We had only a very modest spring warbler migration and land bird migration in general was not strong. The outstanding bird was probably Hooded Warbler in Maple Swamp which is a southern overshoot and perhaps occasional nester on Eastern Long Island (and not one of the neotropical warblers passing through on the way to northern breeding grounds). The falloff of these so-called neotropical migrants on Eastern Long Island is very striking. The cause? Deforestation on the tropical wintering grounds? Poor breeding success in the North Woods? Global warming? Whatever the reason or reasons, it is very noticeable in our area.
Shorebird migration was more impressive. We had a few good days with large mixed flocks heading north -- including Western and White-rumped Sandpipers and Red Knots. And the return migration which began, as always, in July featured a Hudsonian Godwit at Cupsogue in mid-July and, in the second week of August, several Marbled Godwits moving between Cupsogue and Pike's Beach. Add a sprinkling of Red Knots and a variety of terns including Forster's, Roseate and Caspian as well as many Royals.
In the breeding bird department, Chuck-will's-widows returned to their long-term East Quogue site and a flock or covey of Northern Bobwhite was present in East Quogue throughout the season. Green Herons bred on or near our East Quogue/Weesuck Creek place and three young birds appeared on our pond. Breeding Vesper Sparrows were seen, heard and photographed at Westhampton (Gabreski) Airport.
As is often the case, fall migration was far superior to spring migration with warblers moving in August and September and an invasion of Red-breasted Nuthatches in September. A burst of new arrivals in early October heralded a period of intense activity with hundreds of birds of several species feeding on the newly ripened seeds of Baccharis, Ivo, Poison Ivy, Red Cedar and even Phragmites over a period of almost three weeks in mid-October. The lead species -- consisting of literally hundreds of birds -- was the Yellow-rumped Warbler accompanied by flocks of American Goldfinches, Black-capped Chickadees, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, a singing Purple Finch and several species of sparrows: Song, Swamp, White-throated, Chipping and Field plus probable Grasshopper Sparrow (seen in silhouette at dawn) and at least one Lincoln's Sparrow -- a first for the property (also seen on Dune Road).
The fall warbler migration featured an excellent array of species including Orange-crowned, Mourning, Tennessee, Cape May, Nashville and Northern Waterthrush. But the outstanding bird -- not just of the season but of the year -- was a BELL'S VIREO feeding prominently along the shrub layer between the marsh and the woods behind on September 19. This bird, refound several times and also seen by Eileen Schwinn, is a member of a western species that extends as a breeder into the midwest and occurs on the East Coast as a vagrant. Although it is considered difficult to distinguish (mainly because of confusion with immature White-eyed Vireo), this bird showed almost all the field marks for Bell's Vireo including constant tail flicking and occasional wing flicks. I had previously seen this species on Dune Road in October, 1996, and spent a lot of time researching previous reports and looking at specimens (all written up in a Kingbird article). Needless to say, this bird was new for the property; including the Lincoln's Sparrow, the property list now stands at 235 species (give or take a species or two).
If anyone is interested in the Bell's Vireo details and references, let me know and I'll forward the lot. I've also made a report to NYSARC (the New York State Avian Records Committee).
The fall raptor migration was fairly good. There was a long parade of Osprey with sometimes as many as seven or eight species over the creek or feeding on dead branches on Pine Neck directly opposite. Other dominant species were Merlin and Northern Harrier but Bald Eagle (at Cupsogue in early August), American Kestrel, Peregrine, Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk and a possible Goshawk were also seen. Other fall migrants were Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Royal Terns, a single Caspian Tern, Wilson's Snipe, American Woodcock, Virginia Rail, Winter Wren, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco as well as plentiful numbers of Northern Flickers, Gray Catbirds, American Robins, Barn and Tree Swallows; also Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Baltimore Oriole, Scarlet Tanager and Bobolink.
A curiosity was a small white egret with two long head plumes seen and photographed in Weesuck Creek at the end of June. This is the second bird with this character that I have seen here. Normally the white egret that sports these plumes is the Little Egret, a close relative of our Snowy that is native to Eurasia and Africa. However it is claimed that Snowy Egrets can show this character as well. The probable explanation for this phenomenon is hybridization and I would venture a guess that this bird (as well as the previous one) was a Snowy Egret with some Little Egret genes. Okay, 234 species!
Eric Salzman
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