If you are contend going out on a beautiful day as I was today, the combinations of fall's colorful leaves and nice birds even if they are common species are worth seeing. From the southwest shore of the Lake, to the Nethermead Bridge, or even the Peninsula, there are scenes worth appreciating the beauty of autumn and its birds.First, the persistent RED-HEADED WOODPECKER juvenile is flashier today, flying all over the place at the spot called the "Hammerhead peninsula", the eastern point where this bird is now content to staying put. From tree to tree, it entertained mostly the 5 photographers below outnumbering the birders.Can you blame them trying their best getting pics of this rare bird for Prospect ?
But that woodpecker isn't the only note for me. There were also 8 species ducks today in Prospect. Placid bluish green water of Prospect Lake reflecting the sunny -partial cloudy sky held a large flock of NORTHERN SHOVELERS and RUDDY DUCKS but hidden among them are 4 hen BUFFLEHEAD. By the Three Sisters Islands, Bob Oneill and I while watching a perched REDTAILED HAWK on the island, 2 drake HOODED MERGANSERs waded by. Adding the GADWALL in Upper Pool and WOOD DUCKS in the Lower Pool willow snag, it was a nice collection for the park.
But most enjoyable were the BLUE JAYS. Remembering my " yoot" (Brooklyn accented ), Blue jays were always a wonderful sight near the Brooklyn Queens Expressway in my backyard ;sometimes my mother would beckoned me quickly to see these great birds. Today, 3 or 4 perched on colorful trees above the Nethermead Bridge, bright yellow Sugar Maple leaves with the blues of the jays makes it an expressive artistic display. Don't you agree ?
So , as much we want to pursue the rarities, its important we look at the common birds and appreciate the wonderful noise they make and great presence they reveal to us during this fall vibrant season of great hues and colors.
And hat tip to all our soldiers and veterans (including my dad during the Korean War)
Peter's list
date = 2013/11/11
site = Prospect Park
observers = Peter D
Pied-billed Grebe 1 Lake, maybe same in south Lullwater later
Double-crested Cormorant 2 west isl
Great Blue Heron Pools isthmus
Northern Shoveler easily 85 Lake,3 Upper Pool
Bufflehead 4 hen with in shoveler flock Lake
Gadwall 5 Upper Pool, 3 drke,2 hen
American Black Duck 3 Lake
Wood Duck 6 Lower Pool, 4 drake,2 hen Hooded Merganser 2 drake at Three Sisters, seen later at shore of westernmost isln Ruddy Duck easily 80 LakeMallard lakeCanada Goose LakeMute Swan 5 Lake Red-tailed Hawk perched western 3 sisters island, likely 2nd north Nethermead American Coot 3 south Lullwater Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull 45 lake Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Downy Woodpecker Nethermead Br Red-headed Woodpecker "flashy" juvenile southwest Lakeside at point of Hammerhead peninsula Red-bellied Woodpecker 2, 1 Nethermead Eastern Phoebe Nethermead Br Blue-headed Vireo reported by Kathy Toomey with Emily Goldstein Blue Jay 5 Brown Creeper 2 on Ginkgo , peninsula Winter Wren Center Dr bridle trail Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3 American Robin Hermit Thrush 4 White-throated Sparrow 30, West Isl, 15 Peninsula sumacs Song Sparrow 2 Dark-eyed Junco Peninsula sumacs Eastern Towhee female West Island shore House SparrowFrom Peter COlen , photos of RHwoodpecker & birds
