Friday, March 31, 2017

DNA news Redtailed Hawk nest in a Catholic Church steeple in Park Slope

https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170330/park-slope/red-tailed-hawk-family-name-contest-prospect-park-zoo-tickets?utm_source=Brooklyn&utm_campaign=b9d0c187d9-Mailchimp-NYC&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7260a5da5b-b9d0c187d9-132464945

Need a field trip leader

Hi readers

I plan trips for the BBC..Im looking for a leader to lead a casual morning Breeding bird walk in Prospect Park.The date is either June 24th or 25th

Email me if u are iinterested

Peter

Three sisters islands guests

In this soggy weather,5 BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS share a roost with a lone GREAT BLUE HERON at Three Sisters Islands.

The PIED BILLED Grebe stays true to the channel cove adjacent to the western island.

Please see my previous post about the grebe.Try not to get too close ,stay back from the shore in case the grebe is eyeing the area for nesting. It's been here a week.  Thanks

A favor from birders

For the past week, I have been seeing one of the PIED BILLED GREBES hanging out in the back channel of the western most island of Three Sisters Islands at the center south shore of Prospect Lake.
This may indicate the bird might be scoping the phragmites there for a nesting.( Prospect had one successful nesting about 6 years ago)

The request or favor I have is birders to let me know if they see or find a nest in those phragmites. If yes on a nesting , let me know asap as my office might have to take steps to secure and protect the nesting.

Pied Billed Grebe is "Threatened" in New York State.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/85203.html

Thanks

KB



Thursday, March 30, 2017

Fwd: Bluebirds!



Sent from AOL Mobile Mail


-----Original Message-----
From: Sheila Friedman <waxwing100@verizon.net>
To: Prosbird <Prosbird@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Mar 30, 2017 01:31 PM
Subject: Bluebirds!



Hi Peter,
A beautiful pair of Eastern Bluebirds in GreenWood! Locust Ave &Acacia Path.
Sheila Friedman
Sent from my iPhone

eàrly spring signs

Across three parks ( if you include greenwood cemetery minus the headstones) early spring signs is descending in those locations. From reports on Twitter,email or facebook, here are some highlights.

In Greenwood , PINE WARBLER steal the spotlight. Gus Keri spotted one on a headstone a very bright individual.His video can be seen on Facebook Brooklyn Urban birders group.

Over at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, EASTERN TOWHEE is in.That species was reported by Orrin Tilevitz seen in the native garden section.

And today in Prospect its HERMIT THRUSH, this earliest thrush was Ryan Goldberg's spotting ,in the Ravine Ambergill section .Gus reported RUSTY BLACKBIRD somewhere in the park.

Regardless where EASTERN PHOEBE picked all three locales for its prominent showing. I spotted two on the water fence at the Prospect dog Beach, active bug catchers they are.Yesterday was an infusion of phoebes, where noted the ravine area saw twenty.

Yesterday also I found water birds quite notable.On the Lake, five RING-NECKED DUCK headed a parade that include three Drake BUFFLEHEAD , a single RED BREASTED MERGANSER, two SNOW GEESE still with us, a pair of PIED BILLED GREBE ,and along with 15 Wood duck ,5 HOODED MERGANSERS on the Upper Pool.

No reports of the Goshawk the past two days.

Fwd: Fw: BBG and GWC

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Orrin Tilevitz" <tilevitzo@yahoo.com>
Date: Mar 30, 2017 1:40 PM
Subject: Fw: BBG and GWC
To: "prosbird@gmail.com" <prosbird@gmail.com>
Cc:



One of two towhees in the BBG native plant garden this morning. One of many phoebes in GWC yesterday.
 


Tweet from Dennis Hrehowsik (@deepseagangster)

Dennis Hrehowsik (@deepseagangster) tweeted at 0:32 PM on Thu, Mar 30, 2017:
Celebrate 150 years of Prospect Park this Saturday 8AM with sesquicentennial anniversary bird walk

http:/www.brooklynbirdclub.org/trips.htm
(https://twitter.com/deepseagangster/status/847486672144957445?s=03)

Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download?s=13

Fwd: First Sunday Bird Walk - April 2 at 8 am



Sent from AOL Mobile Mail


-----Original Message-----
From: michele dreger <msdreger@yahoo.com>
>
Sent: Wed, Mar 29, 2017 09:20 PM
Subject: First Sunday Bird Walk - April 2 at 8 am


 
This Sunday is the First Sunday Early Morning Bird Walk for April.  We start at 8am at the Boathouse.  Bring your binoculars.

