To my readers:
I wish everyone Merry Christmas,Happy Chanukah, and Happy Holidays. May we cherish all the gifts we receive from nature and her birds. Of course, this being the season for sharing and contemplation, we here at the Brooklyn Bird Club are grateful for the community of birders and nature lovers who make the natural experience a fun one throughout the year.
As I trudged home from work this rainy day ( though wishing it was a white Christmas), I reflected upon the magic Christmas Eve represents for me. The year is coming to a close and I look back much pleased with the many birding sightings i saw--some"lifers" like Black-throated Gray Warbler,Hoary Redpoll,Red-necked Stint, Pink-footed Goose, Barnacle Goose or second timers like White-winged crossbills devouring pine cones in great eagerness upstate and all the other quality birds as gifts I received and cherished.Christmas isn't just one day...but many over the months and years. Of course, its great to share them too with others...after all, its the people we bird with , old acquaintances and new that makes the experience that much more rewarding..
Of course,birds look for gifts too..namely my feeders; and there and around, by us giving focus to them, they give back joy to others. As i approached the feeders , en route I met Rob and Tracy and we threesome got a nice Xmas eve gift : a perched low bright male Purple finch.Seems like the color from this bird was fitting, symbolizing the season, like a sitting poinsettia...almost. The feeders themselves offered the joy of bird numbers, each species giving way to others, with a few chasing other bird moments, but nevertheless much toleration for the most delicious seeds. Two Rusty Blackbirds gifted us with their presence under the feeders while overhead, woodpeckers Downy, Red-Bellied, and Hairy made some quiet noise. The Squirrels...well...i forgive them for one day only in the merry mood i am in for the moment. ;)>
The Well house beckoned next and there red-capped Northern Cardinals adorned the slope in strong numbers with a male Eastern Towhee maneuvering among them...It seems appropriate to have lots of "holiday" cardinals this day .
And finally, the Lake seem like a big happy family out there on the frozen surface. Over 1500 Ringbilled Gulls look like a massive blob with some Greater Black-backed gulls sticking out like lumps of coal. Staying away from that crowd, in their own corner, Northern Shovelers,Mallards, and Coots are minding their own business while a nearby Cooper's Hawk spied from West Island treetops. Seems like a lot of sense to me....the crowd on the ice looks like a Macy's last minute shopping frenzy.
Everyone...... enjoy your holiday season safe and in peace.
Cheers,
Peter
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 12/24/08
Number of species: 35
Observers : Peter D, Rob Bate, Tracy ?
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 2 lake
American Black Duck 1
Mallard 110 lake
Northern Shoveler 230 lake
Pied-billed Grebe 1 lake
Cooper's Hawk 1
American Coot 38 lake
Ring-billed Gull 1500 lake
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull 9 lake
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 feeders
Downy Woodpecker 1 feeders
Hairy Woodpecker 1 feeders
Blue Jay 1 feeders
Black-capped Chickadee 3 feeders
Tufted Titmouse 1 feeders
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 feeders
Hermit Thrush 1 wellhouse
European Starling 1
Eastern Towhee 1 wellhouse
Fox Sparrow 1 feeders ( much gray on lower feathers, intermediate?)
Fox Sparrow (Red) 1 feeders
Song Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 12 feeders
Dark-eyed Junco 3 feeders
Northern Cardinal 14 wellhouse
Red-winged Blackbird 3 feeders
Rusty Blackbird 2 feeders
Purple Finch 1 male; Terrace Bridge downward path to rink
House Finch 9 feeders
American Goldfinch 1 feeders
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
