We've had a continuous low tide in Shinnecock Bay for about three days now; this is apparently due to the full moon and strong winds from the northwest. This long exposure of mudflats certainly helped with finding shorebirds on the SOFO Shinnecock shorebird walk on Sunday and it has created an almost perpetual habitat in our pond which has hosted Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Willets, both egrets and Green Heron right through the holiday weekend.
A Red-eyed Vireo has working the oak trees all day and singing away; that's the bird that sings its long non-stop series of short songs in a question-and-answerformat: "Are you there? I'm up here. Whaddya know? Nice 'n' leafy. Is that you? Watch your step. What am I getting? Lotsa bugs!" etc. Red-eyes are common breeders in the Pine Barrens just north of us but they are sporadic down here. Yellow Warbler and Common Yellowthroat continue to signal their presence with their songs,mostly coming from the upper part of the marsh.
I signed my granddaughter Juliette for some Southampton Town Parks & Recreation activities and then stopped at the Hampton Bays water tower to look for ravens. I had heard a rumor that the Suffolk Water Authority (which runs the place) had dismantled the nest. Indeed there was no nest in sight but there were at least two birds hanging around the tower so apparently there are still ravens in residence. Their appearance a couple of years ago -- right opposite the LIRR station on the south side of the tracks -- was a big surprise and a notable range extension. But I think that Northern Ravens are now fairly widespread on Long Island belying their reputation as a wilderness bird!
Eric Salzman
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