Rob Jett called me on a species , common to mudflats and salt marshes ( like Jamaica Bay),almost never seen in Prospect Park (records to be searched tomorrow):SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER. And I hurried out the house cause you simply dont get those things in a park with no mudflats. With its sewing machine feeding motion, Rob and I enjoyed the shorebird's presence as it moved along the mainland shore between the Duck Island Shelter and the "log circle". As it flew away several times and back, you could make out quite clearly the white back wedge indicative of this species in flight. Certainly a very cool thing to get in Prospect.I hope more shorebird stuff come more often. Kudos to Rob for happening upon it.
species profile
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/short-billed_dowitcher/id
List from Rob:
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park , 7/21/09
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 7/21/09
Notes: Dowitcher seen at edge of Prospect Lake
behind Duck Island.
Observers: Peter Dorosh, Doug Gochfeld, Rob Jett.
> Number of species: 38
>
> Canada Goose X
> Mute Swan X
> American Black Duck X
> Mallard X
> Double-crested Cormorant X
> Green Heron 1
> Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
> Red-tailed Hawk 4
> Short-billed Dowitcher 1
> Laughing Gull 7
> Ring-billed Gull 1
> Herring Gull (American) X
> Rock Pigeon X
> Mourning Dove X
> Chimney Swift X
> Red-bellied Woodpecker X
> Downy Woodpecker X
> Eastern Kingbird X
> Warbling Vireo X
> Red-eyed Vireo X
> Blue Jay X
> Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
> Bank Swallow 1
> Barn Swallow X
> Black-capped Chickadee X
> Tufted Titmouse X
> House Wren X
> American Robin X
> Gray Catbird X
> European Starling X
> Cedar Waxwing X
> Chipping Sparrow X
> Song Sparrow X
> Northern Cardinal X
> Red-winged Blackbird X
> Common Grackle X
> American Goldfinch X
> House Sparrow X
>
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/)
Rob's posting and video to the Listserve
I had an interesting sighting in Prospect Park this afternoon. While cycling around Prospect Lake I startled a Short-billed Dowitcher that was feeding at a section of shoreline where the stone coping has been broken away. I realize that a dowitcher isn't all that rare at this time of year, especially around the expected habitats, such as the ponds at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. However, I found myself doing a double-take as I hopped off my bike to get a closer look. In all honestly, my first thought was "snipe", not "dowitcher", but only because I was in Prospect Park. I called Peter Dorosh and Doug Gochfeld as I figured they would want to check out the second recorded Prospect Park dowitcher sighting. For anyone interested in seeing photos and a video of this not-very-rare rarity, I've uploaded them here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/citybirder/DowitcherInProspectPark?feat=directlink
Good (shore)birding,
Rob
******************************
Peter's list late afternoon during SB Dowitcher watch:
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 7/21/09
Number of species: 17
Mute Swan 3
Mallard X
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Green Heron 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Short-billed Dowitcher 1
Laughing Gull 5
Herring Gull (American) X
Chimney Swift 10
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Bank Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 12
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 2
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle 1
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
