BBC "Friends Walk" Prospect Nov 26th; PISI and NAWA ,OCWA seen post walk

Generally , overall a very quiet  yet beautiful day outdoors. 

Kingsboider late note: Elyse reported after the walk finished, PINE SISKIN seen drinking at the back  shore of Lower Pool ( gate) joined also by a NASHVILLE WARBLER.  Eni Falci --part of a group walk-- reports an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER  and BROWN THRASHER seen at Lamppost #249 ( Well Dr picnic tables). Guess "timing is everything!"

Results of Brooklyn Bird club walk: 12 participants

Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY


Nov 26, 2011 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Protocol: Traveling

4.0 mile(s)

31 species (+2 other taxa)



Canada Goose X

Mute Swan X

American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) X

Mallard X

Ruddy Duck 25

Pied-billed Grebe 5 lake

Double-crested Cormorant 2 lake

Accipiter sp. 1

Red-tailed Hawk 2

American Coot 3

Ring-billed Gull X

Herring Gull X

Great Black-backed Gull 1

Rock Pigeon X

Mourning Dove X

Red-bellied Woodpecker 2

Downy Woodpecker 2

Blue Jay X

Tufted Titmouse 1

Carolina Wren 2- Rose Garden;south Midwood

American Robin X

European Starling X

Fox Sparrow 3- Vale Cashmere; 2 south Midwood

Song Sparrow X

White-throated Sparrow X

Dark-eyed Junco X

Northern Cardinal X

Red-winged Blackbird 1 West Isl

Purple Finch 5 Ravine (all females)

House Finch 6

American Goldfinch X

House Sparrow X



This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org/)

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From Elyse Taylor:

Hi Peter,


When leaving the park walk this morning, at the back of the lower pool
 I saw a pine siskin drinking water , and then a nashville warbler
flew down to take a sip. It had a pale yellow belly and a prominent
eye ring.
Great way to end the walk, but wish there were a few birders there
to see them.

Thanks for the great walk!

Elyse

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From Eni Falci

leading regular Audubon noon walk

Hi Peter-


More birders than birds yesterday. So many new birders (20+) and nothing much to put them onto. We had a goldfinch, chickadee, a fox sparrow and a few white throated sparrows while group was together. After most newbees left we moved on to the Wellhouse/ Lamp-post area and got two prizes.

A late orange-crowned warbler and a brown thrasher. There was much debate as to whether the warbler was a nashville or orange but the final words was broken eye ring and streaks on the breast.

Would have stayed longer in that area but the lighter fluid fumes were too much. It is a shame the park installed the fire pits right where the best birding tends to be.

Eni

Brooklyn Botanic Garden November 25th

From Eni Falci:

Hi Peter-


Went through the BBG today and had some good bird sightings. Highlights were the juvenile Baltimore oriole bathing in the kettle hole in the native garden. (probably same bird as seen in the Vale previously). A brief view of a late nashville warbler near the new herb garden (grey head, white eye ring and yellow breast). Finally 4 cedar waxwings few over toward the lawn on Eastern Parkway.

Eni Falci

Nashville warbler --herb garden section

Baltimore Oriole (also one at Wellhouse slope yesterday)

Cedar waxwings 4

Robins X

Mourning Doves X

Blue Jays 5

Starlings X

White throated sparrows X

Song Sparrow

Fox Sparrow (many yesterday @Maryland Monument)

Mockingbirds 3

Yellow bellied Sapsucker

Red Bellied Woodpecker 3

Ruby crowned Kinglet 1

white breasted nuthatch

and tufted titmouse

Invitation to be in a film documentary either Dec 3rd or 4th

I received this note on the Brooklyn Bird Club website contact page from a City University of NY grad journalist --Justin--aspiration to film birders in a documentary in Prospect. If you are interested in becoming a film subject , please email ME back so I can arraign the time and place. See attached his note

The target date I suggested is next weekend Either the 3rd or 4th of December (depending on # of people replying back to me for best number whichever day ) which I can set a early morning start , maybe 8 am likely at Grand Army Plaza park entrance.Hope you can help .

Peter

prosbird@aol.com

-----Original Message-----
From: info@brooklynbirdclub.org


Date: Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:52:03 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Fwd: video piece on saturday tour?
To: prosbird@aol.com


-----Original Message-----
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:42:18 -0500 (EST)
Subject: =?utf-8?Q?video_piece_on_saturday_tour=3F?=
From: jmitche@journalism.cuny.edu
To: info@brooklynbirdclub.org

Hello. I am a journalist with the New York City News Service, and a student at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. I am interested in doing a short video piece on the bird wildlife of Prospect Park, as well as the culture of the people who enjoy watching them. I am very interested in coming along with your tour this Saturday, the 26th. My goal would be to get footage of birds, people watching them, and to speak to as many of the walk's participants as possible.

