Lark Sparrow: (8th Prospect record)
I researched records on this rare visitor.The last sighting for Prospect was Sept 26 to 28th in 1999.. I remembered that bird quite well, first reported on Center Drive in front of the cemetery gate, but hung around mostly in Butterfly Meadow.
Here are the rest of the Prospect records + one Greenwood cemetery record last year (Steve Nanz leading the Brooklyn Bird Club)
Lark Sparrow Greenwood Cemetary 5/4/08 1
Lark Sparrow Butterfly Meadow 9/28/99 1
Lark Sparrow Butterfly Meadow 9/27/99 1
Lark Sparrow Lookout Hill 9/26/99 1
Lark Sparrow 10/15/60 1
Lark Sparrow 5/2/59 1
Lark Sparrow 9/21/54 2 birds
Lark Sparrow 10/4/53 1
Lark Sparrow 10/3/53 1
Lark Sparrow 9/8/53 1
Lark Sparrow 9/7/53 1
Lark Sparrow 9/23/52 1
Lark Sparrow 9/22/52 1
Lark Sparrow 9/21/52 1
Lark Sparrow 9/20/52 1
Lark Sparrow 9/19/52 1
Lark Sparrow 5/3/47 1
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Hilights today: continuing LARK SPARROW, EASTERN MEADOWLARK,3 EASTERN BLUEBIRD,MARSH WREN, 26 WOOD DUCKS, good sparrow acitivity inc WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
TEXT MESSAGE REPORTS:
Ann Lazarus reported Eastern Meadowlark on the ballfields at 11:30
Tom Kerr reported 3 Eastern Bluebirds on the ballfield
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From Rob Jett:
Kingsboider note: See Rob's video shot of Bluebird and see what flies next to it ! (at the bottom of this report, last entry)
Here's my latest Prospect report.
Begin forwarded message:
> Date: October 19, 2009 5:29:59 PM EDT
> Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park , 10/19/09
>
> Location: Prospect Park
> Observation date: 10/19/09
> Number of species: 39
>
> Wood Duck 23
> Mallard X
> Great Blue Heron 1
> Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
> Red-tailed Hawk 2
> Merlin 1
> Rock Pigeon X
> Mourning Dove X
> Red-bellied Woodpecker X
> Downy Woodpecker X
> Northern Flicker X
> Eastern Phoebe X
> Blue-headed Vireo 1
> Blue Jay 4
> American Crow 7
> Tufted Titmouse 2
> White-breasted Nuthatch 2
> Golden-crowned Kinglet X
> Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
> Eastern Bluebird 1
> Hermit Thrush X
> American Robin X
> Gray Catbird X
> Brown Thrasher 1
> European Starling X
> Yellow-rumped Warbler X
> Black-throated Green Warbler 1
> Palm Warbler X
> Chipping Sparrow X
> Lark Sparrow 1 middle of snow fence enclosure at ballfields
> Savannah Sparrow X
> Song Sparrow X
> Swamp Sparrow X
> White-throated Sparrow X
> White-crowned Sparrow 1
> Dark-eyed Junco X
> Northern Cardinal X
> Brown-headed Cowbird 3
> House Sparrow X
>
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
From Matthew Wills:
Hi, Peter. These are the birds I saw in the Midwood and Long Meadow today:
Mallard
Wood duck
Merlin
Red-tailed hawk
Mourning dove
Eastern phoebe
Northern flicker
Blue-headed vireo
American crow
Black-capped chickadee
White-breasted nuthatch
Brown creeper
Carolina wren
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Golden-crowned kinglet
Eastern bluebird
Hermit thrush
Blue jay
American robin
Gray catbird
European starling
Black-throated blue warbler
Yellow-rumped warbler
Palm warbler
Chipping sparrow
Common yellowthroat
White-throated sparrow
Lark sparrow --Ballfields snow fence enclosure
Song sparrow
Swamp sparrow
Dark-eyed junco
Northern cardinal
Brown-headed cowbird
Matthew
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A baseball diamond is known to have a "Hot Corner" which is the third base spot where hard hit balls are smashed to the defensive player. By the same allegory, the north end of the Prospect's ballfields is sort of a "Hot Corner" with reports of LARK SPARROW, EASTERN MEADOWLARK, and quality EASTERN BLUEBIRD which we don't always get in Prospect. I got to see the continuing Lark Sparrow at 3:45 this afternoon in the middle part so its good to know its sticking around and multiple observers are seeing the rare sparrow. Bluebird still flies from different steel poles inside the snow fence enclosure.
Sparrows are a dominant presence in the park, Song Sparrow a prominent species with WHITE-CROWNED and LINCOLN SPARROWS as supporting quality birds.
Most surprising was what I had for lunch today: not what I ate , but rather what I saw. On the Peninsula shore line, the crumbling cobblestone wall near the southeast corner of the meadow, i saw a small brownish bird dart in and out of the wall breaks. I patiently waited and watched some more for further details. Eventually I saw well enough of the bird, a wren that stuck close to water: a MARSH WREN. It appeared to be a young adult. Its about the the second or third I have seen Marsh Wren in Prospect career wise , oftentimes heard by other birders.
Speaking of water, two species of ducks are showing off their numbers. At the Upper Pool, along the back shore towards the island, I counted 26 WOOD DUCKS, which i think is quite high after Rob's 29 yesterday. I have to check the records. And NORTHERN SHOVELER--what can i say about them right now.I estimated with a best thorough count of 415 birds, taking up all the space in the lake.
Fall is truly delightful, ya know?
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 10/19/09
Number of species: 43
Canada Goose X lake
Mute Swan 4 lake
Wood Duck 26 Upper Pool, near/on island
American Black Duck 3 lake
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 415 lake
Ruddy Duck 17
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3 Duck Island
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2--f/o garage;perched Peninsula meadow edge
Red-tailed Hawk 2 f/o garage
Merlin 1 f/o rink, then seen perched at Nethermead snag
Peregrine Falcon 1 on BBG tower
American Coot 3 lake
Herring Gull 9 lake
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Northern Flicker 12---9 peninsula meadow
Eastern Phoebe 24---12 ballfields, on various fences, rest elsewhere
Blue-headed Vireo 1 Peninsula sumacs
Blue Jay 1 west drive
Winter Wren 1 LP 249
Marsh Wren 1 Peninsula lakeshore , se corner meadow , near giant Ginkgo tree
Golden-crowned Kinglet 7
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 15
Eastern Bluebird 1 ballfields
Hermit Thrush 5
American Robin X
European Starling X
Nashville Warbler 1 Maryland Monument fire hydrant
Yellow-rumped Warbler 6
Palm Warbler 7 mostly ballfields
Common Yellowthroat 4 peninsula sumacs
Chipping Sparrow 30 mostly ballfields
Lark Sparrow 1 ballfields,inside snow fence enclosure
Savannah Sparrow 8 ballfields
Song Sparrow 60 everywhere
Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Maryland Monument
Swamp Sparrow 9--5 LP 249
White-throated Sparrow 25
White-crowned Sparrow 1 juvenile LP 249
Dark-eyed Junco 5 ballfields
Northern Cardinal 2
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Video shot by Rob Jett
(Bluebird's friend is the Lark Sparrow ! )
