EASTERN AUDUBON SOCIETY – From the Barrens to the Bays Formerly Moriches Bay Audubon, established 1967

September/October 2012— Vol. XXXVII No. 5

Nature Walks/ Field Trips

John McNeil With the cool weather right around the corner, the fall migration will follow. I know you hate to think that the Fall is coming, but we are planning to meet our early “snow birds” (and not the trailer driving kind) as they migrate Eastern Long Island Audubon Society south. On Sunday, September 16th. Carl Invites you to attend the forty-fifth anniversary dinner Starace & Sally Swain will guide you into the North Fork Preserve for a walk along Long Island’s pristine property for some excellent birding. You never know Celebrating what you might find. On Saturday Sep - tember 22nd, I will guide you into to catch the air cur - Birding on Long Island rents to observe raptors along our Stalking the Meat-Eater Bird: A Birder Tells All shoreline from the ranger station view - ing platform and wilderness areas. In Pam Salaway, author and storyteller, October, I have planned a Dune Road will speak to the joys and wonders, and trip from Shinnecock east to catch often comical dimensions, of birding some late migrants as they flutter along our coast. This is only the start of our Wednesday, October 17, 2012 fall and winter birding trips, please join our leaders as they guide you into the Cocktail hour begins at 6:00 pm fall migration. CASA BASSO Saturday, Sept. 15th, @ 8:30 am 59 Montauk Highway, Westhampton, NY Smith Point County Park Cocktail Hour with cash bar, followed by a sit-down dinner Trip Leader: John McNeil $45.00 per person in advance or $50 at the door Meet at the far western end of the Worlds Largest Parking Lot at Smith Point Don’t forget to buy your raffle tickets for some fun & Park . Please watch the weather and entertaining prizes. You do not need to be there in order to win. wear appropriate outerwear. Sometimes If you have questions please call Evelyn at 631-727-0417 or Sally at 631-281-6008. this has been the first cold walk of the season. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars and scopes. We will start at the upper deck of the Ranger Station Seed Sale is set for Saturday, November 10th from 9am to 3pm and then hike out into the Wilderness at Quogue Wildlife Refuge. Order forms are on the web site: Area. We will be watching for migrating easternlongislandaudubon.org songbirds, waterbirds and birds of prey. Please place your seed orders by Oct. 24, continued - see page 2 gift items, bird feeders and other items will be available at the sale. THE OSPREY September/October 2012 2

This is an exciting time of year to be out on the barrier beach so come on out! For more details, contact John at home Nature Programs/Meetings 631.281.2623 or on the day of trip by cell Nature Programs are held at Quogue Wildlife Refuge. All programs are free and the at 631.219.8047or by e-mail: public is welcome. [email protected]. Bob Adamo, Interim Program Chair Monday, September 10 beginning at 7:15 pm Sunday, Sept. 16th, @ 9:00 am What the FraCK? North Fork Preserve Roxanne Zimmer Trip Leaders: Carl Starace & Sally Swain is on the frontline of the controversy surrounding shale gas. Energy from this source is a double edged sword. Although a lucrative alternative to coal Suffolk County recently acquired this and other fossil fuels, accessing shale gas via hydraulic fracturing or fracking poses pristine 300 acre property for parkland considerable environmental hazards. How has the gas industry been so successful to be used for “passive recreation,” such in covering up these hazards including toxic waste disposal? What is the Long Is - as hiking and birding. Most of our mem - land connection in this upstate debate? bership has not had a chance to explore this new parkland. Join Carl and Sally to catch migrants and see what The North Monday, October 1 beginning at 7:15 am Fork Preserve is about half a mile east of Birding the Manu Palmer Vineyard on the north side of Sound Ave in Riverhead. Parking is on the Eric Salzman grass on either side of the drive outside The Manu Biosphere Reserve is a national park that runs from high in the Andes of the gate. For addition details, contact near Cuzco down past the junction of the Manu and Madre de Dios Rivers in the Carl at 631.281.8074 or e-mail him at Amazonian lowlands of southeastern Peru. The reserve and park plus the sur - [email protected] rounding areas constitute the largest protected area in the country and one of the major protected areas in South America, covering a huge variety of habitats Saturday, Oct. 20th, @ 8:00 am with a cross-section of flora and fauna that includes more than 1000 species of birds. There are only a very limited number of ways to access this area. The Manu Dune Road—Shinnecock to Road from Cuzco is a one-lane dirt road that travels from puna and paramo at 12,500 feet down through successive levels of cloud forest, ending in rain forest at the Madre de Dios River, a major tributary of the Amazon; from this point on it is Trip Leader: Eileen Schwinn necessary to travel by boat. Accessible from road and river are a small number of This will be an excellent time to bird lodges on the edge of the reserve. Eric and Lorna Salzman spent three weeks at along the barrier beach as the migration the Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge, the Hacienda Amazonia and the Manu Wildlife Cen - passes through our area. We will be look - ter and saw over 525 species of birds including some of the most exotic and ing for shorebirds, hawks and other land sought-after South American species. birds. Meet in the parking area on the west side of at 8:00 am. Contact Eileen via e-mail if you need ad - dition details: [email protected]. Sunday, November 18th @ 9:00 am December 2012 Old Mastic Autumn Bird Walk No field trips are scheduled. We hope Saturday, Nov. 17th @ 9:00 am William Floyd Estate members will participate in the Chirstmas Bird Counts. More information will be in Jamesport State Park and Trip Leader: MaryLaura Lamont the Nov/Dec Osprey with dates for the Hallockville Farm Fields The William Floyd Estate in Mastic is 613 December counts and the Waterfowl Census in January. . Trip Leader: MaryLaura Lamont acres of mowed fields, woods, creeks and salt marshes. Round trip walk of 3 miles The varied habitats of the farm fields, will turn up wintering hawks, ducks, spar - woods, ponds, and dunes on Long Island rows, and perhaps Bluebirds. Bring binocu - Sound provide a diversity of migrants and Get Involved lars. Main entrance is 245 Park Drive, wintering birds. Bring binoculars for this Would you like to submit Mastic. Call the trip leader MaryLaura La - 2-hour walk of spectacular views and an article or a photo? mont at the Estate at 631.399.2030 for good birding. For additional details call details. We would like Hallockville at 631-298-5292. There is a to hear from you. Contact: $5 charge for this walk benefiting the [email protected]. Hallockville Museum Farm. THE OSPREY September/October 2012 3

