Prospect July 31st

Hilights are: Northern Waterthrush below the Esdale Bridge, on creek rocks (Ravine entrance side);5 Forster's Terns on the Lake

Five Forster's Terns, at one point 4 perched on the boat mooring ball and accompanying buoy, scoured the lake, mostly the southern sector. A Northern Waterthrush  just below the Esdale Bridge, hopping from rock to rock ,  surrounded by rushing water. Also of note, a Warbling Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and 3 Baltimore Orioles about the same time in a Black Locust tree on north Lookout Hill  (path)

List ( Peter's)
Location: Prospect Park


Observation date: 7/31/10

Number of species: 23



Canada Goose 41 west shore of Lake

Mute Swan 3 lake west shore

Wood Duck 1 Upper Pool island

Mallard X

Great Blue Heron 1 f/o north lookout hill

Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 lake

Spotted Sandpiper 1 flew into 3 sisters islands

Laughing Gull 1 lake

Forster's Tern 5 Lake, a few juveniles

Rock Pigeon X

Chimney Swift X

Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 at 3 arches bridge

Eastern Kingbird 1 lake west shore

Warbling Vireo 1 north lookout hill

Barn Swallow 4

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 north lookout hill

American Robin X

Gray Catbird 5

European Starling X

Northern Waterthrush 1 Esdale bride ( ambergill creek)

Northern Cardinal 1

Baltimore Oriole 3  north lookout hill

House Sparrow X



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


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
From Anne -Katrin

Total CANADA GOOSE on lake this morning 53


Total Mute Swan 9

On lake this morning 3

On Lullwater 6, including 4 cygnets

Greenwood Cemetery early 7/30 report;Prospect late afternoon

From Orrin Tilevitz:
Green-Wood Cemetery this morning before 9:


Canada goose (3)

Spotted sandpiper

Black-crowned night heron

Great egret

Chimney swift

Eastern kingbird (at least 2)

Chipping sparrow

Song sparrow

American redstart (several)

Unidentified waterthrush

Cedar waxwing

Northern cardinal

Mourning dove

Rock dove

European starling

Monk parakeet

American robin

House sparrow

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 From Peter
 Lake sightings 3:35-4:15

 "Summer of the Forster's Tern"

 This afternoon, two immature Forster's terns energetically feeding ( diving into the lake) , mostly in the eastern sector, while an adult sat on the boat's red mooring ball in the lake middle.

Location: Prospect Park


Observation date: 7/30/10

Number of species: 18



Canada Goose 3  Three Sisters

Mute Swan 1

American Black Duck 2

Mallard X

Great Blue Heron 1 Duck island ( very early am)

Red-tailed Hawk 2 f/o soar Peninsula

Laughing Gull 3

Forster's Tern 3--2 juveniles, 1 adult Lake

Rock Pigeon X

Mourning Dove X

Chimney Swift X

Belted Kingfisher 1 Three Sisters (western) Island

American Robin X

Northern Mockingbird 1 rink

European Starling X

Cedar Waxwing 9 flew into 3 Sisters Islands

Common Grackle 5

House Sparrow X



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

Prospect July 29th Yellow Warblers;eve lakewatch

Moment of the day was a flock  of 6 Yellow Warblers  in three new closely planted young specimens--two Witch Hazels, one White Pine inside the rink construction area. The flock of Yellows hung close before taking off into the mature Sugar Maples above. ( 3:35 pm)

--Kingsboider

Location: Prospect Park


Observation date: 7/29/10

Number of species: 18



Canada Goose 7 lake west shore

Mute Swan 4 boathouse, ad+ 3cyngnets

American Black Duck 1 lake

Mallard X

Double-crested Cormorant 1 lake

Red-tailed Hawk 1  f/o center drive

Rock Pigeon X

Mourning Dove X

Red-eyed Vireo 1 Tunnel arch

Barn Swallow X

American Robin X

Northern Mockingbird 1 long meadow

European Starling X

Cedar Waxwing 1 three sisters

Yellow Warbler 6 shore opp Duck Island;inside construction area

Northern Cardinal 1

Red-winged Blackbird X

House Sparrow X


Evening Lakewatch  7:55-8:45

2 Forsters Terns sitting on the boat mooring ball
2 Black-crowned Night Herons
~4 Tree Swallows
Chimney Swift
Laughing Gull
Mallards--~70
American Black Duck

July 28th Prospect

Hilights: Blue-winged , Yellow & Northern Waterthrush warblers; flock Forster terns, Warbling Vireo,BG Gnatcatcher,Brown Thrasher.

