'Black
Brant' #3 from Long Island, New York
Brant #3 Point Lookout,
Nassau County, New York. Although the lighting conditions were somewhat
different, this bird photographed a few hours after Brant # 1 and #2, seemed
darker overall with less contrast between black and brown feathering. The
collar was expecially prominent.
The (i) extensive collar,
(ii) liminted contrast between neck and breast, (iii) projection of black
apron past legs onto the vent and (iv) overall blackish tone to scapulars
seem typical for a true Black Brant.
2 Jan 2003 - ADDITIONAL
REFERENCE MATERIAL
For comparison, I include
some photos of Black Brant taken at a traditional wintering site in Central
California. Note that although the same camera/scope set up was used, the
sunlights was much stronger and redder in CA compare to NY. Birds with
equivalent contrast between neck sock and breast were very common and many
showed less complete neck collar than the Point Lookout bird. These comparisons
support the contention that the NY bird is well within the normal range
of Black Brant.
Click
here to view 'Black Brant' #1.
Click
here to view 'Black Brant' #2.
Click
here to return to summary page.
Click
here to view a prior 'Black Brant' from nearby Floyd Bennet Field (28 Mar
1999)
Click
here to view a prior 'Black Brant' from Riis Park (31 Jan 1999)
Click
here to view a prior 'Black Brant' from nearby Jamaica Bay (19 May 2001)
Click here
to return to the OceanWanderers home page.
All photographs copyright
of Angus Wilson and Andy Guthrie, 2000.
Page layout and text copyright
of Angus Wilson 2002.