Wednesday, September 10, 2008

9/10 FOUR reports

From Eddie:

site = Prospect Park
date = 9/10/08
observers = Eddie Davis
Black-crowned Night-Heron (1 lullwater cove)
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Mallard
Northern Shoveler (a few, center of lake)
Red-tailed Hawk (1 lookout hill)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1, path between peninsula and terrace bridge south)
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe (1, terrace bridge south)
Blue Jay (2 lullwater)
White-breasted Nuthatch (2 lookout)
Veery (1, path between peninsula and terrace bridge south)
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird (4, path between peninsula and terrace bridge south)
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing (flock near LP 249)
Cape May Warbler 80% (1, Fall Plumage Male, path between peninsula and terrace bridge south)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (1, path between peninsula and terrace bridge south)
Black-and-white Warbler (1 lookout)
American Redstart (several, widespread)
Common Yellowthroat (3 terrace bridge south, peninsula)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1, female, path between peninsula and terrace bridge south)
Common Grackle
House Sparrow
 
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Rob reporting:
 
Last night's northerly winds opened a good opportunity for southbound migrants. David LaPuma's "Woodcreeper" blog has some enlightening information and radar images of the phenomenon: 
 
http://www.woodcreeper.com/2008/09/10/birds-on-the-move-as-cold-front-clears-mid-atlantic/ 
 
For those of us fortunate enough to get into the city parks today, the bird activity was pretty good. Shane, Doug and I tallied 18 species of warbler. The highlightwas a Yellow-breasted Chat near the northwest edge of the Peninsula Meadow (the dense, tangled underbrush below the Wellhouse Drive water fountain). Redstarts and Magnolia Warblers were likely tied for the most common species of warbler. 
 
Fruiting Black Cherry, pokeweed, Common Elder and Highbush Cranberry have become magnets for birds. Large numbers of American Robins and Cedar Waxwings were observed gorging on the fresh harvest. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were also present but in much lower abundance. Cedar Waxwing numbers seemed to have exploded, with fledgling flocks of these late breeders seen all over the Lullwater, Lookout Hill and the Peninsula. Other thrushes feeding on the berries included a few Veeries, a pair of Swainson's Thrush and a single Wood Thrush. There were a few unidentified empidonax flycatchers around the park and a single Yellow-bellied Flycatcher seen behind the Wellhouse. 
 
We ran into Alex Wilson who reported a Blue Grosbeak near the Wellhouse earlier in the morning. Unfortunately, we were not able to relocate the bird. 
 
Finally, I think it is time to put away our cargo shorts and sandals. Summer is unquestionably over as I spotted my first American Coot of the season on Prospect Lake. The Ruddy Ducks and Northern Shovelers shouldn't be far off. Did I just hear a crossbill fly over? 
 
Good birding, 
 
Rob 
 
* * * * * * * * * * 
 
Location: Prospect Park 
Observation date: 9/10/08 
Observers: Shane Blodgett, Doug Gochfeld, Rob Jett 
Number of species: 61 
 
Osprey (2.) 
Red-tailed Hawk (2.) 
American Coot (1.) 
Chimney Swift 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1.) 
Belted Kingfisher 
Northern Flicker 
Eastern Wood-Pewee 
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 
Great Crested Flycatcher 
Eastern Kingbird 
Warbling Vireo 
Red-eyed Vireo 
White-breasted Nuthatch 
Carolina Wren 
House Wren 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 
Veery 
Swainson's Thrush 
Wood Thrush 
Gray Catbird 
Northern Mockingbird 
Cedar Waxwing 
Blue-winged Warbler 
Northern Parula 
Yellow Warbler 
Chestnut-sided Warbler 
Magnolia Warbler 
Black-throated Blue Warbler 
Yellow-rumped Warbler 
Black-throated Green Warbler 
Prairie Warbler 
Blackpoll Warbler 
Black-and-white Warbler 
American Redstart 
Ovenbird 
Northern Waterthrush 
Common Yellowthroat 
Wilson's Warbler 
Canada Warbler 
Yellow-breasted Chat (Peninsula Meadow near Wellhouse Dr. water fountain.) 
Scarlet Tanager 
Northern Cardinal 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 
Common Grackle 
Baltimore Oriole 
American Goldfinch 
 