P

h

o

t

Red Knot B95 or o

:

P

a

t

r

The Moon Bird? i

c

i

a

M

.

Byron Young gentina and prior to G

o

n

that during May 2009 z

While planning a trip to the coast of l

e Maine for September, I came across a note in Delaware Bay. z on Maine Birding the Net about a banded If you want to read Red Knot affectionately called the Moon more about this Bird. celebrity bird look for Shorebird scientist Patricia Gonzlez of Ar - a book by Phillip gentina has been banding Red Knots for Hoose entitled Moon - many years and the Moon Bird is one of bird: On the Wind with her favorites. The Moon Bird was origi - the Great Survivor nally banded at age 2 in 1995 and today B95 ” due out in July bears tag number B95. This Red Knot now 2012. at least 19 years old and has made at least What is interesting about this bird is its bird, especially a Red Knot, try to obtain a 38 trans-hemispheric trips from Argentina age (19 years), the distance it has mi - photograph of the bird with its band, num - to the Canadian arctic and back a straight grated, and its ability to survive all of the ber if possible for reporting. line distance of about 9300 miles each pitfalls that great these migrating shore - It is very exciting to discover a banded way. This bird in its lifetime has flown the birds. Given that most Red Knot only live bird and to aid in the scientific investiga - distance between the earth and the moon for four or five years this bird is truly re - tions surrounding the species. It is very and is now on its way back. What is inter - markable. One wonders how many off - interesting to communicate with the sci - esting when you think about the migra - spring have been produced and whether entific team that banded the bird and to tions of the Red Knot or any bird for that they will carry the longevity gene of this feel their excitement and passion for their matter is that they do not fly in a straight parent. work. line so the distances that they fly is even On the local front, banded Red Knots Be on the lookout for B95 or its friends in greater. have been observed at Pike’s Beach and your travels around the flats of Moriches Red Knot B95 has been sighted only a few Cupsogue for the past several years. Most Bay this fall, you never know what you times in its travels but each time it adds a of the birds that I am aware of have been might find. great deal of valuable information. It has banded in either Argentina or Chile with been seen a few times in Tierra del Fuego the one exception being a bird Banded in by the research team, in Delaware Bay, and Delaware Bay. If you spot a banded shore - the Mingan Archipelago in Quebec Canada. The Mingan Archipelago in on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence Oystercatcher Farm D/B/A and appears to be a stop over point for THE FARMERS MARKET FARM STAND returning Red Knots. The latest observation of B95 was this spring in Delaware Bay by Dr. Gonzalez. She was spotting shorebirds from the deck of a house at Reeds Beach, N.J. when she spotted a Red Knot with an orange band. The orange band indicates that the bird was banded in Argentina. When she realized that this bird was B95 her hands began to shake and her heart began to beat faster. Collecting her camera she Proprietors: John and Patricia Carson pressed it against the spotting scope snap - 76 Montauk Highway, Westhampton, NY 11978 (631.375.0612) ping at least 10 photos of the bird hoping (just west of Buoy One Restaurant) that one would catch the band number Featuring Blue Duck Bakery Breads & Pies (photo above). The Moon Bird has been And the finest - fresh seasonal local produce - spotted numerous times during its life including our own hand-pressed lemonade, fruit jams, span, prior to this April in Delaware Bay it raw honey, maple syrup, chowder, fruit and savory tarts. was observed in December 2011 in Ar - THE OSPREY September/October 2012 4

