Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island 9 May 2011

I arrived at the Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory (CSHL) this evening and went for a walk around campus and then headed out on the sandbar that separates the inner and outer harbours. The trees around campus held a few songbirds, mainly common stuff like American Robins, Grey Catbirds, Starlings, Common Grackles, etc, but there were a few birds that were nice to see. A pair of Yellow Warblers were my first Wood Warblers of my trip. Cedar Waxwings seem to be quite common on campus and a pair of Chipping Sparrows were nice to see. The sandbar had quite a few birds on it. About 50 Least Sandpipers were feeding on the eggs of mating Horseshoe Crabs and about 6 Greater Yellowlegs flew around nervously, never settling in the same place for very long. Lots of hirrundines were around the point; mainly Barn Swallows, but also quite a few Northern Rough-winged Swallows and a couple of Tree Swallows. There’s a pair of Ospreys nesting on a platform there too and provide good photo opportunities.

Top to bottom: Osprey (2), Least Sandpiper (3), Great Egret.