June Birds

Unlike the month of May, when uncountable numbers of birds stream through the city on their journey north, June is characterized more by local nesting activity. However, I did manage to add a few more species to my year list.

Early in the month migrating shorebirds can still be found along New York City's coastal habitats. During the month's first weekend, tide, moon phase and weather were in perfect alignment, and I was lucky enough to observe large numbers of sandpipers feeding on horseshoe crab eggs at Plum Beach. I ended up adding 4 more species to my Brooklyn year list at that location. At 215, I am now just 5 species away from last year's end-of-year total. Over the last weekend of the month I spotted a Roseate Tern in Queens, bringing my year total for New York State to 227 226. By the end of July there should be many more shorebirds to sort through as adult birds begin heading south after their very brief breeding season.

223) Semipalmated Plover (Plum Beach, 06/05/10)
224) Western Sandpiper (Plum Beach, 06/05/10)
225) White-rumped Sandpiper (Plum Beach, 06/05/10)
226) Short-billed Dowitcher (Plum Beach, 06/05/10)

227) Roseate Tern (Breezy Point, 06/26/10)


Guess what? Not a Roseate Tern, but a first year Common Tern :-(