Tuesday, December 20, 2016

It's Been a While...

     With holidays in full swing and so many commitments, birding has not been something I have had at the top of my priority list. Baking, family, work, and gifting has taken over my world, it just never feels like there is enough time in the day!
     But last weekend I got to go on the Christmas Bird Count for Kings County, a soggy, cold one at that. Pictures are lacking due to the weather-- and we had a film crew from HBO'sVICE news, so that was interesting too. But I was able to go to Floyd Bennett Field and the beaches around Coney Island in just the last few days, so here is a little bit of my pre-work adventures from Monday at Floyd Bennett Field and today in Coney Island. Enjoy!
A very cold and unproductive morning at Floyd Bennett Field got me a dozen of these cuties, some tree swallows... on ice.

Checked out some of the gulls on Coney Island Beach this morning before work. Most were ring-billed gulls, like this guy.
A juvenile greater black-backed gull picks at the typical "food" to be found on the beach, trash and debris.
Marine debris are a huge issue, birds, fish, and other species consume this trash- either ending in their death or working its way up the food chain-- enjoy seafood much?
A young herring gull with a plastic piece.

A nice surprise, (two of) a trio of black skimmers!
Pretty stoked to report this banded skimmer... I can't wait to learn more about it! If you find a banded bird- report it! https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/bblretrv/


They are pretty funny little birds...
...especially with that asymmetrical bill!

At first I thought this gull had a fish... nope, just a chicken foot.

Guess this guy is gonna have a great day.

No comments:

Post a Comment