( Photograph of Whip-poor-will taken by Janet Zinn, http://www.janetzinnphotography.com/ ) [ click on photo for zoom in]Hilights : WHIP-POOR-WILL (Caprimulgus vociferus ) , PROTHONOTARY WARBLER ,Yellow-billed Cuckoo, White-crowned Sparrow,Worm-eating Warbler
NO doubt , so far , the bird of the year is a "goatsucker" species founded by Matthew Wills late this morning. I received word from Hillary Salk via text while at work and thereupon spread the word when I arrived just north of the Boulder Bridge, yet need a consensus to eliminate an usually likely Common Nighthawk with help from other birders . Upon scoped views and photos, further discussion and analysis led to the identity of the Whip-poor-will. A quick search of records makes this likely the 18th record since 1908. More on this later.
Caprimulgus vociferus was seen perched on thin branches in a mature Honey Locust tree, about 50 feet above ground.This species perches on branches whereas Common Nighthawk sits on limbs [ according to Sibley's].
NO doubt , so far , the bird of the year is a "goatsucker" species founded by Matthew Wills late this morning. I received word from Hillary Salk via text while at work and thereupon spread the word when I arrived just north of the Boulder Bridge, yet need a consensus to eliminate an usually likely Common Nighthawk with help from other birders . Upon scoped views and photos, further discussion and analysis led to the identity of the Whip-poor-will. A quick search of records makes this likely the 18th record since 1908. More on this later.
Caprimulgus vociferus was seen perched on thin branches in a mature Honey Locust tree, about 50 feet above ground.This species perches on branches whereas Common Nighthawk sits on limbs [ according to Sibley's].
WE are much appreciative to Matthew for his great find since multiple observers were fortunate in seeing the bird. And also thanks to Hillary for thinking quickly of texting me...fast word gets the birders out there in a hurry. Check out Matthew's account on his blog http://matthewwills.com/2010/05/04/life-goatsucker/
Through all this excitement, somehow, today's calling Prothonotary Warbler got overshadowed ( R.Jett), a report in or near the Litchfield Villa parking lot in Mr Jett's rush to see the Whip-poor-will! I guess it was one of those crazy yet memorable birding days! [hopefully Rob's story on his The Citybirder Blog for more details ]
Observers: Matthew Wills, Hillary Salk, Edith Goren, Isabel Conte, Peter Dorosh, Rob Jett, Rob Bate, Russ Aldertone, Mary Eyster, Eni Falci, Janet Zinn, Alan Baratz , m.obs.
Other Reports:
Russ Aldertone:
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 5/4/10
Number of species: 47
Canada Goose 1
Mute Swan 1
Mallard 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Whip-poor-will 1
Chimney Swift 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue Jay 1
Tree Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Carolina Wren 1
House Wren 1
Hermit Thrush 2
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 100
Gray Catbird 50
European Starling 100
Northern Parula 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 4
Black-and-white Warbler 6
American Redstart 3
Ovenbird 6
Northern Waterthrush 1
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Scarlet Tanager 2
Song Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 1
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 12
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Red-winged Blackbird 2
Common Grackle 6
House Sparrow 10
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Rob Jett:
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 5/4/10
Number of species: 26
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Whip-poor-will 1
Chimney Swift X
Northern Flicker X
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
American Crow 1
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin X
Gray Catbird 5
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 1
Northern Parula 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal X
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Doug Gochfeld ( with Bob Gochfeld)
Sent: Tue, May 4, 2010 4:57 pm
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park , 5/4/10
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 5/4/10
Notes: w/ Bob Gochfeld.
Number of species: 29
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Whip-poor-will 1 Boulder Bridge/Rick's Place area.
Chimney Swift X
Downy Woodpecker X
Tree Swallow X
Barn Swallow X
Black-capped Chickadee X
Carolina Wren X
House Wren X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula X
Black-throated Blue Warbler X
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) X
Black-throated Green Warbler X
Blackpoll Warbler X
American Redstart X
Worm-eating Warbler 1 Ravine, just west of Boulder bridge.