From  Alex Wilson:

Location:     Prospect Park
Observation date:     7/28/10
Number of species:     50

Canada Goose     43
Mute Swan     9
Wood Duck     5
Mallard     150
Double-crested Cormorant     1
Great Blue Heron     1
Great Egret     2
Green Heron     3
Black-crowned Night-Heron     3
Osprey     1     (Upper Pool, perched, then chased by Kingbird and Red-tail.)
Red-tailed Hawk     4
American Kestrel     2     (Pair over Peninsula.)
Spotted Sandpiper     3
Laughing Gull     20
Ring-billed Gull     2
Herring Gull (American)     12
Forster's Tern     12     (Plus higher flyovers through AM; at 1:00 PM
there were 7 around the Lake, including young birds being fed on the
awning of the boat by Three Sisters.)
Rock Pigeon     40
Mourning Dove     15
Chimney Swift     50
Red-bellied Woodpecker     4
Downy Woodpecker     5
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)     7
Eastern Kingbird     8
Warbling Vireo     7     (Only 2 heard singing, along with family groups
including begging fledgling being fed.)
Blue Jay     8
American Crow     2
Barn Swallow     15
Black-capped Chickadee     4
Tufted Titmouse     2
Carolina Wren     3
House Wren     1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher     1     (Lookout butterfly meadow.)
American Robin     150
Gray Catbird     20
Northern Mockingbird     5
Brown Thrasher     1     (Peninsula.)
European Starling     100
Cedar Waxwing     10
Blue-winged Warbler     1     (Midwood.)
Yellow Warbler     7     (Including 4 together on the Peninsula.)
Northern Waterthrush     1
Chipping Sparrow     3     (Family including fledgling, horse circle near
Bartel Prichard entrance.)
Song Sparrow     4
Northern Cardinal     15
Red-winged Blackbird     15
Common Grackle     15
Baltimore Oriole     5
American Goldfinch     10
House Sparrow     50

*******************************************

Lakeshore south sightings 3:35-4:15 (obs Peter)

2 Yellow Warbler ( behind Three Sisters)

Warbling Vireo ( west of Three Sisters)

Cedar Waxwings ( juvs)

Canada geese -11 west shore

Laughing Gull

Mute Swan- 7( 3 ads, 4 cygnets)

Prospect July 27th Yellows , some Green

As the heat ( yet the humidity kept at bay) continues it's 90 mark as it has most of July, it doesn't seem likely that migration- in a tiny spurt --is  starting. YELLOW WARBLER is making its move, 5 seen at the Upper Pool by Mary Eyster; I came along and we saw three on the island , subsequently joining 2 in the lily pads.All then crossed over to the back shore oaks. Later in the afternoon, one more Yellow was spotted well on Three Sisters Islands and the back shore.

At the latter locale, a sort of a duel between a juvenile and adult GREEN HERONS, the poor juvenile being chased out of its island abode I presumed by the parent. ITs a tough world kid....

Another observed note --on the Breeze Hill south slope --a WARBLING VIREO in a confrontation with BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, both species I presumed are breeding birds in Prospect.

 It must be the heat getting on the birds nerves.

Of course before I forget, it seems like the Lake always has a Forster's Tern above it nowadays. Three today  before noon.

Hilights

3 Forster's Terns feeding patrol west sector Lake (Peter D.) ;

5 Yellow warblers (YEWA) this morning, 4 at Upper Pool, on the island, then the lily pads at the back shore (Mary E, Peter D.); one YEWA seen in the Midwood ( Mary E.),; 1 YEWA @ 3 Sisters PM.