Here I am with Julie Zickefoose and Mary Beth Wilson on Habor Island, one of our day trips. In the middle are the Northern Parula fledglings and a group of teens watching the nest. The Joy of Birding at Hog Island Audubon Camp

Sally Newbert by a swampy area and admired the pitcher boat trips cancelled, but ignoring the rain, Sometime last winter I received a post - plants with their dark colored flowers. off we went for a walk in the woods to card from Hog Island describing the sum - Then it was on to breakfast and coffee. the Bingham and Writer’s Cottages. There mer programs. A rainbow hung over the Under our window in the Port Hole, the Scott Weidensaul told us the story of the island. I thought that is really something I name of our dorm, a crowd gathered al - two cottages. It was here that Austin would love to do. So I hung the post card most every morning and afternoon. A pair Dickenson, Emily Dickenson’s brother, car - up above my desk. Then came the gloomy of Northern Paula had built a very well ried on a raging affair with Mable Loomis days of winter. At the January ELIAS Board disguised nest in the Old Man’s Beard Todd, the island’s owner. Both were mar - meeting the discussion turned to the lichen that hung from a pine tree. At first ried to other people. In a twist of fate, teenage campers that ELIAS sponsors. you could only see the lichen moving and after Austin’s death, it was in the writer’s Well, someone asked, should we send wiggling. Then the crowd gasped as the cottage that Mable Loomis Todd edited adults? How could we do that? The sub - mother or father came and went to feed the poems of Emily Dickenson and made ject of Hog Island came up. Suddenly, and the babies. Over just a few days the nest them into the versions we know today. so unlike me, I found myself saying, “I went from wiggling to almost dissolving, Sorry no pictures of the cottages, it was would love to go to Hog Island.” The revealing four Northern Parula chicks. too wet to take the camera. Friends of Board voted to give Tom Moran and me a Would the lichen in the pine tree that was Hog Island are in the process of restoring partial scholarship to attend a week’s pro - disguising the nest hold? Would the babies the cottages. gram in Maine. It was just the incentive I be able to stay in the nest long enough? On Tuesday it was time for some mainland needed. A little planning, a stop in Boston We watched and waited. Then one after - birding. Off to McCurdy Pond Road for on the way up and back to see my daugh - noon, the first baby fledged. Ahh , the rest warblers and Great Salt Bay Farm Wildlife ter and family. My friend, Mary Beth Wil - followed within a few hours. Only 10 or Preserve in Damariscotta where the field son, also a birder, was delighted to find I 12 days in nest and the babies were off. was filled with Bobolinks, a life bird for was going and quickly signed up too. So off Not a long time to grow up. What a thing me. There were also beautiful Cedar Wax- we went. to witness. wings. We spent the afternoon on the Sunday afternoon, hungry, tired and a little On our first day we took a short boat Snow Goose III going out to Eastern Egg nervous, we arrived and loaded our stuff ride to see the island and surrounding Rock Island where the Puffins live. This is (way too much) on to the Snow Goose III, area from the water. An Eagle nest with the colony that Steven Kress began a nice study lobster boat for the ride over large chick was visible from the boat, restoring in the 1970s. I have to admit this to the island It is a short ride, not more Guillemots were a constant presense, a was the most disappointing part of camp. than a 5 or 10 minutes. few Common Loons were also on the We did not have any close views of the water. The Loons were either young birds, Puffins. I got a few shots of flying puffins, Monday morning the light streamed into but nothing even remotely satisfactory. We the room and woke me up, early enough or unsuccessful nesters, they should have been on inland fresh water ponds at that did not land on the island, which can be a for the 6 am bird walk. Off we went into difficult feat and is not attempted with the woods for a short walk with Scott time of year. We passed a favorite fishing spot for Great Blue Herons and learned a campers. There are interns who work Weidensaul, the camp director for the with Steve Kress who do live on the island week. We listened for the zoo,zee, zee bit of the history of a ship, the Cora Cressly, that was disintegrating nearby. and are supplied by the Hog Island staff. zoo of the Black-throated Green Warbler, The interns do a variety of research proj - a regular nester on Hog Island. We walked That afternoon, the rain had taken over, ects with the Puffins and other nesting THE OSPREY September/October 2012 5

