Before today's hilights, an epilogue to yesterday's spectacular sparrow day. I spoke with John Ascher this morning and he mentioned that he saw LINCOLN's SPARROW yesterday at Breeze Hill. This make the total number of sparrow species seen on October 24th fourteen (14), among the best if not tops for sparrow diversity in Prospect's illuminated history. Bravo to all everyone who teamed up on the sparrow "whirlwind" that plopped all the good stuff here.
Hilights of today are: refound VESPER SPARROW & CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, LINCOLN SPARROW,WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, 26 WOOD DUCKS ,MARSH WREN,GREATER SCAUP,SCARLET TANAGER (late), ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK(late),INDIGO BUNTING (late) ;
Total number species sparrows today-- 12
Brief notes on the rarities or quality birds
--Vesper Sparrow still seen inside the ballfields snow fence enclosure, moving from the south field to the west side in patchy brown grass sections (Multiple observers)
--Clay-colored Sparrow , first spottted by Shane Blodgett, hung around a tall smartweed plant just behind the tall shrub closest to the west fence around the Wildflower meadow, The sparrow is a little skittish, and uses the cover of the grasses to linger, offering glimpses. ( also Multiple observers).White-crowned Sparrow and Indigo Bunting also was present here.
--Lincoln Sparrow seen at the "Sparrowbowl" (Steve Nanz, Jerry Layton, mult observers)
--Marsh Wren reported from the previous location on the south shore of the Lake i presume bewteen Duck Island and the East Grove cove,opposite the Peninsula "thumb". (obs Rob Bate)
--Greater Scaup drake on the lake near the West Island shelter (P.Dorosh)
--26 Wood Ducks on the Upper Pool Island, as usual
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From Rafael Campos:
Date: 25 October 2009
Place Prospect Park, Brooklyn; NYC
Observer: Rafael Campos R
An early morning start (~7:30 am) to look for the sparrows sps that "rained" yesterday. The only one, considered rare, was the Vesper. But other sparrows sps were present around the fenced area in the Long Meadow/ballfields: Field, Chipping, Savannah, Song, White-crowned, Swamp.
A visit to the Lake area did no give any rare sparrows, but behind the Well House, 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.Back to the Long Meadow, and the surprise was 1 Indigo Bunting. At the upper pool, ~10 Wood Ducks.And to end my walk, around 11 am, just before Grand Army Plaza, 1 Scarlet Tanager flew across and landed.
The list:
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe (1, Lake)
Red-tailed Hawk (2 flew over Long Meadow)
American Coot
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Downy Woodpecker (1, Well House)
Northern Flicker (1, Nethermead)
Eastern Phoebe (~4, fenced area, Long Meadow)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Red-breasted Nuthatch (2, Lookout Hill)
Winter Wren (1)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird (1, Well House)
European Starling
Palm Warbler (~5)
Scarlet Tanager (1)
Eastern Towhee (1, Well House)
Chipping Sparrow (abundant)
Field Sparrow (1)
Vesper Sparrow (1)
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow (1)
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting (1)
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird (2)
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
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My birding today was going to be brief, to take a break from my long day yesterday. Well, I spent a little too much time at the special sparrow spots in Prospect when I intended to take it easy and visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for special events there.
But the lure of those terrific sparrows pulled me in and I figured some folks would be around looking , so why not try to help some get whatever remained.Fortunately both Vesper and Clay-colored lingered and quite a number of observers were certainly glad to see these species. Vesper was very cooperative when I arrived at the ballfields, very close and sort of tame before flying back toward the fence enclosure's middle. Clay -Colored was a little tougher, being shy and offering glimpses but nevertheless, most if not all the birders saw it, with Shane's help.
When I first entered the park, I saw the Greater Scaup still hanging around in the lake. Well, he is outnumbered by greater numbers of Ruddy Duck --now 61-- and still dominant numbers of Northern Shoveler.Good thing he isn't too close to the Wood Ducks, their 26 (at least) company too numerous for little Upper Pool; there's no space .
On Lookout Hill's meadows, very good numbers of White-throated Sparrows and Hermit Thrushes use the brush very well for coverage. I know there got to be good stuff in there in that thick brush, but whatever it is, it won't come out .Too bad.
Fall colors is certainly providing a wonderful backdrop to the birding.So if you have time, enjoy the spectacle--both leaves and birds this week.
--Peter
List
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 10/25/09
Number of species: 41
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 5 lake
Wood Duck 26 Upper Pool Island
American Black Duck 2 lake
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 235 lake
Greater Scaup 1 sw corner lake
Ruddy Duck 61 lake
Pied-billed Grebe 2 lake
Great Blue Heron 1 upper pool
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 f/o wildflower meadow (Mult Obs); f/o nethermead
Cooper's Hawk 1 f/o
American Coot 4 lake
Herring Gull X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Belted Kingfisher 1 Lily Pool
Downy Woodpecker 2 wildflower meadow;
Eastern Phoebe 4 ballfields
Winter Wren 1 wildflower meadow (John Ascher, PDorosh)
Marsh Wren 1 reported by Rob Bate; south lakeshore
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6
Hermit Thrush X common , many lookout hill meadows
American Robin 15 BBG
Gray Catbird 3--1 wildflower meadow
European Starling X
Eastern Towhee 1 heard by Steve Nanz Sparrowbowl
Chipping Sparrow 125 south nethermead lawn
Clay-colored Sparrow 1 wildflower meadow ; S.Blodgett, Pdorosh, Mult Observers
Field Sparrow 1 Peninsula Meadow, next to young dogwood
Vesper Sparrow 1 Ballfields, S.Nanz, J.Layton,J.Ascher,P.Dorosh,Mult Observers
Savannah Sparrow X Ballfields
Song Sparrow X
Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Steve Nanz, J.Layton Sparrowbowl
Swamp Sparrow 4 - 2 wildflower meadow ; Mult Observers; 2 Peninsula
White-throated Sparrow X mostly Lookout Hill meadows
White-crowned Sparrow 1 wildflower meadow ; S.Blodgett, Pdorosh, Mult Observers
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal 1
Brown-headed Cowbird 1 ballfields
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
