Sunday, December 12, 2010

December 12th Prospect + Brooklyn Bridge Park

 A rain soaked sleeping Red-tailed Hawk atop an air conditioner in Boerum Hill last night, photo sent to me today. Poor bird!

Finally as the rain ended, a brief mid afternoon walk under dreary skies to look  for anything still dry (I doubt it). Most interesting was the juvenile Red-tailed Hawk atop a cut off snag along the path from Terrace Bridge to the rink, that was feeding on prey.At one time, as the hawk fed, it almost slipped off the wet snag , just grabbing the bark at the last moment and flapping its wings to stay aloft. Must be a heck of a comedian to his folks.

In that area, an adult Coopers Hawk perched  at the hilltop. But it didn't stayed long.The juvenile Red tailed tried to intimidate it by flying all around and above it, finally chasing off the Coopers from its turf. I guess the Coopers wasn't amused.

No sign of the Rusty Blackbird as reported perhaps storm weary after a week's stay. But along that path , a flurry of birds that included Fox Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow and a female Red-winged Blackbird instead of its better cousin. But as I was viewing the action along with new birder Eric, a Golden-crowned Kinglet flew over, momentarily perched in a Hawthorne, before taking off up the hill.

On the lake, much open now, a lone drake HOODED MERGANSER and the usual population of Northern Shovelers. Better weather ahead but colder on Tuesday might be good for ducks spurred by a polar clipper. But I heard maybe in the long term forecast rain next weekend..Not a good sign for the Brooklyn Xmas Count...lets hope the storm misses..

Location: Prospect Park


Observation date: 12/12/10

Number of species: 28



Canada Goose X

Mute Swan 4 Lake

American Black Duck 2 Lake

Mallard X

Northern Shoveler 175 Lake

Hooded Merganser 1 drake Lake

Ruddy Duck X

Cooper's Hawk 1  Breeze Hill

Red-tailed Hawk 1 juv south lullwater


American Coot 5 Lake

Ring-billed Gull X

Herring Gull (American) X

Great Black-backed Gull 2

Rock Pigeon X

Mourning Dove 24  West Island triple sweetgums

Black-capped Chickadee X

Tufted Titmouse 2  south lullwater


Golden-crowned Kinglet 1  south lullwater
 
European Starling X

Fox Sparrow (Red) 2--West Island triple sweetgums, 1 south lullwater


Song Sparrow 1

Swamp Sparrow 3--2 West Island triple sweetgums,1 south lullwater


White-throated Sparrow 15--10 West Island triple sweetgums, 5 south Lullwater


Dark-eyed Junco X

Northern Cardinal 3

Red-winged Blackbird 3--one south lullwater,2 West Island triple sweetgums


American Goldfinch 10  West Island triple sweetgums

House Sparrow X


Feeder
 
Location: Prospect Park


Observation date: 12/12/10

Number of species: 4


Downy Woodpecker 2

Black-capped Chickadee 6

White-breasted Nuthatch 1

American Goldfinch 2



This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/)

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Brooklyn Bridge Park birding , reported by Larry Zirlin

(Ebirds listerve posting)

From: Larry Zirlin


To: ebirdsnyc@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Sun, December 12, 2010 4:07:54 PM

Subject: [ebirdsnyc] Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 1, 12/13


The latest bird to arrive at Pier 1 is a drake Bufflehead,

seen swimming and diving among the pilings. This brings

 the number of reported species at this (relatively) new site

up to 49. I'm hoping for a nice even 50 before year's end.

I've seen Mergansers nearby in the past so that's a possibility

A Gadwall was also present.Between Piers 3 & 4 there

were three more Gadwalls plus another drake

Bufflehead, and off Pier 6, yet another Bufflehead.


Birds on the ground were sparse--only sparrows and pigeons.

Number of species: 9

Gadwall 1

American Black Duck 6

Bufflehead 1

Double-crested Cormorant 8

Ring-billed Gull 35

Herring Gull 2

Great Black-backed Gull 1 On Manhattan shore beneath Brooklyn Bridge

Rock Pigeon 24 All but one on old National Cold Storage site

White-throated Sparrow 5 Larry Zirlin

http://birdsandwords-larryz.blogspot.com/