First among the rare types, a female BLUE GROSBEAK (that I was after) was very active within the Butterfly Meadow atop Lookout Hill, the lower meadow of the two. Its a gorgeous looking bird when I got up there at my lunch hour and spotted with Heidi Clevens help. I saw the grosbeak perched on dried sunflower stalks whereas it was spotted also on fence posts and the rubus blackberry bramble shrubs.
The other very good sighting given its number was MOURNING WARBLER. Besides the usual short staying resident at the southwest corner of Quaker Cemetery pothole, by the DO NOT ENTER signs at the horse trail, the cooperative MOURNING WARBLER delighted birders. Sometimes this bird would fly across to the Portasan site.But there are two more MOURNINGS reports. One was also In Butterfly meadow shortly after the aforementioned, and a third in the North Midwood area, a half mile away. first seen last nite ( evening). ( see Adam's report). So three MOWA is quite a catch for the park.
Then there is OLIVE SIDED FLYCATCHER. This tyrant flycatcher was spotted above the Switchback trail which zigzags down Lookout Hill's south slope , coming out near the Maryland Monument ( Keir Randall observing).
The flycatchers are in force. WILLOW/ALDER , LEAST and quality YELLOW-BELLIED are all being seen in Butterfly Meadow or in perimeter woods. Take a walk in this area and you will definitely see an empidonax.
While I was up in the Butterfly Meadow, Heidi Clevens ( who by the way tells me the Blue Grosbeak is a life bird for her) and I also spotted a gorgeous male INDIGO BUNTING in the meadow.
Even with the peak birding gone, there is still very good birding to be had for the next several days.
Enjoy the holiday weekend
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Keir Randall report
Date and Effort
Fri May 23, 2014 8:27 AM
- Protocol:
- Traveling
- Party Size:
- 1
- Duration:
- 1 hour(s), 35 minute(s)
- Distance:
- 1.5 mile(s)
- Observers:
- Keir Randall
Species
50 species (+1 other taxa) total
3 | Mallard |
|---|---|
1 | Green Heron |
1 | Black-crowned Night-Heron |
2 | Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) |
4 | Mourning Dove |
12 | Chimney Swift |
2 | Red-bellied Woodpecker |
1 | Downy Woodpecker |
1 | Olive-sided Flycatcher
On bare snag by switchback trail, Lookout Hill
|
3 | Eastern Wood-Pewee |
1 | Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Breeze Hill slope down to Lullwater between feeders and Terrace Bridge. Silent but seen well for a few minutes. Very yellow green overall with no demarcation between yellow green cheek and yellow throat (NB a Blackpoll Warbler with very white belly was seen at the same time so the yellow tones were not due to foliage reflection etc.) Yellow in belly, pointed bill (couldn't judge width but didn't seem that big) and rounded head with very slightly crested look. The primary projection felt medium (perhaps medium to long) but I feel that the yellow in throat etc. rules out Acadian, especially in spring. My first spring record for this species in Prospect Park.
|
1 | Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's Flycatcher)
Butterfly Meadow
|
1 | Great Crested Flycatcher |
1 | White-eyed Vireo |
5 | Warbling Vireo |
3 | Red-eyed Vireo |
6 | Blue Jay |
2 | Tree Swallow |
14 | Barn Swallow |
2 | House Wren |
1 | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher |
1 | Swainson's Thrush |
8 | American Robin |
3 | Gray Catbird |
15 | European Starling |
7 | Cedar Waxwing |
2 | Ovenbird |
1 | Northern Waterthrush |
3 | Black-and-white Warbler |
8 | Common Yellowthroat |
5 | American Redstart |
4 | Magnolia Warbler |
1 | Bay-breasted Warbler
butterfly meadow
|
2 | Blackburnian Warbler |
2 | Yellow Warbler |
3 | Chestnut-sided Warbler |
8 | Blackpoll Warbler |
2 | Black-throated Blue Warbler |
1 | Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) |
2 | Black-throated Green Warbler |
3 | Canada Warbler |
2 | Song Sparrow |
1 | Scarlet Tanager |
2 | Northern Cardinal |
1 | Blue Grosbeak
female on the fence by Arlene's Pines, refound by Chris Las.
|
1 | Indigo Bunting |
4 | Red-winged Blackbird |
4 | Common Grackle |
2 | Brown-headed Cowbird |
3 | Baltimore Oriole |
7 | House Sparrow |
Are you submitting a complete checklist of the birds you were able to iden
***********************************************************
Mike Yuan Report
Peter-
Lively morning spent mostly on Lookout. Immediately heard the West Drive/Center Drive Mourning Warbler, about 100 ft up from the Do Not Enter sign. He sang continuously at 6:40am, moving towards his namesake signs until I left him 10 minutes later.
An hour later, at the SW corner of Butterfly Meadow, I saw another male Mourning Warbler preening on a fence inside the planted area. Gave great looks before he skipped eastward towards the Switchback Trail. A good assortment of warblers still around.
Loads of empids on Butterfly Meadow and around Lookout's slopes, along with a female Blue Grosbeak. Only a Least Flycatcher vocalized for me, and had a good look at a silent yellow-bellied candidate. More around
Date and Effort
Fri May 23, 2014 6:30 AM
- Protocol:
- Traveling
- Party Size:
- 1
- Duration:
- 2 hour(s), 30 minute(s)
- Distance:
- 1.0 mile(s)
- Observers:
- Michael Yuan
Species
39 species (+1 other taxa) total
2 | Mallard |
|---|---|
1 | Herring Gull |
4 | Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) |
2 | Mourning Dove |
2 | Chimney Swift |
2 | Eastern Wood-Pewee |
1 | Least Flycatcher
Singing on Butterfly Meadow
|
3 | Empidonax sp.
1 - seen at 20 ft in sapling on Butterfly Meadow. Yellow breast, medium primary projection. Clean white eye-ring, but couldn't see the rear of the eyering well. Did not vocalize.
2 - chipping constantly down slope to the east of MD monument. Sounded like WIFL "whit" but not textbook. |
2 | Great Crested Flycatcher |
1 | Warbling Vireo |
4 | Red-eyed Vireo |
2 | Blue Jay |
1 | Barn Swallow |
1 | House Wren |
12 | American Robin |
3 | Gray Catbird |
8 | European Starling |
13 | Cedar Waxwing |
1 | Northern Waterthrush |
2 | Mourning Warbler
Continuing adult male seen at West Drive/Center Drive intersection at 6:40am. Singing lustily and continuously. Saw 2nd male at SW corner of Butterly Meadow on Lookout Hill an hour later. Bird was preening on a wire fence inside the planted area.
The 1st bird has been faithful to the Do Not Enter sign area, so it's unlikely it would travel to the top of Lookout to bathe. |
3 | Common Yellowthroat |
13 | American Redstart |
6 | Magnolia Warbler |
2 | Bay-breasted Warbler |
4 | Blackburnian Warbler |
2 | Chestnut-sided Warbler |
1 | Blackpoll Warbler |
1 | Black-throated Blue Warbler |
7 | Black-throated Green Warbler |
2 | Canada Warbler |
1 | Song Sparrow |
1 | Lincoln's Sparrow |
4 | Northern Cardinal |
1 | Blue Grosbeak
Female on butterfly meadow. Seen with Male Indigo Bunting, where larger size was apparent. Wingbars rufous, but not obvious. Large thick bill.
|
1 | Indigo Bunting |
1 | Red-winged Blackbird |
2 | Common Grackle |
1 | Brown-headed Cowbird |
3 | Baltimore Oriole |
15 | House Sparrow |
