Gray Seals

I mentioned that Gray Seal was a new species for the Faunathon (presumably seen at Montauk). Mike Bottini writes to tell me that the source for the Gray Seals being seen increasingly at Montauk (I've also seen them from Plum Island just off the North Fork) is Muskeget Island near Nantucket where they have been breeding at least since 1988. This is now the largest Gray Seal site in the U.S. with something like 2000 pups born every year in December and January. They are weaned by mid-March when they begin arriving off Long Island. Nice to hear about a creature that is increasing instead of vanishing!

The common seal that we see here in the winter is the Harbor Seal which hauls out on South Shore islands and beaches but goes north to breed.

Yellow Warbler seems to alternate visiting days. Not noticed yesterday but actively singing on its usual head-of-marsh site this morning. The two Common Yellowthroats are holding on to their respective territories and the Pine Warbler is heard every day making its rounds.

The Purple Martins seem to move out from their nesting area in groups, hunting over the marsh and often accompanied by several Barn Swallows and an occasional something else (I saw a single Bank Swallow with them the other day).

Eric Salzman