On this historic day for Brooklyn, namely the Battle of Brooklyn ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Brooklyn ) when the colonists fought the largest battle of the Revolutionary War August 27th , 1776 , Brooklyn's Prospect Park , the scene of the heaviest fighting , saw 235 years later some terrific birds this morning. The morning saw the sights of YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, WORM-EATING WARBLER & HOODED WARBLER, all on Lookout Hill's field and woods.
Beginning with YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, Keir reported seeing this rarity on the upper south slope adjoining the Butterfly Meadow, just along the carriage road just past the stairs leading down to the Maryland Monument, which commemorates the Battle and its heroic soldiers.A very short walk more, to the top of the "switchback trail" starting from the Monument,a first year female HOODED WARBLER seen by Rob Bate, the Hooded working along the low brush and branch piles. Up the slope on the same trail earlier, WORM-EATING WARBLER observed by Kier makes it a triple of great warblers to report from Prospect.
Now Brooklyn faces another "battle" , the impending onslaught of Irene's high winds, storm surge, heavy rain and flooding the next 24 hours.
PLEASE STAY SAFE, STAY INDOORS (during the storm). And be careful out there especially in the park after Irene's wrath passes , as weakened trees may still drop and hanging limbs are severe hazards to watch out for...till my crew clean it all up the next week or so.
--Peter