We will look for early migrants.  Maybe we can even get a glimpse of the elusive Goshawk.

I'm sorry to miss this walk but I will be birding in Florida.  Neal will be leading the walk. 

Enjoy,

Michele

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Tweet from RobBate (@robsbirder)

RobBate (@robsbirder) tweeted at 3:12 PM on Wed, Mar 29, 2017:
Red shoulder hawk spotted by Sharon Crocker and Saul over Terr Bridge
(https://twitter.com/robsbirder/status/847164507420086272?s=03)

Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download?s=13

Fwd: Success! The West Pond Breach is Closed.




-----Original Message-----
From: The Birders' Coalition for Gateway via Change.org <reply@exacttarget.change.org>
To: prosbird <prosbird@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Mar 29, 2017 3:34 pm
Subject: Success! The West Pond Breach is Closed.

The Birders' Coalition for Gateway just posted an update on Jennifer T. Nersesian: Restore the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, New York.

Success! The West Pond Breach is Closed.

The breach is closed and now we begin the process of getting the pond back to a fresh water source.
Read full update

In with the Warm flow



A warm flow this afternoon after a another dreary looking morning bought in some Pines and Palm.

Kathy Toomey reporting from Greenwood Cemetery's Sylvan Waters ( of the northwest section ) saw four PINE WARBLERS as well as a single PALM WARBLER in mid afternoon.A few TREE SWALLOWS at the same locale also appeared.

Tweet from Kathleen Toomey (@KingsKathy) GWCEM

Kathleen Toomey (@KingsKathy) tweeted at 2:11 PM on Wed, Mar 29, 2017:
Four Pine Warblers and three Tree Swallows Sylvan Water
(https://twitter.com/KingsKathy/status/847149298542428162?s=03)

Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download?s=13

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Wet Goshawk

Serendipitously the Prospect GOSHAWK showed up luckily for me and my coworker at our Breeze Hill work site around nine o'clock this morning. I couldn't ask for such generosity from this big bird.

As we worked , my coworker Howard got my attention of a large raptor that flew overhead. Howard said he didn't see it fly around , assumed it landed in the tree above on the hill top edge by the big spruce.. And sure enough he found it again ; I struggled finding it against the harsh back light of the overcast sky. But I managed and found my target.After initial looks, I wanted to be sure and fought my way up the steep wet slippery slope, fighting off a irksome Hawthorne tree in my way. But to the top I arrived to find the big hawk still perched. It was after studying it closely for all the required field marks i noted the NORTHERN GOSHAWK. After about 7 minutes, It took off towards the Terrace Bridge, its more pointy wing tips for this accipiter and long wide tail that had the erratic banding. A strong flier it covered alot of airspace quickly.

The Lake continues to have some stuff. Yesterday's DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANT population "doubled" today with six birds sitting on the rock wall shoreline opposite Three Sisters Island western island. Within this island "chain" the lone drake RING NECKED DUCK dove constantly. The PIED BILLED GREBE elected to stay on the perimeter. The RED BREASTED MERGANSER decided to wade all over the lake now splattered by heavy rain.


Goshawk

Prospect Goshawk appeared Breeze hill south slope,flew towards Terrace br. 905

Season's first Meadowlark

Tripper Paul on his usual after work Prospect tour recorded the season's first EASTERN MEADOWLARK in Prospect.

After reporting the continuing NORTHERN GOSHAWK that perched near the feeders site , Tripper ventured over to the Nethermead where he spotted the MEADOWLARK about 6:20 pm.

The Goshawk was reported flying off southwest around 6:10 pm.

Monday, March 27, 2017

transitions

It's a quiet time now with not much to tell in Prospect. The lake offers the only real interest.

