater and Lesser Scaup and other duck species. We were somewhat surprised to see a Great Cormorant in a tree. We then proceeded to Dune Road where observations were made of another flock of Snow Buntings and a Northern Harrier. While observing two Boat-tailed Grackles at the Ponguogue Bridge, we noticed two Harbor Seals relaxing at a hunting blind in the Shinnecock Bay. By then the weather was cloudy.
We continued to Montauk Point where we took our positions at the overhang. We added White-winged Scoters, Northern Gannets and Razorbills and Bonaparte’s Gull to our growing list of water birds. Then came Sunday morning. Pouring rain and fierce wind greeted us as we made our way back to the protection of the overhang at Montauk Point. We continued to see all three scoter species, Common Eiders, Razorbills, more Northern Gannets and other water birds. Drenched and wind-weary we decided it was time for breakfast, and on the way back a flock of Wild Turkeys landed right on the side of Route 27. Ditch Plains at high tide in pouring rain and wind was inaccessible.
After breakfast we drove up West Lake Drive to the Montauk Inlet and almost immediately saw two Iceland Gulls. The rain was lighter, but we were quite wet. We also explored Montauk Lake from South Lake Drive where two Bonaparte’s Gulls were sighted and more Common Goldeneyes were among the other duck species and Common Loons. A Cooper’s Hawk also flew past.
We continued our journey to Roanoke, for other reported geese species, but only saw Canada Geese. We did see a perched Merlin. A Black Vulture was also in a tree, and a Turkey Vulture flew past us. Our final destination was Oyster Bay, but the Pacific Loon did not make an appearance in the afternoon. We were serenaded by a Fish Crow.
Species Lists
Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Common Eider
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Horned Grebe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Coot
Sanderling
Razorbill
Bonaparte’s Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Iceland Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Northern Gannet
Great Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Merlin
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Horned Lark
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Snow Bunting
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
White-tailed Deer
Harbor Seal