Dr. Sara Morris and her daughter dressed for Guillemot Appreciation Day, red/orange crocs complete the outfit. One of the honorees, a Guille - mots flies by the boat. Here I am again with Scott Weidensaul at the early morning bird banding session. The Snow Goose IIi takes the group ashore for some land birding. birds on Eastern Egg Rock. Common eggs and young birds warm. She also held with children, dog, garden and birds on an Terns, Roseate Terns, Arctic Terns, and the bird up to each person’s ear for them Ohio farm. Then Sara Morris gave a work - Laughing Gulls all roost or nest on the is - to hear the heart beat. It is like a cat’s shop on brown birds. We divided into land. From the boat we watched Great purr. As she held the bird up to peoples’ teams and compared field guides in print, Blue Herons flying to thier roosts and ad - ears, you could see the look of delight and on electronic devices. to find the bird. mired the many seals that were hauled overtake them. Because it was a female, Peterson’s guide won in my book. Embar - out on the rock islands. Razorbills,Great they let her go quickly. The task of letting rassingly my partner inadvertently pressed and Double-crested Cormorants, and it go went to one of the teen campers, the sound button on the ipad and dis - Common Eider also call these rocks whose face lit up as she held the little bird rupted the class as the Veery called out its home. and let her go back to her family. No birds name. Wednesday was Guillemot Appreciation were caught the second morning, but The camp wrapped up with a lobster feast Day. It was our day to learn about the when they did this with the Covids, a with cream puffins for dessert and a won - local residents, ok, a little corny, but fun. Black-throated Blue was caught. Lucky derful, amusing talk by Bill Thompson III, What was that on all the leaders feet? them! publisher of Bird Watcher’s Digest. Everyone was given red/orange felt Guille - I was a member of the adult group, but at Let me backtrack a bit and mention that mot feet to wear in whatever fashion they the same time, there was a group of teens, the faculty was unbelievably great. Scott could imagine, on id badges, on hats, in at another program taking place at the Weidensaul, author of more than two your hair. Why was there a piece of red same time. Usually they had their own ac - dozen books headed the camp this week’s licorice on everyone plate at lunch? That tivities. We did all eat together and share The Joy of Birding program. His newest was to remind us that the favorite food of some activities. I think these teens, nick - book: The First Frontier: The Forgotten His - the Guillemot was red sand eels. (I never named, the Corvids added a little spice to tory of Struggle, Savagery and Endurance in saw one of those, I guess they are under our week. Early America is coming out soon. Bill the water). Sara Morris, a professor from Winding up the week was a trip to the Thompson III and his wife, Julie Zickefoose Canisius, and her daughter and a few oth - mainland, following a trail set up by Roger were also there and gave programs on ers dressed as Guillemots with white Tory Peterson in a residential but bird- birding optics, (ok, he told me I should go patches and black outfits. Red/orange friendly community with a fresh water to tripod hell or something to that effect). crocs completed the outfit. beaver pond. The whole group partici - He gave a program on digiscoping that de - Wednesday and Thursday morning I found pated, but split into smaller groups going scribed a new device that quickly attaches the most pleasant way to start the day. in different directions. We were rewarded an iphone to a scope to make digiscoping Sara Morris, professor and bird bander with surprisingly great views of a Bay- extremely easy and quick. (Maybe I can get gave a bird banding demonstration outside breasted Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, Com - myself out of tripod hell). Julie talked the dining hall. Coffee and birding in the mon Yellowthroat and Swamp Sparrow. about the birds she has helped and gar - cool morning. How nice. Mist nets were Osprey and Eagles were calling overhead. dening with native plants. Julie, aka Zick, set up to capture some birds. The one Butterflies included a White Admiral, and highlighted several nightly lectures. Both bird they caught the first morning was a an Eastern Swallowtail. A dragon fly look - Bill and Julie are authors, publishers and in Song Sparrow. Sara showed us the differ - ing like an old fashioned biplane was quite a musical group called The Rain Crows. ent size bands and discussed the process. a fabulous looking. “Would you go back?” asked Mary Beth She was able to blow on the bird’s chest The afternoon was spent at a choice of on the way home. “In a heartbeat” I an - to show us the brood patch, a featherless workshops. I had the pleasure of going to swered. patch that allows the bird to keep the hear Julie Zickefoose describe her life THE OSPREY September/October 2012 6

