ML498664771
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Observation details
**Very rare. Third New York State record, first Queens County record. DG notes: At 09:30, while we were standing atop the largest dune just NE of the base of the Breezy Point jetty, planning our next move, I noticed a bird approaching us from over the beach, below eye level. At first glance it was a medium sized passerine with extensive yellow on it. I locked onto it and immediately realized it was a kingbird due to the flight style and shape. Guessing it was the overdue (for me here) WEKI, I said “[expletive] get on this, Western Kingbird?!,” and then as it continued to bear down on us “[expletives] no it’s probably a […] Tropical Kingbird,” the latter emendation being due to how vibrant yellow and chunky the kingbird was. We watched it land in the bush right next to us, and confirmed it was a Tropical/Couch’s Kingbird by combination of extensive deep yellow underparts, shallowly but obviously forked dark tail, and massive bill. We took a few quick photos and quickly began attempting to elicit diagnostic vocalizations to confirm which of the two species it was (strongly guessing Tropical due to date/likelihood), and Max started recording audio on his phone. Before we could even start, the bird flew a short distance south and disappeared into a vegetated dune. I walked around trolling for a minute or so, not seeing the bird, and then a Cooper’s Hawk flew over, and the kingbird flushed in response and began loudly vocalizing, which Max recorded. The kingbird then perched in the open in a couple of places to our SSE over the next five minutes, before disappearing for nearly an hour. We then re-found it very close to the last sighting had it in view for maybe 15 minutes (at which point StWa, coming from nearby Fort Tilden, saw it), and then disappeared for another three hours, during which time another dozen or so birders arrived for a vigil. Then, as the two of us walked along the beach leaving the site, we decided to have a quick peek in a spot with some good habitat nearly a half mile away from the last sighting (and a spot that had been checked at least once during the three hour absence), and lo and behold, there it was! It flew out of a bare tree towards the original spot, and eventually all remaining birders on site saw it. A few birders twitching it after we left were also successful in the same vicinity, with the bird being active and foraging from open trees at the dune edges, though patience was sometimes needed. Photos, audio, video.
Technical information
- Recorder
- Microphone
- Accessories
- Original file size
- 1.57 MB