January 30th sightings

site = Prospect Park

date = 1/30/09

observers = Peter Dorosh

Mute Swan (2 boathouse)
American Black Duck (2 boathouse)
Mallard (~28 Boathouse)
Red-tailed Hawk (adult south Midwood)
Mourning Dove (boathouse)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (1 male boathouse)
American Crow (f/o )
American Robin (f/o)
Northern Mockingbird (boathouse)
White-throated Sparrow (8 boathouse)
Northern Cardinal (2 boathouse)
House Sparrow (13 boathouse)

Canada Goose (Lake )
Mute Swan (2 lake)
American Black Duck (4 lake)
Mallard (easily 185 lake)Northern Shoveler (est 235 lake)
Bufflehead (drake on lake)
Common Merganser (2 drake on lake)
Ruddy Duck (4 lake)
American Coot (40 lake)
Ring-billed Gull (250 lake)
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull (1 lake)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove (33 feeders)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (feeders)
Downy Woodpecker (3 feeders)
Blue Jay (feeders)
Black-capped Chickadee (3 feeders)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (feeders)
White-breasted Nuthatch (feeders)
European Starling (30 south lake)
Fox Sparrow (3 feeders)
Song Sparrow (feeders; 1 south lake)
White-throated Sparrow (25 feeders)
Dark-eyed Junco (1 feeders)
Northern Cardinal (4 south lake; 5feeders)
House Finch (7 feeders)
American Goldfinch (6 feeders)
House Sparrow

January 29th sightings : Common Mergs!

Today, while negotiating all the treacherous ice on the paths and ground, it was a delight to see FOUR Common mergansers out in the middle of Prospect Lake. They were all drakes, shimmering white bodies that stuck out well among the numerous residents crammed inside the spacious open water. Two of the common mergs waded over to the edges of Three Sister Islands; but two stayed in the middle , diving occasionally and popping up without much effort finding them again.A nearby drake Bufflehead added to the collection that comprised of numerous Northern Shovelers, Mallards and Coots to make it quite a crowded party out there. For them, it was safer there than me trying hard not to slip and fall..( i didn't..knock on wood)

LAKE

Common Merganser- 4 drake
Bufflehead- drake
Northern Shoveler- easily 200
Coot- 45
Canada Geese- easily 225
Mallard- 125
Ruddy Duck- 5
Mute Swan
RB Gulls,Herring Gulls, GBBGull(2)

Red-tailed Hawk- juv at south lake;adult above south midwood

Feeders

Northern Cardinal- 4
White-breasted nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Black-capped Chickadee-4
House Finch-7
American Goldfinch-5
Song Sparrow-1
White-throated Saprrow-10
Fox Sparrow-1
Mourning Dove-2
Downy WP-2
Junco-1
Tufted Titmouse

PP sightings 1/27/08 Scott Whittle & Doug Gochfeld

From Scott Whittle:

Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 1/27/09
Number of species: 38

Canada Goose 5
Mute Swan 2
Mallard 90
Northern Shoveler 80
Common Merganser 1 Lake near 3 sisters
Ruddy Duck 4
Cooper's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 35
Ring-billed Gull 1000
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 18
Mourning Dove 9
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Downy Woodpecker 6
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 2
crow sp. 1
Black-capped Chickadee 8
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Feeders
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Brown Creeper 1 Maryland Monument
Carolina Wren 2 Maryland Monument
American Robin 3
Eastern Towhee 1 Maryland Monument
Fox Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 35
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 7
Red-winged Blackbird 5
Purple Finch 1 Feeders
House Finch 10
American Goldfinch 6

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From Doug Gochfeld:

Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 1/27/09
Notes: w/ Bob Gochfeld
Number of species: 31

