Saturday, April 6, 2013

April 6th Prospect Chilly birds and waterbirds

The islands of Prospect Lake offer safe refuge for birds and good opportunities for birders to check out .On a slow day for land birds, the waters and islands are places to view around this time if pursuit for good birds isn't paramount and the enjoyment of nature and beautiful days is your thing. 

 This morning, I went around the south shore of the lake, seeing how busy and impacted the Peninsula was from two legged beings and 4 legged creatures that ran rampant thru the Peninsula, the sight of 4 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS on West Island was a nice sight to behold. One DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT glided up to underneath one of the herons and got spooked when it saw the heron looked down on it from the water snag. A hen HOODED MERGANSER came away from the shore near the herons. At the next island to the east, 3 BUFFLEHEADS stayed close to the shore of the easternmost island of 3 Sisters, while a GREAT BLUE HERON took off from 3 Sisters Island for Duck Island, where another Black crowned Night Heron perched. But the good bird here at Duck Island was the lingering hen COMMON MERGANSER that eventually joined a RUDDY DUCK flock near the Peninsula thumb.

Other ducks added to the species list with Rafael's report of 2 WOOD DUCKs and GADWALL at the Upper Pool; both of us , with Donna E saw the RED-BREASTED MERGANSER in the Lullwater. As mentioned before it was very quiet land wise, I am still looking for my "foy" Pine Warbler with no luck there. A PINE WARBLER was reported by Keir , seen on the south edge of the Midwood over the green shipping containers. The best for today's birds was the RUSTY BLACKBIRD in the Vale of Cashmere north end of the Pool, an adult individual  walking on the mud there, thanks to this bird found by Rafael.

Typical early spring landbirds was the norm with a bright yellow bellied YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER in the Vale's Cedar of Lebanon conifer, along with WINTER WREN in the north Midwood, a few GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, BROWN CREEPERS,reported CAROLINA WREN to speak for.

We did see swallows near the Peninsula point, about 5 TREES with our first of the year BARN SWALLOW , all making quick patrols over the water.Later more swallows flew over the Lullwater.

This day was nice to be out though still chilly  which obviously stalls migration . But no care, gorgeous day is whats worth it.

Observers Peter , Rafael, Donna


Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Apr 6, 2013
Protocol: Incidental
28 species

Red-tailed Hawk  1
Mourning Dove  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Phoebe  3
Blue Jay  X
Black-capped Chickadee  X
Tufted Titmouse  4
White-breasted Nuthatch  1 Vale
Brown Creeper  2, Peninsula
Winter Wren  1 north Midwood
Golden-crowned Kinglet  2
American Robin  X
European Starling  X
American Tree Sparrow  1 lullwater
Song Sparrow  X
Swamp Sparrow  1 south shore
White-throated Sparrow  X
Northern Cardinal  X
Red-winged Blackbird  X
Rusty Blackbird  1     Vale Cashmere
Common Grackle  X
Brown-headed Cowbird  1 Peninsula
Pine Siskin  2 Ricks Pl
American Goldfinch  3
House Sparrow  X
Tree Swallow-5
Barn Swallow

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13652237

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

Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, US-NY
Apr 6, 2013 9:11 AM - 10:11 AM
Protocol: Traveling
1.0 mile(s)
17 species

Canada Goose  X
Mute Swan  X
Mallard  X
Northern Shoveler  55     
Ring-necked Duck  1 drake Lullwater
Bufflehead  3
Hooded Merganser  1
Common Merganser  1     
Red-breasted Merganser  1
Ruddy Duck  97     
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Double-crested Cormorant  2
Great Blue Heron  1
Black-crowned Night-Heron  5
American Coot  X
Ring-billed Gull  X
Herring Gull  X