Monday, June 3, 2013

American Golden Plover at Big Egg Marsh Queens NY...

I finally got around to some of my photos of a spring rarity in our area. An American Golden Plover coming into nice breeding plumage has been seen at Big Egg Marsh in Jamaica Bay Queens NY. After a couple of attempts, I finally caught up with the bird on May 27th and managed a few photos. I have been fortunate enough to see AMGP on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay during the fall migration for shorebirds, but this is my first spring record in Queens.

No black under the armpits!
I have not seen the bird since the 27th, but there have been sporadic reports of it being seen since, so who knows it may still be around. Cool fact about the American Golden Plover - Do you know this bird has one of the longest known migratory routes of over 25,000 miles. Of this, 2,400 miles is over open ocean where it cannot stop to feed or drink. It does this from body fat stores that it stocks up on prior to the flight.



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2 comments:

  1. Hernán TolosaJune 6, 2013 at 8:36 PM

    Nice pictures of the plover; I like see them with reproductive plumage.
    It's not easy take pictures of them so close as you've done. Were a I live are very elusive and in fw occasions I can see changing to black feathers
    Regards

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  2. GordonJune 6, 2013 at 8:57 PM

    That's. great sighting Andrew. My Best bird this weekend was a great crested flycatcher at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife preserve. But the best sighting of the weekend was an “open Saturday and Sunday from 7am to 7pm” sign on the pedestrian overpass entrance to Willow Lake in Flushing Meadows Park!

    Closed for years, the now named Pat Dolan Nature Trail has finally reopened and is available for weekend birding. The access is at the intersection of Park Drive East and 73rd Terrace in Kew Garden Hills, Queens. In our short stop there on Saturday we had half a dozen killdeer, numerous gold finches, and aptly named for its location willow flycatcher.

    So all queens birders, come take advantage of this now opened gem.

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