Hudson-Delaware 
Richard R. Veit 
Robert O. Paxton 
Frank Rohrbacher 
F all 2008 was memorable for record 
rainfall in August and September, 
while October and November were dri- 
er than normal. Tropical Storm Hanna 
brushed the Region 6-7 September, bringing 
rain, 2 frigatebirds, and Sooty and Bridled 
Terns. Substantial incursions of White- 
winged Crossbills, Pine Siskins, and Ameri- 
can Goldfinches appeared later, mostly in Oc- 
tober and November. 
Though the season was lackluster for vol- 
ume of both terrestrial and aquatic migrants, 
there was no shortage of rarer species. Lesser 
Goldfinch was new for the Region, and a 
member of the Yellow Wagtail complex was a 
Regional second. While numbers of most mi- 
grant shorebirds were at or below recent aver- 
ages, a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Red- 
necked Stint appeared together at Jamaica 
Bay, and fair numbers of Buff-breasted Sand- 
pipers appeared following a record fall flight 
last year. Other vagrants of note included two 
Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks, four frigate- 
birds, a White-faced Storm-Petrel, Swallow- 
tailed and Mississippi Kites, Swainson’s 
Hawk, a California Gull, 10 Selasphorus hum- 
minghirds, a Say’s Phoebe, yet another inun- 
dation of Cave Swallows, a Northern 
Wheatear, and a Lark Bunting. 
Abbreviations: Amherst S.P. (Amherst, Erie, 
NY); Avalon (Avalon Seawatch, Avalon, Cape 
May, NJ); Batavia (Batavia W.T.P, Genesee, 
NY); Braddock Bay (Braddock Bay B.O., 
Rochester, NY); Brigantine (Forsyth N.W.R., 
Atlantic, NJ); Bishop Road Hawkwatch (Rich- 
land, Oswego, NY); Bombay Hook (Bombay 
Hook N.W.R., Kent, DE); Captree (Captree 
S.P., Suffolk, Long 1., NY); Chazy (Chazy R. 
mouth, L. Champlain, Clinton, NY); Democ- 
rat Pt. (Fire Island Inlet, s. shore of Long 1., 
NY); Derby Hill (Derby Hill Hawkwatch, Os- 
wego, NY); Fire 1. (Robert Moses S.P, Suffolk, 
Long L, NY); Hamburg (Hamburg Hawk- 
watch, near Buffalo, NY); Hamlin Beach 
(Hamlin Beach S.P., near Rochester, NY); 
Howland I. (Howland Island W.M.A., Cayuga, 
NY); Iroquois (Iroquois N.W.R., Gene- 
see/Orleans, NY) Jamaica Bay (Jamaica Bay 
W.R., Gateway National Park, New York 
City); Jones Beach (Jones Beach S.P, s. shore 
of Long L, NY); Moriches (Moriches Bay and 
Inlet, Suffolk, Long I., NY); Little Creek, (Lit- 
tle Creek W.M.A., Kent, DE); Mannington 
(Mannington Marsh, Salem, NJ); Montauk 
(Montauk Pt., Suffolk, Long I,, NY); Mon- 
tezuma (Montezuma N.W.R., Seneca, NY); 
Palmyra Cove (Burlington, NJ); Pike’s Beach 
(Moriches Bay, Suffolk, Long I., NY); Prime 
Hook (Prime Hook N.W.R., Sussex, DE); Riis 
Oacob Riis Park, Queens, NYC); Ripley (Rip- 
ley Hawkwatch, Chautauqua, NY); 
Sagaponack (Sagaponack Pond, Bridgehamp- 
ton. Long I., NY); Sandy Hook (Sandy Hook 
Unit/Gateway National Recreation Area, Mon- 
mouth, NJ); Shinnecock (Shinnecock Bay and 
Inlet, Suffolk, Long 1., NY); Ted Harvey (Ted 
Harvey C.A./Logan Lane Tract, Kent, DE); 
Tonawanda (Tonawanda 
W.M.A., Genesee and Niaga- 
ra, NY). 
