You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44 (at)nybirds{dot}org.
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) 125 Pine Springs Drive Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert Number: (212) 979-3070
Compiler: Tom Burke Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Ben Cacace
BEGIN TAPE
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for *Friday, July 31st 2026* at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are BRIDLED TERN, LONG-TAILED JAEGER, and other pelagics, RUFF, LITTLE GULL, ARCTIC TERN, BROWN PELICAN, WHITE-FACED IBIS, GLAUCOUS GULL, CERULEAN WARBLER, BLUE GROSBEAK, and more.
An adult BRIDLED TERN made another brief appearance on eastern Long Island photographed last Monday as it quickly flew out of Mecox Inlet. This completed a trio of rewarding days at Mecox with an immature LITTLE GULL visiting there on Saturday and Sunday producing single subadult ARCTIC and molting adult BLACK TERNS. A private boat visiting the New York and Rhode Island waters between Block Island Sound and off Montauk east to Block Island last Monday encountered a continuing bonanza of seabirds including single LONG-TAILED, PARASITIC and POMARINE JAEGERS all nicely photographed as well as some WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, over 1,900 GREAT SHEARWATERS, over 200 CORY'S, and a few SCOPOLI'S SHEARWATERS and over 100 of both SOOTY and MANX SHEARWATERS. The latter in quite impressive numbers.
A RUFF, almost fully molted into non-breeding plumage, was photographed again Monday on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. This pond is unfortunately no where near in ideal condition for the Fall shorebird migration already underway but southbound birds are visiting and utilizing what shoreline is suitable. So, if visiting the East Pond please be careful and do not push feeding shorebirds from the limited habitat available.
A WHITE-FACED IBIS was reported at the north end on Monday and other shorebirds at the bay this week included WILSON'S PHALAROPE, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, HUDSONIAN WHIMBREL and STILT, WHITE-RUMPED and PECTORAL SANDPIPERS.
Various BROWN PELICANS along Long Island's Atlantic shore included one off Jones Beach last Saturday, two at Plumb Beach Monday, six off Fort Tilden Wednesday and up to four off Riis Park from Wednesday on and four at Gilgo Thursday.
An immature GLAUCOUS GULL continues in the Breezy Point to Coney Island area and CASPIAN TERNS were noted at Jamaica Bay Saturday, Calvert Vaux Park Wednesday and Plumb Beach Wednesday and Thursday.
A few migrant warblers reported recently featured TENNESSEE, a couple of CERULEANS in Central Park, PRAIRIE and CANADA and BLUE GROSBEAKS remain in decent numbers at the Preston's Pond Complex and elsewhere in Calverton.
To phone in reports, call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
