Subject: Birding in Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn Date: Fri Oct 9 2015 15:40 pm From: gabrielwillow AT yahoo.com

In keeping with the recent recurring theme of birding in pocket parks, which I think is a wonderful trend, I birded in Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn on Tuesday & Wednesday. Â

Apologies for the belated report, but there were no rarities that I felt were urgent to report. However, I did see a nice smattering of seasonal species, and I think there's great potential for more interesting sightings. Â As of now, the park only has 49 species on eBird, of which I added 5 or 6 on my brief afternoon strolls. Â The park has a nice mix of introduced and native trees, grassy areas, and brush/ flowerbeds. Â It's a bit open and heavily eroded, and has a lot of soccer-players and dogs, but still, great potential for bird sightings! Â

Currently, there's a fenced-off weedy construction area near the middle of the eastern side of the park, which attracted large numbers of sparrows. In my two hour-long strolls (one without binoculars), I spotted: American Kestrel (nest in cornices nearby)Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (several)Downy WoodpeckerHairy WoodpeckerNorthern FlickerEastern Phoebe (4+)Brown CreeperW-b NuthatchRuby-crowned KingletGolden-crowned KingletCedar WaxwingPine Warbler (at least two, in Japanese Pines near visitor's center)Yellow-rumped WarblerChipping Sparrow (30+)Field SparrowDark-eyed JuncoHouse Finch I thought the large flock of Chipping Sparrows was particularly promising. Â I wouldn't be surprised to pull out a Clay-colored or Lark Sparrow there, but no such luck this time... Good Fall Birding, Gabriel Willow