Ed Crowne emailed me that he saw a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT at the Binnen Falls, the brushy area just north of the Boathouse. Also , as usually seen around this time, EASTERN BLUEBIRDs observed by Elyse Taylor at the Lower Pool, (Long Meadow side) before flying off to the "Sparrowbowl" vale near the Tennis House.
During my walks --actually two today , one early am, then later during the Halloween festivities ( Darn NOISY!)--I was "Treated" to a terrific raptor show at the Long Meadow in front of the Sparrowbowl. A MERLIN swooshed thru the Sparrowbowl , harassing all the poor sparrows, and I thought that was the last of the Merlin. But about 10 minutes later, I spotted a COOPERS HAWK coming over the trees by the Tennis House when all of a sudden the MERLIN reappeared and attacked the larger Coopers all the way to the Lower Pool. Gawrsh, I love Merlins! Before that, a NORTHERN HARRIER was much smarter, staying higher up over the Picnic House, the Harrier doing soaring circles till it disappeared into the blue sky.
Earlier, I spotted a FOX SPARROW, likely the first of the fall season, on the woods path behind the Upper Pool. In the neighboring Lower Pool, 9 WOOD DUCKS furtively stayed out of sight on the back embankment, a smart move given today's crowds; however, I saw them again in a flyover over the Terrace Bridge. I guess the colors were great for sightseeing ( or trick and treat?).
Latest : I received a note from Vinnie Falci that a PP Audubon walk led by Vinnie and his wife Eni, witnessed a Bald Eagle , another one for Prospect Park this fall, the 5th since three weeks ago. Its been a terrific fall for these "baldies"
Meanwhile, Rob Bate and his wife Tracy spotted more AMERICAN WOODCOCK, 6 exact , but across the way inside Grennwood Cemetery. The nickname for Woodcocks by the the way , is "timberdoodle" , for their crazy antics and flight thru wooded areas. If you dont believe me, you can look it up right here
http://www.timberdoodle.org/biology
--Kingsboider
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date = 2010/10/30
site = Prospect Park
observers = Ed Crowne
Yellow-breasted Chat-- Binnen Falls, 11am
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From Elyse:
Hi Peter,
I just saw 2 Eastern Bluebirds in the tree near the dog
beach, lower pool.They flew toward the sparrow bowl,
and landed in a few trees on their way, so I got a good look
at them. As I was amazed , a sharp-shinned hawk flew
right over me. Then I saw it flying again, with a bird in it's
mouth.
Elyse Taylor
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Peter's List
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 10/30/10
Number of species: 40
Brant 18 high f/o due southeast Lake early am
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X Lake
Wood Duck 9 Lower Pool, later Terrace Br
American Black Duck 2 West Isl
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler X Lake
Ruddy Duck 167 Lake
Pied-billed Grebe 2 Lake
Double-crested Cormorant 5 Lake
Great Blue Heron 1 Upper Pool
Northern Harrier 1 F/O Picnic House , female/Imm
Cooper's Hawk 1 F/O Long Meadow
Merlin 1 F/O Sparrowbowl
American Coot X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Northern Flicker 1 Bartel entrance
Eastern Phoebe 2--Sparrowbowl
Blue-headed Vireo 1 Lower Pool
Winter Wren 1 Sparrowbowl
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 14
Hermit Thrush 11
American Robin 3
European Starling X
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 ballfields
Eastern Towhee 2--Sparrowbowl ( male) ; horse trail above Boathouse ( female)
Chipping Sparrow 4 Ballfields
Field Sparrow 2 --Sparrowbowl, LP 249
Savannah Sparrow 7 Ballfields
Fox Sparrow (Red) 1 Upper Pool back path
Song Sparrow 35
Swamp Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco 90 ballfields fence enclosure
Northern Cardinal 1
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/)
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From Vinnie Falci:
Peter:
Today Eni and I led the beginners bird walk at 12:00. We saw a mature Bald Eagle soaring over well house road. First time I ever saw an eagle in Brooklyn.
Vinnie
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From Rob Bate:
Greenwood Cemetery report
Tracy and I birded Greenwood Cemetery today and saw 6 Woodcocks. We had great looks at one we caught walking between gravestones and another later circled very close to us and gave really good looks. The rest were birds we spooked who just took off away from us. Also tons of Juncos and lots of Chipping Sparrows. Also many raptors migrating overhead, Sharpies, Red Tails, Peregrines. Also 1 Bluebird.
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From Kathy Toomey:
Prospect
I also saw a Fox Sparrow today. Mine was on a path behind the Carousel
