November 15th Prospect : Raven reported, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Pine Warbler

Photo by Heidi Cleven  2:45 pm at Baseball field #7

A Raven flyover was reported by Rob Bate over the intersection of Parkside and Ocean Avenues this morning. Though extremely rare here, some reports are verified in Queens and Rockaway areas. So , listen for the call and watch for the overall large shape of the body with long wings, accipiter, soaring like flight and the wedge like tail. Keep looking up.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Common_Raven/id

( Bird records not available now due to my office moving to the Tennis House, some disconnection with the database at the mainframe)

Yesterday , Janet Zinn and Alan Baratz reported 8 PINE SISKINS in the Sweetgum Trees at the Nethermead Bridge ( 3 Arches) north side.

If you think of baseball, the third base is known as the "Hot Corner". This afternoon, baseball field # 7 , at the southeast end of the Fence enclosure was sort of ..well..hot !  

Following up on a heads up email from Heidi Cleven's sighting of PINE WARBLER at field # 7, I refound the Pine along the third base dugout fence around 4 pm. It eventually flew up to the nearby tree and waited there along with Dark -eyed Juncos. Then a small "Spizella" sparrow up in the tree crown caught my eye but the back light was interfering with my ID;the sparrow wasn't a typical Chippie. Meanwhile a MERLIN was perched in the London Plane tree right there, looking very hungry.

It took me 15 minutes patience for the "spizella " to finally fly down to the west ballfields fence enclosure southeast corner, with the Pine Warbler in pursuit. I worked my way steadily to that corner and found the Spizella sparrow on the ground (and the Pine Warbler too). After noticing a white central median crown strip on streaky head, gray neck patch, absent eye lore , I concluded it to be a winter plumage CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. Not a bad way to end a work day  ( from my new office at the Tennis House the very first day).

Before I left , I looked up to the Merlin. The falcon was eating a Dark-eyed Junco.. ( Oh ..THANK GOODNESS for its banal taste !).

One last note. We say goodbye to Heidi Cleven, who made her mark sighting us here in early fall with her Philadelphia Vireo report, if you remember the photos I posted. Heidi is leaving for Norway today. I bet she is going to see some Aurora Borealis shows ( we just get smog down here).So, I wish Heidi well and hope she comes back to Brooklyn for good birds..

--Kingsboider