This afternoon my wife and I travelled to Dune Road to see what was around - reports of Snowy Owls have diminished significantly over the last month or so though I had heard of one hanging out on duck blinds. Sure enough, this is where I found the bird ("I" because my wife gets credit for all the other ones we have found this season, so I'm proud I got one of my own!") quite a distance from the road. The ice covering the bay(s) no doubt has allowed these birds to expand their hunting and roosting grounds which I'm sure partially explains the decline in reports.
Dune Road itself held a few Black-Crowned Night Herons staring patiently into the little ditches along the roadway hoping to find some food. Two Great Blue Herons were also present, attempting to the same hunting strategy.
The inlet was quiet and very calm - a large number of birds were off the northeastern jetty - likely scoters or eiders. Some more birds were in the ocean or in the bay but nothing nearby. As we went over the bridge, I looked at the big tower at the Coast Guard Station hoping to find a Peregrine (the only reliable place on Long Island where I've ever seen them). Sure enough, there was a Peregrine sitting in a location I've seen one in many times before. A nice way to close out the day
