Prospect July 30th

From Keir:


There were 2 waterthrushes together in the Vale Pool, one Northern and one unidentified but probably Northern too. Probably see you out at JBWR tmrw!]
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NYJul 30, 2011 9:00 AM - 12:30 PMProtocol: Traveling2.0 mile(s)

25 species
Mute Swan 7
Wood Duck 2 (Upper Pool)
Mallard 2
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Green Heron 1
Osprey 1
Rock Pigeon X
Chimney Swift 1
Downy Woodpecker 2
Eastern Kingbird 1
Warbling Vireo 1
Blue Jay 1
Barn Swallow X
House Wren 1
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
European Starling X
Yellow Warbler 1 (Lullwater Cove)
Northern Waterthrush 1 (Vale Pool)
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle 3
American Goldfinch 2
House Sparrow X

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

Prospect July 29th

Mary Eyster reported a flyover  BLACK SKIMMER at 8:00 am over the ballfields (near Bartel Pritchard Sq).

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From Larry

26 species




Canada Goose 42

Mute Swan 10

Wood Duck 1 Upper Pool

Mallard 98

Double-crested Cormorant 1 Lullwater

Great Blue Heron 1 Upper Pool

Great Egret 1 Lake

Green Heron 2 Lullwater & Three Sisters

Spotted Sandpiper 1 Peninsula

Herring Gull 1

Rock Pigeon 14

Mourning Dove 7

Chimney Swift 1

Northern Flicker 1

Warbling Vireo 1 Upper Pool

Blue Jay 1

American Crow 1

Barn Swallow 6

American Robin 55

Gray Catbird 8

European Starling 70

Northern Cardinal 6

Red-winged Blackbird 6

Common Grackle 7

American Goldfinch 1

House Sparrow 85

Larry

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

Prospect Audubon event, volunteers needed

From PP Audubon ,Cecilia

For this upcoming Saturday, July 30.


We are hosting a canoeing, skating, and walking event in the park near to the Audubon Center, and we are looking for folks to help out with leading walks. I think the idea is that participating walkers can wear a pedometer (which we will provide) to track the amount of steps that they take during the walk. However, I think the walks can be either just health walks around the park or could be birding-focused as well. I am still waiting on the exact times that we would be holding these walks, but we would hope to have a couple during the day between 11 AM and 3 PM.

If you or anyone else who is part of the Brooklyn Bird Club would be interested, it would be great to have help with this.


Contact:

Cecilia Galarraga

Volunteer and Special Projects Assistant

Prospect Park Alliance

718-287-3400 x309

cgalarraga@prospectpark.org

Office hours Tuesday-Friday

Epic Journey by a mountain lion

Sorry for the off topic, but this was too fascinating....nature finds a way.....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-us-canada-14303496?SThisFB

Very surprised seeing this butterfly

While working today, I spotted a butterfly late this morning, a first for me in Prospect, inside the corner fenced meadow at the west end of the Three Arches Nethermead Bridge ( Center Dr). The butterfly was a SNOUT BUTTERFLY. Its a small species. It was feeding next to the middle fallen timber.

here's the species profile: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Snout

--KB

Article featuring past BBC president John Yrizarry

Below is a link featuring ( of two mentors)  John Yrizarry, my Brooklyn Bird Club predecessor president from the 1970's. Mary Yrizarry sent me the story.

http://www.northjersey.com/recreation/125935973_Two_inspiring_birding_mentors.html

--Kingsboider

Reports received while away

I've been away in the North Fork vacationing since last thursday (NO internet). Below are reports during my mini vacation received for the local area  --KB

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Report 7/20

Hi Peter,




Yesterday Wed at about 6:30 PM I saw a Great-crested Flycatcher at the

Lookout Hill meadow and may have heard a second one with it. Also Barn

Swallows, Laughing Gulls, and one male Ruddy Duck.

John


John S. Ascher, Ph.D.