Location: Prospect Park


Observation date: 7/27/10

Number of species: 22



Canada Goose 19-16 west shore, 3 @3 Sisters

Mute Swan 1

Wood Duck 1  --3 Sisters Islands

American Black Duck X

Mallard X

Double-crested Cormorant 1 lake

Great Blue Heron 1 f/o Lullwater (rink)

Green Heron 2 at 3 Sisters ; adult, juvenile

Black-crowned Night-Heron 1  inside cattail patch Binnen Pool ( first I 've seen one here)

Spotted Sandpiper 1 @ 3 Sisters

Laughing Gull 1 lake

Forster's Tern 3 lake

Rock Pigeon X

Warbling Vireo 1 Breeze hill south path to rink  (WAVI)

Barn Swallow X

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Breeze hill south path to rink; in confront WAVI

American Robin X

Gray Catbird 4--3 Nethermead arches

European Starling X

Yellow Warbler 6  ( see hilights)

Common Grackle 3

House Sparrow X



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

July 26th Prospect: returning " fall " warblers (waterthrushes)

From Rob Bate:

In brief tour of the park I saw a

Louisianna Waterthrush on horse trail in Ravine

Northern Waterthrush in the Vale of Cashmere

Rob B

******************************

Peter--list

Location: Prospect Park


Observation date: 7/26/10

Forster's Tern --feeding above Lake 3:40  presumably same individual as usual

Canada Goose 32--25 west shore lake,7 by Duck Island

Mute Swan 1 lake

Mallard X

Double-crested Cormorant 1 lake

Laughing Gull 4 lake inc 3 immatures

Rock Pigeon X

Chimney Swift 1

Eastern Kingbird 1 --3 Arches br

Blue Jay 1 --3 Arches br

Barn Swallow 4 lake

American Robin X

European Starling X

Red-winged Blackbird X

Baltimore Oriole 1 --3 Arches br

House Sparrow 16

*


Evening Lakewatch  8:05 to 8:55

Location: Prospect Park


Observation date: 7/26/10

Number of species: 9

Canada Goose 1

Mute Swan 1

Mallard X

Green Heron 1

Black-crowned Night-Heron 1

Spotted Sandpiper 2 ( landed on Three Sisters)

Herring Gull 1

Black Skimmer 1 seen flying low 8:23 pm b4 heading out northwest side

Red-winged Blackbird 1



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



***********************************
From Anne -Katrin
Monday, July 26th, 7:00AM


Total CANADA GOOSE on lake this morning 37

Eve Lakewatch 7/26, CAGO numbers

Location: Prospect Park


Observation date: 7/26/10  8 PM- 8:45

Number of species: 13

Observer: Peter


Canada Goose 8

Mute Swan 1

American Black Duck 2

Mallard X

Great Egret 1 flew in and perch 3 Sisters

Black-crowned Night-Heron 2

Laughing Gull 1

Forster's Tern 1

Rock Pigeon X

Chimney Swift 1

Eastern Kingbird 2

Barn Swallow X

Red-winged Blackbird X



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

**********************************
Cago numbers on Lake
Observer : Anne-Katrin
Saturday, July 24th, 7:00AM


Total CANADA GOOSE on lake this morning 28

CANADA GOOSE 4 from July 8th
24 CANADA GEESE have flown in with their flight feathers intact since July 14th.

9/25 Cleanup Date sponsored by NYCALS

I am passing along this message from the American Littoral Society regarding its traditional fall coastal cleanup project which among locations include Prospect Park. Its their big year ,the 25th . Read on and contact Barbara Cohen of ALS or Mary Eyster (Also Sebago Canoe Club member) for her site the shore line along Paerdegat Basin (Mill Basin , Brooklyn)  Profmaryjo@aol.com

Join the 25th Anniversary NY Beach Cleanup September 25, 2010


Plan to be at an ocean beach or near a river, sound, stream, wetland, or lake in September to join a cleanup team and participate in the New York Beach Cleanup, coordinated annually by the American Littoral Society as part of the International Coastal Cleanup, a worldwide effort of The Ocean Conservancy to document and remove marine debris from our shores and waterways.

Litter is not only unsightly; it poses threats to humans and wildlife. Birds become entangled in discarded fishing line and 6-pack ring holders; marine mammals ingest plastics that can obstruct their intestinal tract. Broken glass and metal inadvertently picked up by haying combines can cause fatal injuries to grazing livestock.

