A most active locale didn't involve spooks--fortunately--but the horse bridle trail above the Boathouse. Sparrows fed on the trail and numerous American Robins in a fruit laden Hawthorn Tree which should be checked often in case something rare might swing by , hopefully. While casing out the area, Eastern Towhee and 12 Cedar Waxwings appeared, the Waxwings landing in the Hackberry tree adjacent to the Hawthorne..So, its a great fall spot to bird for your information.*
While there,a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK soared over the East Wood Arch, as crows harassed it. It was one of several raptor species seen today ( but no "male gray ghost " aka Harrier ..shucks), most notable was three Red-Tailed Hawks just soaring and flying around all morning above the southern slope of Lookout Hill which also saw a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK along with at least 15 Crows (that's a sinister omen for today's spooky holiday...eeeeekkk!). It must be those raptors were enjoying the Halloween festival taking place below on Lookout Hill, site of many park workers dressed up in ghoulish costumes entertaining all the patrons brave enough to see those spooks.
ON the lake, it was mostly calm with many Shovelers (I counted 212) and 97 Ruddy Ducks but among them was a lone juvenile drake RING-NECKED DUCK.
Good trick and treating......
"Kingsboider"
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 10/31/09
Number of species: 43
Canada Goose 125
Mute Swan 9 lake
American Black Duck 5 west island section
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) X
Mallard 175 ...about 80 in Lullwater
Northern Shoveler 212 lake
Ring-necked Duck 1 lake
Ruddy Duck 97 lake
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Great Blue Heron 1 in Three Sisters Islands
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 --one three sisters; 1 duck island
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 f/o lookout hill
Cooper's Hawk 2 f/o boathouse; f/o west island
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 boathouse east wood arch f/o
Red-tailed Hawk 3 f/o south lookout hill/well drive
American Coot 12 lake
Spotted Sandpiper 1 peninsula shore
Laughing Gull 1 f/o peninsula
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull 3 lake
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Belted Kingfisher 1 three sisters islands
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 boathouse
Downy Woodpecker 2
Blue Jay 1 boathouse
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 terrace bridge
Hermit Thrush 2 boathouse;south lakeside
American Robin 50 boathouse
Gray Catbird 1 boathouse
Northern Mockingbird 1 boathouse
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 12 boathouse
Eastern Towhee 1 boathouse
Chipping Sparrow 35 boathouse
Song Sparrow 5 peninsula sumacs
Swamp Sparrow 3 2 southlake west; 1boathouse
White-throated Sparrow 15 --6 south lakeside; 9 boathouse
Dark-eyed Junco 1 peninsula sumacs
Northern Cardinal 3 boathouse
Red-winged Blackbird 1 boathouse
Common Grackle 2 west island
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
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