Hilights: LARK SPARROW, numerous sparrows especially Chipping, EASTERN BLUEBIRD,WOOD DUCK "festival"
Rob Jett texted me late this morning about the Eastern Bluebird in the northeast corner of the ball fields, near the wildflower meadow section. And that was all I thought I was going to get on this blustery cold day with dreary overtones.Little did I realized I was in for a bigger surprise.
I parked my car along Prospect Park West Avenue and headed straight for the ball fields from 9th street. I had no problem finding the gorgeous looking EASTERN BLUEBIRD, perched on a steel pole ( called a rebar) that was holding up mesh fencing. What was cool was seeing numerous CHIPPING SPARROWS passing under and thru the fencing with the Bluebird above, looking down at the little guys all around it. From my snow fence spot, i could see many "chippies", some juncos, Savannah and songs , all inside the large snow fence enclosure erected to protect the reseeded fields. I get a posting from Rob after I texted him on my bluebird sighting he'll meet me here. So,with time on my side, i worked my way towards the south side of the enclosure.In time , Rob appears in the distance and both of us were looking at all the sparrows moving about hastily. Then , right in front of me , i see my prize bird.
About 25 feet away, i spotted a Savannah Sparrow perched atop the fence;but it wasn't this bird that intrigued me,it was the next one near it on the fence. Its striking face and throat and larger size comparative to the Savannah sent red flags thru my brain and eyes widening as the sparrow dropped to the ground , exposing its roundish tipped tail with white retrices, got me all excited.Wow ! A LARK SPARROW! Immediately I looked to Rob in the distance and gestured vigorously ,"pointing" to the spot I sort of sign languaged I got a "good bird" ;Rob knew I had something good if i do somersaults ;)> but where was I pointing to ?? So I wound up text messaging him "Lark Sparrow".I lost sight of the bird as it flew in deeper in the enclosure with the spooked "chippie" flock. Dang, I wanted to show him.
About 20 minutes later, after a complete loop of the enclosure, I got my prize again. In the west corner of the enclosure, near ball field #3 (second base), the good sparrow was hunkered down in a lawn depression, feeding on stunted smart weed or clover i presumed. It took Rob --who was farther away from me--several minutes to see thru the fence and then my spot where we both saw stunning looks of a bright non breeding Lark Sparrow. In time, at least four more folks--getting my text messages-- got to see a cooperative bird that used the interior mesh fencing like "camouflaged netting" as Merlin and Sharp-shinned Hawk buzzed overhead. I hope it sticks around for more viewing.
Whenever days like today with its dreary , cold elements happen and great birds are seen, i remembered my deceased friend Marty Sohmer, the legendary birder of Brooklyn who often reminded us with wise sayings like "Bad weather brings out the best birds". You know what? I bet Marty is up there smiling now....
I'll let you know about the Prospect records for Lark Sparrow tomorrow afternoon .In the meantime, get thee out there and bird the meadows, lawns and sparrow spots..You are bound to find something good... if so, let me know.....
Peter
Observers: Peter Dorosh, Rob Jett
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 10/17/09
Number of species: 21
Wood Duck 22 Upper Pool behind island, hard to see some behind
Mallard X Upper Pool
Great Blue Heron 1 f/o ballfields
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 f/o ballfields
Red-tailed Hawk 2 f/o ballfields
Merlin 1 flyover ballfields
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 2 ballfields
Northern Flicker 2 ballfields
Eastern Phoebe 4--2 nellies lawn;2 ballfields
Golden-crowned Kinglet 4 long meadow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 long meadow
Eastern Bluebird 1 ballfields snow fence enclosure
European Starling X
Palm Warbler (Yellow) 2
Chipping Sparrow 300 --est 160 Nellies lawn, 140 ballfields
Lark Sparrow 1 ballfields snow fence enclosure
Savannah Sparrow 12 ballfields snow fence enclosure
Song Sparrow 14 --5 ballfields snow fence enclosure. 11 Payne hill
Dark-eyed Junco 15 ballfields snow fence enclosure
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/)
PS>Rob Jett recorded 10 species sparrows today: Lark, White-crowned, White-throated, Swamp, Chipping, Field, Song, Savannah, Dark-eyed Junco, Eastern Towhee
Also, the total Wood Duck number at Upper Pool is 29
Lark Sparrow profile: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Lark_Sparrow/id
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From Orrin:
Also, in case nobody else reported, a pied-billed grebe on the lake, a brown creeper next to the lake, and a palm warbler on the Ft. Hamilton Pkwy overpass
