Registrar: Mary Beth Kooper
Participants: 17
Weather: 72 F, clear skies, bright sun, light westerly breeze
Bird Species: 44
Our group met at 8 am at the beach, where we were treated to an extensive investigation of the various bird species that flock to Nickerson in the summer for nesting, resting, and foraging. By far the most numerous that day was the Common Tern, which numbers in the thousands at this location in the summer. We spent time observing the various ages and stages of the species’ molt that are seen at this time of year. We were hoping for some of the more rare tern species to study, but none were found on this visit.
We also observed the other nesting birds of Nickerson: Piping Plovers, Black Skimmers, and American Oystercatchers. Among the interesting facts we learned was that some American Oystercatchers have a dark speck in their eyes (iridial depigmentation), just below the pupil. This is a trait found in all species of Oystercatchers, and studies have been done to figure out if this is a way to distinguish the sexes. The next time you see an Oystercatcher of any kind, be sure to check out the eye and see if you can find this unusual trait.
Instead of ending the trip early because of the low diversity of tern species at Nickerson, Shai and Pat very generously offered to lead the group over to the Jones Beach Coast Guard area, where some rarities had been reported earlier in the day. Everyone was able to caravan to that nearby location, where we added many new species to our trip list, including White-rumped Sandpipers, a Red-necked Phalarope, and—for those who were able to wait it out—a White-winged Dove. It was an exciting and fun field trip, and everyone learned a great deal from our expert and very gracious leaders.
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
Rock Pigeon
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
American Oystercatcher
Piping Plover
Killdeer
Sanderling
Dunlin
White-rumped Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Red-necked Phalarope
Willet (Eastern)
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Least Tern
Common Tern
Black Skimmer
Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Glossy Ibis
Osprey
Willow Flycatcher
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Mammals
Dolphins
Butterflies
Monarch Butterfly
