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Writer's pictureBarbara Seith

Long Island Bound

On Sunday morning I left for New London to catch the ferry. I was 1/2 way there when I realized I had forgotten to put on my seasickness patch. I was nervous. I hadn't been on the water without one in a very long time. But I persevered.


Turns out there was another birder on the boat and he did a good job of distracting me during the 1.3 hour ride (and it was pretty calm). We had a LOT of Terns (mostly Common, but some Least as well) and one Shearwater

Long Island Sound

Common Terns

Great Shearwater

After the ferry landed it took about 2 hours to de-boat, and drive to my hotel in Rockville Center. I left for the Lido Beach Passive Nature Center (no I don't know why they call it that) which was down the street from my ultimate target - Nickerson Beach.


I spend about 45 minutes killing time until I could get into Nickerson Beach without paying the $34 out of state admission fee at 5:30pm.


Here's some of what I saw...

Lido Beach Passive Nature Center

Black Skimmer

Osprey

Nickerson Beach was like school letting out when I arrived, everyone was moving away from the beach and I got a great parking spot. It was my intent to just check out the situation for the morning. Unfortunately the Rookeries (Black Skimmer & Common Tern) were across a wide expanse of soft sand. They had the blue sand carpet that makes it possible to take a wheelchair & to walk more easily on the beach, but they tend to only put it in paths towards the water and not parallel to the water. If you want to be really helpful, it should go both ways. Regardless there were plenty of nice opportunities for photos (I did not expect to get life birds).


I spent a lot of time both that evening and the next morning in the parking lot & at this small pond (only about 150 feet long) on the northeast side of the parking lot. The pond was a gold mine.


Nickerson Beach Parking Lot, Sunday Evening

Common Tern

Black Skimmer

Nickerson Beach Parking Lot, Monday morning

Sunrise

Boat-tailed Grackle

Black Skimmer

Nickerson Beach Pond

There were 4 Black-Crowned Night Heron (recently lost the hyphen between Night and Heron) and they were close and cooperative.

Mallard Ducklings

Common Tern

Mallard Duckling

Black Skimmer

Laughing Gull

Immature Spotted Sandpiper

Black Skimmer

Common Tern

Black Skimmer

Boat-tailed Grackle

Black Skimmer

Mallard Duckling


I left around 8:30 and headed east to my friend's place in Southold where I had a lovely visit, picked up a huge pile of music we had done together and had lunch at Port in Greenport. I had the inside of a Hot Lobster Roll and a salad -- delish!

It was the first time back in Long Island since my friend Billy (who lived 1/2 the year in Shelter Island) died and it brought back a lot of memories. The restaurant overlooks the ferry to Shelter Island and I pass numerous farm stand I had visited with Billy. Bittersweet. I miss him.


I got some Dramamine for the ferry ride home and it went by without incident and no special birds. A nice quick getaway!

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