Beach Buntings

During a sharp and short warm break that took temps to the high 40s amidst teens and 20s of late, a stroll on the beach last Friday brought good sightings. First was a group of 30-plus snow buntings on the roadside. A Northern Harrier working its way along the north channel shore at the west end of Jones Beach Island flew almost at eye-level just a few yards from the car for over a quarter mile.

Topping the list however, was my first ID of Lapland Longspurs. I came across a small flock in among the sand dunes. Bird books say they are regulars in NY state, but this is the first time I had encountered them as a birder. Another first was an encounter on my way out of the park with two snow geese which were feeding at the roadside. I was able to get within 40 feet and watch them from the car through the binos for about 10 minutes. I have heard and seen them overhead during migration, but this was my first close up look on the ground.

Off the rock jetty at the end of the island, there were a dozen or so brant working their way along the surf line. The trip to the shore was prompted in hopes of spotting a Snowy Owl. There were three people at the parking area at the West End when I arrived, all searching the dunes for the same thing. Snowies are regular visitors to this spot in winter; I saw one three years ago. None appeared during this visit.

At home, the suet cage attracts plenty of woodpecker attention. A red-bellied was there yesterday and three downies were on hand the day before. Regular interlopers are the starlings, but they soon tire and move on, allowing the woodpeckers back at it. Yesterday also brought a fleeting glimpse of a hairy woodpecker on a nearby telephone pole.

Another unexpected visitor was a really fat robin which landed on the deck railing three days ago, eyeballing the seed feeding area below. Re-stocking of the niger feeder is at its highest tempo as the goldfinches and even the occasional junco or sparrow attack it with vigor in these chilly days.

This morning about 20-minutes before sunrise the cold still morning erupted with the sound of a song sparrow, which loudly proclaimed the day for a good five minutes. We don't hear many bird songs this time of year and its trumpet brought thoughts of spring, which seems a long, cold trudge away right now.