Famous Birders by Tom Moran

Stop in for all your seasonal needs. Trees & Shrubs Bird Baths Bird Houses & Feeders Bird Seed Walpole Woodworkers 369 Montauk Highway East Moriches, NY 11940 631-909-4630 [email protected] Eastport Feeds,Inc. Bird Seed Black Oil Sunflower Seed Suet Across 2 Naturalist William “Billy” took a five year walk in the southeast starting in 1773 discovering many Nutrena Products 5 Agatha ______, famous author who was a birder, she wouldn ’t need Poirot to help her new species Triumph ® Horse Feed make a field ID 3 Common birding accessory ® 8 Steve ______, played the corporate executive 4 Internal ______, theorized mechanism that Vitality Horse Feed birder in the movie The Big Year , he actually is a helps birds migrate Hay • Feed • Bedding birder, and a wild and crazy guy! 6 Three types of these sea ducks should be arriving 9 ______Flyway, a migratory path we live near for the winter 140 East Moriches Blvd. 10 Shedding old feathers 7 Founder of first Audubon Society Eastport, NY 11941 11 Scottish immigrant who was favored over 9 Alaskan island known for Asian rarities, essential 631-325-0077 Audubon by the Philadelphia Academy of Science for a big year 13 In the Northern Hemisphere, the southern 11 Early painter of American birds, grandfather of movement of birds, should be well under way first child born in America, Elizabeth Dare 16 Supercilium to a bird 12 State park location parking lot number 5, a good Answers to last issue’s puzzle 18 American ______, small hunter at EPCAL place to watch the hawk migration on Long Island Avian Creatures 19 Peter____, founder of the World Series of bird - 13 James _____Vardaman’s appropriate middle by Guest Contributor, Don Spates ing and director of the Cape May Bird Observa - name as the first big budget Big Year birder tory 14 American Golden ______, can be seen on the 21 Ken______low budget Big Year competitor sod farms about now 22 George Grinnell’s middle name! 15 A downward shaped bill, like on a whimbrel 24 His field guide, released in 2000, was the fastest 17 Most common bird of prey migrant seen on selling field guide to date Long Island (2010 Hawk Watch data) 25 Pennsylvania author of Living on the Wind and Of 19 Chemical that threatened many species including a Feather the Osprey 26 ____ Mountain, a good place to watch the hawk 20 Sent to the United States to avoid being drafted migration, just past the Tappen Zee Bridge into Napoleon’s army, failed businessman turned Down ornithologist 1 Roger Tory______created the modern field 23 ____ Mountain, preserved by Rosalie Edge to guide stop birds of prey from being hunted there THE OSPREY September/October 2012 7

From our outgoing President Eileen Schwinn

Eileen Schwinn A couple of years ago, I became inter - ested in birds. Mildly interested – a pur - pose and reason to go on long walks, with my friend, in my neighborhood. I enrolled in a beginning birding class through an adult education program, and attended a couple of meetings of the local bird- Marbled Godwit Limosa Fedoa watcher’s club. The next thing I knew, I was approached to take a more active Carl Starace bellies, even swimming at times. Roosting position in the club, maybe become an he Latin word, Limosa mean “muddy” takes place on higher ground with other officer. The current president was moving for the habitat Godwits use. The Latin large waders, even gulls. In flight its long to Florida, and, with an option to pass if it word, Fedoa , is a term whose meaning legs trail behind the tail. The Godwit wasn’t a good fit, I was asked to take the T moves speedily with shallow wingbeats. has been lost in time. “Marbled” comes leadership role. Fast forward seven years. When flying in flocks they will form a V. from the mottled coloration to its upper - Over the years, I’ve come to love the sides. It has a long, well-proportioned Food: Godwits seek out mollusks, crus - birds, to love the places birds hang out, body, legs and bill. with a slim neck and taceans and worms, all of which they will and more importantly, to love the people earthy colors. The Marbled Godwit is a work with skill up their long bill. When on who hang out with the birds. From each great looking shorebird. It is, along with the prairie grasslands they will feast on and every person connected with ELIAS, the American Oystercatcher, and the grasshoppers and other kinds of insects. I’ve learned things that will stay with me Long-billed Curlew (a bird that once used They will also eat tubers and various seeds forever. This group of people has become our shorelines in migration) the largest of from the edges of ponds and estuaries. some of my dearest friends, and they will the North American shorebirds. Vocalization: The call most often given as remain so in the years ahead. And it’s Description: The Marbled Godwit is it flies is a nasal “rech”, or “kerwek”. Also a from these friends, I’ve learned it’s OK to large, 18" in length with a 30” wingspan, long, loud,“reh karehah, karehah, karehah, move on and let someone else have the weighing in at 13 ounces. This Godwit is heh heh, heh.” chair I’ve sat in over the past seven years. larger than our Eastern Willet and some - Distribution: Marbleds breed on the Byron Young has graciously agreed to be what larger than the Western Willet. It is prairie grasses of Canada’s provinces and President of Eastern Long Island Audubon close in size to the Whimbrel, a curlew. in Central Montana, most of North Society, a role he not only had a valuable The Marbled’s head is small, neck long, Dakota, northern and central South background in, but a wonderful enthusi - body full, with a very long mostly pink bill Dakota, northern Minnesota, and the lower asm for! Retired from the DEC, Byron has that is slightly upturned. It is quite a plain Alaskan Peninsula. Wintering birds are a keen awareness of so much that will be looking bird. In all plumages there is little found along California’s coast, the Salton a real asset to our club. And, he is a gen - contrast in color between its upper and Sea, and down into Central America. uinely nice guy! lower parts. Its appearance is buffy brown. Furthur east they run from Florida’s west It was a good fit then, and it’s gonna be a Breeding adults are finely speckled cinna - coast along the Gulf to the Yucatan. A few good fit now for Byron!! mon/black on their upperparts. Their un - birds inhabit the winter shores of the mid- derparts are lightly barred. Non-breeding Atlantic down to south Florida. birds have no barring.In flight the tail and Where to find locally: My first was seen Enjoy, Stay Well, and Good Birding! underwings show a salmon color. on the mussel beds just west of Ponqugue Behavior: Marbleds will feed in flocks Bridge in May. They can usually be found across tidal mudflats. They will take sev - most readily from mid-August on into eral steps than probe. They mostly stand early autumn at both Pikes Beach and Cup - with the bill pointing downwards, unlike sogue County Park, the mudflats in West - either the Willet or Whimbrel. They like hampton Dunes. feeding in water, sometimes up to their Good September Birding. Carl THE OSPREY September/October 2012 8

Adventures in the field t r t e r b e b w e w n e

n y l y l l a l S a S At Tiana Beach (left) and in the field at SoFo watching the Indigo Buntings.