Bee Database Project Manager

Division of Invertebrate Zoology

American Museum of Natural History

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Common Terns on Piers One & Four


Posted by: "Larry Zirlin"
Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:32 am (PDT)


There were at least 4 Common Terns on Piers One & Four of Brooklyn Bridge Park today. I first saw one on Pier Four plunge diving (unsuccessfully, no surprise there). When I got to Pier One I heard a tern cry and saw it alight onto a piling. I assumed it was the same one I'd just seen--it stayed long enough for me to walk out to the end of the pier and observe it flying from piling to piling. It then flew off toward Manhattan.

However, when I returned to Pier Four on my way home, there were 3 more terns swooping around off the end of the incomplete pier. One eventually flew right right above before going back out over the river. I have to say, the East River seems an unlikely source of food for terns, so I was very surprised to see them there. Common Tern makes the 60th species recorded on Pier One.

Larry Zirlin

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


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From Orrin  Greenwood Cemetery

Green-Wood Cemetery this morning.




Northern flicker

Red-bellied woodpecker (heard)

Chipping sparrow (many, incl. juv.)

Black-crowned night heron

Double-crested cormorant

Great egret

Great blue heron

Northern mockingbird

Northern cardinal

House sparrow

European starling

American robin

Monk parakeet

Barn swallow



Also, possibly a green heron (heard)

7/24
 
A two-hour walk this morning in Green-Wood Cemetery yielded 23 species, not bad for a mid-summer walk in what is not Brooklyn's best bird habitat. Species are in the order first seen, roughly from south to north:






Eastern wood pewee (heard)

Gray catbird

Northern mockingbird (many)

Black-capped chickadee

Chimney swift

Chipping sparrow (many)

American robin (many)

Laughing gull (flyover)

Tufted titmouse (heard)

House wren

European starling

White-breasted nuthatch (heard)

Northern flicker

Northern cardinal

House sparrow (many)

Monk parakeet

Great egret (2)



Rock dove

Song sparrow

Carolina wren (2 heard)

Mourning dove

Great blue heron

Black-crowned night heron

NOWA records

RE: Keir's NOWA sighting 7/17 eclipses earliest July record.

Search on the office records database revealed the earliest Northern Waterthrush (nowa) in July is July 19th 2004 .There are 9 nowa July records....the next one is 7/23/1998 , 7/24/1998

---KB

Prospect eve July 17th

EARLY Northern Waterthrush reported at Vale of Cashmere pool per Keir Randall..

Fall back already ?

From Keir:

Jul 17, 2011 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling1.5 mile(s)
23 species

Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 2
Mallard X
Green Heron 2
Peregrine Falcon 1
Laughing Gull 1
Herring Gull 1
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 2
Chimney Swift X
Eastern Kingbird 4
Warbling Vireo 1
Barn Swallow X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 1
Northern Waterthrush 1 (Vale pool)
Song Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow

Prospect 7/11

Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY


Jul 11, 2011

Protocol: Incidental

1 species

Spotted Sandpiper 1 south Lake shore


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

Evening Prospect Lake watch

Note:  one BLACK SKIMMER flyover; Ruddy Duck still present, likely eclipse male.Large flock RW Blackbirds in northwest phragmite patch

Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, US-NY


Jul 7, 2011 7:55 PM - 8:30 PM

Protocol: Stationary

17 species (+1 other taxa)



Canada Goose 36

Mute Swan 3

American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 2

Mallard X

Ruddy Duck 1

Green Heron 1 flying low

Black-crowned Night-Heron 1

Herring Gull 2

Black Skimmer 1 medium high flyover

Rock Pigeon X

Mourning Dove X

Chimney Swift 1

Barn Swallow 2

Gray Catbird 1

European Starling X

Red-winged Blackbird 100

Common Grackle X

House Sparrow X



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

Lazy Summer days birding and quacky too...

