Yesterday I headed out to Fort Tilden to do some field work but found the gate to the study area locked so I crossed the Gil Hodges Bridge to scout out Floyd Bennett Field and try to find the northern shrike that has been there all winter.  No dice.  Saw kestrels hover hunting over the fields but no shrike.  There was another guy there that mentioned he had seen the eared grebe at Jamaica Bay earlier so I decided to try for that on my way home.  No dice.  The tide was out.  I went back today but I stopped at Jamaica Bay first since the tide was still high.  Found the grebe over by what used to be the Terrapin Trail (thank you very much Tropical Storm Irene).  After a brief stop at Fort Tilden (gate still locked) I went over to FBF and found the shrike where it has been seen all along, at the edge of Field G, sitting at the top of a small tree.  Then I decided to push my luck and try for the red-necked grebes over at the boat launch.  No dice.  Maybe next time.  Still, two rarities in one day.  I’ll take it.

Update: The eared grebe at Jamaica Bay was photographed earlier yesterday morning well south of where I saw my grebe around noon. It may not have been an eared grebe after all. Stay tuned.

Update #2: The eared grebe was photographed at the same time as I was watching the grebe by the West Pond Trail.  I saw a horned grebe, not the eared grebe.  Damn.