Quality sightings were reported as I was away the last two days visiting my sister's family in a western suburb of Philadelphia (back 9:30 this eve). From cell phone texts and my sister's fickle laptop ability, I was impressed with good reports from Prospect. It makes me think that Tax Days are terrific days for birding :)>Topping the hi lights was a top of the raptor prize, BALD EAGLE flying over the Lake,seen by Rob Jett , Jacob Drucker , Richard Fried and his daughter. Following that was the continuing yet erratic YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER spotted by Tom Stephenson , Mary Eyster and Larry Zirlin --lucky observers-- at the north Lullwater shore (its preferred spot ?) opposite the Rustic Arbor, the former adjacent to the Lullwater Cove viewing platform. At this hot spot, where WHITE-EYED VIREO (I Gotta see this "well reported bird !) appeared, a WORM-EATING WARBLER along the path to the platform was seen by Eni and Vinnie Falci. But I also received a WORM-EATING WARBLER report from Jane Chelius , who saw one at noon-ish, a bird working the slope adjoining the Nethermead (at northern Lookout Hill? ) .Anyway, this good quality species is in.
Also new is YELLOW WARBLER, a typical early species . And note good #'s BG Gnatcatchers,Purple Finch, continuing Field Sparrow and at least 7 maybe 8 warbler species ( sorry... too tired to count)
Seems like really good stuff coming in when I go away ;)>
Anyway, a long drive up the "drat" and dreaded Jersey Turnpike, & time to shake off the speedway's bad spell and sleep.
-Kingsboider
From Rob Jett:
Location: Prospect Park--Lamppost J249
Observation date: 4/18/11
Number of species: 1
Bald Eagle 1 1st or 2nd year bird, soaring over Prospect Lake, heading north. Other observers; Rich Fried, Leila (?) Fried, Jacob Drucker.
From Tom Stephenson:
Hi Peter,
Was only able to get to a couple of spots in the park this AM. Not too many warblers but maybe 20 Ea Towhees, 40+ Hermit Thrush, many White-throated Sparrows, 8+ Swamp Sparrows, 30+ Yellow-rumps, 20+ Palms, 8 Pine.
Maybe best birds: 3 Purple Finch above the Vale, 1 Field Sparrow in Nelly's Lawn (Adam also reported by feeder area), Yellow-throated Warbler in Lullwater moving from bridge to cove and back, Yellow Warbler near Peninsula.
Here's the list.
Best regards,
Tom
Double-crested Cormorant 5 flying
Mallard
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Yellow Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
From Larry:
Hi Peter,
Finally saw the YTWA, thanks to Tom S & Mary E. Other highlights were the White-eyed Vireo and the B&W Warbler, all in the same area, viewing platform by Lullwater cove. That area was also brimming with Yellow-rumps and Palms.
Larry
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 4/18/11
Number of species: 40
Canada Goose 16
Mute Swan 4
Mallard 20
Northern Shoveler 4 West Island
Ruddy Duck 90
Double-crested Cormorant 3 Three Sisters
American Coot 2 One Boathouse Pond, one lake
Ring-billed Gull 18
Herring Gull 8
Rock Pigeon 15
Mourning Dove 10
Belted Kingfisher 1 Lullwater
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker 2
White-eyed Vireo 1 Lullwater cove viewing platform
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 3
Barn Swallow 1 Lake
Black-capped Chickadee 10
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Center Drive
Brown Creeper 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Rocky Pass
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 10
Hermit Thrush 8
American Robin 150
European Starling 75
Yellow-rumped Warbler 30
Yellow-throated Warbler 1 Lullwater cove viewing platform
Pine Warbler 2
Palm Warbler 25
Black-and-white Warbler 1 Lullwater cove viewing platform
Eastern Towhee 6 Center Drive and Lookout Hill
Song Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 9
Northern Cardinal 8
Red-winged Blackbird 25
Common Grackle 15
Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Long Meadow
House Sparrow 25
From Jane Chelius:
Hi Peter,
While I was looking for (and not finding) the ytwa in the Lullwater this lunchtime, I did see a Worm-eating Warbler on the slope leading up to the Nethermead.