First thing I noticed on the lake were three DOUBLE CRESTED CORMORANTS.One of the birds showed prominent ear tufts.  Single Drake RING NECKED DUCK within the shadow of three sisters Islands and Drake Red BREASTED Merganser by Western shore now provide " real" excitement. Hohum?

A late word tonite. That GOSHAWK continues to prowl and mostly in the late afternoon ( 530) with Tripper Paul again the lucky observer with a few others,seeing the bird by the feeders; only that the feeders are gone.Will this be incentive - absent feeders- for the Goshawk to leave ?  Maybe .

Gos has exquisite taste now?

So, from what I read the Goshawk yesterday seen on the Brooklyn Bird Club walk in the Ravine ( first time reported here) was chasing Wood Duck. Looks like the big bird has stepped up with the gourmet dishes now.. Wood Duck tastes like chicken ?

Feeders

The feeders are done for the season. As there hasn't been a spectacular species that fed on the seed, instead the feeders attracted WHAT eats the feeder birds.I think we all know the answer to this question...

A good one then with the winter feeders season;Until next late November or early December.

Go Gos....


Sunday, March 26, 2017

Gos reports

See following
Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) (1)
- Reported Mar 26, 2017 08:44 by Adelia Harrison
- US-New York-91-99 West Drive - 40.661x-73.978 - Mar 26, 2017 8:44 AM, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6610138,-73.9776319&ll=40.6610138,-73.9776319
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35445800
- Comments: "Juvenile. Streaking throat to tailings. Chasing a duck. Large body small head. 4 other birders identified it"

Common Raven (Corvus corax) (1)
- Reported Mar 26, 2017 11:00 by Annie Novak
- Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6523083,-73.9904281&ll=40.6523083,-73.9904281
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35445904
- Comments: "Very large corvid with diamond shaped tail seen flying SW of Sylvan water "

Common Raven (Corvus corax) (1)
- Reported Mar 26, 2017 10:45 by Jo Ann Preston
- Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6523083,-73.9904281&ll=40.6523083,-73.9904281
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35445967
- Comments: "Seen flying to the South of the Sylvan Water. Large corvid with heavy bill and wedge-shaped tail"

Common Raven (Corvus corax) (1)
- Reported Mar 26, 2017 10:45 by Tom Preston
- Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6523083,-73.9904281&ll=40.6523083,-73.9904281
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35445952
- Comments: "Seen flying to the South of the Sylvan Water. Large corvid with heavy bill and wedge-shaped tail"
Show quoted text

Fwd: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Mar 26, 2017

Results of today's Brooklyn bird club walk.thx to Ryan submitting list. 

Ed crowne led Prospect walk

Sent from AOL Mobile Mail


-----Original Message-----
From: Ryan Goldberg <ryan.goldberg@gmail.com>
To: Peter Dorosh <prosbird@aol.com>
Sent: Sun, Mar 26, 2017 01:39 PM
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Mar 26, 2017


Here's my list, Peter. We saw a few extra birds after we left the group: the second swamp sparrow on the west shore of the lake, and the Kestrel picking off a house sparrow at Park Circle!

51 species...not bad.


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <ebird-checklist@cornell.edu>
Date: Sun, Mar 26, 2017 at 1:36 PM
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Mar 26, 2017
To: ryangoldberg@gmail.com


