Bernd Heinrich's "The ingenuity of animal survival : Winter World" (click on link)
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Winter-World/Bernd-Heinrich/e/9780061129070/?itm=1&USRI=winter+world
The lake showed more open water but very slightly out in the northwest section. The usual Shovelers are present but appeared to have diminished numbers. But at the open water next to the west shore, a very close look at the drake HOODED MERGANSER for anyone passing by.
A meeting with Rob Bate on the Well Drive opposite the three shipping containers prove the spot to meet. We saw subsequently, GRAY CATBIRD under the multi flora bush, FOX SPARROW and WINTER WREN on the other side of the road , under the dormant Magnolia trees and Rob caught sight also of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET. Later , meeting Rob again and Tracy , I found they were looking at a COMMON GRACKLE on Breeze Hill near the feeders, still active as always. They were refilled after a fast consumption. Speaking of feeders, my thanks to Isabel Conte and Gil Shrank the latest to contribute donations for bird seed, joining Rob Bate ,Tracy Meade and Nancy Tim.
No late word on the possible Northern Goshawk seen early this morning. Mary Eyster reported a very large raptor with a long tail overhead near Bartel Pritchard before the hawk flew into Prospect.I am hoping it stuck around, enticed by Prospect-ive" meaty offerings...plenty of food to go around....So keep your eyes open.
But , it was wonderful to see the perched RED-TAILED HAWK above those 3 shipping containers on Well Drive. The sun was bright, and the cold wind not much of a bother for two RT hawks before one flew out towards the lake in the early afternoon.For some reason, the gulls didn't take off from their icy roost ...hmm, it must be icicles in their eyes....
Location: Prospect Park--Feeders
Observation date: 12/21/10
Number of species: 9
Mourning Dove X
Downy Woodpecker 1
Black-capped Chickadee 6
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
House Finch X
American Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow 3
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 12/21/10
Number of species: 21
Canada Goose 320 feeding on Peninsula Meadow late afternoon
Mute Swan 5 lake
American Black Duck 1 Lake
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler X Lake
Hooded Merganser 1 drake Lake
Cooper's Hawk 1 F/O Peninsula
Red-tailed Hawk 2 perched high Well Dr
American Coot X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull (American) X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Black-capped Chickadee X
Winter Wren 1 Well Dr ( RBate)
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 Well Dr ( RBate)
European Starling X
Fox Sparrow (Red) 1 Well Dr ( RBate, Pdorosh)
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Common Grackle 1 Breeze Hill ( RBate, TMeade, Pdorosh)
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/)
**********************************
From Adam Welz
report from yesterday 12/20
Hi Peter
a little late, but here are my sightings from yesterday.
Noteworthy for me was a single Brown Creeper on a tree by the feeders -- as far as I remember not a single one was seen in Brooklyn during the Xmas Bird Count, and I have not seen one in the park in the park for weeks. Also a single Redbr. Nuthatch & a single Fox Sparrow at the feeders.
There was a single Ruddy Duck scrumming it with the Mallards on Prospect Lake. Funny that it didn't take off with the rest of em.
Cheers
Adam
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 12/20/10
Notes: Half of the survey period was spent at a feeder station, where the majority of the passerine species were seen.
Number of species: 25
Canada Goose - Branta canadensis 80
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor 5
American Black Duck - Anas rubripes 1
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) - Anas rubripes x platyrhynchos 5
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos 120
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata 250
Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis 1
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 2
American Coot - Fulica americana 15
gull sp. - Larinae sp. 5
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura 20
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 2
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus 20
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis 1
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis 2
Brown Creeper - Certhia americana 1
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus 1
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris X
Fox Sparrow - Passerella iliaca 1
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis 15
Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis 20
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 6
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus 5
House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus 4
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis 2
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus 4
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
