A very cooperative BLUE GROSBEAK is still hanging about , offering tame views to birders today and opportunities for anyone venturing to see this rare bird in our region. Also treasured is a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT in the same area at Switchback Trail . Warblers are still kicking up the dust, last opportunities to see this genus before cold snaps will deplete their presence till next spring.
Also of note GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH, INDIGO BUNTING, PURPLE FINCH & LINCOLN SPARROW to add good variety for the park visitor.
During my lunch hour, a juvenile WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was seen feeding on dried aster seeds on the ground in the wildflower meadow to the west of Three Arches /Nethermead Bridge, this site dominated by a giant cut timber.Perhaps after Sunday's rain when temperatures will plummet to the 50's and cold air (my term "freeze front") indulge sparrows to get their tails southward, as many of us experienced birders are asking : where the heck are they ?
October is good birding......
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From Keir
hi Peter
I think Bobbi will have got better photos today of the Grosbeak as it is still very confiding - I walked away from it twice! Also a YB Chat in the same area on the switchback but much skulkier. Very good activity today on switchback, Breeze Hill & Sparrowbowl early.
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Oct 5, 2012 7:10 AM - 9:20 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
48 species (+1 other taxa)
Wood Duck 1
Mallard 8
Sharp-shinned/Cooper's Hawk 1
Herring Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 4
Mourning Dove 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 25 Sparrowbowl, Nethermead, Lookout
Eastern Wood-Pewee 1
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 12
Black-capped Chickadee 4
Red-breasted Nuthatch 2
House Wren 3
Swainson's Thrush 12 Including 8+ at Sparrowbowl
American Robin 10
Gray Catbird 4
European Starling 15
Cedar Waxwing 1
Black-and-white Warbler 2
Nashville Warbler 1 Maryland Monument
Common Yellowthroat 7
American Redstart 2
Northern Parula 5
Magnolia Warbler 2
Blackpoll Warbler 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Palm Warbler 10
Pine Warbler 1 Breeze Hill pines with a Blackpoll
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Lookout switchback trail
Eastern Towhee 1
Chipping Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 5
Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Wildflower Meadow, Long Meadow
Swamp Sparrow 3 Breeze Hill, Maryland Mon. steps, Sparrowbowl
White-throated Sparrow 12
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Scarlet Tanager 1 Sparrowbowl
Northern Cardinal 4
Blue Grosbeak 1 Continues on Lookout switchback trail calling (8.15am) & feeding later Maryland Monument steps (9am). Immature female I think.
Indigo Bunting 1 Wildflower Meadow, Long Meadow
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Baltimore Oriole 1
American Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow 30
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from Rafael Campos:
05 October 2012
Nice day than yesterday, and went a little late (±10:30 am) to have a second chance for the Blue Grosbeak that have been reported around Maryland's Monument & the switchback trail, Lookout Hill.
I was surprise by the number of species of warblers seen today. The rare one was 1 juvenal Chestnut-sided. Others seen were: Blackpoll, Yellowthroat, Black-and-white, Magnolia, Palm, Yellow-rumped (Myrtle), Ovenbird, Yellowthroat, BT Blue, BT Green.
And, finally, the Blue Grosbeak seen briefly when perched, and gone in seconds when flew into dense vegetation.
A great day.
Brooklyn is great birding: Rafael Campos R.
Prospect Park, Brooklyn, Kings, US-NY
Oct 5, 2012 10:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
Observer: Rafael G Campos
3.5 kilometer(s)
50 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) X
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) X
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 7 Upper pool
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) X
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) 10 Lake
Herring Gull (American) (Larus argentatus smithsonianus) 1 Flyover Lookout Hill
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) X
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) 6
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 2
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 2
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted) (Colaptes auratus [auratus Group]) 12 Nethermead, forraging on the ground.
Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1 Flyover peninsula
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) 1 Lookout Hill
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) 1 Nelly's lawn
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) 2
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) 2
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) X
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 3
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 2
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) 3
Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) 1 Between Rick's place & the broken steps.
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) 7
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) X
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) X
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) 1
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) 2
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 3
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) 3
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia) 6
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) 1 juvenal, Vale of Cashmere
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) 5
Palm Warbler (Yellow) (Setophaga palmarum hypochrysea) 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) (Setophaga coronata coronata) 1
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) 2
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) 1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 8
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) X
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) 1 female, switchback trail, Lookout Hill
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) X
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus) 1 Female, Lookout Hill
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) X
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) X
Brooklyn is great birding!!!
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Note PPS The PB grebe record for a single day i 13 in Jan 13,2000.There are at least 7 records for 12