Prospect Park, Kings, New York, US
Mar 26, 2017 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments:     BBC "Spring Awakenings" walk led by Ed Crowne. Cold, cloudy, high 30s. Still a very good day. Started at Bartel-Pritchard, to the Pools, Ravine, Nethermead, Lullwater, Peninsula. Left at noon with the group still to visit Lookout. High number of eastern phoebe and golden-crowned kinglet.
51 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  80
Mute Swan  8
Wood Duck  12     Two pairs in a tree at one point. Chased onto the Upper Pool by a Cooper's hawk.
American Black Duck  2
Mallard  35
Northern Shoveler  28
Ring-necked Duck  1     Drake near Peninsula point.
Bufflehead  2     Drake and hen.
Red-breasted Merganser  1     Drake.
Ruddy Duck  40
Pied-billed Grebe  3
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Great Blue Heron  1
Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  2     One perched on the railing of the Pavilion theatre.
Buteo sp.  1     Flying very high near Bartel-Pritchard entrance. Group leaned toward red-shouldered; it flitted its wings in place often, tail was long, wings seemed pulled forward. But too far to positively ID.
American Coot  12
Ring-billed Gull  70
Herring Gull  5
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  10
Mourning Dove  3
Belted Kingfisher  2
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Downy Woodpecker  3
Northern Flicker  4     All on the ballfields with a large flock of robin.
American Kestrel  1     Seen perched on a water tower across from Park Circle as we were leaving the park. Took flight and picked off a house sparrow in midair, and returned to an antenna atop an adjacent apartment building.
Merlin  1     Perched near Tennis House overlooking the ballfields.
Eastern Phoebe  7
Blue Jay  4
Black-capped Chickadee  15
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  8
Brown Creeper  3     A pair together on the Peninsula, and the other on the ballfields perimeter.
Winter Wren  1
Golden-crowned Kinglet  10
American Robin  35
Northern Mockingbird  3
European Starling  X
Pine Warbler  2     Together outside the first ballfield when entering at Bartel-Pritchard.
Yellow-rumped Warbler  2
Dark-eyed Junco  3
White-throated Sparrow  8
Song Sparrow  14
Swamp Sparrow  2     Peninsula meadow on the lake and west shore of lake.
Northern Cardinal  9
Red-winged Blackbird  5
Common Grackle  2
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
American Goldfinch  2
European Goldfinch  1     Heard at the feeders.
House Sparrow  14

Tweet

@petersownbirds: Black crowned night Heron, two GC kinglets, many phoebes all on the peninsula

m.twitter.com/Peterson birds

PP osprey

Osprey heading east into Prospect Park per Sean Sime

Friday, March 24, 2017

Tweet from Dennis Hrehowsik (@deepseagangster)

Dennis Hrehowsik (@deepseagangster) tweeted at 1:20 PM on Fri, Mar 24, 2017:
Female ww scoter briefly on water off Columbia st pier, disturbed by boat and now flying south toward bush
(https://twitter.com/deepseagangster/status/845324521011888128?s=03)

Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download?s=13

Tweet from Shane Blodgett (@Aplomadokestrel)

Shane Blodgett (@Aplomadokestrel) tweeted at 2:28 PM on Fri, Mar 24, 2017:
Pale ICGU just north of Brooklyn Army Terminal pier
(https://twitter.com/Aplomadokestrel/status/845341493086826496?s=03)

Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download?s=13

Fwd: Yellow-rumped Warbler at Lower Pool today



Sent from AOL Mobile Mail


-----Original Message-----
From: Kathleen Toomey <kathleentoomey@gmail.com>
To: Prosbird <Prosbird@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Mar 23, 2017 10:49 PM
Subject: Yellow-rumped Warbler at Lower Pool today









Thursday, March 23, 2017

Fwd: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Mar 23, 2017



Sent from AOL Mobile Mail


-----Original Message-----
From: Kathleen Toomey <kathleentoomey@gmail.com>
To: Prosbird <Prosbird@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Mar 23, 2017 09:06 PM
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Mar 23, 2017




From: ebird-checklist@cornell.edu
Date: March 23, 2017 at 8:49:36 PM EDT
To: Kathleentoomey
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Mar 23, 2017

Prospect Park, Kings, New York, US
Mar 23, 2017 3:00 PM - 6:40 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.5 mile(s)
Comments:     The Ballfields, Pools, Ravine to Lullwater, and Wellhouse Drive
37 species

Snow Goose  2
Canada Goose  34
Mute Swan  4
Wood Duck  20     They were scattered around both pools.  Counted several times.  Possibly an undercount
American Wigeon  3
American Black Duck  6
Mallard  60
Northern Shoveler  8
Ruddy Duck  27
Pied-billed Grebe  1
Red-tailed Hawk  3
American Coot  16
Killdeer  13
Ring-billed Gull  46
Herring Gull  9
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  6
Mourning Dove  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Hairy Woodpecker  1
Eastern Phoebe  1     Lower Pool
Blue Jay  2
Fish Crow  34     Counted one by one, flyover, vocalizing
Black-capped Chickadee  4
Tufted Titmouse  3
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
American Robin  150
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  60
Cedar Waxwing  4
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1     Lower Pool
Dark-eyed Junco  10
White-throated Sparrow  8
Song Sparrow  1
Northern Cardinal  9
Red-winged Blackbird  20
Common Grackle  16