In 2009, over 10,000 volunteers documented and removed 144,000 pounds of debris from 284 sites across New York. In September, visit the society’s website www.alsnyc.org where cleanups “at a beach near you” will be listed.

For assistance in forming a cleanup team of your own, contact Beach Cleanup Coordinator Barbara Cohen at alsbeach@aol.com or (718) 471-2166.

----Kingsboider

I'm back;reports and info sent while I was away.

I'm just back from a week long family vacation in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts which included a spectacular view atop Massasachusetts highest point Mount Greylock. A very rich cultural region ( inc Tanglewood,summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra) as well as a natural wonderland


Here are reports received during my home absence:


of note is Forster's Tern , 15 seen may be a record when I check my work database Monday. Also Black Skimmer,Least Tern, Least Sandpipers ;Yellow Warbler, Indigo Bunting (noted early fall migrants ) , Spotted Sandpiper;

From David Chortaiy:

I saw a male Indigo Bunting in the Neathermead (by the pond near the arches) Friday morning

(Kingsboider note: this pond is Binnen Pool)


****************************************

From Alex Wilson:

Location: Prospect Park


Observation date: 7/21/10

Number of species: 49



Canada Goose 16 (Most of the resident birds were destroyed

recently, for supposedly endangering aircraft.)

Mute Swan 1

Wood Duck 8 (6 flew in to the Lake early, flew out after 20 minutes.)

American Black Duck 2

Mallard 150

Double-crested Cormorant 2

Great Blue Heron 1

Green Heron 3

Black-crowned Night-Heron 3

Red-tailed Hawk 3

Peregrine Falcon 1 (On signal tower near BBG.)

Spotted Sandpiper 2

Least Sandpiper 5 (4 flying around the Lake; 1 on the west edge

scared off by dog.)

Laughing Gull 20

Ring-billed Gull 1

Herring Gull (American) 10

Forster's Tern 15 (Low flying/calling over the Lake in the first

couple of AM hours. Mostly passing through but a few lingering and

feeding. Several more at higher altitude beyond positive ID.)

Black Skimmer 2 (1 flyover, 1 skimming the Lake briefly, early AM.)

Rock Pigeon 50

Mourning Dove 25

Chimney Swift 30

Red-bellied Woodpecker 4

Downy Woodpecker 5

Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 6

Eastern Kingbird 12 (Families.)

Warbling Vireo 10 (Singing birds and 3 family groups.)

Blue Jay 5

American Crow 3

Barn Swallow 20

Black-capped Chickadee 3

White-breasted Nuthatch 1

Carolina Wren 4

House Wren 5

Wood Thrush 1

American Robin 100

Gray Catbird 20

Northern Mockingbird 3

European Starling 80

Cedar Waxwing 12

Yellow Warbler 1 (Peninsula thumb.)

Chipping Sparrow 1

Song Sparrow 2

Northern Cardinal 15

Red-winged Blackbird 15

Common Grackle 10

Brown-headed Cowbird 4

Baltimore Oriole 5

American Goldfinch 5

House Sparrow 60

**************************************************
 
From Larry:
 
Hi Peter,


I got about 2/3 of the way around the lake before the rain became too much.

Least Tern sitting on top of the canopy of the tour boat in the lake.

best
Larry Zirlin

http://birdsandwords-larryz.blogspot.com/

Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park , 7/19/10


Location: Prospect Park

Observation date: 7/19/10

Number of species: 19



Canada Goose 14

Mute Swan 7

Mallard 60

Double-crested Cormorant 1 Flyover Boathouse Pond

Least Tern 1 Sitting on tour boat in the middle of the lake.

