The last few days, I have been working with my friend Don Riepe in getting a number of things ready for the 4th annual Shorebird Festival at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens NY. In addition, yesterday I made a scouting hike around the East Pond, walking from the South East end to the North East end. It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed the "field study time" as I like to call it when I bird alone.
Unfortunately, it appears the shorebird numbers are down. I am hoping that other birds arrive in the 1 day we have left before the festival so that we have a nice variety to look at on Sunday. Highlights from my scouting were a Black Swan
(a likely escapee that has returned to the refuge a few years in a row), White-rumped Sandpipers
(counted about 12), Stilt Sandpipers
(counted about 15)and 1 Pectoral Sandpiper. All the other usual birds like Greater and Lesser Yellow Legs, SB Dowitchers, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers are around, but their numbers are down. I have included a few photos; all were digiscoped at some distance, so they are not as sharp as I would like them to be. Take a look and see if you can identify the subjects.
Tags:
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge,
birding,
Shorebirds,
4th Annual Shorebird Festival
The last few days, I have been working with my friend Don Riepe in getting a number of things ready for the 4th annual Shorebird Festival at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens NY. In addition, yesterday I made a scouting hike around the East Pond, walking from the South East end to the North East end. It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed the "field study time" as I like to call it when I bird alone.
Unfortunately, it appears the shorebird numbers are down. I am hoping that other birds arrive in the 1 day we have left before the festival so that we have a nice variety to look at on Sunday. Highlights from my scouting were a Black Swan (a likely escapee that has returned to the refuge a few years in a row), White-rumped Sandpipers (counted about 12), Stilt Sandpipers (counted about 15)and 1 Pectoral Sandpiper. All the other usual birds like Greater and Lesser Yellow Legs, SB Dowitchers, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers are around, but their numbers are down. I have included a few photos; all were digiscoped at some distance, so they are not as sharp as I would like them to be. Take a look and see if you can identify the subjects.
Tags: 
7 comments:
Did you see woodcreepers radar report? The birds are a comin!
Hope u see some good ones tomorrow! I was wishing we could be there..but it just wont work out. We are leaving Tuesday to head west and want to spend xtra time with the fam.
oh and the RT button..wont work..at least for me..Twitter is acting up! Can only post via seesmic.
I need the answers to the photo ID test!
@Debbie - Hi, thanks for stopping by. You need the answers? Well, now Debbie you could do better than that.
It was not really a Quiz, but my way of encouraging readers to take a shot at getting the IDs. So, what say you Debbie?
I need another refresh(ing)er shorebirding jaunt before trying my guesses. Got a few, but uncertain about a couple.
A trip, along, around the East Pond sounds lovely. Good for you!
@Julia - Hi, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Shorebirds are not easy to ID. Just yesterday, I was out on the East Pond and had a couple of peeps that caused me angst. I will blog about that with photos so be on the lookout for that.
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