on the Peconic River

I had the pleasure of eating dinner last night at the back of an excellent small Greek restaurant next to the Atlantis Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead. The outdoor tables here overlook the Peconic River which was teeming with fish and fisherfolk, both human and avian. The fish were the Blue Snappers which were good sized and biting vigorously. The birds, feeding on the snappers or (more likely) the bait fish fleeing the snappers, included both Yellow- and Black-crowned Night Herons, adults and immatures, Great Blue Heron, lots of Double-crested Cormorants, lots of Forster's Terns, various gulls, Forster's Terns, Belted Kingfisher, Mute Swans (probably not feeding on the fish), many ducks (all Mallards as far as I could see and also probably not feeding on the fish) and a number of other birds that I couldn't identify (I didn't have my binoculars). All in all, quite a show.

On the drive home, I registered my second Blue Moon of the day (the first one was early in the morning).

This morning's round-up included Great Crested Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher (big eye-ring; first of the season), Veery (first of the season; feeding on Tupelo fruits with Robins and Catbirds), Ruby-throated Hummingbird, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, many Common Yellowthroats in various plumages, Am Goldfinches in various plumages, Royal Terns on the creek, House and Carolina Wrens, Green Herons and a small flock of Bank Swallows overhead.

Eric Salzman