Overcast skies and early leaf foliage bloom makes birding a little difficult with poor back light and obscured views a factor. Nevertheless, an excellent day particularly at two main birding hot spots coming through with a diversity of birds.
The Vale of Cashmere appears to be the best spot this spring, seconded by Lookout Hill of late, with good birds seen high and low. Reports of 19 species warblers fulfilled surprising expectations for such an overcast day like today with still a bit of a chill.
The best I saw before the warbler parade , 3 ROSE BREASTED GROSBEAK males over the north Midwood bridle ( formerly) trail.
As I met up with Tom’s group, 2 male SCARLET TANAGERS were mere feet above the Center Drive bridle trail, a spectacular view of that brilliant bright red plumage under soft lighting conditions.
The best I saw before the warbler parade , 3 ROSE BREASTED GROSBEAK males over the north Midwood bridle ( formerly) trail.
As I met up with Tom’s group, 2 male SCARLET TANAGERS were mere feet above the Center Drive bridle trail, a spectacular view of that brilliant bright red plumage under soft lighting conditions.
Regarding warblers, BLACKBURNIAN, NASHVILLE, PRAIRIE, WORM-EATING and BLUE-WINGED WARBLER, the latter offering excellent low views for the BBC group in the Vale Cashmere were some of the quality seen, backed by 4 species Vireo, the best being YELLOW-THROATED at Lookout Hill slope between the meadows and later near the Maryland Monument.( other vireos were BLUE-HEADED, RED-EYED and WARBLING)
While light at the tree’s canopy was poor, Sparrows below were easily identified. WHITE-THROATED dominated the genera, with a hoard of them in the Midwood ( and makes looking for anything different difficult to spot (it's a numbers dilemma not the lighting) , also SWAMP, a FIELD I found late in the day returning to the park after an errand at my hearing aid place in NYC; the FIELD SPARROW was in the Peninsula Sumac grove. Perhaps though most striking to see for me was the stretched out flock of flying CHIPPING SPARROWS coming out of the upper Lullwater woods, unto the Breeze Hill meadow early in the eve, quite a nice observation of migration in progress, birds settling into the night if weather overcast conditions keep them down.
In the late afternoon, as I birded Lookout Hill’s summit, a rewarding view of those high flying Nashville Warblers. Earlier, while with Tom's group on Lookout , 2 were seen, but fleeting views with the early leaf out made it difficult to thoroughly seeing the birds well then. But one did come down around 6 pm to the summit meadow, perching in the north end saplings, enabling me to see the eye ring quite well. It was worth going back out again.
SWAINSON's THRUSH is in, seen on Lookout Hill between the meadows slope and Rick’s Place.This species makes it a full hand of thrushes seen today.Count them below in the lists submitted.
I forgot to mention one more delight of the late afternoon. While heading up the Lookout Hill southern "switchback trail", I noted a bird on the trail: it's an EASTERN KINGBIRD, obviously not hiking. Unusual to see it on the ground, among mulch.It must be good eating with chips...
I forgot to mention one more delight of the late afternoon. While heading up the Lookout Hill southern "switchback trail", I noted a bird on the trail: it's an EASTERN KINGBIRD, obviously not hiking. Unusual to see it on the ground, among mulch.It must be good eating with chips...
There is much to detail about today, after a long day for me, so I suggest checking out the reports below. It’s peaked now, the park buzzed with birds despite the crappy weather and light. May migration is short, so take advantage of the birding while you can this weekend into the next few weeks
date = 2012/05/03site = Prospect Parkwarbler master list = 19 speciesPrairie Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Yellow Warbler American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Ovenbird Black-throated Green Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Common Yellowthroat Palm Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Blue-winged Warbler Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Nashville Warbler Pine Warbler Northern Waterthrush Yellow-rumped Warbler Blackburnian Warbler *********************************************
From Tom Stephenson
BBC Thursday walk ( From Grand Army plaza)
Hi Peter,
Good seeing you today. We had a hearty group of about 20 that braved the misty weather. Lots of bird activity and a good number of species: about 70 total including 18 species of warblers. Probably 4 Blackburnian, lots of Nashville, close Prairie and Blue-winged, several Scarlet Tanagers, two Yellow-throated Vireo, a Worm-eating on my way out of the Vale, which was still active around 1:30 with singing Blackburnian, Parula, Northern Waterthrush and more. Fun day.