Mute Swan 2
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 200
Common Merganser 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 30
Ring-billed Gull 1200
Herring Gull 14
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 8
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 6
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Black-capped Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Breeze Hill Feeders
White-breasted Nuthatch 3 2 @ Breeze Hill Feeders
Brown Creeper 1 Breeze Hill Feeders
European Starling X
American Tree Sparrow 1 Terrace Bridge
Fox Sparrow (Red) 5 Breeze Hill Feeders
Song Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 55
Northern Cardinal 5
Red-winged Blackbird 10 Breeze Hill Feeders
House Finch 35
American Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow X

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

MORE BBG White-winged Crossbills! Jan 26th

Birders, this report appeared on the NY State Birding Listerve today of 10 White-winged Crossbills in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

10 White-winged Crossbills,males and females feeding in the Eastern/Canadian Hemlock at the path across the Fragrance Garden.Standing under the tree, observing the birds enjoying their feast, the small cones of the tree rained down on me.
Remember, the garden is closed on Mondays for the public but open Tuesdays through Sundays.
Enjoy,
Deboira Amos

Just a note: The Garden Charges 8 dollars admission fee...so..these nomadic birds could be there ....If you have a membership, it helps. Otherwise, if no WWXbills, enjoy the garden,its a beautiful place with a great cafe..If you need a BBG map, check the menu there ----->>>>>> Good luck

By the way, here are records I generated of past WWXBills in Prospect Park

1900 records 1 bird

White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/1/1900
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/2/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/3/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/4/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/5/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/6/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/7/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/8/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/9/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/10/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/11/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/12/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/13/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/14/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/15/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/16/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/17/00
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/18/00

1909 records 1 bird

White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/14/1909
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/15/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/16/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/17/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/18/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/19/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/20/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/21/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/22/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/23/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/24/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/25/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/26/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/27/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 2/28/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 3/1/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 3/2/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 3/3/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 3/4/09
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 3/5/09

White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 3/16/1953 1 bird
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 11/25/1963 62 birds
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 12/11/63 6 birds
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 12/27/63 7 birds
White-winged Crossbill Prospect Park 1/23/64 2 birds
White-winged Crossbill Vale/Rose Garden 2/9/64 1 bird

Jan 25th BBG White-winged Crossbill

The last thing on my mind was to see something truly nice in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which has many nice things anyway. I am talking about a great bird for the Garden (and Brooklyn) ,which often sits in Prospect Park's big shadow.For once, the limelight belonged to the Garden.

People were celebrating the Chinese Lunar Year festival in the garden, pomp and circumstance ,in dance form,inside the conservatory,a flower market up one floor, some Chinese lanterns hung outside , but Mary and I were looking for birds. Last thing we thought was a White-winged Crossbill.

We happened to just gotten off the Japanese Garden's celebrity path when Mary saw ( her third 1st sighting of four WWXbills this winter !) a bird fly into the Japanese hemlock next to the main path between the Shakespearean and Fragrance garden entrances. Yep, our rosy looking friend is in there, breaking open the small cones for its nourishment. Later about a few minutes I say, we lost the bird. However 5 minutes later it flew back , into the adjoining conifer, a Canadian or Eastern Hemlock.To make a long story short, my text emails to my groupies brought in about 8 friends besides two passing birders we knew happened to get lucky seeing us looking up thru our bins. They asked us what we were seeing.."A Chickadee perhaps ? " "Nope", says Mary " White Winged Crossbill." They scrambled up pretty fast , you know ?.......


White-winged Crossbill ( immature male between Fragrance and Shakespeare Garden entrances and below the Japanese Garden's Brooklyn Celebrity path. Look for an interpretive sign saying "What's in a Name ?" ).

Observers Mary Eyster, Peter Dorosh, M.O.s

video courtesy of Doug Gochfeld

http://www.veoh.com/videos/v17324244RbzTCtnC

Note: The Garden is closed Mondays. Hopefully the bird sticks around tuesday..there is plenty of pine cones and spruce crop there...