Rock Pigeon 30

Mourning Dove 14

Blue Jay 1

Barn Swallow 10 Boathouse and Nethermead

Carolina Wren 1 Breeze Hill

American Robin 15

Gray Catbird 1 Breeze Hill

European Starling 200

Yellow Warbler 1 Lake

Northern Cardinal 4

Red-winged Blackbird 25

Common Grackle 3

Brown-headed Cowbird 10 Lake, near construction

House Sparrow 150


*********************************************
From Anne-Katrin:

Wednesday, July 21st, 7:00AM


Total CANADA GOOSE on lake this morning 16

CANADA GOOSE 4 from July 8th

12 CANADA GEESE have flown in with their flight feathers intact since July 14th.


Anne-Katrin

********************************************

New Online Bird Field Guide ( with song ID); 7/17 AKestrel sighting

Janet Schumacher alerted me to a terrific online bird identification website set up by Partners in Flight.It only requires your registration and password setup. Worth the recommended bookmark especially with fall migration now occurring with some shorebirds (Hudsonian Godwit and White Pelican in JBWR)  and warblers soon to come. (one reported Lousiana Waterthrush in Central Park yesterday)

Here' s the link:      http://www.natureinstruct.org/

See my blog sidebar for the convenient access.

*************************************************
From Peter

From my residency stoop in southern Windsor Terrace , American Kestrel flyover midmorning , heading over the Prospect Expressway.

July 16th Prospect ; GWC reports

From Peter:

--On the way home from work , along  the south lake shore, 1 FORSTERS TERN perched on the red mooring ball (for boat) Prospect Lake, near Three Sisters.

-- during the evening NY Philharmonic Parks concert, ,a little after 8 pm, Mary Eyster spotted a high flying BLACK SKIMMER over the ballfields, going due northwest. Most of our picnicking party saw the bird as well.

(Obs: Mary E, Peter D.Tom S, Heidi and Steve N, Rusty H, Janet S.)

*****************************************************

From Orrin Tilevitz:
Green-wood cemetery this morning




Great egret

Black-crowned night heron

Monk parakeet

Mourning dove

Rock dove

Common flicker

Chimney swift

House wren

Northern mockingbird

American robin

Cedar waxwing

European starling

House sparrow

Chipping sparrow

Eastern gray squirrel (gray and black)

American bullfrog

Prospect 7/14 eve , 7/15; BBG report 7/15

Eve lake watch 7/14

Observers Peter D, Steve Adinall

2 Black Skimmers flyover lake ( 8 pm)
Black-crowned Night Heron
Laughing Gulls ~ 12
Chimney Swift
Barn Swallow
Great Egret ( landed on Three Sisters)
Song Sparrow
Canada Goose-2

*****************************************
Today Obs Peter D.
5 Wood Ducks Upper Pool ; 1 drake, 4 immature/or hen
Barn Swallows-ballfields
Laughing Gulls -ballfields
House Wren- Three Arches bridge west
Gray Catbird

****************************************
 From Orrin
 venue: BBGarden

European starling

House sparrow

American robin

Northern cardinal

Northern mockingbird

Northern flicker

Downy woodpecker

Song sparrow

Gray catbird

Blue jay

Prospect eve 7/13

Highlights: Black Skimmer, Spotted Sandpiper ( likely early southern migrant)

From Steve Addinal:

Hi Peter,

This evening:

1 black skimmer (flying high to the North this time)
1 Spotted Sandpiper
13 laughing gull
1 great b b gull
1 ring-billed gull
1 northern flicker
8 American crow
2 b c night heron
And
2 Canada Geese

Cheers,

Steve

********************************

Peter's brief sightings

Unidentified tern feeding  along west shore, late am
Green Heron -Three Sisters Islands. late afternoon
Red-tailed Hawk soaring Breeze Hill /Lullwater

Great to see finally the heavy rain.....

Prospect eve 7/12

From Steve Addinal:

Hi Peter
Between 730 and 830 tonight we had:

1 black skimmer (7:30)
1 great blue heron
1 (possibly 2 but more likely the same one twice) great egret
1 b c night heron
2 laughing gulls
3 herring gulls
Etc.

From the rustic shelter.

