Spring is sprung!

Happy frosty first day of spring! Equinox occurred at 12:01 this morning,one of the earliest the sun's direct rays hit the equator.

ridge wood reservoir yesterday Brooklyn/Queens county line

Reported by Tinsley Perky ,duck hilights of Redheads,Ring-necked Ducks and Green winged Teals

Gwteals

Over 80 ducks Inc luding Ringnecks here

Redheads with teals

pine warbler

@deepseagangster: Pine Warbler terrace bridge. m.twitter.com/deepseagangster

Feeders homestretch

The Prospect feeders is in the final homestretch. As the remaining seed finishes off, the feeders will be taken down until it rises again in late November.

Ridgewood reservoir community meeting

April 19th
http://ridgewoodreservoir.blogspot.com/2016/03/highland-park-ridgewood-reservoir.html?m=1

HSPD Prospect

Today's Prospect highlight is FIELD SPARROW, a bird seen in the Lullwater before the Rustic Arbor on the north side. Later it was reported at the Lullwater Cove area. Observers in order :Rob Bate, Karen O'Hearn.


An uptick of SONG SPARROWS, especially at Butterfly Meadow .Then at the Hammerhead Peninsula at southwest lake shore,a handsome and bright red FOX SPARROW in that unlikely open spot for a woods species.Sparrows start peaking generally now into April.

Another report though unverified from a park acquaintance of mine involved Blue winged Teal yesterday at West Island. Whether true or not, now is a good time to check the lake for duck transients.

Of a flashy moment, as I was walking  along the ballfield fence back to my vehicle, a quick flash of a falcon right over me , zipping thru the space bewteen the trees and above Long Meadow. I pesumed based on the skinnier wings that it was an AMERICAN KESTREL.

And finally, its AMERICAN COOT mania at the Lullwater north by the arbor as 15 birds congregated and made all sorts of weird noises

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/american_coot/sounds

3/16 post

From: ebird-checklist@cornell.edu
Date: March 16, 2016 at 8:42:04 PM EDT
To:Kathleentoomey
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park,Mar 16, 2016

Prospect Park, Kings, New York, US
Mar 16, 2016 11:45 AM - 4:45 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 kilometer(s)
Comments:     Pools, Vale, Lullwater, Peninsula, and Lake
40 species

Canada Goose  102
Mute Swan  3
Wood Duck  7     Four at Upper Pool, three by 3 Sisters Is.
American Wigeon  2
American Black Duck  3
Mallard  30
Northern Shoveler  3
Ruddy Duck  50
Pied-billed Grebe  2
Black-crowned Night-Heron  1
Turkey Vulture  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
American Coot  35
Ring-billed Gull  40
Herring Gull  20
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  6
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Downy Woodpecker  1
Blue Jay  8
American Crow  3
Fish Crow  1
Tufted Titmouse  1     Singing, Upper Pool
Brown Creeper  1
Winter Wren  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
American Robin  60
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  40
Cedar Waxwing  6     Drinking water in the Vale
Fox Sparrow  2
Dark-eyed Junco  3
White-throated Sparrow  8
Song Sparrow  10
Northern Cardinal  6
Red-winged Blackbird  6
Common Grackle  15
House Sparrow  40

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28256188

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

Ravens nest in D.C. for the first time in 100 years - The Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/ravens-nest-in-dc-for-the-first-time-in-100-years/2016/03/15/8f3a9d86-eabd-11e5-a6f3-21ccdbc5f74e_story.html?postshare=9831458141967444&tid=ss_fb-bottom
WHERE IS THE BROOKLYN ONE??

Facebook posts today

Two FB  posts I read by Gus Keri and Rafael Campos reported GLAUCOUS GULL& AMERICAN WOODCOCK respectively. The gull was in Bush Terminal Park, perched on a rock with surrounding  wavy water; the woodcock is in Greenwood Cemetery, good to see for anyone seeking these species.

Also of note with early breeding season ( yes,it started ) was a report of RED TAILED HAWK carrying nesting material in the Gowanus Canal neighborhood of all places. I don't reveal exact nest locations either on my blog of sensitive species in their startup or nesting. According to the observer,its the first time a Redtailed was seen doing this there.Guess the family is branching out on $$ turf in a hot nabe.

A Greener Lakeside - Prospect Park Alliance

https://www.prospectpark.org/news-events/news/seed-saving-prospect-park/

The importance of preserving habitat by dedicated workers

Boreal Birds Need Half. a petition

http://borealbirdsneedhalf.org/en/#petition

A critical need. Make your voice heard!

Monarch Butterfly Conservation

From American Littoral Society Don Riepe

From: Finn, Stephen <stephen_finn@fws.gov>
Date: Mon, Mar 14, 2016 at 5:36 PM
Subject: Growing Milkweed for Monarch Conservation
To: Don Riepe <donriepe@gmail.com>

Hi Don. Enjoy and please pass along. Steve 

The next Monarch Conservation webinar will be on March 23 at 2 EST! Note that pre-registration is required.

