Hi all, Amazing numbers of gulls (laughing and ring-billed) and Common Terns on the lower Housatonic River late this afternoon, 4 Sept... no doubt storm-related. So many to look through, but there easily could be a Franklin's Gull in with them. Also I was intent on scanning through the flocks for a jaeger (perfect timing) or something even more rare [at least 1 Sabine's Gull and 1 Skua (So. Polar apparently) were seen on Cape Cod this morning]. All 9 Black Skimmers were juveniles. I hope to get back out Sunday morning. The White-tailed Kite put on a nice show. Frank Mantlik Stratford ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: "do-not-reply@ebird.org" <do-not-reply@ebird.org> To: mantlik@sbcglobal.net Sent: Sat, September 4, 2010 8:45:20 PM Subject: eBird Report - Short Beach Park , 9/4/10 Location: Short Beach Park Observation date: 9/4/10 Notes: Viewing here was broken in time (5:00-5:30, then 6:30-7:00). Mid-tide rising. Concentrated on terns, gulls, shorebirds - so many to look through. Smaller shorebirds could not be discerned well on distant sandbars, despite great afternoon light conditions. White-tailed Kite continues (1st CT record) since 8/1. Number of species: 22 Mute Swan 4 Double-crested Cormorant 340 large numbers have been here for the past month or so, with most resting on the offshore breakwater, but also feeding in flocks in the river White-tailed Kite 1 Seen hunting at Stratford Point on and off about 5;15pm , 5:50, 6;15. It caught at least 2 rodents (meadow voles?), eating the first one on the wing. Peregrine Falcon 1 sitting on sandbar 6:45pm Black-bellied Plover 50 Semipalmated Plover 20 American Oystercatcher 6 Sanderling 300 Semipalmated Sandpiper 50 Short-billed Dowitcher 4 Laughing Gull 5000 Huge numbers (conservative estimate) flying upriver the whole time, then resting in large flocks on Short Beach (despite many sunbathers) and on several sandbars. About 80% juveniles. No doubt swept up the coast by yesterday's Hurricane Earl. Ring-billed Gull 2000 Same comments as for Laughing Gull. Herring Gull 300 Great Black-backed Gull 10 Common Tern 3000 Many large hovering/ foraging flocks all around the lower Housatonic River, with smaller numbers resting on sandbars. About 50/50 adults/juvs. The highest numbers I've seen here all year. Numbers had been declining 200-300 in recent weeks. Apparently brought in to LI Sound by yesterday's storm Black Skimmer 9 Mourning Dove 8 Barn Swallow 4 Northern Mockingbird 2 Yellow Warbler 1 American Goldfinch 3 House Sparrow 6 This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)