a birding visitor

John Leo came over from Mecox early this morning and we birded briefly on our marsh (Ruby-throated Hummingbird by the pond; Black-crowned Night Herons on the dead cedar by the pond and flying over the marsh). Shortly thereafter we were joined by Eileen Schwinn for a trip in Eileen's Jeep to Shinnecock Inlet and a birding ride west on Dune Road. Dune Road early on a weekday morning is very pleasant (and uncrowded) and the weather was very cooperative: sunny with a light breeze to freshen things up. Although the visit was very low on shorebirds (with only the breeding Willets, Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers in evidence), we had very nice looks at some good birds; Clapper Rail, Black-crowned Night Heron, Glossy Ibis, Willow Flycatcher, Saltmarsh Sparrow and Boat-tailed Grackle were the standouts. Other birds seen included Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, many egrets of both flavors, plus the usual gulls, Least and Common Terns, Red-wings, Common Grackles, etc. An Eastern Towhee at the little Quogue Refuge boardwalk was a bit of a surprise (we tend to think of the Towhee as a woodland bird). Ditto a Brown Thrasher in the vegetation between Dune Road and the bay. No Royal Terns and no Seaside Sparrow, a 'marsh sparrow" that was one of our special breeding birds but that I fear has been extirpated from our area.

I had birded once before with John many years ago when we trespassed on the Ron Lauder property in Amagansett in order to find nesting Bobolinks (we found young birds not long out of the nest) and did a late evening watch for nesting Barn Owls at a farm north of the highway in Bridgehampton (we never saw the owl). Our birding companion on that far-away jaunt was Nora Ephron!

Eric Salzman