Hello Pollinator and Monarch Coordinators!

The next webinar in the 2016 Monarch Conservation Series is coming soon!

Date and Time: Wednesday, March 23rd, 2 PM Eastern Time. 

Webinar Title: Growing Milkweed for Monarch Conservation

Please share this announcement and click on the following link for more information and to pre-register.

click on link below

http://goo.gl/forms/VI9RIYKbe5

Another important detail to mention is that this webinar is open to the public! Feel free to invite Friends or other interested partners.

FOY PP BCNH

The season's first BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON - a juvenile-appeared in a usual spot, the
Prospect islands. Today it was Three Sisters Islands, the hunky heron in the blooming Red Maple tree with the duck box on the western island.

At first glance from across the lake by the Well Drive, I was saying to myself looking at the bird thru branches what the heck is a Red tailed Hawk perched so low over the water.It wasn't until I was at the south shoreline , after a few moments trying to find the bird that I realized it was a juvenile Night Heron. About a few moments later, a GREAT BLUE HERON took off from Duck Island for the Peninsula, two herons in a single day since last late fall.

REMINDER BBC Program tonight

A terrific looking talk tonight by Vernon Head  who is coming in from abroad ( South Africa)

Lets all show our NY hospitality and create a large audience !!

VENUE Grand Army Plaza Brooklyn Public Library conference room 1st floor

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

Tuesday, March 15th, 7:00 P.M. The Rarest Bird in the World: The Search for the Nechisar Nightjar Presenter: Vernon R.L. Head

Vernon R.L. Head, chairman of BirdLife of South Africa, will present his quest to solve the mystery of an isolated wing of an unknown species of nightjar collected in Ethiopia in 2009. In his search for a possible new species, Head is not just on a mission for a spectacular tick, but he places his endeavor in the context of other rare and endangered species suffering from human impact on the environment.

Governors Island fall birding

The trips planning is in progress for the BBC and new locations are always an exciting adventure for discovery.

This coming September ( Labor day weekend Sunday proposed), Governors Island would be ideal for a casual birding stroll.

If anyone is interested in leading a morning walk,please email me.

Here's a link to a typical birding day around that time .
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S24889273

Month http://ebird.org/ebird/hotspot/L555894?m=9&yr=all&changeDate=Set



The ferry runs to the end of September. A ferry leaves from Brooklyn BRidge park  perhaps as well combining the bridge park for later birding after the island
Ideal would be take the earliest Manhattan ferry then depart for Brooklyn pier 6 after island exploration

http://www.nps.gov/gois/planyourvisit/directions.htm

Email me.

continuance

This day continues with yesterday's sightings of EURASIAN WIGEON & AMERICAN WOODCOCK with another rarity seen earlier last month . Two of the good birds occurred at Army Terminal pier four, and one in nearby Greenwood Cemetery.

GLAUCOUS GULL made a visit after a brief absentee spell at the Army pier.It might have stayed withe the gull flock on the pier if not for passing cars according to observer Irene Conte. Earlier in the morning ,the EURASIAN WIGEON flew in ,as tweeted in by Tom Preston.COMMON RAVEN rules the day here at the pier,obviously at home along this industrial coastline.

And as usual, the woodcock sticks around.Greenwood Cemetery is the best locale for trying for these birds,one was observed at Cornus path and Cypress Road ( Karen O' Hearn)

@aredstart2: Glaucous gull seen briefly at army terminal pier , then gulls scattered by passing car. m.twitter.com/aredstart2

@tpreston87: Eurasian wigeon still at Brooklyn army terminal. Just flew in m.twitter.com/tpreston87

Birding abroad: Field trips in Prospect Park, New York

http://birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=5561
Source BBC Facebook

Sat morn brief notes

Some good birds to relay this morning
First an Eurasian Wigeon at Army terminal pier four north side.
Secondly any doubt about early Pine Warblers laid to rest as one seen At Owls Head park 67th st entrance,on the ground
And last American Woodcock continues in Greenwood cemetery by the Pierpont gravesite.by Alder road

Out of town,passing along the quick info.

Update.Gus Keri Facebook post reported three woodcock under a tree in greenwood cemetery.  A very good time now to visit that green space if u wannna woodcock. Just walk.

