What a difference a day makes!
Yesterday, I counted 9 tweets to twitter followers and my network for rare birds reported or seen in Prospect. Today none of the sightings warrant a tweet ( exceptt the birds ).
First a note about the Yellow-throated Warbler. Yesterday's sighting was only the third fall sighting-Kathy , Bob O and Fr Steven F joining the history books with the likes of two legendary Prospect birders, Marty Sohmer and Olney Raymond. Marty --considered among the greatest field birders of Brooklyn and NYC and Olney a long time birder of the 1950s and 60s whose records were valuable, saw Yellow-Throated on fall dates respectively Sept 21 2003 and Oct 5 1963 where the latter , 3 birds were reported. Good company !
Today was a much reduced activity day. There were birds and warblers reported around by a few birders . I received a second hand report of Hooded Warbler by the southeast corner of the cemetery which is where the bridle trail enters the woods.
A note about locations that you should know about or been off grid for awhile that should get more attention.
Along the southeast bridle trail right off the Center Drive, there is a few trees encased by native Virginia Creeper that is in fruit, now attracting birds. This is where the 1st Philadelphia Vireo was seen. Secondly, just east of the Dongan Oak eagle monument, a devils walking stick called Hercules Club, or aralia is also fruiting, the whitish crowned tall sumac like plant with dark ringed berries. We saw Cape May Warbler here . More aralia is below the giant Willow Oak just below the Rose Garden ( east of ValeCashmere). Its advised to go with friend(s) here in this remote spot.
The last spot that hasn't seen much reporting in a while is SparrowBowl , the kettle between the Tennis House and Picnic House. This afternoon after work, I swung by this very convenient location and saw BLUE-WINGED WARBLER in very good views as the bird pursued the dead leaves. Then moment later, a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH popped up for good views , clear throat, whitish overall complexion, and hefty body anatomy , and more field marks that satisfied my identification.
UNfortunately , "Sparrowbowl " isn't a good morning spot of recent months due to now regular dog runs here by a few habitual owners. Its best to bird this spot after off leash hours , maybe mid morning. This is an excellent birding fall spot , in the past saw Connecticut and Mourning Warblers and mini fall outs.
And a last note. i ran into a new birder Ania Griszek who was sitting at the Nethermead Osage Orange tree.Apparently , a number of warblers were in the surrounding lawn trees. Among those , best one was a CAPE MAY WARBLER, a good plumage specimen. Ania also described a dark large bird up high in the sky with whitish mottling in mid afternoon. This may a a Bald Eagle, which is the right time for this species.
And the final word. I was experiencing technical problems with the blogger today so it may mean that eventually the old blogger ( u are reading now ) will phase out into a new one which I can upgrade now, but which the new software is not compatible with the original blogger setup Prospect Sightings. I'm not a computer geek so I have to see what happens as I experiment..It may mean a new blogger reset..Dunno yet will tell you then.
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from Adam
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Aug 30, 2012 6:50 AM - 10:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments: Warm, still, birded alone and with others inc. Keir Randall
52 species (+2 other taxa)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) X
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) X hybrid with Dutch Quacker-type
white domestic duck. No option to list in eBird.
Great Egret (Ardea alba) 1
gull sp. (Larinae sp.) 2
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 20
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 4
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 3
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 3
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) X
Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) 1
Empidonax sp. (Empidonax sp.) 3
Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) 1
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) 8
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 10
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) 2
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) X
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) 1
Veery (Catharus fuscescens) 5
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) X
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) X
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) X
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 3
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) 5 Everywhere!
Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) 2 One at Midwood
stairs, other on Lookout
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 10
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina) 2 2 in same bush on
Lookout switchback trail
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 5
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) 25 approx count
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 3
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 3
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) 1 near 3 Arches Bridge
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 2
Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) 1 Breeze Hill
Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) 1 Midwood stairsSong Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 2
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) X
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) 2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 1
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) X
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) 2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) X
European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) 2 pair seen with Keir
Randall on Lookout Hill. Have been seen here regularly & recently by
others
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
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Peters List
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Aug 30, 2012
Protocol: Incidental
26 species
Canada Goose 22
Mallard X
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Chimney Swift X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Blue Jay 2
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
European Starling X
Cedar Waxwing 2
Louisiana Waterthrush 1 wide tail end supercilium behind eye, clear throat, heftier size vs NOWA, white overall complexion bottom,longer bill
Black-and-white Warbler 2
Nashville Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
American Redstart 4
Cape May Warbler 1
Northern Parula 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 1
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow X
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
