It appears that sparrow numbers really dipped quite a bit , but unexpected sightings and seasonal rarity nevertheless appeared.
By my account and lack thereof reports from Prospect,the sparrow numbers dipped. The most abundant sparrow today was White throated Sparrow from my and Mary Eyster' s coverage of Greenwood Cemetery and later Sunset Park. Lack of reports from Prospect Park except for a rarity also was noted. In a sense each regional greenspace covered today by birders- Prospect,Greenwood Cemetery,Brooklyn Botanic Garden & Sunset Park had something of note.
Greenwood Cemetery gets the first crack. A juvenile RED HEADED WOODPECKER reported by Orrin Tilevitz was seen on Cypress Ave near the Heath Path. This sighting bought me and Mary in to look ,then joined by Tom Preston and his wife Joann and Ed Crowne.No luck finding this woodpecker .However unexpectedly two COMMON NIGHTHAWKS were seen patrolling above Southwood Ave area with late swifts.Very nice views of three RED BREASTED NUTHATCHs feeding on open pine cones at Heath Path was pleasant birding.Near this location was where Tom Preston heard flyover PINE SISKINS ,about 15 birds. Its going to be a good winter with the siskins around.
Ed Crowne left and eventually wound up in Brooklyn Botanic Garden.Another surprise for the day seen by Ed in an unlikely place,an EASTERN MEADOWLARK in the pine barren grassland section of the new but small Native Garden section with the pond .
Prospect came thru with a lone report of rare VESPER SPARROW in the ballfields section very likely very crowded with sports players, the bird along the south snow fence.The VESPER was found by Joshua Malbin.
At Sunset Park,Mary Eysters patch of woods in her neighborhood and our effort to get it on the Cornell EBird centenary roll, we spotted three flyover late BROADWINGED HAWKs along the southern border of the park. We added GOLDEN CROWNED KINGLET and WHITE BREASTED NUTHATCH to the new list,now at 77.
A cooler day,yet a little bit of spread out bird action all around.
Greenwood list
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S20214652
Sunset
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S20215223
