Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Cacklings, Gallinule & Tree Sparrow

This milder crisp day continues to see good stuff in Prospect Park. With two good water birds and a quality sparrow to observe, it's a worthy day birding in the park.

CACKLING GEESE continue to hang out with the Canada Geese along the "Hammerhead Peninsula" between West and Three Sisters Islands as reported this morning by Mike Yuan and I re found. Just focus on this southwestern Lake area for the rare birds and if no Canada geese flock is present , check out the Parade grounds across from the park at Parkside Avenue.

COMMON GALLINULE reappeared today after a noted absence yesterday. An Ebird report by Marc Passman placed the bird near the Terrace Bridge along the Breeze Hill small pink beach( opposite the Peninsula's larger pink beach). Marc's report is below.

A likely first of the year AMERICAN TREE SPARROW made its appearance in the brushy Butterfly Meadow atop Lookout Hill.. Karen OHearn was the observer.Karen also saw FIELD SPARROW...somewhere.

In late afternoon,Orrin reported a Coopers hawk mobbed by bluejays on the Peninsula

Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) (2)
- Reported Nov 21, 2017 08:30 by Dennis Hrehowsik
- Prospect Park, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6602841,-73.9689534&ll=40.6602841,-73.9689534
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40639596
- Comments: "Continuing. Much smaller than Canada particularly when swimming side by side with head raised but less evident when head is tucked in. Tiny bills, more washed out color overall. I'd guess they are Richardson's based on coloring compared to Canada and other cackling I have seen in the past. Loosely associating with lazy Canada flock near West Island."

Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) (2)
- Reported Nov 21, 2017 07:54 by Michael Yuan
- Prospect Park, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6602841,-73.9689534&ll=40.6602841,-73.9689534
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40639507
- Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing on SW section of the lake. Small, blocky headed, with small bills. Pale breasts."

Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) (2)
- Reported Nov 21, 2017 09:50 by Marc Passmann
- Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6553787,-73.9686421&ll=40.6553787,-73.9686421
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40640270
- Comments: "2 continuing in flock of Canada geese."

Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) (1)
- Reported Nov 21, 2017 09:50 by Marc Passmann
- Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6553787,-73.9686421&ll=40.6553787,-73.9686421
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S40640270
- Comments: "Continuing near Terraces bridge opposite the pink beach."