Just a note before today's birding reports. What looks like an interesting program,appearing on Nature this Sunday at 8 PM on channel 13 PBS.
"A Murder of Crows"
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/a-murder-of-crows/introduction/5838/
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The consensus today is that fewer birds were seen today than yesterday, though sparrow diversity is still somewhat very good. But I was thrilled to see the previously reported BALTIMORE ORIOLE perched momentarily on Phragmites behind the rink where I saw most of my sparrow stuff during this busy day. FIELD SPARROWS were seen at this rink lawn locale with the usual sparrow suspects. Hermit Thrushes showing their numbers as fall gets chillier.
A continuing surprise is late NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, seen in the "Willow " Cove just to the left of Three Sisters Islands, on the main shore. I saw it briefly in the reeds.
On the water, NORTHERN SHOVELER is increasing, up to at least 98 birds (earlier reported to 125 by Alex). In time, as fall progresses , more Shovelers will arrive and hopefully other interesting waterfowl.
Latest report tonight received from Alex mentions ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER atop Breeze Hill , in the dirt mounds. Also sightings of Pine, Magnolia, Black and White warblers show warblers still coming thru , though in very small numbers,as individuals (except the ubiquitous Yellow-rumps). Rose-Breasted Grosbeak and Wood Thrush also nice birds for mid fall.
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From Tom Stephenson:
Hi Peter,
Seemed like many fewer birds in the park today compared with yesterday...fewer kinglets, swamp sparrows, etc
But lots and lots of Hermit Thrushes...
Did have 6 species of warblers and 7 of sparrows including 4 White-crowned (3 on breezy hill ,1 by the rink)
Also Baltimore Oriole, Purple Finch, a couple of Towhees....
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Peter's list:
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 10/20/10
Number of species: 32
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 6 Lake
Mallard X Lake
Northern Shoveler 98 Lake
Ruddy Duck 33 Lake
Great Blue Heron 1 Lullwater
Cooper's Hawk 1 f/o Rink
Red-tailed Hawk 1 f/o Lake
American Coot 7--6 at 3 Sisters , 1 lake
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2 rink
Blue-headed Vireo 1 "Propsite"
Winter Wren 1 at Three Arches Bridge
Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
Hermit Thrush 4
American Robin 2
European Starling X
Palm Warbler 1 construction fence south of rink
Northern Waterthrush 1 south lakeside, willow tree cove by 3 Sisters isl
Chipping Sparrow 7 --4 construction fence south of rink, 3 Rink
Field Sparrow 3--2 Rink, 1 construction fence south of rink
Song Sparrow 25 mostly rink and general area
Swamp Sparrow 2 Rink
White-throated Sparrow 3
Dark-eyed Junco X
Common Grackle 25 f/o Lullwater
Baltimore Oriole 1 Rink, immature or female
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/
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From Alex Wilson:
Begin forwarded message:
> Location: Prospect Park
> Observation date: 10/20/10
> Number of species: 71
>
> Canada Goose 75
> Mute Swan 3
> Wood Duck 9
> American Black Duck 3
> Mallard 100
> Northern Shoveler 125
> Ruddy Duck 75
> Pied-billed Grebe 1
> Double-crested Cormorant 2
> Great Blue Heron 2
> Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
> Cooper's Hawk 1
> Red-tailed Hawk 2
> American Kestrel 1
> Merlin 2
> Peregrine Falcon 1
> American Coot 10
> Ring-billed Gull 10
> Herring Gull (American) 10
> Rock Pigeon 20
> Mourning Dove 20
> Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
> Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 3
> Downy Woodpecker 3
> Hairy Woodpecker 1
> Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 5
> Eastern Phoebe 4
> Blue-headed Vireo 2
> Blue Jay 10
> American Crow 1
> Black-capped Chickadee 10
> Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
> White-breasted Nuthatch 4
> Brown Creeper 2
> Carolina Wren 3
> House Wren 1
> Winter Wren 3
> Golden-crowned Kinglet 20
> Ruby-crowned Kinglet 25
> Hermit Thrush 15
> Wood Thrush 1 (Lullwater bend.
> American Robin 35
> Gray Catbird 5
> Northern Mockingbird 1
> European Starling 75
> Orange-crowned Warbler 1 (Breeze Hill heaps.)
> Magnolia Warbler 1 (Lookout Hill.)
> Black-throated Blue Warbler 1 (Lookout Hill.)
> Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 10
> Pine Warbler 1 (Ball fields.)
> Palm Warbler 7
> Black-and-white Warbler 1 (Lookout Hill.)
> Common Yellowthroat 7
> Eastern Towhee 2
> Chipping Sparrow 35
> Field Sparrow 1
> Savannah Sparrow 4
> Song Sparrow 20
> Swamp Sparrow 7
> White-throated Sparrow 40
> White-crowned Sparrow 11 (2 adults.)
> Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 75
> Northern Cardinal 5
> Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1 (Female, Lamppost 249.)
> Red-winged Blackbird 25
> Common Grackle 100
> Baltimore Oriole 1 (Male, Breeze Hill.)
> Purple Finch 6
> House Finch 2
> American Goldfinch 20
> House Sparrow 20