January 24th sightings

From Doug Gochfeld

Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 1/24/09
Number of species: 31

Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 240
Common Merganser 1
Ruddy Duck 7
Cooper's Hawk 1
Ring-billed Gull 1100
Herring Gull 4
Great Black-backed Gull 4
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 6
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Downy Woodpecker 5
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Black-capped Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
American Robin 3
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 1 Heard only
Fox Sparrow 1 Breeze Hill Feeders
Song Sparrow X
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) X
Northern Cardinal 4
Red-winged Blackbird 12 flyovers, Breeze Hill Feeders
House Finch 50 40+ Lullwater & Breeze Hill Feeders, others heard elsewhere
American Goldfinch 21 10 Feeders, 10 Lamppost
House Sparrow X

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

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From Eddie Davis:

Aside from a few red-tailed hawks, most of the activity was at the Breeze Hill Feeders. The rest of the park was eerily quiet.

Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 1/24/09
Number of species: 25


Mute Swan 2
Mallard X
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove 1
Downy Woodpecker 2B
lue Jay 5
Black-capped Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
European Starling 1
Fox Sparrow 1Song Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 1
House Finch 4
American Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow X

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From Peter:

Common Merganser still present in the Lake middle open water by Three Sisters Island. Northern Shovelers, Coots and the usual suspects

January 23rd sightings

It's pretty cool to see a winter duck get all comfy on Prospect Lake.For the past week,since last Saturday, a handsome drake Common Merganser has been staying put in the middle of the lake, near Three Sisters Islands, where currently the only open water is. You would be able to pick out the mostly white bodied large duck,sometimes sitting on the ice. Wintertime doesn't always offer numbers but special visitors get the most of our attention..Sometimes, the adage applies: "the fewer the better"

Obeserver P.Dorosh


all Lake unless otherwise

COMMON MERGANSER ( drake present 1/23,1/22,1/21 since last report on Lake)
Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 2 (Boathouse Pond)
Northern Shoveler easily 200
Great Blue Heron 1
Red-tailed Hawk southwest Lookout Hill/west shore;also Terrace Bridge
Ring-billed Gull X lake
Herring Gull (American) X lake
Rock Pigeon X
American Coot easily 30
Mallard X

Feeders
(also present Mike Corzine, Scott Whittle)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Mourning Dove X
Downy Woodpecker 1
Black-capped Chickadee 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
European Starling X
Fox Sparrow (Red) 1
White-throated Sparrow x
Dark-eyed Junco x
Northern Cardinal 1 ( also 3 Binnen Bridge)
Red-winged Blackbird 2
House Finch 6

January 20th sightings

Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 1/20/09
Notes: less 10 % 60 acre main lake open
Number of species: 25
Obersever P.Dorosh

Lake

Canada Goose X
Mute Swan 2
Northern Shoveler 220
Common Merganser 1 drake
Great Blue Heron 1


Red-tailed Hawk 2 ( onejuv sw quaker cemetery;1 breeze hill)
Ring-billed Gull X lake
Herring Gull (American) X lake
Rock Pigeon X

Feeders

Mourning Dove X
Downy Woodpecker 1
Black-capped Chickadee 2
Tufted Titmouse 1
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 1
European Starling X
Fox Sparrow (Red) 2
Swamp Sparrow 1 (wellhouse shore)
White-throated Sparrow 15
Dark-eyed Junco 4
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 2
House Finch 7
Pine Siskin 1
American Goldfinch 2

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

January 17th sightings..the deep freeze ( 3 reports + foto 1/2 Lesser BB Gull)

Despite this deep freeze, about ten % of Prospect Lake remains open, quite surprising with this really cold spell. And when you wouldn't expect much, a quite nice surprise to see a drake Common Merganser right smack in the middle of the lake while nearby 3 Pied-billed Grebes huddled together by Three Sisters islands. Seems like everything is managing OK .With some precipitation on the way, it nevertheless will be a predicted "balmy" 38 degrees Sunday for the waterfowl count. Otherwise, i am glad i restocked the suet feeder last nite after running out of it , in which i made a hurried errand to Lowe's for the 92 cents per cake compared to the ridiculous 2.50 per at a local pet store. The suet's high fat /protein content is a critical staple for the winter challenged birds with this deep freeze. In the meantime,enjoy winter's beauty in this quacky weather.