Best,

Justin Mitchell

Prospect Thanksgiving Day

Peter list (pre-parade)

Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Nov 24, 2011 8:15 AM - 8:50 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.5 mile(s)
Comments: Prospect Lake
14 species

Mute Swan 6
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 19
Hooded Merganser 5
Ruddy Duck 24
Pied-billed Grebe 4
Double-crested Cormorant 3
American Coot 5
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Rock Pigeon X
Song Sparrow 1 Greenwood Ave grassland tract
Common Grackle 3 West Island shore
House Finch 18 west shore

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Prospect Park--Feeders, Kings, US-NY
Nov 24, 2011 11:00 AM - 11:40 AM
Protocol: Stationary
11 species

Mourning Dove 5
White-breasted Nuthatch 1 Wellhouse
Hermit Thrush 1
American Robin 1
Fox Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 6
Northern Cardinal 1
Baltimore Oriole 1 female, Breeze hill ,reported by Adam Welz
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow X

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Prospect Winter bird feeders ...continues

The annual winter bird feeders tradition continues.  (yes , they are up)

Happy Thanksgiving !

Peter

Photos of the Baltimore Oriole in Vale Cashmere

Attached are photos taken Sunday by Christopher Holden with his "point and shoot" camera of the late seasonal juv. BALTIMORE ORIOLE that is hanging out at the Vale of Cashmere ( pools area north end mostly from previous reports). This bird was first seen i believe in early October.

--KB

November 20th Prospect : LP249 is good to show

Lamppost #249, the Well Drive picnic tables site revealed another nice find , an out of season ( or late) NASHVILLE WARBLER reported by Alex Wilson. This find comes behind yesterday's Orange -Crowned Warbler. So, it's a "Go to" spot to look for potential good stuff...Also noted are 2 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS at Lily Pool ( or Pond ) and one remaining GREEN-WINGED TEAL , a hen at West Island.

From Alex Wilson:

Begin forwarded message:




> Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY

> Nov 20, 2011

> 50 species (+1 other taxa)

>

> Canada Goose 40

> Mute Swan 9

> American Black Duck 2

> American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 1

> Mallard 70

> Northern Shoveler 6

> Green-winged Teal 1 (Female, West Island.)

> Ruddy Duck 25

> Pied-billed Grebe 2

> Double-crested Cormorant 2

> Great Blue Heron 1

> Black-crowned Night-Heron 1

> Cooper's Hawk 1 (Juvenile, bathing, Lower Lullwater.)

> Red-tailed Hawk 1

> Merlin 1

> American Coot 10

> Laughing Gull 1

> Ring-billed Gull 125

> Herring Gull 40

> Great Black-backed Gull 5

> Rock Pigeon 30

> Mourning Dove 10

> Red-bellied Woodpecker 6

> Downy Woodpecker 4

> Blue Jay 15

> Black-capped Chickadee 3

> Tufted Titmouse 1

> White-breasted Nuthatch 6

> Brown Creeper 2

> Carolina Wren 3

> Golden-crowned Kinglet 1

> Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2

> Hermit Thrush 6

> American Robin 30

> Northern Mockingbird 1

> European Starling 75

> Cedar Waxwing 2

> Nashville Warbler 1 (In brush on slope above lamppost 249.

> Distinct complete eye ring; gray hood, bright yellow fore & aft,

> paler belly; definitely not the OCWA reported yesterday in same

> location.)

> Yellow-rumped Warbler 1

> Eastern Towhee 1

> Fox Sparrow 1

> Song Sparrow 5

> White-throated Sparrow 40

> Dark-eyed Junco 5

> Northern Cardinal 20

> Red-winged Blackbird 5

> Rusty Blackbird 2 (Pair flying in to tree top above Lily Pond,

> then feeding in front of viewing platform.)

> Common Grackle 3

> House Finch 5

> American Goldfinch 25

> House Sparrow 20

Nov 19th Prospect; A rarity, an uncommon , and a good possibility

An exhausting work week kept me close to home, with mostly spent energy reserve that was enough to get me around Prospect this morning. And the stay at home mindset paid its reward with quality birds.

Beginning with the rarity, found behind the Lamppost #249 picnic tables ( Well Drive), I pished for the heck of it, and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER appeared quite close. After its initial perch, the rare warbler flew back of the woods , towards the slope, where I saw it feeding in a cherry tree. It's highly likely the same bird seen last weekend

Prior that very good sighting, a uncommon find regarding the species and the number of individuals. A small dark flock in Prospect Lake's middle by Three Sisters Islands, turned out to be 7 GREEN-WINGED TEALs, with 4 drakes. I was more surprised with the 7 number though anything has to happen these years with passing through birds.

And last, a strong possibility reported to me from the Audubon walk group with PINE SISKINS. Given the time frame for this species now, Eni Falci reported along with Anne and Michele, two seen feeding on Ash tree seeds. So, if you are out there, look for these birds as well as other possible winter finches.