July 14 — Dune Road much oohing and aahing, making the day a through and the local birds are all singing. memorable one. By early August, many birds have shut Sally Newbert A reporter and photographer from the down for the season. here is usually some interesting birding NY Post joined this walk. They were work - There was one major exception and it is along Dune Road. Eileen Schwinn, the ing on a story about day trips from Man - one of our most sought-after birds and Tleader, met the group at Shinnecock hattan. still a fairly uncommon species around Inlet. We quickly went on to Road I which August 4 — SOFO here: the Indigo Bunting. Some buntings overlooked a tidal pond just loaded with are inconspicuous sparrowy birds but so many Great and Snowy Egrets it was Eric Salzman‘ that’s not the Indigo Bunting. The male of hard to keep count, he South Fork Natural History Society the species is a spectacular blue of a deep they were even (SOFO) and Eastern Long Island indigo color that, in the right light, can roosting in Audubon Society (ELIAS) held an his - seem to shimmer (ironically, the female is bushes further T one of the plainest of birds and the males toric joint walk at the SOFO Museum and away. As we I had the privilege of leading the walk lose their spectacular plumage in migra - watched the egrets, around Vineyard Field — the large recov - tion and winter). Since the males only who came peeking out of the marshes, but ering pasture or meadow in back of the hold this plumage in breeding season and a Clapper Rail. Oh my, what a good find so museum on the Bridgehampton/Sag Har - since the Vineyard Field was full of singing early in the day. We proceeded on to the bor Turnpike. It was very well attended birds — more Indigo Buntings than I have Ponquogue Bridge and the bay side of with perhaps two dozen participants. ever seen in a single place — it would Tiana Beach and enjoyed the Willets, Os - Among them were Eileen Schwinn, presi - seem to be the case that Indigo Bunting prey, and friends. Our final stop was along dent of ELIAS, Dai Dayton, president of breeding season in Bridgehampton is not Triton Lane where we spotted our second the Friends of the LI Greenbelt (which yet over! Clapper Rail of the day. Then, walking to manages the field), Frank Quevedo, direc - Did we see any female Indigo Buntings? the ocean side we were able to see the tor of SOFO, and my daughter Eva Salz - Any youngsters? Nests? Of course not. nesting Least Tern colony. The sand col - man, a poet who often writes about But it was a remarkable show of male In - ored babies were hard to pick out with natural history on Eastern LI. digo Buntingness: perhaps a dozen or their fluffy feathers almost matching the more displaying and singing both in the sand. The best way to find them was to This area specializes in birds that like to live at the edge or ecotone between trees around the edges and on the top of watch for the parents who flew in fairly small bushes in the meadow. Sometimes constantly to feed a small fish to the little woodlands and open meadows. The opti - mum time for a visit is probably early to there were chases that looked like territo - chicks. Keeping our distance, Eileen put rial disputes. How territorial is the Indigo the chicks in the scope which elicited mid-spring when migrants are passing