Ovenbird X
Chipping Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/)
Through all this excitement, somehow, today's calling Prothonotary Warbler got overshadowed ( R.Jett), a report in or near the Litchfield Villa parking lot in Mr Jett's rush to see the Whip-poor-will! I guess it was one of those crazy yet memorable birding days! [hopefully Rob's story on his The Citybirder Blog for more details ]
Observers: Matthew Wills, Hillary Salk, Edith Goren, Isabel Conte, Peter Dorosh, Rob Jett, Rob Bate, Russ Aldertone, Mary Eyster, Eni Falci, Janet Zinn, Alan Baratz , m.obs.
Other Reports:
Russ Aldertone:
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 5/4/10
Number of species: 47
Canada Goose 1
Mute Swan 1
Mallard 1
Turkey Vulture 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Whip-poor-will 1
Chimney Swift 4
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue Jay 1
Tree Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Carolina Wren 1
House Wren 1
Hermit Thrush 2
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 100
Gray Catbird 50
European Starling 100
Northern Parula 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler 50
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Prairie Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 4
Black-and-white Warbler 6
American Redstart 3
Ovenbird 6
Northern Waterthrush 1
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Scarlet Tanager 2
Song Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 1
White-crowned Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 12
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Red-winged Blackbird 2
Common Grackle 6
House Sparrow 10
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Rob Jett:
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 5/4/10
Number of species: 26
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Whip-poor-will 1
Chimney Swift X
Northern Flicker X
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Warbling Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 1
American Crow 1
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin X
Gray Catbird 5
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 1
Northern Parula 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Blackpoll Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Prothonotary Warbler 1
Worm-eating Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal X
Baltimore Oriole 2
American Goldfinch X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
Doug Gochfeld ( with Bob Gochfeld)
Sent: Tue, May 4, 2010 4:57 pm
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park , 5/4/10
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 5/4/10
Notes: w/ Bob Gochfeld.
Number of species: 29
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Whip-poor-will 1 Boulder Bridge/Rick's Place area.
Chimney Swift X
Downy Woodpecker X
Tree Swallow X
Barn Swallow X
Black-capped Chickadee X
Carolina Wren X
House Wren X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing X
Nashville Warbler 1
Northern Parula X
Black-throated Blue Warbler X
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) X
Black-throated Green Warbler X
Blackpoll Warbler X
American Redstart X
Worm-eating Warbler 1 Ravine, just west of Boulder bridge.
Ovenbird X
Chipping Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/)
*************************************************
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 5/4/10
Number of species: 22
Mute Swan X
Mallard X
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Green Heron 1 Three Sisters islands
Laughing Gull X
Herring Gull (American) X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Whip-poor-will 1 Boulder Bridge north
Chimney Swift X
Belted Kingfisher 1 Ravine ( M.Eyster, E.Falci)
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 --one landed behind Whippoorwill ! Boulder Bridge
Swainson's Thrush 1 Elephant Hill
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin X
European Starling X
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Northern Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 1 Ravine
Northern Cardinal X
Baltimore Oriole 1
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
*************************************************
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 5/4/10
Number of species: 22
Mute Swan X
Mallard X
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Green Heron 1 Three Sisters islands
Laughing Gull X
Herring Gull (American) X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Whip-poor-will 1 Boulder Bridge north
Chimney Swift X
Belted Kingfisher 1 Ravine ( M.Eyster, E.Falci)
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 --one landed behind Whippoorwill ! Boulder Bridge
Swainson's Thrush 1 Elephant Hill
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin X
European Starling X
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Northern Waterthrush 2
Common Yellowthroat 1 Ravine
Northern Cardinal X
Baltimore Oriole 1
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
*************************************************
Kingsboider note: reports are late due to internet connectivity issue I had at home...