P.

Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 1/17/09
Notes: main 60 acre lake 10 % open during current deep freeze
Observers : Peter Dorosh and Rob Jett

Number of species: 32

Canada Goose 7 lake
Mute Swan 2 lake
American Black Duck 1 lake
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 1 lake
Mallard 152 lake
Northern Shoveler 234 lake
Common Merganser 1 lake middle;drake
Ruddy Duck 2 lake
Pied-billed Grebe 3 three sisters island north shore
Great Blue Heron 1 lake middle,then peninsula shore
Red-tailed Hawk 1 perched Duck island
American Coot 45 west shore lake
Ring-billed Gull 300 lake
Herring Gull (American) X lake
Great Black-backed Gull 3 lake
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Downy Woodpecker 1 feeders
American Crow 1 f/o lake
Black-capped Chickadee 2 feeders
Tufted Titmouse 1 feeders
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 feeders
American Robin 1 three sisters
European Starling X
Fox Sparrow (Red) 1 feeders
Song Sparrow 2 west island
White-throated Sparrow 20 feeders
Dark-eyed Junco 6 feeders
Northern Cardinal 3 feeders
Red-winged Blackbird 8 feeders
House Finch 12 feeders
American Goldfinch 2 feeders

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

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From Rob Jett:

Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park , 1/17/09
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 1/17/09
Number of species: 33

Canada Goose X>
Mute Swan X>
American Black Duck X>
Mallard X>
Northern Shoveler 245>
Common Merganser 1>
Pied-billed Grebe 2>
Great Blue Heron 2>
Red-tailed Hawk 2>
Merlin 2>
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>
Blue Jay X>
American Crow 2>
Black-capped Chickadee X>
Tufted Titmouse X>
White-breasted Nuthatch X>
Carolina Wren X>
Fox Sparrow 2>
Swamp Sparrow 1>
White-throated Sparrow X>
Dark-eyed Junco X>
Northern Cardinal X> Red-winged Blackbird X>
House Finch X>
American Goldfinch X>>

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

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

From Alex Wilson:

Hi Peter. BTW, I posted some photos of the Lesser Black-backed Gull from 1/2/09 at: http://www.digitalmediatree.com/arboretum/LBBG/
The point-and-shoot pictures are not great, but interesting in terms of what it’s like to pick out one gull among hundreds on the lake.

Best,
AW
Begin forwarded message:
Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 1/17/09
Notes: 8 degrees at dawn.
Number of species: 48


Canada Goose X
Mute Swan X
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler X
Common Merganser 1 (Drake, central Lake.)
Ruddy Duck 5
Pied-billed Grebe 4 (1 on ice at west edge of Lake; 3 by Three Sisters Islands.)
Great Blue Heron 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 (Terrace Bridge flyby.)
Cooper's Hawk 1 (Adult, made a pass along the west edge of the Lake.)
Red-tailed Hawk X
Merlin 1 (Around Center Drive/Nethermead Arches.)
Peregrine Falcon 1 (On signal tower at east corner of park.)
American Coot 40 (Crowded into small hole in ice along west side of Lake.)
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 5
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 3
Hermit Thrush 3
American Robin X
Northern Mockingbird X
European Starling X
Eastern Towhee 2 (2 males, Lookout Hill SE slope.)
Fox Sparrow (Red) X
Song Sparrow X
Swamp Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) X
Northern Cardinal X
Red-winged Blackbird X
House Finch X
Pine Siskin 1 (With small group of Goldfinches in Sweetgum, Center Drive near Nethermead Arches.)
American Goldfinch X
House Sparrow X

1/16 its not a bird but a Prospect rarity nevertheless...

Today at 2:30, one of the park supervisors beckoned us in the Landscape Mgt office to quickly go outside to see something rare and quirky..so we go and see this fella above the rink's main entrance..it doesnt fly but i can be forgiven for reporting something without wings... especially Oppossums :)>