Field Notes From Jones Beach and Floyd Bennett Field...

Shorebirds and Gulls on the spit.

Last Thursday, I birded Jones Beach LI, in hopes of picking up the Marbled Godwit that I had dipped on in previous attempts. Well, maybe dipped is extreme. I had a look at a Marbled Godwit in the area, but it was a very distant look all the way on the other side of the channel. It was not a satisfying look for me, so I did not take the bird (Yeah, I am picky like that). Thursday, I timed it so that I would arrive at the Coast Guard Station before the tide was completely high. My thinking was I needed to get at the location before the tide completely covered the bar the Marbled Godwit normally hung out on. My strategy worked and I got great looks at the Marbled Godwit along with several other birds including 7 Royal Terns. Following Jones Beach, I headed back west to Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, where I found 4 Cattle Egrets feeding in the fields east of the Aviator Sports Complex (they were there on Friday morning as well). This was an all time high count for me and again highlights the importance of the Floyd Bennett Grasslands to migrating birds. A check at Fort Tilden and Breezy Point did not yield much as the tide was extremely high, enveloping all of the beach front habitat normally used by winter birds like Snow Buntings. Here are some photos from the day.

Marbled Godwit with Oystercatchers.  What's that bird taking flight?

 

Royal Terns -  Do you notice anything different with the Terns?

 

 

One of the four Cattle Egrets I found at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn NY.

Tags: Floyd Bennett Field Brooklyn NY, Jones Beach, Marbled Godwit, Royal Tern, Cattle Egret