Christmas Eve is a day of contemplation for me. Rather than go crazy with "holi-DAZE " and the frenzied stress of wrapping gifts, or buying last minute gifts, maybe bake a bread or other miscellaneous tasks, I need the solitude of nature and its reflective soothing effect to experience the most of this festive time. So, I make it a habit to try to bird and enjoy holiday gifts nature gives on this day.
And nature did give me a gift..sort of ( and so did I :)> , buying last minute gifts at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden gift shop..so...anyway)...I found some color, like Christmas ornaments on a tree, only the tree wasn't a conifer but the Ilex (from the Holly family) Macrocarpa where "ornaments" were actually two BALTIMORE ORIOLES feeding on the black fruit. Later Rob Bate reported three Orioles..It appears the trio stuck around since late fall when they were first reported. Go figure, instead of 3 french hens, we get to see Three Baltimore Orioles.
And not to get too carry away with that Christmas song, I like to substitute a Partridge in a pear tree with "and a PEREGRINE in a steel tower". Yep, a single Peregrine Falcon perched on one of the side antennae frames of the BBG radio tower at the garden's south end. I even watched the Peregrine thru the basement window as I lunched at the garden cafe.
Last, the feeders were showing quite a flurry of bird activity. Cardinals, White-throated sparrows, Fox Sparrow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Juncos, Downy Woodpecker,Chickadees are all receiving the gift of seed, thanks to the folks who gave me donations . That's what it's about:giving.
Merry Christmas everyone. May peace and good will come to all.
"Kingsboider"
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 12/24/09
Number of species: 34
Canada Goose 200 lake
Mute Swan 6 lake
American Black Duck 1 lake
Mallard X lake
Northern Shoveler 475 at Three Sister Islands
Bufflehead 1 drake Three Sister Islands
Double-crested Cormorant 1 lake
Great Blue Heron 1 standing on ice Boathouse pond
Red-tailed Hawk 1 f/o Boathouse
American Coot 19 lake
Ring-billed Gull 1100 lake
Herring Gull 60 lake
Great Black-backed Gull 3 lake
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Downy Woodpecker 3 feeders
Blue Jay 1
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 1 breeze hill
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 feeders
American Robin 1 feeders
Northern Mockingbird 2--well drive; breeze hill
European Starling X
Fox Sparrow 1 feeders
Song Sparrow 2 west island phragmites;feeders
Swamp Sparrow 1 west island phragmites
White-throated Sparrow 40
Dark-eyed Junco 60 breeze hill/feeders
Northern Cardinal 14--8 feeders,3 boathouse,3 weellhouse
Common Grackle 1 boathouse
House Finch 4 feeders
American Goldfinch 2 feeders, one still breeding plmg bird
House Sparrow X
Location: Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Observation date: 12/24/09
Number of species: 14
Great Blue Heron 1 f/o
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Peregrine Falcon 1 BBG radio tower, on side antennae
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 1
American Robin 28
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling X
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal 4
Baltimore Oriole 3 juv males Ilex Macrocarpa tree opp Conservatory , in Holly section
House Finch 2
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
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From Keir:
hi Peter
Some highlights from the PP feeders this pm:
Red-breasted Nuthatch (1)
Hermit Thrush (1)
Fox Sparrow (1)
cheers
Keir
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From Alex Wilson:
Location: Prospect Park
> Observation date: 12/24/09
> Notes: Probable Northern Shoveler X Blue-winged Teal hybrid in > the Shoveler flock on the Lake. Drake plumage with clearly marked > facial crescent, but nearly same size as female Shovelers, with > ghosting of ruddy sides, pale breast and green hood; orange eyes.
Some pictures at:
http://www.digitalmediatree.com/arboretum/shoveler/
> Number of species: 46
>
> Canada Goose 100
> Mute Swan 6
> American Black Duck 5
> American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 1
> Mallard 100
> Northern Shoveler 300
> Bufflehead 1
> Double-crested Cormorant 1
> Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 (Juvenile, Lookout Hill.)
> Red-tailed Hawk 2
> Merlin 1 (Long Meadow.)
> Peregrine Falcon 2 (On signal tower at east corner of park/> BBG.)
> American Coot 25
> Ring-billed Gull 1000
> Herring Gull (American) 80
> Great Black-backed Gull 3
> Rock Pigeon 30
> Mourning Dove 20
> Red-bellied Woodpecker 6
> Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3
> Downy Woodpecker 10
> Hairy Woodpecker 3
> Blue Jay 10
> American Crow 1
> Black-capped Chickadee 10
> Tufted Titmouse 4
> Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 (Feeders.)
> White-breasted Nuthatch 8
> Brown Creeper 1
> Carolina Wren 3
> Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 (Peninsula.)
> Hermit Thrush 1 (Terrace Bridge NE.)
> American Robin 100
> Northern Mockingbird 3
> European Starling 150
> Eastern Towhee 1 Between Boathouse/Upper Lullwater.)
> Fox Sparrow (Red) 8
> Song Sparrow 3
> Swamp Sparrow 2
> White-throated Sparrow 100
> Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 30
> Northern Cardinal 30
> Red-winged Blackbird 2
> Common Grackle 1
> House Finch 12
> American Goldfinch 10
> House Sparrow 25
>
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
