Snouty McSnouster's Pelagic Tour: Wilson's Storm Petrel

I went with Snouty on his fishing boat to catch Sea Bass and Fluke as well as trying to get some lifer pelagics.  In the marsh we saw a couple of Clapper Rails and when we got out of the inlet, Mike saw 2 Petrels that I missed.  Luckily later on I saw one for my lifer.  The only other birds out there were Laughing and Great Black Backed Gulls.

When we got back to shore we went to the Jones Beach Ponds where Snouty got his lifer White Rumped Sandpiper.  The other highlight was a Pectoral Sandpiper.

Wilson's Storm Petrel

Jones Beach West End Ponds

I went to the ponds with my birding buddy Mike Snouty mostly to try to find him his lifer Western Sandpiper - we walked through the mud and muck for most of the entire span of the ponds.  We saw the "standard" sandpipers as well as at least 6 Stilts, guessing same amount of Pectorals and Stilts, (one Semipalmated Plover), Short Billed Dowitchers, White Rumped Sandpipers, a Great Blue Heron and a Peregrine Falcon who had "breakfast".  The highlight was a continuing Virginia Rail who was a few feet away from us!  Before we left and assumed we should hit "J-Bay" we ran into Joe V who advised us there was at least 1 Western Sandpiper.  We asked another birder who he referred us to and there was 2 right in front of us!  I'm glad Snouty finally got his lifer Western, not to mention one was in nice plumage.

Later Snouty and I looked for a repored Western Tanager what was seen days earlier at Twelve Pines Park, Medford - no luck. I went to Muttontown Preserve later in the day and it was awfully quiet there - heard wrens and saw a female Redstart.

Virginia Rail!

Peregrine Falcon with "breakfast"

Western Sandpiper

Pectoral and Semipalmated Sandpipers

Nassau County Turkey Vultures

Just a note that I saw 3 TV's while driving around today - 2 in Syosset and 1 in Hicksville/ Plainview....they're a'coming...

Jones Beach West End Ponds; Virginia Rail

I went with Snouty to the ponds where Virginia Rails and a Sora were reported.  He saw an adult rail with a baby  - by the time I looked, all I saw was a poof ball baby.  Disappointing for my lifer Virginia Rail.  We thought we saw the Sora also and took a few photos before it ran into the phrags.  When I looked at the photos when I got home, I realized it was actually a Virginia Rail...to be continued...

Jones Beach West End

I went to the ponds and the highlight was a Pectoral Sandpiper - at the Coast Guard Station I saw 3 Gull Billed Terns - one was an adult with a young one and other was a subadult.

Gull Billed Tern

Richard DeKorte Preserve, NJ, Jones Beach West End: Least Bittern

When I moved to Massapequa in 2012 I was just beginning to become aware of listserves and ABA where other birders posted their sightings.  I didn't know it at the time but there were breeding Least Bitterns at the preserve 2 blocks from my house so since that time Least Bitterns have been sort of a nemesis bird for me.  I found out that Richard DeKorte Preserve in NJ is a breeding them area so I took a chance and looked for them there.  Although I didn't get long looks at them, I did see four.  Also seen was a distant Ruff (most likely based on color and was reported same time I was there.

Later a search at the ponds at Jones Beach West End turned up the usual shorebirds and the continuing Pectoral Sandpiper.