#ABArare - Hurricane Sandy report 3

Hurricane birding was winding down today (Oct 31) with fewer reports than yesterday, though a few areas were still active, notably western Pennsylvania. Here's a rundown of some of the highlights:

 

MASSACHUSETTS and RHODE ISLAND

The previously-reported Magnificent Frigatebird was seen again at Little Compton, RI and Westport, MA. The Northern Lapwings on Nantucket were refound while the one at Eastham was not. Brown Pelicans were seen at a few locations in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. At Gooseberry Island at Westport, MA, Paul Champlin saw one Great Shearwater and two Cory's Shearwaters. A few photos of some of these vagrants can be seen here.

VERMONT

The Green Mountain State got in on the action today with reports of an unidentified storm-petrel and Parasitic Jaegers at two locations. 

 

MICHIGAN

The most notable sighting from Michigan was a Dovekie spotted flying north by Tim Baerwald at Tiscornia. (FYI, Baerwald found an Ancient Murrelet at Tiscornia in November 2009.) 

 

NEW YORK

There was one belated report from Oct 30: P. A. Buckley reported 31 Bridled Terns, 13 Sooty Terns, 8 unidentified "dark-winged" terns (i.e., Bridled/Sooty), a Brown Booby, and a Black-capped Petrel [Note: I've seen only two other reports of possible Black-capped Petrels, one from CT and one from Long Island, NY] at Fort Schuyler in the Bronx. Today (Oct 31), there was a Wilson's Storm-Petrel at Bellport and a Leach's Storm-Petrel at Montauk. Inland, there was Black-legged Kittiwake, Laughing Gull, and Purple Sandpiper on Cayuga Lake and a Northern Gannet on Owasco Lake. However, the biggest find of the day was not a hurricane bird — Eric Miller found a Virginia's Warbler at Alley Park in Queens. This is potentially a state first; however, no photos were obtained and others were unable to refind it before dark. I'm sure birders will be out tomorrow morning looking for it.

 

NEW JERSEY

Along the Delaware River, Northern Harrier was seen taking a Leach's Storm-Petrel off the water at Cinnaminson, and a Band-rumped Storm-Petrel was at Palmyra Cove Nature Park.

 

PENNSYLVANIA

Over on the other side of the Delaware River in PA, birders again had Leach's Storm-Petrel, Red Phalaropes, and two American Oystercatchers, and Parasitic Jaeger was also seen. On the Susquehanna River, there was a Great Cormorant flying downriver at Peach Bottom (and almost certainly making it into Maryland), a Black Skimmer and four Red Phalaropes at the Conejohela Flats. There's also a belated report (two actually) from Oct 30: in addition to the Northern Gannet mentioned in the last report, there were three American Oystercatchers, a Black Skimmer, and a Cory's Shearwater at West Fairview. At Raystown Lake on Oct 31, a Wilson's Storm-Petrel and Sabine's Gull were found. 

 

DELAWARE

A Pomarine Jaeger flew by the Ashland Hawkwatch with a small group of Herring Gulls. 

 

MARYLAND

A Leach's Storm-Petrel and Red Phalaropes continued at Conowingo Dam. There were two American Oystercatchers at North Point State Park. Further south at Sandy Point, Brown Pelicans, Pomarine Jaegers, and two (other?) American Oystercatchers were seen.