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35380906

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Killdeer records

Killdeer records in Prospect

The highest occurred April 2nd 1997  (in Red) < I had the 2nd highest of 26 on March 20 2015

DATE#OBSERVER
2




DataChecklistN
1997-04-0232NYC Bird Report DataChecklist




"Blackjack" Killdeer

Killdeer are not that common in Prospect. They need open undisturbed space and Prospect Park full of human activity nulls the opportunity for open space birds to rest and feed quietly. Fortunately the ball fields situated at the west end of Long meadow are still closed till April 1st and so I hit the Blackjack! ( 21 in those card games).

I happened to come up the path from Upper Pool after counting Wood Ducks when I typically take a quick look at the ball fields. Scanning wide I spotted small whitish birds far off. So already thinking Killdeer , much to my surprise when I arrived at the west side of the enclosure. First I spotted a Killdeer in short right field of Field 2. Then another pops in, then another until I got the idea to scan farther; spread out from the first baseline to the right field , and a little over to Centerfield until I tallied 21 birds. The plovers moved towards field one but flew back to field 2. By lunch time, I counted 13 but with the harsh glare there might have been more spread out.

21 on a ball field ? Thought only 9 played on a team?  Nevertheless the team has lots of aces today.

KILLDEER Prospect

21 KILLDEER at field 2 bhind 1st base west end long Mead ballfields.thought it was 9 on a team?

Birding legend and Onithologist passes on

One of the greatest ornithologists of our time.

Chandler Robbins

Reported on the listserve

My first birding field guide GOLDEN GUIDE was coauthored by Mr Robbins. A great book especially simple approach toward learning the wood warblers.( Which I have three copies of, https://www.amazon.com/Birds-North-America-Identification-1966-06-01/dp/B012YSL8M4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1490285775&sr=8-3&keywords=chandler+robbins )


Subject: Chandler S. Robbins: 1918-2017
From: Joe DiCostanzo <jdicost@nyc.rr.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2017 18:57:18 +0000
X-Message-Number: 2

Ornithologist and birding legend Chandler S. Robbins died yesterday at the age of 98. Birders are probably most familiar with Chandler Robbins as the author (with Bertel Bruun and Herbert Zim) of the groundbreaking Birds of North America: A Guide to Field Identification, illustrated by Arthur Singer, published in 1966 - often called by birders, the "Singer Guide" or the "Golden Guide". Chan joined the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a biologist in 1945 and retired in 2005 from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel Maryland, after sixty years with the Service. He organized and for decades ran the annual North American Breeding Bird Survey. He was also an active bird bander and in 1956 banded a Laysan Albatross on Midway Island in the Pacific that has come to be nicknamed "Wisdom". The albatross is now the oldest banded wild bird in the world and in 2017 was still nesting on Midway. Since the bird was an adult when it was banded, it is at least 66 years old. Chan was awarded the Eisenmann Medal by the Linnaean Society of New York in 1987 for "excellence in ornithology and encouragement of the amateur". Since Chan was based in Maryland for most of his career, many New York birders may not have known him personally, but all have been influenced by his life and work, whether they knew him or not. Those who had the fortune to meet him know what a great person he was. A true legend.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandler_Robbins



Fwd: Lotus' photos of Green-wood raptor


Based on the photos attached the Greenwood Cemetery "Goshawk"(reported yesterday ) is actually a COOPERS HAWK.. Skinnier overall "jizz" No spots at the belly bottom.etc

Nevertheless, a cool looking bird.  --KB

( But GOS continues in Prospect Park , seen last night. See the previous post )



-----Original Message-----
From: Kathleen Toomey 
To: Prosbird <Prosbird@aol.com>
Sent: Wed, Mar 22, 2017 9:30 pm
Subject: Lotus' photos of Green-wood raptor















Sent from my iPad

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Fwd: [eBird Alert] Kings County Rare Bird Alert

