Leader : Mike Yuan
Peter-
10 hardy souls enjoyed/endured a walk around Breezy Point, which lived up to its name on Saturday. Steady, stiff winds sandblasted the group, but didn't keep the good birds away.
Upon first sight of the water on the walk out to the beach, we were treated to a sky full of NORTHERN GANNETS gliding westwardly. Scanning east to Far Rockaway, every binocular view was filled with them. Adelia spotted the bird of the day, a young male SNOWY OWL, enjoying its breakfast of LONG-TAILED DUCK tartare. A life bird for some and a delight for all.
At the jetty, we carefully picked out three shorebird species. Couldn't find any purple sandpipers because the waves were splashing the jetty, but patiently waited for a RUDDY TURNSTONE to peek out from the rocks. On the walk back to the lot, a flock of living LONG-TAILED DUCKS and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK were the highlights.
After lunch, we tried the Ft. Tilden Battery area to get out of the wind. Land birding was tepid, but at the Silver Gull club on the water we enjoyed close-up views of sitting BLACK SCOTERS and a LONG-TAILED DUCK. Eddie spotted a lone SNOW BUNTING flying fast towards the dunes to the east.
34 species total, and eBird checklists below. I shared with some already, but please send me your eBird username if you'd like me to share with you.
Attached: pic by Ryan Candee
Many thanks to Bob O'Neil for driving, and extra thanks to Bob Washburn for driving AND handling the registration. Thanks everyone for a pleasant "real" winter day of birding.
-Mike
