The park was spectacular today, snow dressing up the woods and trees with its crystalline form. Everywhere I went,there was beauty to behold. Two delightful scenes are profiled in the two cell phone photos I took, one of my heavy snow laden feeders with the picture postcard backdrop ; and the second of a perfectly covered Beech tree along East Drive, opposite Nellies Lawn. Just a great scene to admire, nature's gift to us who love winter. ( I for one)
While working to move snow from walkways, I was fortunate to see a RUSTY BLACKBIRD,adjacent to the south side of the Boathouse, in the shrubs. Seed was on the low wall (next to three steps) where Cardinals and White-throated Sparrows eagerly grabbed at scattered seed. And on occasions, the Rusty would chase some of the birds away for its own seed take. A cute scene. I was delighted to see the Rusty while shoveling the snow.
And on the way home after work, I stopped by the feeders. At first, only a Downy Woodpecker pecked at the suet. But in minutes, more birds shot in and hungrily devour seed from the feeders and the ground below. Juncos outnumbered everything else, overwhlemingly against two FOX Sparrows.But winter is about survival and food is scarce and the feeders at the moment is a lifeline, especially in the days ahead.
Trudging thru the winter wonderland,dodging sledders on the way to the lake, it was for me a very enjoyable walk despite an achy back. And surprises await if you just let go to nature. And that's where the lake yielded a surprise for me, while I was being pelted by hard driving sharp snow flakes and hampered as well by wet "bins" . Along the ice edge, diving quite abit, a drake COMMON MERGANSER was my winter moment today; a white large duck seem a real color match for what falls at the moment. Its the first Prospect Common Merganser of the year and who would have expected it in this blizzard ? With winter wonderland magic, anything is possible.
---Kingsboider
list
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 2/10/10
Number of species: 26
Canada Goose 265 lake
Mute Swan 7 lake
American Black Duck 6 lake
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) X
Mallard 160 lake
Northern Shoveler X lake
Common Merganser 1 drake , west shore open water Lake;diving along outer ice edge
Ruddy Duck 3 lake
American Coot 3 lake
Ring-billed Gull 200 lake
Herring Gull X
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Black-capped Chickadee 2 feeders
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 feeders
White-breasted Nuthatch 2 feeders
American Robin X
European Starling X
Fox Sparrow (Red) 2 feeders
Song Sparrow 1 feeders
White-throated Sparrow 18--8 feeders; 10 boathouse
Dark-eyed Junco 15 feeders
Northern Cardinal 8--6 boathouse with Rusty BB; 2 feeders
Rusty Blackbird 1 Boathouse south portico , near events sign, shrubs and ground
House Finch X feeders
American Goldfinch 2 feeders
House Sparrow 1 feeders
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
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Feb 8th
Peter's list
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 2/8/10
Number of species: 21
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 7 lake
Wood Duck 1 lake
American Black Duck 7 lake
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 1
Mallard 115 lake
Northern Shoveler 28
Ruddy Duck 1 lake
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 3 lake
Ring-billed Gull 1000 lake
Herring Gull X lake
Great Black-backed Gull 4 lake
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Black-capped Chickadee X feeders
Tufted Titmouse 1
European Starling X
Song Sparrow 1 west shore lake
Swamp Sparrow 1 west island benches
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird 5 f/o peninsula
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