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <ebird-alert@cornell.edu>
Date: Mar 22, 2017 7:44 PM
Subject: [eBird Alert] Kings County Rare Bird Alert <hourly>
To:
Cc:

*** Species Summary:

- Northern Goshawk (1 report)

---------------------------------------------
Thank you for subscribing to the <hourly> Kings County Rare Bird Alert.The report below shows observations of rare birds in Kings County.  View or unsubscribe to this alert at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN35645
NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated

Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) (1)
- Reported Mar 22, 2017 17:19 by Peter Paul
- 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/S35360194
- Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "Perched close to Maryland monument, near entrance to path that goes above lamppost 249.  Later, battling a Red-tailed Hawk in the peninsula field.  It won.

<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/129132563@N05/33596130875/in/dateposted-public/" title="Northern Goshawk Prospect Park"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3684/33596130875_8824fb691b_z.jpg" alt="Northern Goshawk Prospect Park" /></a>"

***********

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Drama over peninsula meadow

Tripper Paul reports Gos battling red tail peninsula Meadow just before 6 pm

Fwd: Woodcock




-----Original Message-----
From: Heidi Cleven <heidicleven@gmail.com>
To: prosbird <prosbird@aol.com>
Sent: Tue, Mar 21, 2017 11:52 pm
Subject: Woodcock

Hi Peter,

I know it isn't a Goshawk, but I thought you might like this Woodcock. Saw him at Nethermead Arches yesterday.

See you in the park!

Heidi




Sent from my iPhone

Goshawk outside the boundary

For the first time reported outside Prospect Park--pending photos-the NORTHERN GOSHAWK appeared in Greenwood Cemetery on this blustery day.

Lotus Winnie Lee , the first observer of this Goshawk back in January, reported the big raptor just inside Greenwood 's main entrance at 25th St and 5th Avenue this morning around 9 am. Lotus back then was uncertain and unaware of the bird's identity till it was confirmed by expert birders March 1st. Kathy Toomey relayed the Greenwood note via Twitter and will send photos later of this latest report. Its a wide ranging bird most of us suspected all along but the first reported away from its most renown spot at Terrace Bridge feeders.

The Goshawk appeared last night in the early evening. That report I found on the Ebird Birdtrax on the left sidebar; therefore its still hanging out. The bird question is when the feeders site ( under my office's auspices and sole permission with my time refilling) still attract the big bird when its done for the season sometime by this weekend. Though suet will still be good for two more weeks with two cakes left, just not the seed.

Only "17" WOOD DUCKS seen at Upper Pool today. But given the blustery day, if more , then those hid out of sight in the small island channel. Some were on the isthmus mainland; others waded widely in the Pool.


Tweet from Kathleen Toomey (@KingsKathy)

Kathleen Toomey (@KingsKathy) tweeted at 9:03 AM on Wed, Mar 22, 2017:
Goshawk seen by Lotus Winnie Lee at Green-wood 5th Ave inner gate
(https://twitter.com/KingsKathy/status/844535001974738944?s=03)

Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download?s=13

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Fwd: [eBird Alert] Kings County Rare Bird Alert

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <ebird-alert@cornell.edu>
Date: Mar 21, 2017 7:53 PM
Subject: [eBird Alert] Kings County Rare Bird Alert <hourly>
To:
Cc:

*** Species Summary:

- Northern Goshawk (1 report)

---------------------------------------------
Thank you for subscribing to the <hourly> Kings County Rare Bird Alert.The report below shows observations of rare birds in Kings County.  View or unsubscribe to this alert at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN35645
NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated

Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) (1)
- Reported Mar 21, 2017 16:50 by The Wildlab
- 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/S35336471
- Comments: "Continuing immature bird. Arrived around 6:30pm, quite active, flying between large trees.  At one point attacked by a comparatively tiny Sharp-shinned Hawk, the size difference was remarkable!"

***********

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http://ebird.org/ebird/alerts

Yellow rumped

From Ryan : Found my first yellow-rumped warbler of the season at the park. Underneath the Terrace Bridge at the lullwater. Next to a Phoebe calling and flicking its tail.