Best regards,
Tom
Black-crowned Night-Heron |
Canada Goose |
Wood Duck |
Mallard |
Red-tailed Hawk |
Spotted Sandpiper |
Ring-billed Gull |
Herring Gull |
Rock Dove |
Mourning Dove |
Chimney Swift |
Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
Belted Kingfisher |
Red-bellied Woodpecker |
Downy Woodpecker |
Northern Flicker |
Eastern Wood-Pewee |
Great Crested Flycatcher |
Yellow-throated Vireo |
Blue-headed Vireo |
Warbling Vireo |
Red-eyed Vireo |
Blue Jay |
Fish Crow |
Barn Swallow |
Black-capped Chickadee |
Tufted Titmouse |
White-breasted Nuthatch |
Carolina Wren |
House Wren |
Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher |
Veery |
Hermit Thrush |
American Robin |
Gray Catbird |
Northern Mockingbird |
European Starling |
Blue-winged Warbler |
Nashville Warbler |
Northern Parula |
Yellow Warbler |
Magnolia Warbler |
Black-throated Blue Warbler |
Yellow-rumped Warbler |
Black-throated Green Warbler |
Blackburnian Warbler |
Pine Warbler |
Prairie Warbler |
Palm Warbler |
Black-and-white Warbler |
American Redstart |
Worm-eating Warbler |
Ovenbird |
Northern Waterthrush |
Common Yellowthroat |
Scarlet Tanager |
Eastern Towhee |
Chipping Sparrow |
Song Sparrow |
Swamp Sparrow |
White-throated Sparrow |
Northern Cardinal |
Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
Red-winged Blackbird |
Common Grackle |
Brown-headed Cowbird |
Orchard Oriole |
Baltimore Oriole |
American Goldfinch |
House Sparrow |
******************************************
From Keir:
Hi Peter
Great couple of hours this morning with best activity early from GAP to the Vale & Rick's Place.
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
May 3, 2012 6:45 AM - 9:15 AM
Protocol: Traveling
Obs: Keir Randall, Linda Lamm
1.5 mile(s)
54 species
Mallard 3
Rock Pigeon 2
Mourning Dove 10
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Yellow-throated Vireo 1 path btwn meadow and Maryland Monument
Blue-headed Vireo 10+
Warbling Vireo 2
Red-eyed Vireo 1
Blue Jay 5
American Crow 3
Barn Swallow 2
Carolina Wren 2
House Wren 6
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
Veery 1 BBC planting edge of Nellie's Lawn
Swainson's Thrush 1 Rick's Place
Hermit Thrush 3
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 8
Gray Catbird 7
Northern Mockingbird 1
Brown Thrasher 2
European Starling 10
Ovenbird 3
Worm-eating Warbler 1 Rick's Place
Northern Waterthrush 1
Blue-winged Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 6
Common Yellowthroat 3
American Redstart 2
Northern Parula 7
Blackburnian Warbler 1 path from GAP to Vale and again in Vale
Yellow Warbler 4
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 Rick's Place
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Prairie Warbler 1(Battle Pass West broken steps)
Palm Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 22
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Eastern Towhee 3
Chipping Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 13
Scarlet Tanager 4 Vale, Rick's Place
Northern Cardinal 5
Common Grackle 8
Brown-headed Cowbird 2
Baltimore Oriole 8
American Goldfinch 5
House Sparrow 4
*********************************************
Peter's list
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
May 3, 2012 7:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.5 mile(s)
50 species
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Mallard X
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Spotted Sandpiper 1 south lakeside
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Chimney Swift X
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Kingbird 1 switchback tr lookout south slope
Yellow-throated Vireo 1 betw lookout upper meadows
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Warbling Vireo 3-2 peninsula sumac grove, one lookout hill
Blue Jay 3
Barn Swallow 8 f/o breeze h
House Wren 1 midwood
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 butterfly mead midslope
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Veery 1 midwood
Swainson's Thrush 1 lookout hill summit slope
Wood Thrush 1 pools
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
European Starling X
Ovenbird 1 midwood
Northern Waterthrush 1 upper pool back shore
Black-and-white Warbler 3
Nashville Warbler 2 lookout hill, summit
Common Yellowthroat 2
Northern Parula 1 summit lookout
Blackburnian Warbler 1 north lookout
Yellow Warbler 1 butterfly mead
Palm Warbler 1 lookout
Pine Warbler 1 lookout
Yellow-rumped Warbler X
Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Lookout h
Eastern Towhee 2 Lookout
Chipping Sparrow 45 Breeze Hill
Field Sparrow 1 peninsula sumacs
Song Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow 65 midwood
Scarlet Tanager 4- Center Dr/Quaker ridge
Northern Cardinal X
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3 midwood
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle X
Baltimore Oriole 2
House Sparrow X
Prairie Warbler- Mary Eyster, Breeze Hill
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http