First stop along Dune Road included a spec - tacular number of Great and Snowy Egrets. A Clapper Rail made a brief appearance at two stops. THE OSPREY September/October 2012 9 r e k c e d i e h n h o J On the flats at Cupsoque Bunting? It’s a good question worthy of August 25 — Cupsogue Also seen: a small flock of about a dozen further investigation. In any case, the Red Knots, small numbers of Black Skim - singing males were always perched high or Eric Salzman‘ mers and Royal Terns, two Black Terns in the open, anxious to broadcast their upsogue by the Moriches Inlet is a over the marsh in front of the island, num - vocal and visual assets to the world. I county park at the west end of Dune bers of Common Terns and good views of don’t know of another place on Long Is - CRoad made up of dunes, marshes, mud a Clapper Rail taking a bath in a pool at land where it is possible to see these birds & sand flats, islands, ocean and bay. It is the edge of the marsh along with three so easily and dramatically. The whole field one of the finest spots on the East End for immature Yellow-crowned Night Herons was like an exploded lek — a field of dis - shorebirds and waterbirds. There are basi - catching crabs and several Saltmarsh Spar - play for male birds. cally two ways to get to the best birding rows hopping and darting about. There were other birds of course. Green spots. One goes directly from the parking The variety of shore birds included Red Heron and Purple Martin flying overhead, lot through the salt marsh (a muddy trek). Knots, Oystercatchers, a few Willets (in - Eastern Kingbird in the meadow, Barn The other, adopted for this walk, is to cluding at least one Western Willet), Semi - Swallows around the buildings (with active head a short distance west on the sand palmated, Piping and Black-bellied Plovers, nests and second broods under the eaves), road at the far end of the parking lot and Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, Carolina Wrens singing away here and then follow a trail down the dunes to the Ruddy Turnstones, at least one Short- there, House Wren, Common Yel - bay edge. When you reach the bay (actu - billed Dowitcher, Sanderlings, Greater and lowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Chipping Spar - ally the shore of an inlet between the salt Lesser Yellowlegs (with the latter seem - row, Baltimore Oriole, lots of Catbirds, marshes and a couple of large spoil is - ingly outnumbering the former!). lands), you work your way east, wading Mockingbirds, Cardinals. Among the area’s There were several Osprey including one specialties that were missed: Orchard Ori - across a small stream or two and then the channel itself to reach the flats surround - active nest and all four common gull ole, Blue-winged Warbler, Red-winged species were present (Great Black-backed, Blackbird (huh?), Tree Swallow, and East - ing the island where many of the birds hang out. This is best accomplished at low Herring, Laughing and Ring-billed). An odd ern Bluebird, all of which were here ear - observation was that of a Ring-bill flying lier in the season. Next time! tide and the tide was indeed low at about 9:30 on the 25th. backwards (!) across the surface of the P.S.: Summer is an optimum time for but - water apparently tracking bait fish. It’s terflies and dragonflies in a meadow like Probably the #1 sighting (or perhaps the sometimes said that hummingbirds are the this one with several wet spots. Among #1, 2 & 3 sightings) were of Whimbrels: only birds that can fly backward but this the dragonflies I could identify Halloween two flying over the parking lot at our 7:30 gull apparently failed to get that informa - Pennant, Banded Pennant and a whitetail am arrival, a single bird in the water near tion. (Common Whitetail according to Frank the marshes and another single bird, this one calling and flying low directly over - There were many Snowy Egrets including Quevedo). A great place to study the in - one doing a veritable solo dance in the sects of summer. head as we made our way back along the shore. Another excellent sighting was a water, an activity more commonly associ - If you would like to receive Eric‘s probable Long-billed Dowitcher – a large, ated with Reddish Egrets. What exactly is Blog, send your email to: es@eric - fairly bright and well-marked singleton the bird doing? Presumably stirring up bait salzman.com. The Blog is also avail - with a very long bill. fish in some fashion. able on LIBirding.com. Taken from Eric Salzaman’s Blog. THE OSPREY September/October 2012 10

Open Mouths just Feeder Survey begins in October beyond the window John McNeil Betty Wybenga The Survey will be conducted the first full Survey Dates: Several yards and a window pane separate week of the month starting on Sunday Sun., Oct. 7 to Sun., Oct. 14 our kitchen table from the sights and and ending the following Sunday. This sur - Name ______sounds of an ongoing spectacular spring vey takes place from October to June. and summer show. Bird feeders, two Address ______INSTRUCTIONS FOR baths, a dead birch tree, high and low ______shrubs and a pine tree provide the setting FEEDER SURVEY for the nurseries and feeding center for n Define an area containing feeders that Town ______many of the birds listed in our monthly you can see all at once from a window. reports. The area should be one you glance at Phone ______frequently during your daily routine. Parenting is at an optimum: constant tire - ______Mourning Dove n Don’t include birds seen off premises. less flights from seeds and other feeder ______Northern Cardinal tidbits to nests by either parent in the n Predators perching in or swooping ______Blue Jay Downy and Red-bellied Woodpecker fam - through the count area (not just flying ______House Finch ily. The reds, blues and yellows of the Car - over) may be counted if you feel that dinals, Bluejays, and finches flash by, as well they were attracted by the birds at ______Black-capped Chickadee as the persistent “more seed” chatter of the feeder. ______Tufted Titmouse the Chickadees and Titmouse. Open ______Downy Woodpecker n Record the largest number of each mouths demand more and more from species that you see in your count area ______White-throated Sparrow their parents on the feeder, while point - during the eight-day count period. ______Dark-eyed Junco edly a Downy parent with several open mouths waiting appeared to show these n Do not add counts from previous days ______House Sparrow fledglings how to extend the body for - together. Be specific with the species ______White-breasted Nuthatch ward in order to feed from the food name, e.g. we can’t use just the name ______Song Sparrow block. On several days a Brown Thrasher Sparrow, Blackbird or Gull. ______Red-bellied Woodpecker was ground feeding and then in a few n At the end of the count period, record ______American Crow quiet moments appeared with an almost your final tallies and send in the form ______European Starling chick-sized fledgling which settled in a immediately. sunny spot and waited while the parent ______Common Grackle Personal observations and comments are did some low flying and creative searching ______Carolina Wren welcome as are suggestions to improve to appease the open mouth. ______Northern Mockingbird the surveys and reports. Our immediate outdoors are insect free ______American Goldfinch (no mosquitoes) and recently while read - ______Red-winged Blackbird ing on the nearby verandah a family of five ______Hairy Woodpecker wrens flitted by and then flew off in what ______Common Flicker I regarded as a fitting thank you fly by! Father’s Day at the feeder – a male Downey ______Rufous-sided Towhee And the show goes on with more sight - Woodpecker tries to teach his fledgling chick ings from our feeder survey list. the art of eating from the suet feeder. ______American Robin ______Brown-headed Cowbird ______Sharp-shinned Hawk ______Rock Dove (pigeon) ______Gray Catbird ______Yellow-rumped Warbler ______Red-breasted Nuthatch ______Other ______A G N E B Y W