Note the ducks in blue boldface type....they must be vacationing here I guess.....(rare seasonal sightings )

Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, US-NY


Jul 8, 2011 7:45 PM - 8:20 PM

Protocol: Stationary

9 species



Canada Goose 35

Mallard X

Ruddy Duck (Ruddy) 1

Great Blue Heron 2

Herring Gull X

Rock Pigeon X

Chimney Swift 1

Barn Swallow 2

House Sparrow X

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Red Hook coastal ,Brooklyn, Kings, US-NY

Observers : Peter D, Mary E


Jul 4, 2011 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Protocol: Traveling

2.0 mile(s)

17 species



Canada Goose X

Gadwall 2

Mallard X

Greater Scaup 1 drake between piers adjacent to Ikea superstore

Double-crested Cormorant 9

Spotted Sandpiper 1

Laughing Gull 2

Herring Gull X

Common Tern 2

Rock Pigeon X

Mourning Dove X

Chimney Swift X

Barn Swallow X

American Robin X

Northern Mockingbird X

European Starling X

House Sparrow X



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

Some good news: Staten Island's Pouch Camp

Word got to me that the endangered Staten Island Boy Scout POUCH CAMP has been saved for the time being with a Conservation easement agreement reached by Greater NY Boy Scout and Trust for Public Land. Monies is still needed for future purchase. But the good news nothing immediate threatening the pristine urban oasis.

read more here:

http://www.silive.com/westshore/index.ssf/2011/07/get_happy_campers_scouts_strik.html




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Floyd Bennett nature survey July 10th

Below is an email i received...the first one was scheduled too late for me to post..but this sunday is the actual thing:

Dear Nature Lovers,


WildMetro will conduct one last breeding bird census of Floyd Bennett Field this year this Sunday morning, July 10. Some of us may camp out Saturday night and start at dawn Sunday, if we recieve permission. Please email as soon as possible if you are interested in camping or if you are interested in car pooling (either giving or receiving a ride). We will meet others at 6 am at the S entrance to the field. An early start is important this time of year, especially in the heat. But if anyone wants to join us later, call David on his cell, 917 846 8300 to find out where we are.. It would probably not be worth while to come any later than 8am.

Call or Email wildmetro@gmail.com by Saturday evening to rsvp, or if you have questions, need directions, etc. Feel free to forward this email to others. This is an independent survey, not conducted by any government agency.

This Sunday we will be covering the North 40, the area west of Flatbush Ave, and parts of the woods north and east of the grasslands. Yes, we know it is a bit late in the season and bird song has declined, but we are seeing a lot of parents feeding fledglings and there are many second or third nesting attempts underway. Locations of all birds encountered will be entered on maps using the "spot mapping" technique. It is our expectation to transfer this info to a GIS mapping system. We will also note breeding status according to Atlas survey protocols.

Two weeks ago we had one party of five people and we did not split up. We covered most of the central portion of Floyd, including the central campground and the areas just south of the police helicopter facility. We went all the way to the eastern shore past the archery range, then south to the abandoned power plant. The census a couple of weeks ago had a number of interesting species, including woodcock (flushed from campround area), orchard oriole ("yellow male" feeding a fledgling), field sparrow, and two singing white-eyed vireos. There were good numbers of eastern towhees, a seriously declinging species. We saw one brown thrasher, also a decling bird of shrublands. The only grassland "obligate" species we encountered was savanna sparrow, we had about seven singing males. There were a number of interesting butterflies, including mating buckeyes.

Hope to see you Sunday,

David Burg

President, WildMetro



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Wild Metro

(212)-308-WILD (9453)

Black Skimmers in Prospect Park

A funny thing last evening at a BBQ on the 4th, I mentioned to birder friends Mary and Steve that this time now is best going to Prospect Lake to look for Black Skimmers. I received an email from Katherine Brown who witnessed seeing BLACK SKIMMERS in Prospect just when I made my prediction. Read her post. Katherine's sighting represents the first of the year for Black Skimmers, which typically are seen in the evening,most times feeding on the lake. A summer tradition is back--skimmer watching.... --Kingsboider

From Katherine :

Black skimmer sighting this eve 4th of July
Thought maybe you'd like to know they are about, they flew right over us on the patio at dusk, first was a set of three birds, then 10 mins later 2 birds, much closer and we all had a good look the second time round. So close we could see the red on their face and the odd looking bill and the distinct B&W coloring and large gull like sizing, second sighting confirmed everything we noted the first time. I grew up as an amateur ornithologist in the UK so i have a sort of an eye for these things.


Anyway thought you'd like to know, they were headed east to west from prospect park, over us on the roof at 14th street and 8th avenue.