Marking the primary hi light was the continuing YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (YTWA) , spotted first today in the Lullwater Cove by Adam Welz and Stanley Greenberg. However, the YTWA moved from that location to my lunchtime sighting at the Binnen run weir emptying into Pagoda Pond /Lily Pool ( behind the Pagoda bandshell), seen dropping down to the water to drink from overhanging shrub branches. I wasn't looking for this bird but a Northern Waterthrush I missed reported by Larry Zirlin; instead , I was awarded amazing views of the YT warbler as it flew up from a shrub over the weir, unto a Oak low limb and where it snatched a fly. Eventually it flew to the back shore of the Pagoda Pond.
A second hi light was Mary Eyster's call of EASTERN MEADOWLARK seen atop a tall tree at the edge of the southern Ball fields. She saw it fly away towards the ball fields and lost it. I came along per her call and searched vainly for it. It was a good 20 minutes later when I spotted not one but two Meadowlarks. Getting closer, I saw three ; seconds later Mary shouted FOUR! Four EASTERN MEADOWLARKS on the western ball fields behind second base. Larry and then Heidi Clevens were fortunate following observers based on my Tweet or text messages. Four Eastern Meadowlark is the highest total since April 16, 1967. ( but nowhere near the record of 30 seen May 19th, 1967). Bright yellow breasts with dark "V"s on their breasts and pale looking complexions is a great delight to see for these rare but skittish lawn birds in Prospect.
During the spell looking for the meadowlarks, a heavily molted RED-SHOULDERED HAWK juvenile flew over the ball fields, while high flying DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANTS soared. Ballfields , with no games in play, instead became Hot Corners at High Noon.( If you know lingo for third baseman skill handling the hot corner)
Courtesy as well from Mary and Eddie Davis, as I rode past in my work vehicle mid afternoon was a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH pacing the left shore of the FalKill Falls pool, along with a Yellow-rumped Warbler.For good measure for good warblers, throw in PRAIRIE WARBLER at the Maryland Mounment ( Mary Eyster)
Also of note were the blues: INDIGO BUNTING (Adam Welz reported) this early morning on Lookout Hill's south face, and EASTERN BLUEBIRD at the south end of the Ballfields (Heidi Clevens) around 1 PM.
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| Eastern Bluebird photo by Heidi Cleven |
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| Eastern Bluebird Photo taken by Heidi Cleven |
From Adam Welz:
Great morning in Prospect! First time this year I've broken 50
species. Stanley Greenberg joined me for most of it, and we had
trouble persuading ourselves to leave and get some work done.
1) We went to look for the Yellow-throated Warbler in the area
specified by Peter yesterday. We found a very drab, and less rufous
than I'm used to, female Indigo Bunting!
2) On the way back out of the park, on the western side of the
Lullwater, I looked up at an active warbler over the path and (lo and
behold) it was the Yellow-throated, a lifer for Stanley and my New
York state bird!
3) Other good stuff included my FOY Northern Waterthrush (details
below) and an adult Peregrine hunting just east of the Audubon Center,
making the raptor list 5. I'm still not sure if the Red-tailed Hawk
nest near the ice rink has failed, or if there are small chicks
inside. There seems to be only one adult in attendance.
I'm sure if we'd stayed in the park longer we could have cracked 60 species.
Cheers!
Adam
Date: Mon, Apr 11, 2011 at 12:53 PM
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park , 4/11/11
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 4/11/11
Number of species: 53
Canada Goose - Branta canadensis X tens, on Prospect Lake, not counted
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor 4
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos 20
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata 20
Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis 55
Double-crested Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus 7 1 Prospect
Lake, 6 overflying Lullwater
Great Egret - Ardea alba 2 overflying Lookout Hill, going north
Black-crowned Night-Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax 1 Duck Island (my FOY)
Cooper's Hawk - Accipiter cooperii 1 Lullwater
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 1 Adult seen dismembering
and eating prey on nest near old ice rink, then flying to nearby tree.
At one point seemed to be reaching into nest cup as if to feed young,
but not sure. Not clear if there are any chicks on nest.
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius 1 Lookout Hill
Merlin - Falco columbarius 1 Lullwater
Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus 1 circling east of Audubon Center
Laughing Gull - Leucophaeus atricilla 5 Prospect Lake (my FOY)
Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis X not counted. Fewer
than normal for past few months.
Herring Gull - Larus argentatus X not counted. More than
normal for past few months.
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia 5
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura 12 inc. one seen 'anting' @ Lullwater.
Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus 1 Lookout @
Butterfly Meadow.