Cheers,
Jane Chelius
From Adam:
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 4/18/11
Notes: All birding done around Lullwater, Prospect Lake not
checked. No Phoebes. Red-tailed Hawk nest near ice rink seems
abandoned. Late Coot. Group of 3 raptors seen flying very high over
park, west to east, looked like 2 Buteos and 1 large Accipiter, too
high to ID. Also swallows seen too high to ID.
Number of species: 36
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor 1
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos X + hybrids w domestic white ducks
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus 8
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura 1 overflying northern Lullwater
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 1
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius 1
American Coot - Fulica americana 1 nr Audubon Center
Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricilla 1
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia X
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura 7
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus 2
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 3
Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus 1
White-eyed Vireo - Vireo griseus 1 Lullwater. My FOS.
Blue-headed Vireo - Vireo solitarius 1 Lullwater. My FOS.
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata X
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus 1
Brown Creeper - Certhia americana 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula 8
Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus 3
American Robin - Turdus migratorius 50
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris 7
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata 12
Pine Warbler - Dendroica pinus 9
Palm Warbler - Dendroica palmarum 8
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia 3 Lullwater. My FOS.
Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus 1
Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina 2
Field Sparrow - Spizella pusilla 3 Breeze Hill, with Chipping
Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana 2 Lily Pond
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis 6
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 3
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus 4
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula 1
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
From Rob Bate:
I got to the park around 1 PM working from north to south. I got an alert from Rob Jett of an immature Bald Eagle flying north from the lake area and I ran out to Long Meadow and was able to get a distant view of the bird. I missed the YTWA and the WEWA but got good numbers of migrants including 7 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, 24 Yellow-rumps, 18 Hermit Thrushes, and 11 DC Cormorants (8 roosting on 3 Sisters and 3 flyovers). Also 2 Peregrines and a Merlin.
Number of species: 50
Canada Goose 15
Mute Swan 4
Mallard 10
Northern Shoveler 2
Ruddy Duck 20 4
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Double-crested Cormorant 11
Great Egret 1 flyover
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2
Bald Eagle 1 distant flyover
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Merlin 1
Peregrine Falcon 2
Laughing Gull 8
Ring-billed Gull 2
Herring Gull 40
Great Black-backed Gull
Mourning Dove 3
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 11
Blue Jay 2
Tree Swallow 8
Barn Swallow 3
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
Brown Creeper 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 7
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 11
Hermit Thrush
American Robin 80
European Starling 25 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 24
Pine Warbler 5
Palm Warbler 15
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Northern Waterthrush 1
Eastern Towhee 4
Song Sparrow 4
Swamp Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 8
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 9
Red-winged Blackbird 3
Common Grackle 11
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
American Goldfinch 4
House Sparrow 20
From Rafael:
Date: 17 April 2011
Observer: Rafael Campos R.
After the big rains of the night before, I was hoping that PP could be loaded with birds. Wrong!!! But beside the usual sps of warblers (Palm, Pine, Myrtle/YRWA), I saw while I was walking along the Lullwater path, one Northern Parula
Earlier, around the the vale, I saw one male Purple Finch.
Nothing unusual around the lake, except maybe for the more numerous Barn & Tree Swallows.
Great day, despite the wind.
Brooklyn is good birding!!!!
Finally, an interesting take on Peregrine Falcon prey remains:
Read Janet Schumacher's note to me:
This morning around 7 am I found fresh meadowlark
feathers on the sidewalk across from my building on
Washington Ave, under the BBG communications tower,
that is a favorite peregrine hangout. No peregrine in sight but
I had blood on my hands when I examined the feathers.
Occasionally I find a pigeon wing there, but this was more
seasonal fare, perfect for wooing a mate.
My second thought was maybe the feathers were from a flicker.
These feathers have a bright yellow shaft, but they are less than 6",
are rounded and look exactly like this photo of meadowlark feathers
I found on the web:
http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-1992749/stock-photo-beautiful-eastern-meadowlark-feathers
I grew up on a farm in southern wisconsin when meadowlarks were
common.
