Took granddaughter Juliette yesterday to the Connecticut Avenue canoe drop-off point for the Quogue Wildlife Refuge's annual Peconic paddle and then, with Eileen Schwinn made an unusual midsummer visit to Ex-Grumman/EPCAL. Although we saw many of the expected birds (Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Barn Swallows, Grasshopper Sparrow, Eastern Meadowlark in the grasslands, American Robins, Eastern Towhees, Eastern Wood-Pewee in the wooded areas), most of the birds were in their post-nesting phase and remained quiet and well-hidden. A trip down to the shore revealed a good number of Royal Terns and a few Black-bellied Plovers at Pike's Beach (plus the usual small shorebirds). There was little activity at Tiana Beach but there were some shorebirds in a muddy patch south of Dune Road (Semipalmated Plovers, Short-billed Dowitchers).
The migration of swallows -- mostly Barn -- along Dune Road continued apace. A little excitement was provided by a swallow perched on a wire that appeared to me to have the features of a Cliff Swallow: short tail, white markings on a grayish back, a light patch on the forehead and a pale collar. However the forehead patch was not brilliant white and the bird was mostly facing away from us and preening constantly (and observed through the car window). I never saw it fly. I have seen Cliff Swallow on Eastern Long Island just one or two times so it does still occur out here (it once bred but no more). Wish I was a little more secure about this one!
Eric Salzman
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