First New York State record.
It’s an African species that has never been seen in NY State before. Last summer one (presumably only one) caused a sensation in the northeast, with sightings in Nova Scotia and New England. A week ago there was an undocumented report from South Amboy, NJ, just across from Staten Island; in all likelihood this is the same bird. Unfortunately by the time I got the word out the tide had risen and the bird was not refound. I’m hoping it will return for today’s low tide so others will get to see it, otherwise, it’s back to hit-or-miss all along the eastern seaboard. This is easily the rarest bird I’ve ever found.
Western Reef-Heron - YES
Really cool.
and so close to your home. sounds like it came to you!
Whoo hoo!
Excellent work Mr. Wilson.
That's a fine looking bird. Blown to the Americas by a storm, perhaps?
Thanks, folks. After disappointing the crowd on Tuesday, the bird was back today. This has been fun, if a bit crazy just to keep up with the email. On Sunday I actually got one demanding “where is this park? I’ve been driving up & down Shore Parkway for an hour!” Taxonomy and history are starting to come into focus, and it seems likely that this is the same bird seen in the northeast in ‘05 & ’06; how it came to the Americas and where it winters (Bahamas?) remain uncertainties.
I did an interview for the Brooklyn Courier, which should be up soon. I’ll post assuming they don’t screw it up too bad. It seems like every time I see a bird-related story in the popular press it’s always got some basic facts totally wrong. Just today the NY Post has a story on Central Park wildlife which suggests that you’re going to see Glossy Ibis at the Harlem Meer. This is a species you’re lucky to get a flyover record of in any given year; on-the-ground observations are extremely rare. Worse than that, they illustrate it with a picture of a White Ibis (and other howlers…)
not to mention the reporters and camera crews camped outside our house. it's like living with terry irwin (may he rip).
Holy shit. LInda, is this for real?
google news/canarsie digest
weeeeelllll, i may exaggerate a little. but what with this and mike wrestling feral kittens out back, it is quite like life with my man terry around here lately.
Steve beat me to the news. Not a bad article, for what it is. The Courier is free paper that has several editions tailored for various Brooklyn neighborhoods. The article is edited slightly differently in each paper; the second one down uses one of my photos, and the online edition is significantly longer than the hardcopy version I picked up on my way to work today.
And the plot thickens. The bird has been frustrating to some, seen on Sunday and Monday, disappearing on Tuesday, back on Wednesday, but not yesterday. Now comes this report:
Subject: Western Reef-heron
From: "Peter W. Post"
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2007 19:47:07 -0400
The latest New Jersey RBA mentions a report of a Western Reef-Heron "flying by Sandy Hook's Horseshoe Cove at 3:30 pm Jul 9." As I recall the reef-heron was seen on that date (last Monday) and around that time in Brooklyn. Anybody know how close to 3:30 pm the bird was seen in Brooklyn? It would be interesting to know how long it took to get from Brooklyn to Sandy Hook. Or, are there two different birds?
Peter W. Post
And it's back today.
Or not, just someone forwarding a 2 day-old email; very bad practice.
This was in the Daily News. Newark Star Ledger should have something on the 29th, written by an Audubon Society guy. The bird hasn't been seen since Sunday 7/15, but it's not unlikely that it's still in the area, spending time at inaccessible sites like the islands in the bay.
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- alex 7-09-2007 3:43 am
It’s an African species that has never been seen in NY State before. Last summer one (presumably only one) caused a sensation in the northeast, with sightings in Nova Scotia and New England. A week ago there was an undocumented report from South Amboy, NJ, just across from Staten Island; in all likelihood this is the same bird. Unfortunately by the time I got the word out the tide had risen and the bird was not refound. I’m hoping it will return for today’s low tide so others will get to see it, otherwise, it’s back to hit-or-miss all along the eastern seaboard. This is easily the rarest bird I’ve ever found.
- alex 7-09-2007 3:32 pm [add a comment]
Western Reef-Heron - YES
- alex 7-09-2007 3:57 pm [add a comment]
Really cool.
- jimlouis 7-09-2007 4:25 pm [add a comment]
and so close to your home. sounds like it came to you!
- bill 7-09-2007 5:49 pm [add a comment]
Whoo hoo!
- mb 7-10-2007 11:19 pm [add a comment]
Excellent work Mr. Wilson.
- steve 7-11-2007 5:38 am [add a comment]
That's a fine looking bird. Blown to the Americas by a storm, perhaps?
- mark 7-11-2007 5:49 am [add a comment]
Thanks, folks. After disappointing the crowd on Tuesday, the bird was back today. This has been fun, if a bit crazy just to keep up with the email. On Sunday I actually got one demanding “where is this park? I’ve been driving up & down Shore Parkway for an hour!” Taxonomy and history are starting to come into focus, and it seems likely that this is the same bird seen in the northeast in ‘05 & ’06; how it came to the Americas and where it winters (Bahamas?) remain uncertainties. I did an interview for the Brooklyn Courier, which should be up soon. I’ll post assuming they don’t screw it up too bad. It seems like every time I see a bird-related story in the popular press it’s always got some basic facts totally wrong. Just today the NY Post has a story on Central Park wildlife which suggests that you’re going to see Glossy Ibis at the Harlem Meer. This is a species you’re lucky to get a flyover record of in any given year; on-the-ground observations are extremely rare. Worse than that, they illustrate it with a picture of a White Ibis (and other howlers…)
- alex 7-12-2007 2:20 am [add a comment]
not to mention the reporters and camera crews camped outside our house. it's like living with terry irwin (may he rip).
- linda 7-13-2007 1:26 am [add a comment]
Holy shit. LInda, is this for real?
- steve 7-13-2007 6:07 am [add a comment]
google news/canarsie digest
- steve 7-13-2007 6:10 am [add a comment]
weeeeelllll, i may exaggerate a little. but what with this and mike wrestling feral kittens out back, it is quite like life with my man terry around here lately.
- linda 7-13-2007 6:21 am [add a comment]
Steve beat me to the news. Not a bad article, for what it is. The Courier is free paper that has several editions tailored for various Brooklyn neighborhoods. The article is edited slightly differently in each paper; the second one down uses one of my photos, and the online edition is significantly longer than the hardcopy version I picked up on my way to work today.
And the plot thickens. The bird has been frustrating to some, seen on Sunday and Monday, disappearing on Tuesday, back on Wednesday, but not yesterday. Now comes this report:
Subject: Western Reef-heron
From: "Peter W. Post"
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2007 19:47:07 -0400
The latest New Jersey RBA mentions a report of a Western Reef-Heron "flying by Sandy Hook's Horseshoe Cove at 3:30 pm Jul 9." As I recall the reef-heron was seen on that date (last Monday) and around that time in Brooklyn. Anybody know how close to 3:30 pm the bird was seen in Brooklyn? It would be interesting to know how long it took to get from Brooklyn to Sandy Hook. Or, are there two different birds?
Peter W. Post
- alex 7-13-2007 3:29 pm [add a comment]
And it's back today.
- alex 7-13-2007 3:47 pm [add a comment]
Or not, just someone forwarding a 2 day-old email; very bad practice.
- alex 7-13-2007 4:46 pm [add a comment]
This was in the Daily News. Newark Star Ledger should have something on the 29th, written by an Audubon Society guy. The bird hasn't been seen since Sunday 7/15, but it's not unlikely that it's still in the area, spending time at inaccessible sites like the islands in the bay.
- alex 7-20-2007 3:39 pm [add a comment]