When I had a discussion in late October with Rob Bate about putting up the feeders up earlier than the usual Thanksgiving Day setup, it was because of the then current signs of a big winter finch irruption that started with PINE SISKINs. Fast forward to today , with reports in the region of heavy Crossbill irruption throughout the northeast, especially a report I read in Rhode Island of hundreds Red Crossbills and smaller numbers in Hecksers State Park on Long Island, it made sense for early feeder setup for hopes of getting at least one great and rare species at the feeders. That occurred today, a female EVENING GROSBEAK , in its second day at Prospect after Alex Wilson's sighting yesterday, commanding great views for the small contingent of birders who saw it today.
Yesterday's EVENING GROSBEAK (EVGR) was seen perched in a treetop by the Binnen bridge , viewed by Alex. This was the first time this very rare species was seen in Prospect since September 24th , 2000, a 12 year hiatus.Today's EVGR sighting was texted to me 12:59 by Isabel, alerted by a young birder named Noam. After arrival by a number of birders who missed out with this bird, our patience paid off, as the EVGR was spotted on the broken cherry limb behind and above the pole's umbrella shield ( baffle). Thereby, it warily came down to the upper right mesh feeder, rewarding birders and the feeders best bird for winter 2012-2013 ( so far unless we get Xbills).
Among the EVGR accompaniment, 7 PINE SISKINS in gorgeous views busily ate away the thistle seeds on the tube feeders close to the fence. many could see the yellowy wing feathers on a few of the siskins. FOX SPARROW atop the umbrella , looking down at a pair of PURPLE FINCHES and its showtime.
Good luck to you birdrs with the EVGR ; here's hoping the bird sticks around Sunday and beynd maybe bring more of its flock..
-KB
Alex Wilson's 11/16 report
A female EVENING GROSBEAK was a first for me in Prospect today, seen
briefly
perched above the Binnen Bridge. There did not appear to be
much diurnal
movement going on, but other birds included EASTERN
MEADOWLARK, RUSTY
BLACKBIRD, and my first of season AMERICAN TREE
SPARROW.
Good
birding,
Alex Wilson
Brooklyn
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Nov
16, 2012
54 species
Canada Goose 5
Mute Swan 9
American Black
Duck 1
Mallard 75
Northern Shoveler 150
Bufflehead 1
(Female.)
Hooded Merganser 5
Ruddy Duck 50
Double-crested Cormorant
1
Great Blue Heron 3
Red-tailed Hawk 5
American Coot 15
Ring-billed
Gull 100
Herring Gull 20
Great Black-backed Gull 2
Rock Pigeon
25
Mourning Dove 30
Belted Kingfisher 2
Red-bellied Woodpecker
4
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2
Downy Woodpecker 5
Hairy Woodpecker
1
Peregrine Falcon 2
Blue Jay 20
American Crow 20
Fish Crow
1
Black-capped Chickadee 20
Tufted Titmouse 6
Red-breasted Nuthatch
1
White-breasted Nuthatch 7
Brown Creeper 1
Carolina Wren
4
Golden-crowned Kinglet 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Hermit Thrush
6
American Robin 25
European Starling 100
American Tree Sparrow 1
(Fallkill meadow, FoS.)
Fox Sparrow 5
Song Sparrow 4
Swamp Sparrow
2
White-throated Sparrow 50
Dark-eyed Junco 25
Northern Cardinal
30
Red-winged Blackbird 7
Eastern Meadowlark 1 (Nethermead, 8:00 AM;
intent on feeding,
unusually tolerant of dogs but eventually flushed to
treetops, called
a few times, and flew over Quaker Ridge.
Photographed.)
Rusty Blackbird 1 (Vale of Cashmere.)
Common Grackle
1
Purple Finch 2 (Feeders.)
House Finch 20
Pine Siskin 30
American
Goldfinch 75
Evening Grosbeak 1 (Female, flying over Binnen Bridge to
perch
briefly in treetop, 8:45 AM; only seen from underneath. Large,
plain,
big-headed, finch-type bird; big, pale, cardinal-sized bill,
short,
notched tail with white spots on underside. Flew north, showing
white
patches in wings. Photographed.)
House Sparrow 10
*************************
Keir report
Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2012 17:39:06 -0500
> From:
do-not-reply@ebird.org
> To: keirr@hotmail.com
> Subject: eBird
Report - Prospect Park, Nov 17, 2012
>
> Prospect Park, Kings,
US-NY
> Nov 17, 2012 12:44 PM - 4:28 PM
> Protocol:
Traveling
> 2.0 mile(s)
> Comments:
Submitted from
BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.5.1
> 31 species
>
> Mallard
7
> Northern Shoveler 20
> Ruddy Duck 5
> Cooper's Hawk
1
> Red-tailed Hawk 2
> American Coot 1
> Herring Gull
2
> Mourning Dove 6
> Red-bellied Woodpecker 2
>
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1
> Downy Woodpecker 2
> Blue Jay 5
>
Black-capped Chickadee 5
> Tufted Titmouse 8
> Red-breasted Nuthatch
1
> White-breasted Nuthatch 2
> Eastern Bluebird 1 Nethermead nr
Binnen water/arches
> Hermit Thrush 1
> American Robin 6
>
European Starling 16
> Fox Sparrow 2
> White-throated Sparrow
21
> White-crowned Sparrow 1 Binnen Bridge
> Dark-eyed Junco
1
> Northern Cardinal 6
> Purple Finch 1
> House Finch
9
> Pine Siskin 14
> American Goldfinch 20
> Evening Grosbeak
1 Female at feeders. Large bill, yellow green nape, white in wings not complete,
white dots on upper tail feathers
>
photos by Keir
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22689183@N00/8194690222/
***************************
Pete'r list
Prospect Park--Feeders, Kings, US-NY
Nov 17, 2012 2:00 PM - 2:50
PM
Protocol: Stationary
10 species
Blue Jay 2
White-breasted
Nuthatch 1
Fox Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 7
Dark-eyed Junco
3
Purple Finch 2
House Finch 5
Pine Siskin 7
American Goldfinch
8
Evening Grosbeak 1 Multiple observers