Y T T E B THE OSPREY September/October 2012 11

Chapter Renewal & Membership

For $15 a year, you will receive 6 copies of this newsletter. You will be supporting our local education and conservation activities. (Members of National Audubon who are not chapter members receive one copy of this newsletter per year.)

This is a m Renewal m New Membership

Name ______

Address ______

______

City/State ______

Zip ______

Email ______Please be sure to include your email. You will receive an email confirmation, a pdf of the first newsletter and occasional important updates and program updates. Although we try not to cancel or change event dates and times, it does happen. This list is not shared.

If you are a member and not on our email list Make check payable to: please email [email protected] Eastern Long Island Audubon Society to be added. and mail to: You will receive reminders of programs, ELIAS Membership, PO Box 206, and program changes, or cancellations. This is only an ELIAS list. East Quogue, NY 11942-0206 NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID Published by: Permit No. 3 Eastern Long Island Audubon Society Center Moriches, NY 11934 P.O. Box 206 East Quogue, NY 11942-0206 Address Service Requested

Please check the date on your label. If your membership is about to expire please use the membership/renewal form on page 11 to keep your membership

current. . ELIAS Officers & Directors President: Mark Your Calendars Eileen Schwinn 631-728-8342 Past President: Monday, Sept. 10 Nature Program (see page 2) Alfred Scherzer 631-728-2898 Meet at 7:15 pm What the FraCK? Learn about the threat to NYS. Vice President: Byron Young 631-821-9623 Roxanne Zimmer Recording Secretary: Saturday, Sept. 15 Nature Walk (see page 1) Chris Schmitt 631-727-2860 Meet at 8:30 am Smith Point County Park, John McNeil, Leader Corresponding Secretary: Gigi Spates 631-765-1436 Sunday, Sept. 16 Nature Walk (see page 1) Treasurer: Tom Moran 631-849-4434 Meet at 9 am North Fork Preserve, Carl Starace & Sally Swain, Leaders

Board of Directors: Monday, Oct. 1 Nature Program (see page 2) Bob Adamo 631-369-1958 Meet at 7:15 pm Birding the Manu, Peru with Eric Salzman Ridgie Barnett 631-288-3628 MaryLaura Lamont Wed. Oct. 17 Celebrating Birding Dinner at Casa Basso (see page 1)

Catherine McCluskey 631-399-4782 Saturday, Oct. 20 Nature Walk (see page 2) Matthew McCluskey, Jr. 631-399-4782 Meet at 7:30 am Dune Road –Shinnecok to Moriches Inlet, Eileen Schwinn, Leader Sally Newbert 631-281-6008 Evelyn Voulgarelis 631-727-0417 Saturday, Nov. 17 Nature Walk (see page 2) Dan Wilson Meet at 9:00 am Jamesport State Park & Hallockville Farm Fields MaryLaura Lamont, Leader Committees/Projects Sat., Nov. 10 Seed Sale at Quogue Wildlife Refuge Membership, Mailing, Field Trips & Feeder Stats: John McNeil 631-281-2623 Gift items will be availabe. Please place your seed orders by Oct. 24, order forms are on the website. Program Chair and Nature Chat Open Liaison - Kaler's Pond Audubon Center: Sunday, Nov. 18 Nature Walk (see page 2) Alfred Scherzer 631-728-2898 Meet at 9:00 am Old Mastic Autumn Bird Walk, William Floyd Estate Hospitality: Ridgie Barnett 631-288-3628 MaryLaura Lamont, Leader Conservation & Bluebird Restoration: Gigi Spates 631-765-1436 All programs are open to all. Education: Evelyn Voulgarelis 631-727-0417 Webmaster: Annette Oliveira 631-833-4451 Newsletter Editor & Publicity: EASTERN LONG ISLAND AUDUBON SOCIETY Sally Newbert 631-281-6008 From the Barrens to the Bays [email protected] Serving Eastern Brookhaven, Western Riverhead & The Hamptons www.easternlongislandaudubonsociety.org