Cheers,
Steve

Evening lakewatch 7/11

Prospect Lake  7:30 on

Most interesting on this offbeat eve was 8 Tree Swallows in a flock fly by that skimmed the lake surface. Peter

Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 7/11/10
Number of species: 17

American Black Duck 2
Mallard X
Great Egret 1 perched on Three Sisters
Green Heron 1 seen last eve flyby south lake perched
Black-crowned Night-Heron 1 Duck Island
Laughing Gull X
Herring Gull 1
Mourning Dove 1
Chimney Swift X
Eastern Kingbird 1 west shore
Tree Swallow 8 -flock
Barn Swallow 15, various times
American Robin 1
European Starling X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle 19 flock over Peninsula
House Sparrow X

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

northwest of Grand Army Plaza Kestrel

Date: 10 July 2010
Observer: Rafael Campos

... early today, at Park Place, I observed at least 1 American Kestrel flying from the Saint Francis church tower. Since 4th of July, the number of sightings have increased. I think they (sometimes I see 2), use the tower as a hunting perch.

http://tinyurl.com/2bngc6s  map location

Where's the rain?

I do need to say  this : Prospect really needs rain ( its been a long while for the plants)....anybody  know any rain dances ?

Conservation note NYS Smart Growth Bill (for NYS, yes !)

http://bbcnewsboard.blogspot.com/2010/07/nys-smarth-growth-bill-needs-governors.html


**************************************************************

Skimmer sighting Prospect Lake 7/8

From Stephen Addinall:

Hi peter,


1 Black Skimmer this evening at 8.35 straight through

and off in the same direction as last night.

Cheers

Steve

Black skimmers nite out 7/7 + a "phantom" Raccoon; today's brief sightings

In the highest total seen since the 6 flyovers seen June  17, 2005 ( on a BBC bat walk led by Paul Keim),  three different flyby's of BLACK SKIMMER making up 6 birds were seen by Eric and Stephen Addinall and myself ( catching the last 5) between 7:30 and 8:30 in the evening. 3 swung low over the Lake surface, feeding for a moment before departing northwest; about a minute later , 2 more higher up went the same direction.

The all time record is 16, seen in a single line low flyby along the west shore of the lake  during the evening ( obs.PD,JL) on May 4th, 1997.

Other night sightings: BC Night Heron, Grackle,Barn Swallow, Chimney Swift

and for some humor:

When I was leaving the park after the Skimmer flyshow, I noted a white plastic bag being lifted out of a trash can near West Island..It was sort of ghostly  looking until I realized that a "shadowly" Raccoon had the bag in its teeth.When it saw me, it promtly dropped the bag as the Raccooon tediously perched on the fence...funny animals, yaknow?

**********************************

This morning:  an immature Red tailed hawk on the
ground by the Pine Grove  ( Long Meadow east / 
water fountain)(PD obs)

**

from Janet Schumacher:

I saw the Peregrine fly into the BBG tower from the

north this morning at 7:15 am Probably hoping for a 

grab-and-go pigeon pickup from Wendy's.

Prospect Bat walk reminder 7/9 eve

Friday eve walk marks the last spring/early summer agenda trip for the BBC calendar: Always an interesting pleasant walk for nocturnal creatures.--Kingsboider

Friday, July 9th, Evening Prospect Park Bat walk  

Meet 7:45 PM at the 9th Street park entrance (Lafayette sculpture)

Trip Leader: Paul Keim

Brooklyn Botanic Garden eve presentation 7/8

Douglas Tallamy --an entomologist--wrote a fantastic best selling widely acclaimed book that I owe about the importance of restoring nature with native plants and the insects that feed on them. He is speaking at the BBG Thursday eve. see below..

Bringing Nature Home with Doug Tallamy  Thursday, July 8 | 6:30 p.m. | Book signing to follow. With as many as 33,000 species imperiled in the U.S. alone, it is clear that we must change our approach to gardening and landscaping if we hope to share space with other living things. Join author and ecologist Doug Tallamy to learn about the key role native flora must play in the restoration of our landscapes. Only by supporting a large, healthy diversity of insects that coevolved with native plants can we keep herbivores in balance and our gardens aesthetically pleasing. Dr. Tallamy’s book Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants received the Garden Writers Association’s 2008 silver medal. $12 member, $17 nonmember. Advance registration recommended but not required. To register, call 718-623-7220 or visit bbg.org/classregistration.

For more classes, talks and tours with the experts focusing on plants that support local wildlife and regional character, visit bbg.org/nativeplants.