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

Peter's list:

Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY


Nov 19, 2011 8:45 AM - 12:15 PM

Protocol: Traveling

4.0 mile(s)

35 species



Canada Goose X

Mute Swan 7 lake

Mallard X

Green-winged Teal 7 Prospect Lake

Bufflehead 2 yesterday Lake, hens

Ruddy Duck 31 Lake

Pied-billed Grebe 1 Lake

Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 stooped for prey Breeze Hill

Cooper's Hawk 1 f/o Breeze Hill

Red-tailed Hawk 2  soaring most of morning Well dr/Lookout Hill

American Coot 8 Lake

Ring-billed Gull X

Herring Gull X

Great Black-backed Gull 1 lake

Rock Pigeon X

Mourning Dove 7 Peninsula Sumacs

Monk Parakeet 4 Yesterday  f/o Garage 9th st

Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 Terrace br

Downy Woodpecker 1 Sumacs

Blue Jay 2

Black-capped Chickadee 3 Breeze Hill

White-breasted Nuthatch 1 heard by Anne

Winter Wren 1 Maryland Monument, spotted by Anne

Golden-crowned Kinglet 2 Peninsula sumacs

Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Peninsula Sumacs

Hermit Thrush 1 Peninsula sumacs

American Robin X Sumacs

European Starling X

Orange-crowned Warbler 1 woods behind LP 249 ( well dr picnic tables)

Yellow-rumped Warblers- 2 Peninsula Sumacs

Fox Sparrow 1 Peninsula sumacs

Song Sparrow 2

White-throated Sparrow 30--2 flocks, lookout hill south, breeze hill mounds

Dark-eyed Junco 9 LP 249

Northern Cardinal 2 LP249



This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

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From Eni Falci;
 
Hi Peter-


Michele's noon walk had some nice looks at both kinglet types and a fox sparrow in the sumac edge at the Peninsula lawn. We also had late robins, yellow rump warblers and white throat sparrows here.

On our way from the pools young great blue heron here, to the ravine -the stream at the Ravine Bridge was active with 2 hermit thrushes and downy woodpecker bathing.

Michele, Anne and I think we had 2 pine siskins up in the trees there -any confirmations? Distinctive narrow beak, streaked breast and very notched tail eating ash tree seeds.

Eni

7 GREENWINGED TEALS on Prospect Lake by 3 Sisters isl

New bee species found @BBG ; Prospect reports inc OCWA &GHO

From John Ascher:

Hi Peter,


This may be of interest for your blog:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/10/bees/

I forgot to email you that I found a late Laughing Gull over the Lake on Sat.

John

John S. Ascher, Ph.D.

Bee Database Project Manager

Division of Invertebrate Zoology

American Museum of Natural History


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From Gabriel Willow:

Subject: Prospect Park Sightings 11/17/11


From: gabriel willow

Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:29:06 -0800



While leading a private tour today for some excitable twitchers
 from Newcastle, UK, we had some nice sightings in Prospect
Park in spite [because of?] the dreary cold, wet weather.

On the Lake we had two Pied-billed Grebes, a number of
American Coots, and many Ruddy Ducks. �Nearby under the
Terrace Bridge we encountered a flock of White-throated Sparrows
that included two Fox Sparrows, one of which burst into song! �
I don't think I've ever heard a Fox Sparrow singing here in their
wintering grounds... it was lovely. �Nearby I caught a quick glimpse
of a greenish-gray bird I assumed to be a Ruby-crowned Kinglet,
 but I "pished" and it landed on a branch mere feet from our faces...
and it was a fairly bright�Orange-crowned Warbler! �
Seems late, no?

On the Peninsula we encountered a flock of 8 House Finches eating
Green Ash seeds, and there was one male Purple Finch in the group.

We also had Golden-and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a flock of over
50 Juncos, a calling Carolina Wren, and the pair of Great-horned Owls
roosting in their undisclosed location.

Not a bad day! �Oh, and yesterday from the Terrace Bridge I saw
something I'd never witnessed before: in the afternoon a bat was circling
(late as well, but it was warm) and a Merlin flew in and took a couple
passes at it! �The bat went into evasive maneuvers though and the falcon
didn't catch it though as far as I could see... must've been trying out to be
a Bat Falcon!

Good Birding,

Gabriel WillowProspect Park Audubon Center, NYC Audubon

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

Generally very quiet after my work day, yet for small movement in the Peninsula sumacs by the water fountain; Eating Peppercorn berries were HERMIT THRUSH, White-throated Sparrows, and two nearby SWAMP SPARROWS..

Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY


Nov 17, 2011 3:30 AM - 4:15 AM

Protocol: Traveling

1.0 mile(s)

13 species



Mute Swan 5

Mallard X

Ruddy Duck 31 lake

Double-crested Cormorant 1 at 3 sisters

American Coot 3 lake

Mourning Dove X

Red-bellied Woodpecker 1 well dr

Blue Jay 1

Hermit Thrush 1 peninsula sumacs


American Robin 20 peninsula sumacs


Swamp Sparrow 2 peninsula sumacs

White-throated Sparrow X

American Goldfinch 1



This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)