Hilights : BLACK VULTURE high flyover Prospect Lake per Doug Gochfeld;very rare record for Prospect Park but increasing observations in recent years for the NYC area.
Also continuing American Pipit on the ballfields.
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Reported by the First Sunday Group ( incl M.Dreger, H.Steiner-Nanz, M.Eyster)
American Pipit (inside Ballfields snow fence enclosure)
2 Merlin
Red-tail Hawks
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From Rob Jett:
> Date: February 7, 2010 3:27:27 PM EST
> Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park , 2/7/10
>
> Location: Prospect Park
> Observation date: 2/7/10
> Number of species: 36
>
> Canada Goose X
> Mute Swan 4
> American Black Duck X
> Mallard X
> Northern Shoveler X
> Ruddy Duck 2
> Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
> Red-tailed Hawk 2
> Peregrine Falcon 1
> American Coot X
> Ring-billed Gull 1000
> Herring Gull (American) X
> Great Black-backed Gull 3
> Rock Pigeon X
> Mourning Dove 12
> Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
> Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
> Downy Woodpecker 2
> Blue Jay X
> American Crow 5
> Black-capped Chickadee 2
> Tufted Titmouse 1
> Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
> White-breasted Nuthatch 2
> Carolina Wren 1
> American Robin X
> European Starling X
> Fox Sparrow 1
> Song Sparrow 1
> White-throated Sparrow X
> Dark-eyed Junco X
> Northern Cardinal X
> Red-winged Blackbird 2
> House Finch X
> American Goldfinch X
> House Sparrow X
>
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
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Posting to NYS Birds listserve
Yesterday (Sunday, 2/7) just after 1:00 PM a Black Vulture coasted northwest over Prospect Park lake flying extremely high, and almost exclusively soaring. I know Turkey Vultures start migrating in February, but it is still pretty early in the month, and Black Vultures aren't yet common in the area (they're still downright rare in Brooklyn, even in peak migration) so it came as quite a surprise to me. It certainly looked like it was exhibiting migratory behavior.
There were also ~1600 Ring-billed Gulls (counted and examined closely), including wing-tags A318 (a repeat) and A288 (a new one for me).
Good Birding
-Doug Gochfeld. Brooklyn, NY.
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First Sunday walk , led and reported by Michele Dreger
It was really cold yesterday.... But 20 of us made it to the First Sunday in February walk. I know that the walk should have been focused on the lake but it was pretty frozen this week. There had been posts that the American Pipit that was spotted in January was still around. So the walk was going to try to include the search for the Pipit. Just as we were about to begin, I received a call from Valerie. She was at the ball fields by the dog beach and had the Pipit. Edith had a scope and it was set up. So Heidi and Mary explained about the Pipit as we walked to the other side of the park. On the way we saw a Great Blue Heron and a few Tufted Titmouse as well as American Robins.
Once on the other side of the park, the group had swelled to include people passing by. We had some great looks at the American Pipit. On the way to the lake, we passed the pair of Merlins that have been hanging out on Center Drive in the Linden Trees.
We stopped by the lampost 249 and watched a really great show. At one point there were a carolina wren - downy - nuthatch and blue jay in my field of vision.... other people saw a red-bellied - fox sparrow - sapsucker.... It was like they were displaying for us.
We scanned the only part of the lake that had water looking for the Lesser Black-backed Gull but no luck. There was an interesting moment when some falcon flew over and spooked the gulls. We collectively decided it was a peregrine... why?... Giss!
We ended at the feeders and found some photographers behind the fence. I asked them what group they were with and they told me to "mind your own business". So I said " I am the leader of this tour, we have spent alot of money and time preparing these bird feeders and you are not authorized to be beyond the fence. It is just courtesy". They eventually left... As soon as they did, the birds returned. Like Eny said, they were so busy taking pictures of the sparrows they didn't notice the red nuthatch over their head. They didn't even know what they were looking at. Their loss....
Thanks to Ann from Manhattan Linnean group for joining us for the day. She came for the Pipit and stayed because we had a good group. See you all next month... remember it starts at 8am again.
American Pipit
Mockingbird
Blue Jay
Cardinal
Robin
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
mourning dove
rock pidgeon
Merlin - pair
Red-tailed Hawk - pair
Peregrine Falcon
Canada Geese
Mallard
Wood Duck
American Coot
Mute Swan
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red bellied woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
American Goldfinch
Carolina Wren
Great Blue Heron