July 5th Prospect report

From Steve Addinall:

Hi peter,

Not much to report from Monday although we did
see another tern. Approx. 12:40 either a Common or
Forsters Tern appeared very briefly and flew over the
 west edge of the lake and continued in a NE direction
out of sight. Although i didn't see it long or close enough
to make a positive ID I thought it was interesting to note
which way it headed.

On the same walk I also had singing black and white warbler
and 2 chipping sparrows. In the evening I watched the lake
from the rustic shelter until dark hoping to see a Nighthawk
but no joy. Just 2 night herons, 1 great egret, 1 green heron,
 4 crow sp. (American?) and lots of chimney swifts in the gloom.

COOL thoughts to think about in this "yeeech" Heat wave.....

As we all wilt, its probably helpful to visualize cool thoughts along with your ice tea.

One cool thought is thinking about the fall when much cooler northwest autumn winds whoosh thru and places like Cape May come to mind. This fall, one of my oldest birding friends Glen Davis will be leading a Brooklyn Bird Club weekend in mid-September. Glen started birding at age 8 and has been living in Cape May for 12 years now. I remembered the great old days when I was following this young kid --after pre dawn pickups at his Midwood home-- all over Prospect Park during spring migrations (we both set a personal best of 27 warbler species in one day including Lawrences and Golden-winged Warblers, many Hooded as well thanks to Glen's hearing), a good eye birder like me following a master ear birder at age 8 thru his teenage years before he left for college . Cape May weekends  with Glen and my other oldest birding friend Paul Keim were a blast with the three of us: two very experienced birders with a sharp eared youngster going all out for those birds. Sort of like a motley crue....memories of those cool birding days kind of helps mentally to counter this yeech heat.  Anyway, Glen ( and still a BBC member 30-ish emeritus :)>  ) has been a winner of the Cape Island NJ World Series of Birding champ for many years with his team ( also a winner in 2010)

here's his picture, second from the right :  http://tinyurl.com/32xvgtb

Cape May trip details

http://brooklynbirdclub.org/trips.htm#92

Stay cool....

---Kingsboider

July 2nd Prospect re-turn-ing terns and skimmer ; BBG/ GWC report

 report from John Ascher

Hi Peter,

After we met today (Fri) Chaoyan and I went to the Lake and
saw two Least Terns (one was there only briefly) and a
fly-by Black Skimmer.

I heard a Wood Thrush at the Quaker Cemetery.

John

********************************************
report from Orrin Tilevitz

BBGarden and Greenwood Cemetery

BBG this morning: red-breasted nuthatch, a song sparrow, and a few singing warbling vireos

Greenwood cemetery yesterday (7/1):

black-crowned night heron
great egret
warbling vireo
house wren
baltimore oriole
barn swallow (many)
northern flicker
chipping sparrow
song sparrow

July 1st Tern,tern,tern........

When I received  news this late afternoon that the  LEAST TERN was  feeding over Prospect Lake, i was quite satisfied that my bold prediction yesterday came true of it coming back.. But , it went even better : there were TWO LEAST TERNS out in the middle of the lake, one of them ventured close to the West Island shelter.

But the tern drama didn't end there. I came back about 45 minutes later to the lake and though I didn't see the Least terns, I spotted three terns along the north shore ( along Well drive). FORSTER TERNS, three sticking close to each other, gracefully flew along the shore before heading out in that direction, over Lamppost 249.

Hot afternoon on the water drama, hot action with a reTERN of rare species for the park. (excuse my bad pun)   ; )

--Kingsboider

List ( bet 4 and 5 pm)

Least Tern ( 2)
Forster Tern (3)
Red-tailed Hawk ( above Peninsula meadow)
Eastern Kingbird ( over southwest lake)
Barn Swallows
Canada Geese ( many)
Mallard
Laughing Gulls (3)

Least Tern continues 7/1

Rob Bate just reported ( via 3:30 text message) to me that LEAST TERN is being seen over the west side of Prospect Lake, same locale as yesterday .This is a rare species for the park. I guess my prediction was right it would come back...( habits die hard...)

---Kingsboider