WATERFOWL 
THROUGH 
PELICANS 
Two Black-bellied Whistling- 
Ducks were at Prime Hook 
N.W.R., Sussex in mid-Jun 
for the 5th state record. An- 
other was seen at Thousand 
Acre Marsh, New Castle, DE 
15-20 Aug (Lin Just), and 
one visited Silver L., Sussex, 
DE 23 Nov+ (MG, Calton 
Groff). Twelve Greater 
White-fronted Geese were 
found in the Region, includ- 
ing an early one 11 Aug at 
Montezuma (m.ob.). Two of 
the Greenland subspecies flavirostris were at 
Hamlin Beach 24 Oct-9 Nov (DT, RSp). A 
Snow Goose in the Niagara area 10 Sep 
(WW) was the earliest ever there in fall; 
maxima included 25,000 at Prime Hook 23 
Nov (MG) and 4590 at Brigantine 25 Nov 
(GQ), average for recent years. About 18 
Ross’s Geese reported included 9 at Mon- 
tezuma 24 Oct (CW); a high Regional total 
of 140 Cackling Geese included a record 
flock of 73 at Hamlin Beach 24 Oct (DT). 
The southbound movement of Brant peaked 
in late Oct, with 6135 and 3450 at Derby Hill 
21 & 29 Oct (BPu), respectively, 281 at 
Hamlin Beach 28 Oct (RSp), and 13,770 at 
Brigantine 30 Oct. Two Black Brant were 
found in Nov at the now traditional sites at 
Cape May and South Amboy (A. Laquidara, 
MO’B). Three Barnacle Geese, likely all re- 
turning birds, were at JEK Park, Burlington, 
NJ 6 Oct (V. Koezurik), Califon, Hunterdon, 
NJ 29 Nov-i- (m.ob.), and St. Charles Ceme- 
tery, Suffolk, Long 1. 29-30 Nov (B. Fogarty et 
al.). Eighteen hundred Tundra Swans were at 
Montezuma 15 Nov (KCG), and 350 were at 
Brigantine 20 Nov (SF). The New York 
Trumpeter Swan population continues to 
grow and expand, as 18 were at Montezuma 
15 Nov (KCG), and a failed nesting attempt 
was recorded in Chautauqua. 
Fifteen Eurasian Wigeons were found, with 
a peak of 6 at Montezuma 24 Oct (TJ). Eleven 
hundred Blue-winged Teal at Brigantine 22 
Sep (MW) was a substantial count, as the 
maximum for New Jersey is 2000. At Brigan- 
tine, 2500 Northern Pintails and 5325 Green- 
winged Teal were counted 10 Nov (MN, I 
Davies), also significant counts. Six thousand 
Ring-necked Ducks at Montezuma 17 Oct 
(MJl, TJ) is a near-record concentration, the 
highest count on record for New York being 
8000. Two Common Eiders at Cape Hen- 
lopen, DE 29 Sep (BGP) were early, and 1000 
at Montauk 16 Nov (SSM) was the largest 
number found this season. A slightly above- 
average total of 15 King Eiders included a fe- 
male at Hamlin Beach 1 Nov (RSp), another 
at Piermont, Rockland, NY 25-29 Nov (M. 
Lester, m.ob.), 6 counted past the Avalon Sea- 
watch 25 Oct+, and one at Indian River Inlet 
21-22 Nov (FRo). Twenty-three Harlequin 
Ducks were at their regular haunt at Barnegat 
Inlet 25 Nov (GQ), and a single one was at 
Fowler’s Beach, Sussex, DE 27 Nov (BGP). 
One of three records in the Hudson-Delaware region in fall 2008, this Black-bellied 
Whistling-Duck visited Rehoboth Beach, Delaware 23 November 2008 (here) and 
remained into spring 2009. Photograph by Steve Collins. 
VOLUME 63 (2009) 
NUMBER 1 
49 