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 8
Hairy Woodpecker - Picoides villosus 1
Northern Flicker - Colaptes auratus 9
Eastern Phoebe - Sayornis phoebe 1 Lullwater. Numbers way down
from previous days.
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata 6
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 1
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor 5
Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica 3
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus 12
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis 2
Brown Creeper - Certhia americana 3 Lullwater
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus 1 Calling @ Lookout Hill
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - Regulus calendula 7 inc. one bird
displaying crest like Mohawk!
Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus 1 Peninsula
American Robin - Turdus migratorius 90
European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris 8
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata 6
Yellow-throated Warbler - Dendroica dominica 1 In tree on edge
of lawn near viewing platform on western side of Lullwater opposite
Rustic Arbor. Good views for a few minutes. Headed north. (My NY State
first)
Pine Warbler - Dendroica pinus 5
Palm Warbler - Dendroica palmarum 4
Northern Waterthrush - Parkesia noveboracensis 1 Stream
between Binnen Pool and Lily Pond. Behind bandstand. (My FOY)
Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus 1 Lookout. Nice
bright bird. (My FOY)
Chipping Sparrow - Spizella passerina 1
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 5
Swamp Sparrow - Melospiza georgiana 1 Lullwater.
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis 20
Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis 7
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 19
Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea 1 Lookout Hill, southern
slope, about halfway up. (My FOY)
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus 9
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula 8
Brown-headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater 1
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus X
From Larry :
Peter
Here’s today’s list. Twitter works!
Larry
http://birdsandwords-larryz.blogspot.com/
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 4/11/11
Number of species: 44
Canada Goose 41
Mute Swan 4
American Black Duck 1
Mallard 70
Northern Shoveler 18
Ruddy Duck 67
Double-crested Cormorant 8 Two on lake, six f/o
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3 Three Sisters
American Coot 6
Laughing Gull 1 Lake
Ring-billed Gull 55
Herring Gull 32
Rock Pigeon 5
Mourning Dove 11
Belted Kingfisher 1 Lullwater
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 6
Eastern Phoebe 1
Blue Jay 13
American Crow 1
Tree Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 8
Black-capped Chickadee 9
Tufted Titmouse 2 Nesting? behind Upper Pool
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
Brown Creeper 4
Carolina Wren 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
American Robin 150
European Starling 60
Yellow-rumped Warbler 4
Pine Warbler 4
Northern Waterthrush 1 Behind Pagoda
Song Sparrow 3
Swamp Sparrow 1 Peninsula lake shore
White-throated Sparrow 3
Dark-eyed Junco 2 One Lullwater, One Vale
Northern Cardinal 10
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Eastern Meadowlark 4 Ballfields
Common Grackle 30
American Goldfinch 1 Vale
House Sparrow 20
From Peter :
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 4/11/11
Number of species: 38
Canada Goose X lake
Mute Swan X lake
American Black Duck 1 lake
Mallard X lake
Northern Shoveler 5 lake
Ruddy Duck X lake
Double-crested Cormorant 11 flyovers Ballfields
Black-crowned Night-Heron 3 Three Sisters isls
Osprey 2 f/o Long Meadow ( first seen by Mary Eyster, then later again Peter)
Accipiter sp. X f/o ( I didnt get to my bins in time while working:)> )
Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Balfields ( obs MEyster, Pdorosh)
American Coot 3 Lake
Laughing Gull 4 Lake ( PDoroh, Phil Malek)
Herring Gull (American) X
Great Black-backed Gull 2 Lake
Rock Pigeon X
Downy Woodpecker 3
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) 2
Eastern Phoebe 2
Tree Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Sparrowbowl ( vale betw Tennis and Picnic Houses)
Eastern Bluebird 1 south Ballfields reptd by Heidi Clevens
Hermit Thrush 2 Butterfly Meadow ( Pdorosh, PMalek)
American Robin X
Northern Mockingbird 1 Garage
European Starling X
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 Falkill Falls Pool
Louisiana Waterthrush 1 Falkill Falls Pool
Yellow-throated Warbler 1 Binnen Run at Lily Pool beginning tidal, weir bhind Pagoda
Pine Warbler 5--4 Upper Pool
Prairie Warbler 1 reported by Mary Eyster at Maryland Monument
Chipping Sparrow 2 Sparrowbowl
White-throated Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal X
Eastern Meadowlark 4 Ballfields western sector ( 1st Mary Eyster, then PDorosh, L.Zirlin, H.Clevens)
Common Grackle X
American Goldfinch 1 Binnen run
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/)
