Fwd: Long Island trip report

['Peter Stephan' via AllHAS]

This past weekend we met at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at 10 a.m.. The refuge headquarters was closed due to the government shutdown but the trails were open. Long Island is known for winter waterfowl and we quickly picked up 12 species of duck including a large flock of Ruddy Duck, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Ring-necked duck, Greater Scaup, and Hooded Merganser. The sound of Brandt, Canada Geese, and a Killdeer filled the air. A Northern Harrier,  Double Crest Cormorant and a Great Blue Heron flew over head, while Horned Grebes dove in the open water of the bay.  We had a leisurely walk around the West Pond and through the woods back to the parking lot where we decided to try to chase the Tundra Bean Goose rather than build our list.  We drove to Beaver Lake on the North Shore near Oyster Bay and were rewarded with a good view of the bird from an elevated vantage point. 

We crossed back to the South Shore and birded Point Lookout where we spotted American Oyster Catchers, Black-bellied Plover, and had a brief look at a Godwit on a distant mudflat.  Unfortunately it did not stick around for identification. We drove to the other side of the inlet to the Coast Guard Station at the end of Jones Beach.  The sixty degree weather had brought out many families to dig out clams and crabs so the birds had dispersed.  We were able to add White Winged and Surf Scoters.  We headed toward hotel as the sun set.

Rain was scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. the next day, so that evening we decided to do more chasing on Sunday to explore areas that have not been visited on previous Long Island trips.  

The next morning we drove a short distance to Connetquot River State Park which opened at 8.  We were looking for the drake Eurasian Wigeon which we eventually found among a flock of American Wigeon. Many of the same species that we had seen at Jamaica Bay were here, along with over 30+ Mute Swans.  We had a number of land birds which attracted a Merlin that landed in a nearby tree.  As we left the State Park Headquarters, a lone Turkey fed in a field. 

Our next stop was Robinson Pond in East Patchogue in search of a reported "European Goose".  This goose was most likely a domesticated or escaped Grey Lag Goose.  The pond however was covered with many species of duck including a number of beautiful drake Northern Pintail.  A Belted Kingfisher called from across the pond.  

Our next stop was Coopers Beach in Southampton.  Here, we turned up 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and a Laughing Gull, among many Great Black-backed, Herring and Ring-billed Gulls. 7 Sanderling patrolled the beach.

As we arrived at our final stop it was nearing 2 o'clock and rain began to pick up and the skies were becoming increasingly darker.  Despite the rain, we were able to spot our final target bird...Purple Gallinule.  

Although we only birded for 12 hours, we were able to identify 71 species with 2 of them having never been seen on the HAS Long Island trip.

 

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