January 2022 Bird Walk Point Lookout

and Jones Beach State Park 

We were excited to announce our first trip to Long Island in recent history! The day met all our expectations. Read this report by PHAS Board Member Anthony Macchiarola.

Our group met early in the parking lot at Point Lookout and were greeted with single digit temperatures and strong, gusty north winds. A few Black Bellied Plovers huddled in the parking lot looked to be about as cold as we were! But as we crossed the dunes on to the beach we were a bit more sheltered from the wind and that made more tolerable. Within minutes one of our participants spotted the group of five wintering Harlequin Ducks near one of the jetties.

It’s amazing to watch these small, colorful ducks dive and navigate the crashing surf around the rocky jetties. Point Lookout is one of the few reliable places in NY to see these ducks. As we walked along the beach we passed small groups of Sanderlings and Dunlin, and although they didn’t put down, had Horned Larks and Snow Buntings fly overhead.

Even with the north wind pushing birds offshore, we saw lots of diving Gannets with a few relatively close to the beach. Sea ducks and other waterfowl were generally light along the beach, but Red Throated Loons and Long-Tailed Ducks were well represented.

As we got to the point, a large group of distant Common Eiders made an appearance, as well as Brant, Greater Scaup, and Horned Grebe. Shorebirds were very abundant at the point, and we added many Purple Sandpipers, Red Knots, and a single Ruddy Turnstone to our tally.

In addition to the expected gulls, just before we left Kyle spotted two Bonaparte’s Gulls flying into the inlet. From the point, we drove over to the coast guard station on Jones Beach’s west end.

Unfortunately, the wind blowing directly into the harbor kept most of the sea ducks away, but we were still able to see White Winged Scoters, Surf Scoters, and Red Breasted Mergansers from our vantage point. And of course the sandbar was packed with gulls and shorebirds of all the expected species.

Despite the tough conditions it was a fun and rewarding walk enjoyed by all!

Photos by Anthony Macchiarola and Sean Camillieri