SITE: Prospect Park, Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY
DATE: 05 April 2009
OBSERVER: Rafael Campos
************************************************************************************
Great morning to go birding at PP. Nice temperatures, and a good number of sps arriving to the park. My best of the day, was 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, seen by the Maryland Monument. Early, we had 1 Merlin (Gayle & Xandra) flying overhead around Lookout Hill.
Two unknown, and quite dark underparts, Buteo sps flew over the lake. My tentative ID was Rough-legged Hawk, but do not count on that one.
A lonely Tree Swallow was seen flying over Lookout Hill. Early reports from Xandra & Gail of Pine Warblers around Lookout Hill, but I missed the sps.
At Rick's Place, about 3 Golden-crowned Kinglets were the most exciting.
The following is the list of the birds recorded:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan (2, Upper Pool)
Wood Duck (1 male, lower pool)
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Ring-necked Duck (1 male, upper pool)
Ruddy Duck
Great Blue Heron (1 fly over)
Great Egret (3, Lake)
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo sps (2)
American Kestrel (seen by Xandra & Gayle, Lookout Hill)
Merlin
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe (1, Lily Pond)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren (heard, behind WellHouse)
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1, Maryland Monument)
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler (recorded by Xandra & Gayle)
Fox Sparrow (1, Breezy Hill)
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco (1)
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird 91 flew over Maryland Monument)
House Finc (1 male)
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
*****************************
From Eddie:
Here's the list for today's BBC walk in Prospect Park:
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
American Black Duck
Mallard
Red-tailed Hawk
Merlin
American Coot
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
***********************************
From Michelle Dreger:
we had an osprey fly over us while we were still standing outside the center talking. On the way home, I saw the loon in the canal again.
***********************************
From Juan Salas:
Three more species from Prospect Park Lake this afternoon.D.C. Cormorant Greater Black-Back Gull and one solitary Laughing Gull, the first of the year for me.
**********************************
Peter:
3 wood Ducks flew in unto the lake
105 Ruddy Ducks
20 Shovelers
21 Coots
Kestrel f/o Mary Monument
Great Blue Heron f/o Terrace Bridge
2 Great Egrets Lake
Barn Swallow -Lake
dc cormorant Lake
RT Hawk - Mary Monument
*******************************
Michelle Dregers followup to Eddie's report:
38 Birdwatchers met at 8am, Sunday, April 5th for the Audubon Center, Sunday Bird Walk. The free tour leaves the Boathouse the first Sunday of every month.
Heidi and Eddie, members of the Brooklyn Bird Club, led this month's walk, which featured the first wave of migration. The morning warmed up and the jackets came off. We had only taken the short walk over the Terrace Bridge when the birds started coming into view. The tour ended at the bird feeder about 10am, not before we counted 30 different types of birds. Heidi and Eddie kept walking for another hour with a small group, and found 5 more.
The April walk was great for the beginners to learn about the migratory birds as they pass through Brooklyn. Those with some knowledge found the day filled with great sightings.
Thanks to everyone that joined us.
Next month we meet on Sunday, May 3rd. By then, the migration will really be heated up. Practice using your binoculars because the birds will be spectacular.
Michele