Fwd: Fw: BBG

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Orrin Tilevitz" <tilevitzo@yahoo.com>
Date: Mar 21, 2017 1:49 PM
Subject: Fw: BBG
To: "Peter Dorosh" <prosbird@gmail.com>
Cc:



Yellow-bellied sapsucker at BBG today.  Also a couple of red-breasted nuthatches.
-

 


BBC evening program tonite ANTARCTICA

Subject: Reminder: Tomorrow BBC Evening Presentation Tuesday March 21st
From: Dennis Hrehowsik <deepseagangster@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2017 08:13:55 -0400
X-Message-Number: 3

*Tomorrow Tuesday, March 21st, 7:00 P.M.*

*Penguins, Albatross, Leopard Seals: The Abundant Life of Wild Antarctica*

*Presenters: Tom Stephenson and Rob Bate*

*Location: Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch
<http://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/central> at Grand Army Plaza*

Antarctica remains one of the most remote and natural places on earth. The
wild, rugged scenery includes spectacular icebergs the size of city blocks,
snow-covered mountainous peaks, and huge glaciers. It is the breeding
grounds for thousands of birds including Snow Petrels, Cape Petrels, Giant
Petrels; many species of Penguins, Albatross with wingspans up to 12 feet,
and the Skuas and Sheathbills that come to scavenge the nesting areas. It
also hosts thousands of huge Elephant, Weddell, Leopard and other seal
species along with many whales that all come to feast on the abundant life
of the southern ocean.

Join the Brooklyn Bird Club for a photographic extravaganza of this
exciting destination.
Tom Stephenson has been birding since he was a kid under the tutelage of
Dr. Arthur Allen of Cornell University. His articles and photographs are in
museums and many publications including Birding, Birdwatcher’s Digest,
Handbook of the Birds of the World, Handbook of the Mammals of the World,
Birds of Madagascar, and Guide to the Birds of SE Brazil.

Rob Bate is the president of the Brooklyn Bird Club, an artist, and an avid
Brooklyn birder and photographer. He very much enjoyed testing out his new
gear in Antarctica.


http://www.brooklynbirdclub.org/meetings.htm

Dennis Hrehowsik

Brooklyn

Fwd: [eBird Alert] Kings County Rare Bird Alert


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <ebird-alert@cornell.edu>
Date: Mon, Mar 20, 2017 at 11:02 PM
Subject: [eBird Alert] Kings County Rare Bird Alert <hourly>
To:


*** Species Summary:

- Black-headed Gull (1 report)

---------------------------------------------
Thank you for subscribing to the <hourly> Kings County Rare Bird Alert.The report below shows observations of rare birds in Kings County.  View or unsubscribe to this alert at http://ebird.org/ebird/alert/summary?sid=SN35645
NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) (1)
- Reported Mar 20, 2017 12:50 by Dennis Hrehowsik
- Erie Basin Park, IKEA (Brooklyn), Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6711639,-74.0129375&ll=40.6711639,-74.0129375
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35320587
- Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Adult breeding bird. Most likely continuing bird first obs at veteran's pier by Julian Hough on 3/18. I Was sitting having my lunch on Columbia street pier looking at waterfowl. A distant Gull with black head flew into my optics and began flying toward me. I assumed laughing or Bonapartes then bonapartes as it got closer but when it flew overhead I saw it had dark legs and primaries under wing. Bird flew north toward IKEA. I looked along piers and found bird on Dwight st pier mixed in with ring bills. I could see dark hood that started high on head as bird waddled around concrete pier. Iphone through binocular photo attached."

***********

You received this message because you are subscribed to eBird's Kings County Rare Bird Alert

Manage your eBird alert subscriptions:
http://ebird.org/ebird/alerts

Monday, March 20, 2017

Two BHGU?

Tweet from Tripper Paul
@petersownbirds: Daisy and I are on one, and possibly a second BHGU on top of the treatment plant. Second one has only partial black hood.( Owls Head)

UPDATE: one of two Blackheaded Gull (BHGU) at the Owls Head sewage plant had a partial hood according to Tripper with an also present adult. Now this begs the question: are there three ?  The Ikea Red hook BHGU seen by Dennis was an adult. The short span of time bewteen both location early might be a clue...



