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Seatuck Birding Team
1/18/07 |
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Seatuck staff and volunteers put their birding skills to the test this holiday season as they took part in the Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the first time (see bird list below). Although the original intention was only to include the Scully property in the annual survey, a series of events led to Seatuck being responsible for surveying four other properties, including the Bayard-Cutting Arboretum, the South Shore Nature Center, the East Islip Marina and the Seatuck National Wildlife Refuge. It was a challenging task for Seatuck’s unofficial “Birding Team,” but not one the enthusiastic group couldn’t handle. Participants included Peter Walsh and Steve Terr, as well as a few other folks who joined the team for part of the day. The Christmas Count followed up on the first annual Autumn Bird Survey of Scully, which was conducted in mid October. The autumn and Christmas counts are two of the four seasonal surveys that will be conducted at Scully each year. The other surveys will be timed to coincide with the spring migration (late April or early May) and to assess birds that are breeding on the property (late June or early July). Seatuck also continues to participate in the Long Island Colonial Waterbird Survey, the annual island-wide assessment of terns, gulls, skimmers and other “colonial” nesting bird populations. Seatuck’s participation in the survey involves multiple visits to various coastal locations, including Hecksher State Park and Tobay Beach. Seatuck is looking to build a reliable team of volunteers to help cover these expanding birding commitments. All comers are welcome, regardless of experience. Beginners can help with record keeping and photography while improving their skills alongside more experienced birders. So give us a call and join the team! Anyone interested should contact Enrico Nardone at 631-581-6908. Birds Surveyed at Scully During 2007 Christmas Count: Canvasback
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