As I mentioned in my last post , the word "transition" exhibited subtle signs today, with expressed movements of spring in the air..Never mind the warm, yet windy weather, but birds. Usually, although we are not keen to waterbirds, focusing on songbirds, spring migration takes hold first with the waterbirds, namely geese and ducks.
This morning, two bird species were spotted as i was riding along in the work truck. Going along Well drive, 5 geese flew over the lake western sector, with very short necks that alerted me to overflying BRANTs. A short while later, along the path beyond the Maryland Monument where my crew was working dragging out old brush, I again spotted overflying birds, two ducks that I "bin" quickly, WOOD DUCKs a mixed pair making headway somewhere.
Later, after work , I re found the Wood Ducks , claiming the water spot under the boughs at 3 Sisters islands occupied by yesterdays Ring necked Duck and Hoodies Mergansers. In a pretty impressive showing again for winter I think ( what? the 4 or 5th time so far?) , a mixed pair of LESSER SCAUP stayed close to the Well Drive shoreline, close enough to see the head shape which wasn't very prominent but the sun rays helped, allowing me to see the drake's purplish head sheen.
Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, US-NY
Feb 23, 2012
Protocol: Incidental
12 species
Brant 5
Canada Goose 225
Mute Swan 5
Wood Duck 2 mix pair shore of 3 Sisters after Nethermead f/o
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 15
Lesser Scaup 2 mix pair
Ruddy Duck 45
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Prospect Park--Feeders, Kings, US-NY
Feb 23, 2012 4:00 PM - 4:10 PM
Protocol: Stationary
9 species
Mourning Dove 8
Downy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 2
Black-capped Chickadee 1
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 6
House Finch 11
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
