I went Beach Plumming at Peconic Bay with modest success on the plum picking (plums rather dry probably due to a lack of rain and low water table) but a couple of good bird observations. One was the continuing presence of Tree Swallows mainly over a nearby salt marsh; I haven't checked Dune Road but there will be a lot of Tachycineta bicolor moving along the barrier beach now or very soon. Twittering and chittering from a branch of a small Sumac tree prompted me to search the tree where I found a nest with noisy chicks pestering an adult Am Goldfinch. It is well known that this species is our latest nester but this was the first time I have ever found a Goldfinch nest. In spite of the fact that our East Quogue place is literally overrun and overflown by Goldfinches, I have never found their nest here; this one was easy because of the noisy chicks. And, indeed, August 26 with young not yet fledged is indeed a late date for a small songbird.
The other event of the morning (pre-Beach Plum) was a large falcon chasing a Belted Kingfisher. The Kingfisher got away. The falcon -- bold, big pointy wings, powerful looking -- veered off and flew up the marsh. Undoubtedly a Peregrine and the first of the season out here.
Eric Salzman
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