a winter respite

Dear readers:



I will be taking a break to head northeast for winter vacation for 4 days. I will be xc-skiing and snowshoeing in the woods of New Hampshire..oh ....and finding some birds too. Till then.




P.


And...Happy 200th Birthday ,Abe !

Postscript: happy to report after the the trip: Northern Hawk Owl, in Center Harbor; 42 Bohemian Waxwings in Weirs Beach, Hoary Redpoll in Center Sandwich, 150+ Common Redpolls in Center Sandwich

A hybrid Goose was the story Feb 11th

This morning, Orrin text messaged me of a White-fronted TYPE goose between Three Sister Islands' western point and the culdesac cove. I happened to have a electric cart and so got over there in time. I was hoping for our park's first in a long time since one in the early 1980's xmas count. When I arrived , i searched carefully and found the goose. But right off the bat, i knew it didnt seem like a pure type,noting its white cheek patch that it wasnt supposed to have, as well as a black neck and head. Thinking "profoundly" ( memory banks is slow during early mornings), i figured a hybrid of some sort, not wanting to figure out the genetic hodgepodge. But it looked like this White fronted type goose -which did have orange pink legs and bill- must have been a procreation of WFG and a Canada Goose. Its in the Sibleys big field guide , upper right corner of the page. Whatever... ( but good to get a little excited...)

of note though on Prospect Lake were 3 drake Ringnecked Ducks and 7 Hooded Mergansers and one of the Common Mergansers.Pressed for time, i didnt stick around, having to get back to work. :)> ( Alex Wilson mentioned he counted 9 species duck today when I ran into him. Thats a nice number...means spring is perking up..)

(photo credit :Orrin Tilevitz)
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From Alex Wilson:

Location: Prospect Park>
Observation date: 2/11/09>
Notes: Hybrid Canada Goose on south side of Lake, seen from > Peninsula. Appeared very similar to bird seen at Calvert Vaux Park > on 2/7/09.>

Number of species: 48>>

Brant 9 (On ice, south side of Lake.)>
Canada Goose X>
Mute Swan X>
Wood Duck 10 (7 in early flyover, later a pair flew out > from the Lake; 1 lurking around Three Sisters.)>
American Black Duck X>
Mallard X>
Northern Shoveler X>
Ring-necked Duck 3 (3 drakes, Lake.)>
Bufflehead 1>
Hooded Merganser 3 (2 drake, 1 hen, Lake.)>
Common Merganser 1 (Drake, Lake.)>
Ruddy Duck X>
Great Blue Heron 1 (Upper Pool.)>
Cooper's Hawk 1 (Terrace Bridge.)>
Red-tailed Hawk X>
Peregrine Falcon 2 (On signal tower at east corner of park.)>
American Coot X>
Ring-billed Gull X>
Herring Gull X>
Great Black-backed Gull X> Rock Pigeon X>
Mourning Dove X>
Red-bellied Woodpecker X>
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1>
Downy Woodpecker X>
Hairy Woodpecker X>
Blue Jay X>
American Crow X>
Black-capped Chickadee X>
Tufted Titmouse X>
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 (Breeze Hill feeders.)>
White-breasted Nuthatch X>
Brown Creeper 1>
Carolina Wren X>
Winter Wren 1>
American Robin X (Including early flyover flocks.)>
Northern Mockingbird X>
European Starling X>
Fox Sparrow (Red) X>
Song Sparrow X>
White-throated Sparrow X>
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) X>
Northern Cardinal X>
Red-winged Blackbird 15 (Some flyovers; 2 at feeders.)>
Common Grackle 7 (Peninsula.)>
House Finch X>
American Goldfinch X>
House Sparrow X

Great Backyard count; Feb 10th sightings

This Friday to Monday is Cornell's Great Backyard Bird Census. From minimal time to much more, you can submit your observations from any locale, be it your backyard, a local park or a refuge. See this link for more details

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/


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Today's sightings in Prospect Park:

Location: Prospect Park

Observation date: 2/10/09

Number of species: 30

Observer :peter

Canada Goose X

Mute Swan X

American Black Duck 10 lake

Mallard X

Northern Shoveler 125 lake

Bufflehead 1 drake on lake

Common Merganser 3 --all drakes on Lake

Ruddy Duck 17 Lake

Red-tailed Hawk 2 --one juv West Island; one adult Elephant Hill

American Coot X Three Sisters

Ring-billed Gull 1000

Herring Gull X

Great Black-backed Gull 1

Rock Pigeon X

Mourning Dove X

Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Feeders

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2-- Cleft Ridge Span

Downy Woodpecker 1

Blue Jay 1 garage

American Crow 3-- flyover Lookout Hill

Black-capped Chickadee X feeder

Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 feeders

White-breasted Nuthatch 4-- 2 feeders; 2 long meadow

Brown Creeper 1 feeders

European Starling X

Song Sparrow 1 feeders

White-throated Sparrow X

Dark-eyed Junco 2 feeders

Northern Cardinal X

House Sparrow X

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

February 9th sightings-2 Prospect reports

Sometimes you have to delight in the common species ,especially when that species is up to antics. At lunchtime, while scanning the lake, i caught sight of two Ring-billed Gulls "playing " tennis with a green ball pushed along on the ice by gull beaks..Love -Love the score? Then a few minutes later, i caught sight of a Ring-billed gull with a leaf in its beak. When it let it go, the leaf was blown about a good 25 feet before another ring-billed snatched it! Winter is never boring in Prospect Park ;)>

Peter

List

225 Canada Goose
2 Mute Swan
3 American Black Duck,lake
Mallard
165 Northern Shoveler,lake
1 Bufflehead-lake, drake
3 Common Merganser-drakes,2 near peninsula shore, one three sisters islands
27 Ruddy Duck-three sisters islands
1 Red-tailed Hawk-peninsula
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
4 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
5 American Crow-flyovers, 3 peninsula, 2 garage
5 Black-capped Chickadee-feeders
1 White-breasted Nuthatch-feeders
European Starling
4 Song Sparrow-west island
6 White-throated Sparrow- west island
4 Northern Cardinal
1 Red-winged Blackbird west island sweetgums
1 Common Grackle-west island sweetgum trio (early?)
2 American Goldfinch-- feeders
House Sparrow

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From Rob Jett:

Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park , 2/9/09>>>>
Location: Prospect Park>
Observation date: 2/9/09>
Number of species: 30>>

Canada Goose X>
Mute Swan X>
American Black Duck X>
Mallard X>
Northern Shoveler 225>
Bufflehead X>
Common Merganser 2>
Ruddy Duck X>
Red-tailed Hawk 2>
Merlin 1>
Ring-billed Gull X>
Herring Gull X>
Great Black-backed Gull X>
Rock Pigeon X>
Mourning Dove X>
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1>
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1>
Hairy Woodpecker 2>
American Crow 10>
Black-capped Chickadee X>
Tufted Titmouse X>
White-breasted Nuthatch X>
Brown Creeper 1>
European Starling X>
White-throated Sparrow X>
Dark-eyed Junco X>
Northern Cardinal X>
Purple Finch 5
American Goldfinch 12>
House Sparrow X

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

February 8th sightings Prospect

From Rafael:

As the morning temperatures started to getting higher (around 50 F), I took a walk around PP from 9 am thru midday.My best bird was 1 male Eastern Towhee near the Breezy Hill feeders.Most of the water is still frozen, and several hundreds of Ring-billed Gulls were the most numerous around the lake. Still the 2 males Common Mergansers in the lake.Also a note of the past cold weather, was a lonely Great Blue Heron in the frozen Upper Pool.

Birds recorded 08 February 2009:

Canada Goose
Mute Swan
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Bufflehead
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Great Blue Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
European Starling
Eastern Towhee
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Purple Finch (1 female)
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

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Brooklyn is good birding: Rafa Campos R

slow day... Feb 6th

Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 2/6/09
Number of species: 16

Not much time spent afield but fortunate enough and glad to see 3 Common Mergansers happily adrift in the ever widening water space in Prospect Lake. I got some pretty close views.This may bode well for more ducks coming along. P.

All Lake

Canada Goose 250
Mute Swan 2
American Black Duck 4
Mallard 175
Northern Shoveler 165
Common Merganser 3 drakes
Ruddy Duck 15
Red-tailed Hawk 1 perched in Three sisters but alighting to spook the gulls for the heck of it.
American Coot 40
Ring-billed Gull 500
Herring Gull (American) X
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
European Starling X
Northern Cardinal 2 west island
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

Feb 5th; update on WWXBill in BBG

One contiuing White-winged Crossbird was confirmed today by Julia Weinberger at the hemlocks ( Celebrity path trailhead) today. From Julia,

"Hi Peter,
A female white winged crossbill was still at bbg at 1:55 today. It was in the same spot as yesterday per Edith (Goren)."

Feb 4th: BBG WWXBills return and more of them too.

