Egrets In

Our first sighting of a Great White Egret was four or five nights ago when a lone male sailed in and stopped in a tree where the great birds have roosted for the past many seasons. It was gone after about 10 minutes. Two nights later, it was back, spending the night. 

Last night (the 26th) two males resplendent in breeding plumage settled in just about sunset and were here at sunrise. One departed early, but the second moved to a location in shallow water and spent about two hours there. It looks like the season is on – in the recent past, one or two have shown up around March 23, with one flying by on Mar 13, but none coming to roost until early April.

So far no herons which are usually starting to appear around the same date as the Egrets, but Osprey have been spotted on the Long Island already, so the seasonal predators seem to be making their way in. Grackles are showing up along with red-wing blackbirds and plenty of robins.

Not far from here, at a pond in West Islip next to Montauk Highway which is regularly used by overwintering wildfowl, close to 400 Scaup are encamped as of yesterday. Likely a flock that settled in while headed north from offshore rafting grounds they frequent in winter months. The species will not be around in a few weeks.

The weather is good – clear and bright, but chilly for this time of year. Temps will do well to make it into the low 40s today and we have been experiencing below freezing nights. The woodpile shrinks.