Gos update today

Hey Peter the gos is back. Breeze Hill. Right out in open, spectacular views.538 per ryan

A Black headed Gull flew over Dennis' head

A change of the rare bird alert today. This change involves an adult BLACK-HEADED GULL, possibly two seen this early afternoon, displacing the Prospect Goshawk saga for one day.

Dennis Hrehowsik reported on his lunch hour a flyover adult BLACK-HEADED GULL at the Erie Basin Police impoundment lot, that he eventually relocated the gull at the Dwight Street pier in Red Hook. That bird was tweeted out at 12:58. At 1:30 Kathy Toomey tweeted out on Twitter the usual ( of the past few days)  BLACK HEADED GULL adult spotted on the Owls Head Treatment Sewage plant in northern Bay Ridge. This is adjacent to Veterans Pier where I saw it yesterday midday.Whether its the same bird or two different birds is a matter of speculation as far as the crow flies and depending how long the first sighting stayed at Dwight St pier. ( The two locales are roughly two miles apart) . For either adult --assuming two- its a beauty !   If you want to see if I meant it , check out this list sent and shared by Heydi Lopes, that Alie Ratay also saw at Veterans Pier yesterday http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35300535

The Prospect Goshawk is less cooperative today. It appeared once at 9 am, seen by Marvin Baptiste on Breeze Hill. After that when I spotted mid morning waiting birders on Terrace Bridge, no luck.

WOOD DUCKS took over the Upper Pool . There's at least thirty of this glamorous duck around the little island. Its a high number that even Cornell ebird flags as so that I had to comment whether I was sure. A head scratcher there.

7 RING NECKED DUCKS  remain off Peninsula thumb as well as 6 NORTHERN SHOVELERS in the same general area.

Happy Spring first day !

Wood ducks

Aboiut 30 around the Upper Pool island.

Gos status

@robsbirder: Marvin had the Goshawk at 9 this morning on Breeze

m.twitter.com/robsbirder

Spring starts!

Spring Equinox began 6:29 this morning..

Its a whole new season.. This past winter has been great .. Besides all the good ducks, birders can boast seeing or reading about Long Tailed Duck ( first since March 1952)  Northern Saw whet Owl ( Xmas count and March report) and the big star Northern Goshawk that entertained many..






Sunday, March 19, 2017

Goshawk provides a spectacle

The Prospect NORTHERN GOSHAWK continues to provide some spectacular views to birders eager to see it. With the Terrace Bridge the epicenter of this big  accipiter' s appearances  range, birders are treated to spectacular looks , perhaps emboldening this bird' s love of an audience.

First reports I received from Twitter and what app places the GOSHAWK above the Well house ,maybe nearer to the Maryland Monument. I'm sure it's all over the place here on Lookout Hill' s East slope. Then swing over to the other side of the bridge, it was reported by Sean Sime this Gos sitting in a big tulip tree across from the feeders. Later Kathy Toomey said it was in the big dead Austrian Pine at the bridge's East anchor. Just look for birders and stick close to the Terrace Bridge,the universe center of the GOS.

Overshadowed by the big hawk' s celebrity, a COMMON MERGANSER arrived in. In fact the hen was one of three merganser species on Prospect Lake, joining a Drake RED BREASTED  and 3 HOODED,completing a triple crown, or a merg merger.I went out to the lake in later afternoon and saw all three; the COMMON joined up with the RED BREASTED and hung close from the Peninsula towards West Island. Is this a match made in heaven ?

7 RING NECKED DUCKS continue to hang around.My observation was distant ,those ducks on the west side of the Peninsula thumb.

Some Kinglets are in as well, both species in Lullwater cove reported by Ryan Goldberg. Also on Ryan's list : a high number of 28 WOOD DUCK in the Upper Pool.

Tweet from The Kingsboider (@BBCKingsbirds)

The Kingsboider (@BBCKingsbirds) tweeted at 5:02 PM on Sun, Mar 19, 2017:
Prospect lake Comm Merganser hen cont. Betwn peninsula thumb /3 sis island.
(https://twitter.com/BBCKingsbirds/status/843568296138080258?s=03)

Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download?s=13