Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Prospect May 3rd : an excellent day

An excellent migration occurred today, one of the better days this spring that foresaw 24 species warblers and some nice birds for bonus.

Prospect birders, including the first May Tuesday walk supplementing the Thursday walks, this Tuesday walk led by Rob Bate, along with independent birders, collectively tallied a 20 plus warblers parade. Most of the action took place on Lookout Hill, a mainstay migration hotpot. The warbler master list is below.

In addition to the warbler bonanza, a wonderful array of other prized species to boot. Among them, seen  in the suddenly "treasure" spot --the Esdale Bridge bird pool-- were two breeding male INDIGO BUNTINGS ; another INBU was reported by RBate at the West Island cove very early on...At one time, if i recalled after this tiring day, the buntings bathed with Northern Parula and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. But very close to them , under the left shore Gray Dogwood, a late LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH worked the currents. NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH flew in as well. This Esdale Bridge is a perfect spot to try a "Big SIT", staying there for an hour or so will get a good number of birds and wonderful flying colors as well.

Nearby , in the back of the Lower Pool , a RUSTY BLACKBIRD was quite tame, coming very close to observers while it worked the mudflat on the concrete shore of the back gate.RED -BREASTED NUTHATCH and LEAST FLYCATCHER were accompanying species at that spot.

But speaking of flycatchers, a good one atop the tall snag above Well drive's Lamppost #249. Mary and I spotted an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER  taking off and landing on the same perch, pursuing flying insects.An EASTERN KINGBIRD wanted none of it, harassing the Olive-sided. A Kings County battle of turf wars...

But no doubt was  the highlight of the day : all of those crazy numbers of YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS everywhere ! Especially observed in the early morning, as well as the big numbers of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS all throughout the Quaker Ridge region, Yellow-rumpeds dominated the scenery and noise. For once , I have to be amused and smile with the "annoyance" the good ear birders have to put up with in competition with other warblers' singing away : at least I don't have to hear the drone...

And a last word. Sparrow diversity should be noted today. It was a good spring day for this genera at this time when warblers, orioles and tanagers take first seat. 8 species sparrows observed : SONG, WHITE-THROATED, WHITE-CROWNED,SAVANNAH,FIELD,SWAMP,  CHIPPING and E.TOWHEE.

I was glad I picked the right day to take off in advance from work. :)>

--Kingsboider


LATE WORD : I just received a text message from John Ascher that the Prothonotary Warbler was just seen by his wife Chaoyan.The continuing Prothonotary was bathing at the shoreline beneath the Terrace Bridge ( Well drive ) south side at 7 PM.This is the second consecutive evening it showed up at about this time.



Prospect Warbler Master List

 
date = 2011/05/03
site = Prospect Park
observers = Rob Bate leading BBC;  separately in AM , PDorosh, MEyster, JBorker,RJett, SBlodgett

Prairie Warbler ~2 , more heard
Worm-eating Warbler Boulder Bridge
Yellow Warbler ~5
Tennessee Warbler female Lookout west stairs
American Redstart 3
Black-and-white Warbler ~15
Ovenbird ~20
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler ~10 , more heard
Common Yellowthroat ~9
Cape May Warbler Maryland Monument trailhead
Palm Warbler Lookout west stairs
Chestnut-sided Warbler Ricks Place and +
Louisiana Waterthrush Ambergill Creek
Blue-winged Warbler heard RJett Ravine
Northern Parula very common
Magnolia Warbler Lookout and +
Nashville Warbler ~8
Pine Warbler Butterfly Meadow
Northern Waterthrush Ambergill Creek, Lower Pool
Yellow-rumped Warbler very abundant
Blackburnian Warbler Upper Pool; Lullwater Cove
Wilson's Warbler Vale Cashmere, Justin Potter
Prothonotary Warbler- under Terrace Br, south shoreline  seen by Chaoyan

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Peter's list
also observers, Mary Eyster ( early am); RBate, MWills,BOneill, RJett ( late am)

Location: Prospect Park

Observation date: 5/3/11

number of species: 77

Canada Goose 12


Mute Swan X


Wood Duck 2 drakes lake


Mallard X


Ruddy Duck 17 lake


Double-crested Cormorant 1 lake


Great Blue Heron 1 f/o lullwater cove


Red-tailed Hawk 2 Nellies lawn nest


Spotted Sandpiper 3 low f/o lake


Laughing Gull 1 lake


Herring Gull X


Rock Pigeon X


Mourning Dove X


Chimney Swift X


Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Boulder bridge


Belted Kingfisher 1 south lakeshore


Red-bellied Woodpecker 2


Downy Woodpecker 1


Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2 nest /courtship Vale cashmere


Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 atop tall snag LP 249


Least Flycatcher 1 Lower Pool


Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Lower Pool


Eastern Kingbird 2- 1 at lp 249


Blue-headed Vireo 2


Red-eyed Vireo 2, one Lookout


Blue Jay 2


Barn Swallow X


Tufted Titmouse 1


Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 lower pool


House Wren 1 Vale bird garden


Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1


Veery 3


Swainson's Thrush 2


Hermit Thrush 2


Wood Thrush 2  , one Payne hill


American Robin X


Gray Catbird 22


European Starling X


Tennessee Warbler 1 female Lookout low west stairs


Nashville Warbler 3


Northern Parula 5


Yellow Warbler 3


Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 Ricks Pl


Magnolia Warbler 1 Lookout west stairs


Cape May Warbler 1 Maryland Monument trailhead


Black-throated Blue Warbler 4


Yellow-rumped Warbler 80  numerous, more heard


Black-throated Green Warbler 3


Pine Warbler 1 Butterfly meadow  (late)


