Seawatch - Long Island, New York USA

Once the rains had cleared this afternoon (30 August 2008), I toured some of the coastal spots between The Springs (Town of East Hampton) and Montauk Point (Google Coordinates 41.071900, -71.859000), Suffolk Co., Long Island. For this first time this summer terns were much in evidence, mostly COMMON and ROSEATE TERNS with fledged birds of the year, but an influx of BLACK TERNS Chlidonias niger surinamensis were the stars. After noting a Black Tern in Gardiner's Bay off Fireplace Beach, I found greater numbers in Napeague Bay (18) and on the Atlantic Ocean off Hither Hills (>50) and around Montauk Point (45). Smaller groups of terns, including more Black Terns, were found at several other spots. Shoals of Bluefish and Stripped Bass were actively feeding off Hither Hills and Montauk, the ocean seeming to boil in places because of the mass of predatory fish that were gorging on tiny bait fish (1-2 cm). This tiny prey was also being picked off by the terns hovering over the surface. At Montauk Point, some of the surf casters were hooking strippers and bluefish on every cast but I was pleased to see that most of fish went straight back in the water unscathed.

On the ocean off the Hither Hills camp ground (41.010241, -72.007429), 5 PARASITIC JAEGERS were harassing a large congregation of Laughing Gulls and terns. When the piscine activity subsided, the jaegers pulled out within minutes of each other, flying eastwards relatively close to shore. I tentatively aged them as two 1st summers, 2 second/third summers and 1 molting adult. They kept going towards Ditch Plains and vanished into the sea mist. Very nice!

However, the 'bird of the day' for me was a large LEATHERBACK TURTLE Dermochelys coriacea that surfaced 100 yards off the beach at an overlook at the western end of Montauk village. The view point is high enough that through a scope, I could see the ridges and barnacles on the marine turtle's back as well as its long black flippers and immense eyes. Loggerheads are not uncommon offshore in summer but it is a treat to see one from land.

BLACK TERN - 118 (sum of high counts from various spots)
Forster's Tern - 5, Napeague, Montauk and Montauk Pt.
Common Tern - 1,550
Roseate Tern - 190++
Laughing Gull - 300
Northern Gannet - 1, Hither Hills
PARASITIC JAEGER - 5, Hither Hills then moved east.
Common Loon - 3, Hither Hills at edge of feeding frenzy

Some other birds of note were:
Northern Harrier - 2, female-types, Hick's Island
Turkey - 9, Amagansett and Napeague
Solitary Sandpiper - 1, Deep Hollow Ranch Pond
Lesser Yellowlegs - 4, Rita's Stable Pond
Spotted Sandpiper - 4, Montauk area
Semipalmated Sandpiper - 2 Deep Hollow and Rita's
Black-bellied Plover - 20 incl. 1 at Deep Hollow (south side Rt 27)
Western Willet - 1, Napeague Harbor
Eastern Willet - 2, Napeague Harbor (late! noticeably shorter legged and darker than accompanying Western)
American Oystercatcher - 2, Napeague
Bobolink - 1 male, Promised Land Fish hatchery
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 3, Montauk Point below restaurant