I would not call this day "unlucky" (my apologies to anyone professing to have triskaidekaphobia ) , but this very gusty cold day forced ducks into safe harbor, as productive West Island Cove turned out to be.
And as expected , locales like the West Island cove where dense phragmite stands act as wind barrier, several species ducks and some PIED-BILLED GREBEs sought cover. On a first run, I saw a drake RING-NECKED DUCK on the outskirts of the cove, along with 3 grebes, and 37 NORTHERN SHOVELERS surface feeding and a few AMERICAN BLACK DUCK resting on the island water snags. It was on my return from the feeders, that I stopped once more at the West Island benches ( while picking up a SWAMP SPARROW with a SONG), that I spotted what I thought was another Ring-necked but lo & behold at my oversight as the sleeping duck turned, it was a LESSER SCAUP drake Duck ! It always pays to look again and look closely. A good duck to have for Prospect and with those species, I saw in the distance by Duck Island, also HOODED MERGANSER, also a drake.
The feeders were quiet except for a few species , the wind no doubt having its impact. WHITE_THROATED SPARROWS reappeared as I adjusted the brush behind the feeders to create more ground cover, and those sparrows seemed to like that , coming out as soon as I left the area. Three red NORTHERN CARDINAL in the multi flora rose is always cool to see, for a winter day setting.
So some favorite ducks to see on FRIDAY THE 13TH ( and I hope and wish for a lucky Redhead this year on the Lake) and a chance to get out despite the challenges of a stiff cold wind.Winter is here; is snow far behind ?
--Kingsboider
Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, US-NY
Jan 13, 2012 3:00 PM - 3:35 PM
Protocol: Traveling
0.05 mile(s)
16 species
Canada Goose 17
Mute Swan 5
American Black Duck 3 West Isl cove
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 37 west isl cove
Ring-necked Duck 1 drake west Isl cove
Lesser Scaup 1 drake West Isl cove, b4 dusk
Hooded Merganser 1 drake Duck Isl
Ruddy Duck 15
Pied-billed Grebe 5 --3 west isl cove, 2 Lake
Double-crested Cormorant 1
American Coot X
Song Sparrow 1 west isl phrag marsh
Swamp Sparrow 1 West Isl phrag marsh
White-throated Sparrow 3
Red-winged Blackbird X
Prospect Park--Feeders, Kings, US-NY
Jan 13, 2012 3:50 PM - 4:15 PM
Protocol: Stationary
6 species
Mourning Dove 2
Downy Woodpecker 3
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
American Robin 1 (where are these guys?)
White-throated Sparrow 14
Northern Cardinal 3
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
From Adam Welz:
weather very cold and windy, did not stay long -- of real interest was a female Belted Kingfisher at end of Peninsula -- I'm not used to seeing them in winter!
Adam
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Date: Fri, Jan 13, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Jan 13, 2012
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Jan 13, 2012 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 kilometer(s)
Comments: biting wind, cold, did not fully survey Lake as a result.
24 species
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) X
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) X
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) 20 approx count
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) 2 pink beach
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) X
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 3 in a tight group near Duck Island. Lake not fully surveyed.
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 1
American Coot (Fulica americana) 6
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 150 approx count
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 5
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) 1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 3
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) X
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 40 approx count
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 1
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) 25 approx count, at feeders
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