I received at least three separate secondhand reports of between 15-20 White-winged Crossbills at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, foraging on hemlocks located at the Japanese Garden's Celebrity path adjacent to the entrances of the Fragrance and Shakespeare Garden sections. Along the main road north from the conservatory ,Look for a small sign that say "Whats in a Name" where the hemlocks are. I heard the Xbills have been coming and going alot from middle morning to early afternoon. Also, during winter on weekdays, the garden is free entry. map in http://www.bbg.org/

or see this link (look for blue icon) http://tinyurl.com/dlskqo

Peter

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From Rafael's post to Ebirds Listerve:

After receiving a text message from Peter Dorosh with the news of WW Xbills at BBG, I packed my binoculars, and rushed there.I met there Shane Blodgett & Rob Bate. They told me about the Xbills, but after a while, no luck.I went to the other side of the frozen pond, and heard bird calls that I never heard before. And, at the top of one of the evergreen trees around the pond, 1 female White-winged Crossbill. Few minutes later, with Shane & Rob, we saw a flock of about 12, flying around the Japanese section, perching briefly around the treetops, and finally they flew over the Brooklyn Museum building. Time: 1400-1430 hrs. Date: 04 February 2009.This is the first time I see this species in NY state (seen before in CT -1997- & Finland -2005-).Other sps recorded while I was at BBG were: Red-tailed Hawk; Carolina Wren; Tufted Titmouse; Blue Jay; American Robin, & White-throated Sparrow.Brooklyn is good birding: Rafa Campos R
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from Alex Wilson:


As has been reported, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were present again today at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, favoring a hemlock grove at the foot of the Celebrity Path, just across from the Fragrance Garden. They’ve been seen in the same spot on at least four days since 1/25, but may require some patience. None were in evidence when I arrived at 11:40 and after about 20 minutes I started to wander up the path until a chattering from the hemlock tops drew me back. I had only brief looks at a couple of birds before the whole flock of 15+ flew out, heading north, then reappearing a few moments later going southwest. I waited almost an hour before they returned (assuming they were the same birds,) moving between the hemlocks and a large, cone-laden pine above the Shakespeare Garden.

Good birding,Alex WilsonBrooklyn, NY

Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 2/4/09
Number of species: 40

Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler X
Common Merganser 3 (3 drakes, Lake.)
Ruddy Duck X
Red-tailed Hawk 3
Merlin 1
American Coot X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Red-bellied Woodpecker X
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
Downy Woodpecker X
Hairy Woodpecker X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Black-capped Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 (Breeze Hill feeders.)
White-breasted Nuthatch X
Brown Creeper 3
Carolina Wren X
Winter Wren 1
American Robin X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
Fox Sparrow (Red) X
Song Sparrow X
Swamp Sparrow 2
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) X
Northern Cardinal X
House Finch X
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X

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

Feb 3rd : A Snowy Day and Lesser Scaup

It was gorgeous day in the park today. The falling snow simply stuck to everything, rendering a wintry landscape of white serenity, covering everything that captured the falling snowflakes. Trees, shrubs,weeds, fences,monuments ...you name it...snow gave anything it fell on a great impression.And you can say that for the ducks..Matching the snowy color, two drake Common Mergansers waded under thru wintry elements, while abundant Northern Shovelers stood on ice edges when I passed by along the southern shore of Prospect Lake. As I viewed the lake from Three Sister's western face, something caught me by surprised. Initially thinking Ring-necked Duck, I viewed instead two drake LESSER SCAUP , peaked heads tucked in as both glided into the confines of the island's branches, snowflakes gently falling on both rare visitors. I tell you...it was a great view accentuated by a backdrop of fast falling snowflakes.

Observation date: 2/4/09

Observer Peter

4 Mute Swan (2 lake, 2 boathouse)
6 American Black Duck (lake)
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid)
Mallard ( at least 80)
170 Northern Shoveler (lake
2 Lesser Scaup ( west shore Three Sister Islands)
2 Common Merganser (lake)
28 Ruddy Duck(lake)
40 American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull (American)
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
1 Swamp Sparrow (west Island benches, regular there)
9 White-throated Sparrow (west island pathways)

6 Northern Cardinal (west Island area)

Total species reported: 17

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From Orrin :



Canada Goose
American Black Duck (1, 3 Sisters Island)
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Common Merganser (1 drake, lake)
Ruddy Duck (1)
Red-tailed Hawk (2)
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull (1)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Downy Woodpecker
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Eastern Towhee (1, feeders)
Song sparrow (2)
White-throated Sparrow
European Starling
Northern Cardinal
House Sparrow

Continuing WWXbills at BBG Feb 1st

site = Brooklyn Botanic Garden
date = 1/31/09
observers = Ed Crowne

White-winged Crossbill (4 at BBG)