Lapwing Update Redux 1/19

Watching the Lapwings
Photo: Shari Zirlin

My brother came down from Westchester this morning and though he's not an avid birder, he was still curious to see the lapwings and cranes, so we drove over to New Egypt for the third time. I, of course, was hoping for the cranes for Bird A Day.

There weren't as many birders as I thought there would be for a weekend but still a good number lined the road. The lapwings were closer in and gloriously iridescent in the strong morning sun, but still not close enough to get any decent shots. And of course, we heard those heart-sinking words about the cranes: "Oh, you just missed 'em."

We only hung around for about a half hour. In that time we did see 8 Black Vultures and I found a couple of Killdeer in the field. Talking to another birder, I introduced myself and he said, "Are you related to Harry Zirlin?" "Yes, I am," I replied, pointing to my brother,"and there he is." I get this a lot. Harry is an expert entomologist, pretty well known in insect circles. Many birders also have an interest in butterflies and beetles and this birder wanted to thank Harry for alerting him via some butterfly reporting site, to where he might find Hoary Elfins. They're a fairly rare species, found in the  Pine Barrens. Later, Harry told me that it was one of the butterflies he found in our backyard last year.

Before we left I took this picture of Shari:

I have titled it:

SHARI ZIRLIN 

AT THE SCENE

OF HER

GREATEST TRIUMPH