No doubt the highlight for today was a PROTHONOTARY WARBLER sighted at the Terrace Bridge/Peninsula margin. First reported by Orrin Tilevitz Wednesday, the bird was playing hide and seek during the 4 day spell until today. Its skittish nature though sent most of the birders this morning on a "goose chase" with fleeting glimpses after the initial sighting and tweet message from Rob Bate. The bird was also seen yesterday by Elyse Shiller and a few other birders but I didn't get the message until today since I was too busy with last night's long 3 hr Easter Vigil service , relatives visiting earlier and other Easter festivities to deal with. First seen in the tall tree adjacent and below the Terrace Bridge on the south side, the Prothonotary swooped down along the shore and simply refused to appear as it worked along the shore towards the Peninsula. Only a quick glimpse before it hid in a multi flora rosebush and reappearance for Keir Randall further down and then off it took as it went into the Peninsula forest. Simply a frustrating bird to look for, an Easter egg easier to find than this bird.
The Peninsula also yielded 2 ORCHARD ORIOLES seen feeding in a ripe flowering cherry tree at the lullwater ( east ) shore along one of the woods trails. A handsome male seen first, then with a lime yellow green female with it entertained the original birders and company who spotted the species. A number of birders saw the pair. FIELD SPARROW was nearby in the field ( the right location, of course) [RBate].
Regarding flyovers, Rob Jett and Heydi Lopes reported GLOSSY IBIS, 3 seen above the Maryland Monument, going due northeast. This is a quality species for Prospect.
In the Vale of Cashmere, new for the season is YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, reported by Monica Berger. Mike Yuan came up nicely with SCARLET TANAGER in the Ravine , always a favorite speciesfor birders ( especially for me ) and RUSTY BLACKBIRD. Mike's sharp eyes re-spotted the Prothonotary for brief looks after the first sighting. WORM-EATING WARBLER still present at same spot the last few days, Lullwater adjacent and under Terrace Bridge east side (J.Malbin)
Pending more reports and emails, I will get to the rest of it into the night inc Warbler species count.
And one last word: no large rabbits were seen today..... :)>
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 4/24/11
Number of species: 51
Canada Goose 38 lake
Mute Swan 3 Lake
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 1 Lake
Ruddy Duck 37 Lake
Double-crested Cormorant 31--5 Lake; 27 flyover lake
Great Blue Heron 1 at Duck Isl
Green Heron 1 reported by Gil Shrank, Dale Dyer first obs at Lower Pool
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 at 3 Sisters isl
Osprey 1 f/o Duck Isl
American Coot 1 Boathouse pond
Spotted Sandpiper 1 south lakeshore
Laughing Gull 1 lake
Herring Gull (American) X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Chimney Swift 15 lake flyovers
Belted Kingfisher 2--1 West Isl, 1 Lullwater cove
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 1
Eastern Kingbird 1 at 3 Sisters isl
Blue Jay 2
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Hermit Thrush 2
American Robin X
Gray Catbird 2--1 south lakeshore; 1 back shore Lily Pool
European Starling X
Northern Parula 1 Lullwater Br trailhead
Yellow Warbler 2--1 with Parula, one Peninsula
Yellow-rumped Warbler 25, common
Pine Warbler 2
Prairie Warbler 1 Lily Pool meadow
Palm Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 2--1 south Lakeshore
Prothonotary Warbler 1 Peninsula shore south side Terrace bride; frustrating bird !
Ovenbird 1 Lily Pool back woods
Northern Waterthrush 1 south lakeshore
Field Sparrow 1 Peninsula meadow , RBate os
Savannah Sparrow 1 south Nethermead Rusty Harold 1st Obs
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 11
Dark-eyed Junco 1 south lakeshore
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Brown-headed Cowbird 1
Orchard Oriole 2 Peninsula east shore (lullwater) in flowered cherry tree
House Finch 1 south lakeshore
House Sparrow X
From Rob Bate:
Prothonotary Warbler was notable. Prairie Warbler great too. Good and busy spring day, happy Easter.