Other common species seen (or heard): 
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow 
 
The City Birder Weblog 
http://citybirder.blogspot.com 
 
.****************************************************************
 
From Doug Gochfeld
 
(some species here may not be on Rob's report)
 
Sent: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 4:33 pm
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park , 9/10/08



Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 9/10/08
Notes: Ran into Shane Blodgett, Rob Jett, Bob O'Neill, Alex Wilson
Number of species: 58

Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Mallard X
Great Egret 1
Osprey 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Chimney Swift 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 6
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 2
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1 Identified, and then it called(In autumn no
less!!). Behind Wellhouse
Least Flycatcher 1 probable
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Warbling Vireo 3
Red-eyed Vireo 5
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Black-capped Chickadee 4
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Carolina Wren 4
House Wren 1 Lookout Hill
Veery 4
Swainson's Thrush 2
Hermit Thrush 1 Vale
Wood Thrush 1 Heard call once only, Lookout Hill
Gray Catbird X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 100
Blue-winged Warbler 1 Lookout
Northern Parula 1 Nethermead
Yellow Warbler 3 Peninsula, near/in fragmites
Magnolia Warbler 18
Black-throated Blue Warbler 6
Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Peninsula in conifer near shelter
Prairie Warbler 1 Peninsula Meadow
Blackpoll Warbler 1 Peninsula
Black-and-white Warbler 8
American Redstart 16
Ovenbird 5
Northern Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 10
Wilson's Warbler 3
Canada Warbler 3
Scarlet Tanager 2
Northern Cardinal X
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Baltimore Oriole 3
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
****************************************************
 
From Alex :
 
Prospect had fair numbers and good diversity today. There were no large concentrations but there was at least moderate activity wherever I went in the park. A first fall BLUE GROSBEAK was in the immediate vicinity of the Wellhouse, and a PHILADELPHIA VIREO was nearby at Lamppost 249, seen well enough to distinguish it from the still fairly common Warbling Vireos as well as Tennessee Warbler, which also made a good showing today (TN is typically a tree-topper in spring but is much more visible in fall when it frequents brushy levels.) Rob Jett & Shane Blodgett had a glimpse of a Chat at the base of the Peninsula, along with a Yellow-rump which brings the warbler count to at least 20. 
 
Good birding, 
Alex Wilson 
Brooklyn, NY 
 
Highlights from 70 species: 
 
Northern Shoveler 1 
Green Heron 2 
Osprey (With fish, over Peninsula.) 
Merlin (Seen over Wellhouse Dr and later at regular perch above Long Meadow near Tennis House. Migrants are starting to show up, but I suspect both sightings were of the bird that spent the summer in Prospect.) 
American Coot 1 (First of Season for me.) 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4 
Belted Kingfisher 1 
Eastern wood-Pewee 2 
Least Flycatcher (Fewer Empids than over the last couple of weeks, but at least one Willow/Alder type also seen.) 
Great Crested Flycatcher 2 
Warbling Vireo 
Philadelphia Vireo 1 (Well-seen at lamppost 249 where Warbling & TN Warbler also present.) 
Red-eyed Vireo 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 (Lookout butterfly meadow.) 
Veery (Fairly common.) 
Swainson’s Thrush 3 (FoS for me.) 
Cedar Waxwing (Common.) 
Blue-winged Warbler 1 
Tennessee Warbler 5 
Nashville Warbler 2 
Northern Parula 7 
Yellow Warbler 2 
Chestnut-sided Warbler 3 
Magnolia Warbler 10 
Black-throated Blue Warbler 10 
Black-throated Green Warbler 2 
Prairie Warbler 1 
Blackpoll Warbler 1 
Black-and-white Warbler 15 
American Redstart 20 
Ovenbird 3 
Northern Waterthrush 2 
Common Yellowthroat 15 
Wilson’s Warbler 2 
Canada Warbler 2 
Scarlet Tanager 2 
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 4 
Blue Grosbeak 1 (First fall bird behind and above Wellhouse, 9:00am; well-seen from street level.) 
Baltimore Oriole 
American Goldfinch 
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