Prairie Warbler 1 Lookout


Palm Warbler 1 Butterfly Mead


Black-and-white Warbler 12


American Redstart 2


Ovenbird 8


Northern Waterthrush 1 Esdale br


Louisiana Waterthrush 1 Esdale Br


Common Yellowthroat 9


Chipping Sparrow 8 3 Nellies Lawn, 5 Long Mead


Field Sparrow 1 Ambergill cr bird pool


Savannah Sparrow 2 Long Mead


Song Sparrow 1


Swamp Sparrow 3, on eLily Pool, one Vale C.


White-throated Sparrow 200 Quaker ridge, numerous, many on woods trail


White-crowned Sparrow 1 Nellie's lawn, also another at LP 249 ( SBlodgett)


Scarlet Tanager 7, 5 males


Northern Cardinal 4


Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5 Ravine


Indigo Bunting 2 Ambergill crk bird pool



Red-winged Blackbird X


Rusty Blackbird 1 adult Lower Pool back shore


Common Grackle X


Brown-headed Cowbird X


Orchard Oriole 3


Baltimore Oriole 4


Purple Finch 1 female lookout west stairs, also  Ambergill cr bird pool


American Goldfinch 3 Nethermead


House Sparrow X


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

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From Rob Bate . Leader Tuesday BBC walk


Four of us began at 7 AM for the Tuesday BBC walk and were rewarded with perhaps the best day of spring so far. Yellow-rumps were everywhere, I counted over 120. It was Catbird day too, they outnumbered the Robins. 16 warbler species!



Number of species: 62 with the group till around 11 AM


Canada Goose x


Mute Swan 2


Mallard 5


Double-crested Cormorant 2


Turkey Vulture 1


Red-tailed Hawk 2


Laughing Gull 2


Herring Gull 5


Rock Pigeon 20


Mourning Dove 3


Red-bellied Woodpecker 3


Downy Woodpecker 3


Northern Flicker 3


Least Flycatcher 1


Great Crested Flycatcher 1


Blue-headed Vireo 4


Warbling Vireo 2


Blue Jay 3


American Crow 1


Tufted Titmouse 3


Red-breasted Nuthatch 1


White-breasted Nuthatch 1


Carolina Wren 1


House Wren 5


Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2


Veery 3


Swainson's Thrush 3


Hermit Thrush 1


Wood Thrush 2


American Robin 70


Gray Catbird 120


European Starling 30


Nashville Warbler 4


Northern Parula 5


Yellow Warbler 3


Chestnut-sided Warbler 3


Magnolia Warbler 2


Black-throated Blue Warbler 4


Yellow-rumped Warbler 105


Black-throated Green Warbler 2


Blackburnian Warbler 1


Prairie Warbler 1


Palm Warbler 1


Black-and-white Warbler 15


American Redstart 3


Ovenbird 15


Northern Waterthrush 2


Common Yellowthroat 9


Eastern Towhee 1


Chipping Sparrow 12


Song Sparrow 1


Swamp Sparrow 4


White-throated Sparrow 25


Northern Cardinal 10


Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5


Indigo Bunting 4


Red-winged Blackbird 12


Common Grackle 3


Brown-headed Cowbird 7


Orchard Oriole 3


Baltimore Oriole 8


House Sparrow 25



In addition, I saw the following 16 birds on my own and with Peter Dorosh, Rob Jett and then Shane Blodgett



Black-crowned Night-Heron 1

Cooper's Hawk 1

Spotted Sandpiper 2

Belted Kingfisher 1

Eastern Kingbird 1

Red-eyed Vireo 1

Barn Swallow 1

Tennessee Warbler 1

Worm-eating Warbler 1

Louisiana Waterthrush 1

Field Sparrow 1

Savannah Sparrow 2

White-crowned Sparrow 1

Scarlet Tanager 9

Rusty Blackbird 1

Purple Finch 1

;======================

From Orrin :
Greenwood cemetery report

A walk this morning at Green-Wood was notable not so much for the variety of birds as for the sheer volume. Ovenbirds, common yellowthroats and black and whites were common, easily outnumbering yellow-rumps. Here's what I saw, and I'm sure I missed some:




Mallard duck

Canada goose

Double-crested cormorant

Green heron (2)

Solitary sandpiper

Red-bellied woodpecker

Red-breasted nuthatch

Barn swallow

Northern mockinbird

Eastern catbird

Veery

Wood thrush

American robin

Blue-grey gnatcatcher

Black and white warbler

Ovenbird (common)

Common yellowthrpoat

Yellow warbler

Northern parula

Common grackle

Baltimore oriole (singing)

Fish crow

Eastern towhee

Chipping sparrow

'White-crowned sparrow

Song sparrow

White-throated sparfrow

Northern cardinal

House sparrow

Blue jay

Monk parakeet

European starling