Sunday, January 6, 2013

Prospect January 6th: BBC walk results, rarities continue

The new year's first Brooklyn Bird Club Prospect walk is a good omen for 2013 with good birds reported, 18 participants getting looks at those rarities whether for species or for the date.52 species included among the quality birds WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL,COMMON MERGANSER, TURKEY VULTURE,PINE SISKIN RED-SHOULDERED HAWK (awaiting photo from Peter Colen) . It was Dennis Hrehowsik's inaugural leader walk and the BBC expresses its gratitude to Dennis for his time.

Misses unfortunately for the group  were other continuing great birds seen by independent birders of COMMON REDPOLL, SNOW GOOSE,and the ever expanding YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT.


COMMON REDPOLLS in singles or twos were reported at the Nethermead Arches sweetgum ( Steve and Heidi Nanz, Mary Eyster), these bird high up, 7 in the Ambergill with WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLs by  Keir Randall, with low level looks, and a report from Peter Colen , with Monica Berger of two Redpolls seen on the ice or in the sweetgum in the Vale of Cashmere .

The SNOW GOOSE  was seen in the mid afternoon between the Three Sisters Islands and Duck Island, very close to the layover COMMON MERGANSER in the overcrowded with waterfowl Lake , surrounded by 402 CANADA GEESE and abundant gulls resting on the ice ( no rarities) . Speaking of the Lake, a RING-NECKED DUCK drake is now present in the northwest sector .And yes, three merganser species today makes it a delight.

Last , regarding the elusive YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, Keir Randall spotted the warbler behind the Well Drive green shipping containers , just north of the picnic tables, in the slope scrub. This new site makes it harder to pin down this adventurous  bird, making it frustrating for birders to focus on one particular spot as the Chat did over a month ago on Breeze Hill.  We just have to walk more. A note to mention: a COOPER's HAWK reigns over the area, seen perched southwest of the Maryland Monument , and later flying over the Well house for another perch ; Oops, not good for a bright yellow Chat.We have to keep our fingers crossed.



From Dennis Hreshowsik, report from his BBC walk


18 birders met on an overcast morning that gave way to a beautiful sunny afternoon. highlights were ww x-bills in the midwood spotted by kevin, ring neck duck spotted by mike yuan and the continuing common merganser on prospect lake for a pp merganser sweep. we were also treated to a show of aerial acrobatics as a peregrine falcon hunted the flock of gulls huddled on the frozen lake. other notables were swamp sparrows on look out chip trail, hermit thrush where nethermead meets base of lookout and a late day turkey vulture fly over at nelly's lawn. thanks to all for a great day of birding.


Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Jan 6, 2013 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments:     BBC walk
52 species

Canada Goose  X
Mute Swan  X
Mallard  X
Northern Shoveler  X
Ring-necked Duck  X
Bufflehead  X
Hooded Merganser  X
Common Merganser  1     continues on prospect lake
Red-breasted Merganser  X
Ruddy Duck  X
Pied-billed Grebe  X
Double-crested Cormorant  X
Great Blue Heron  X
Turkey Vulture  1     Flyover, Nelly's lawn. white trailing edge of wing, red head and wobbly flight clearly visible
Sharp-shinned Hawk  X

Red-shouldered Hawk X  Flyover Lookout Hill south
Cooper's Hawk  X
Red-tailed Hawk  X
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  X
Downy Woodpecker  X
Hairy Woodpecker  X
Peregrine Falcon  X
Blue Jay  X
Black-capped Chickadee  X
Tufted Titmouse  X
Red-breasted Nuthatch  X
White-breasted Nuthatch  X
Brown Creeper  X
Winter Wren  X
Carolina Wren  X
Hermit Thrush  X
American Robin  X
European Starling  X
Eastern Towhee  X
Fox Sparrow  X
Song Sparrow  X
Swamp Sparrow  X
White-throated Sparrow  X
Dark-eyed Junco  X
Northern Cardinal  X
Red-winged Blackbird  X
House Finch  X
White-winged Crossbill  12     feeding on the sweet gum in the midwood near battle pass
Pine Siskin  X
American Goldfinch  X
House Sparrow  X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12516156

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



From Keir:


(Note , click on the blue color links for pics)

Yellow-breasted Chat, Prospect Park 1/6/13
Yellow-breasted Chat, photo taken by Keir Randall
https://a.gfx.ms/flickr_logo_lite.png
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY

Jan 6, 2013 11:37 AM - 3:32 PM

Protocol: Traveling

2.0 mile(s)

Comments: <br />Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.5.1

38 species



American Black Duck 6

Mallard 39

Northern Shoveler 26

Ring-necked Duck 1 Drake on lake near L249

Bufflehead 1

Hooded Merganser 15

Common Merganser 1 Hen continues on lake, peninsula side.

Ruddy Duck 38

Double-crested Cormorant 1

Red-tailed Hawk 3

American Coot 13

Ring-billed Gull 400

Herring Gull 12

Rock Pigeon 9

Mourning Dove 24

Red-bellied Woodpecker 1

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1

Downy Woodpecker 4

Blue Jay 5

Black-capped Chickadee 16

Tufted Titmouse 6

White-breasted Nuthatch 2

Winter Wren 1

Carolina Wren 1

American Robin 4

European Starling 6

Yellow-breasted Chat 1 In scrub on Lookout Hill east slope, behind green containers on Center Drive.



href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22689183@N00/8355814710/" title="Yellow-breasted Chat, Prospect Park 1/6/13 by keir randall, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8056/8355814710_4ded3a7592.jpg" alt="Yellow-breasted Chat, Prospect Park 1/6/13">

Song Sparrow 1

Swamp Sparrow 2

White-throated Sparrow 8

Northern Cardinal 5

Red-winged Blackbird 2

House Finch 16

White-winged Crossbill 12 Feeding in sweetgums above Ambergill, some coming down to drink.



href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22689183@N00/8354803485/" title="White-winged Crossbill, Prospect Park 1/6/13 by keir randall, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8235/8354803485_f43e2c8028.jpg" alt="White-winged Crossbill, Prospect Park 1/6/13">Common Redpoll 7-- 1 seen drinking from Ambergill then as I was leaving the area I heard a loud 'churr' call and found 7 feeding in a sweetgum on the north slope of the Ambergillhref="http://www.flickr.com/photos/22689183@N00/8354801879/" title="Common Redpolls, Prospect Park 1/6/13 by keir randall, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8332/8354801879_e696242a83.jpg" alt="Common Redpolls, Prospect Park 1/6/13">Pine Siskin 4

American Goldfinch 8

House Sparrow 18



View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12517458



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

Peter's list

Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, US-NY
Jan 6, 2013 2:14 AM - 2:49 AM
Protocol: Stationary
17 species (+1 other taxa)

Snow Goose  1
Canada Goose  402
Mute Swan  7
American Black Duck  X
Mallard  X
American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid)  X
Northern Shoveler  X
Ring-necked Duck  1
Bufflehead  2
Hooded Merganser  17     
Common Merganser  1     
Ruddy Duck  X
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Great Blue Heron  1
Cooper's Hawk  1     along Well Drive
Ring-billed Gull  1200
Herring Gull  X
Great Black-backed Gull  9

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12521653

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