Broadbill Anyone?

rich scheffer

rich scheffer

Well-known member
I just had the time of my life at the decoy show on Long Island. At the show I ran into a bunch of friends that I haven't seen since 1980 when I moved to Florida. On the way home my buddy Roland and I made plans to do it again next year, only get there earlier. We spent so much time hanging around with old buddies that we didn't really focus much on the displays. Maybe a two day show?, one day to hang around and one day to look at the decoys. One of the big subjects among my friends, was naturally the Broadbill that have comeback with a vengeance and rafted down the middle of the bay like they did when we were young guys. John Verbeke said " If you want to see broadbill, just go down to the West avenue dock. On my way to the airport Sunday afternoon, I stopped down there and took this picture out of the window of my rental car. This is naturally just a fraction of what was there! Again great job on the show guys! Regards Rich L=http://s1016.photobucket.com/user/Gail_061/media/DSC_0006_zpshextwfh0.jpg.html]
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Rich~

I am glad you enjoyed the Show - and sorry that I had so little time to talk with you.

I, too, drove down to the Bay - Sunday morning pre-dawn. There were about 3-4000 birds there. Earlier reports last month found up to 30,000. Last year - at the same time - I estimated between 20 and 30 thousand.


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They have been scattered from Brightwaters to Bellport. I have not heard reports from Moriches or Shinnecock. Cannot help but wonder if the new "Old Inlet" in Bellport Bay has allowed duck clams to recover/flourish. In any event, it sure is good for the soul to see my favorite duck in abundance once again.

All the best,

SJS
 
We are holding about 2-3,000 here in the Navesink River off Rumson! its cool how they build up and then one morning real soon - poof - all gone.....
 
Saw a similar sight here one year on Mobile Bay. Overnight one late February thousands of lessers showed up. Two days later, gone!

Btw, talked to our biologist today, this season had the fewest scaup in the seasons bag check count ever.
 
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One of my old Baymen friends who used to work with Red Oster, said that the duck clams were piled up a foot deep on the bay side of the beach on a strong north wind this winter. He credits the reappearance of them to the new [Old] inlet. I am afraid that if the hard clams come back next, I will be too old to take advantage of them! By the way, the show reminded me of John Verbekes garage. Rich
 
One thing I noticed was there sure is lots of brown in those flocks, nice to see lots of hens.
 
One thing I noticed was there sure is lots of brown in those flocks, nice to see lots of hens.
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I was thinking the same. Hope it's a trend. not just this one flock.
 
Hey Cap,
I was going north over the bridge last week and that big ball of birds on the east side was in a gigantic and near perfect "O" or doughnut shape. It was probably 100 yards across and as perfect a circle as I've ever seen. Your last pic might suggest the similar shape of the flock as the rear birds are far back.
Have you ever seen such a thing?
 
Good morning, Mc~

Hmmm ? The letter O.....I cannot help but wonder what this looks like from a low-earth orbit....are there other letters to the east? Perhaps they are spelling out a cry for help - or a celebration of OLD INLET !

All the best,

SJS
 
Good morning, Mc~

Hmmm ? The letter O.....I cannot help but wonder what this looks like from a low-earth orbit....are there other letters to the east? Perhaps they are spelling out a cry for help - or a celebration of OLD INLET !

All the best,

SJS
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Hardy Har.....I'm serious. It was incredible. A gigantic circle with a totally empty center.
 
Best biological explanation I can think of:Birds in the back or center of a feeding flock are constantly jumping up and trying to get tot the front of the group to get better access to the food source. This is especially true with very large flocks. If a large flock is on a large open water food source in relatively calm wide I can see instances where the center bird constantly moving out the edge, forming a donut hole in the middle.
 
There smart birds. There were 6-8m in the Navisink the other day. 90% were sleeping. As a crow flys its maybe 30 miles tops from this spot in jersey to Bellport NY. Its amazing the similarity of the south shore LI and the jersey coast.

Don't anyone call the broadbills dumb birds, They were no where to be seen during the entire coastal season.

Phil
 
Very enjoyable photo's. Thank you. When the lesser & greater Scaup and Redheads came through last fall, it was good to see more hen birds than I have seen in many years.
 
I would say there was a seal or two in the middle and the birds moved around them.... seen it here - the herring and now Bunker are in the river and the harbor seals are on them ...
 
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