Number of species: 51
Canada Goose 9
Mallard 8
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 1
Laughing Gull 6
Herring Gull 11
Great Black-backed Gull 3
Rock Pigeon 1
Mourning Dove 5
Chimney Swift 5
Belted Kingfisher 2
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 6
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 1
Tree Swallow 1
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
House Wren 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 11
Hermit Thrush 5
American Robin 40
Gray Catbird 1
European Starling 15
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 6
Yellow-rumped Warbler 26
Pine Warbler 3
Prairie Warbler 1 Terrace Bridge
Palm Warbler 9
Black-and-white Warbler 7
Prothonotary Warbler 1 South of Terrace Bridge
Louisiana Waterthrush 1 behind Music Pagoda
Eastern Towhee 1
Field Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 8
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow 15
Dark-eyed Junco 1
Northern Cardinal 10
Red-winged Blackbird 7
Rusty Blackbird 1
Common Grackle 5
Orchard Oriole 2
House Sparrow 7
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 4/24/11
Number of species: 50
Canada Goose 20
Mute Swan 4
Mallard 13
Ruddy Duck 10
Double-crested Cormorant 50 Flyover
Green Heron 1 Lower Pool
Spotted Sandpiper 1 Peninsula tarp
Laughing Gull 3
Ring-billed Gull 15
Herring Gull (American) 5
Rock Pigeon 35
Mourning Dove 2
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 6
Eastern Kingbird 1
Blue-headed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 5
Black-capped Chickadee 3
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Brown Creeper 1
House Wren 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8
Hermit Thrush 9
American Robin 65
Gray Catbird 3
European Starling 18
Northern Parula 1
Yellow Warbler 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 20
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 2
Palm Warbler (Yellow) 8
Prothonotary Warbler 1 Lullwater South, with group.
Eastern Towhee 8
Chipping Sparrow 3
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 14
Scarlet Tanager 1 Ravine
Northern Cardinal 7
Red-winged Blackbird 8
Rusty Blackbird 2
Common Grackle 2
Brown-headed Cowbird 7
American Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow 10
3 Canada Goose
1 Mute Swan
x Mallard
1 Accipiter sp.
1 American Coot
x Laughing Gull
x Ring-billed Gull
x Herring Gull
1 Mourning Dove
1 Belted Kingfisher
x Downy Woodpecker
x Northern Flicker
x Blue Jay
x Tufted Titmouse
1 White-breasted Nuthatch
1 Carolina Wren
1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet
2 Hermit Thrush
x American Robin
x Gray Catbird
x European Starling
1 Northern Parula
x Yellow-rumped Warbler
x Palm Warbler
x Black-and-white Warbler
1 Prothonotary Warbler
1 Northern Waterthrush
2 Eastern Towhee
2 Savannah Sparrow
x Song Sparrow
x Swamp Sparrow
x White-throated Sparrow
x Northern Cardinal
x Red-winged Blackbird
x Common Grackle
2 Brown-headed Cowbird
x House Sparrowv
Elliotte Rusty Harold
Hi Peter: Although I missed the prothonotary
(lots of effort to no avail), of note was a
Yellow-Throated Vireo in the Vale around 10:30
am. Another birder (I didn't get his name) also saw the bird.
In the Vale, I also had a glimpse of a waterthrush but did
not see enough of it to ID. FOS included Eastern Kingbird
(Lullwater), No. Parula (Peninsula), the Orchard Orioles (Peninsula),
Prairie Warbler (Lullwater). Good numbers of E. Towhees
(primarily Vale), Cowbirds,and Black and Whites and two
or three Blue-Headed Vireos. One Field Sparrow on the lawn
part of the Peninsula and Chipping Sparrows in a of locations
including Nellie's Lawn as well as a very handsome
Swamp Sparrow (Vale). It was a super day overall. ~Monica
  |
| Easter sunrise this morning over Prospect Lake 6:15 |
site = Prospect Park WARBLERS list
observers = Various observers
Prairie Warbler
Yellow Warbler
American Redstart
Black-and-white Warbler
Ovenbird
Black-throated Green Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Palm Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Northern Parula
Pine Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Yellow-rumped Warbler
From Keir
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 4/24/11
Number of species: 51
Canada Goose X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 1
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Green Heron 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Laughing Gull 1
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Chimney Swift 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 4
Eastern Kingbird 1
White-eyed Vireo 1 (behind music pagoda)
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Blue Jay X
Tree Swallow 2
Black-capped Chickadee X
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Brown Creeper 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet X
Hermit Thrush 15+
American Robin X
Gray Catbird 2
European Starling X
Northern Parula 2
Yellow Warbler 4
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 20+
Pine Warbler 2
Prairie Warbler 1
Palm Warbler 5
Black-and-white Warbler 4
Prothonotary Warbler 1 (Peninsula shore/Peninsula meadow edge)
Ovenbird 2
Northern Waterthrush 2Eastern Towhee 3
Savannah Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow X
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Orchard Oriole 2
House Sparrow X
**********************************
From Joshua Malbin:
Didn't see this on any of the lists you posted from today: a Worm-eating Warbler on the Lullwater, right by the Terrace Bridge.
