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