Euwi army pier 4

@tpreston87: Eurasian wigeon army terminal 4 north side 58th st entr.kings

m.twitter.com/tpreston87

friday report

Date: March 11, 2016 at 6:01:04 PM EST To: Kathleentoomey Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Mar 11, 2016

Prospect Park, Kings, New York, US Mar 11, 2016 2:00 PM - 5:15 PM Protocol: Traveling 3.0 mile(s) 37 species

Canada Goose 120 Mute Swan 3 American Wigeon 2 American Black Duck 1 Mallard 16 Northern Shoveler 2 Hooded Merganser 2 Ruddy Duck 50 Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Coot 14 Ring-billed Gull 12 Herring Gull 4 Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 2 Mourning Dove 10 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Downy Woodpecker 5 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Northern Flicker 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 In the Vale, high in a flowering tree with Cedar Waxwings Blue Jay 1 Black-capped Chickadee 1 Tufted Titmouse 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 In the pines by Terrace Bridge Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 In the pines by Terrace Bridge Hermit Thrush 1 American Robin 13 European Starling 7 Cedar Waxwing 12 Fox Sparrow 1 Dark-eyed Junco 1 White-throated Sparrow 5 Song Sparrow 20 Northern Cardinal 7 Red-winged Blackbird 7 Many singing along the Lullwater Common Grackle 26 House Sparrow 14

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28102998

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3

Pine warbler record

The Pine Warbler seen yesterday as it appears from Cornell Ebird records is the earliest ever for Prospect Park. Unless I find an even earlier record, the earliest PIWA was on March 29, 1968.

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S4109949

http://ebird.org/ebird/hotspot/L109516?m=3&yr=all&changeDate=Set

Timberdoodle tease and Pine Warbler makes its appearance

AMERICAN WOODCOCK a.k.a. "Timberdoodle" continue its emergence, flushed both times by unsuspecting observers in both Prospect Park and Greenwood Cemetery.

The first report was by a Prospect Park Alliance worker fetching signs in the woods when he was surprised mightily by a flushed woodcock at the southwest base corner of Lookout Hill. This is the woods partition between the bridle trail and the runners track that parallels the short steps. The Timberdoodle flew upslope and disappeared somewhere in that vicinity of the road fork that leads to the the long stairs and the mid slope path on the right.

Meanwhile, over in Greenwood Cemetery , the Sylvan Water yielded likely the same woodcock from yesterday. On the Water's south ridge, according to Karen O'Hearn, by the Coleman statue of the Native American Indian, that woodcock flushed ,flying south. Its so hard to see these quiet well camouflaged birds until one almost steps on one.

I received a report of an early PINE WARBLER. From third parties ( or secondhand report) , good birder Nancy Tim saw the early warbler at Ricks Place yesterday.Its an early bird but again as the Phoebe flies in warm weather, so does the Pine Warbler.

Other notes Kathy Toomey reported this late afternoon Phoebe in Vale cashmere,both kinglet species at the Terrace Bridge pine grove.

Park worker reported Woodcock woods edge of Wellhouse drive.prospect.

GWCemeteryWoodcock

photo from Rob Bate

Return of the Woodcock

We are entering the period of the early migrants, as signs of  species coming around this time .One example is the American Woodcock among others.

This morning , PPA coworker David Chadwick informed me that he flushed a " roundish" bird along the path edge by Arleen's Pines and thought woodcock. It went downhill below Butterfly Meadow. I went looking for it without luck.But I returned at lunchtime after a quick look inside quiet Quaker Cemetery. After fixing a fence surrounding the Pines, I took a quick walk into the woods edge across from the northeast corner of the pine grove and the AMERICAN WOODCOCK flew off , just ten feet from the road.It flew rightward  unto the slope near its original spot. Not wanting to flush it again , I went around to the path below but couldn't find the well camouflaged bird; at least I thought so. Heading back towards my parked Toro work vehicle , the woodcock was actually at the road edge near my Toro and flushed  into Arleens Pine Grove.A distance away I watched the still bird under one of the pines, but it saw me watching and took off again, into the Butterfly Meadow landing about 50 feet south of the solitary pine inside.It was now hard to find among the old flower stalks and grasses.

Prospect Park wasn't the only place with a woodcock sighting. A tweet from Rob Bate reported one at Greenwood Cemetery Sylvan Waters hillside.Its more likely finding this species there where its quiet than Prospect where its more human impacted.Its been awhile I heard of woodcock seen in Prospect.

Also a good luck bird in my earlier visit to Butterfly Meadow,three soaring BLACK VULTURES over Butterfly Meadow. A good amount of time up there, they headed northwestward.

Inside Quaker Cemetery, several other  birds of interest to report. DARK EYED JUNCOS, single numbers of FOX SPARROW and RUBY CROWNED KINGLET all appeared during my very productive lunch hour.

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/email?subID=S28082673

Amer Woodcock last seen inside Butterly mead 50 ' south of pine.

@robsbirder: Woodcock on path above Sylvan water in greenwood cemt m.twitter.com/robsbirder

Spring bird is here

Among spring's first really representative songbirds that appear in our woods and meadows is the Eastern Phoebe. It's tail wagging field mark is quite iconic and despite its drab appearance,many of us welcome this early spring bird after winter's long effect.

This afternoon ,alerted by a late tweet, Stanley Greenberg reported to Dennis H. that he had EASTERN PHOEBE at Nellies Lawn, the open meadow south of Prospect's Vale of Cashmere. With this very warm air flow, phoebe seemed almost expected even at this early date.

Meanwhile on Prospect Lake, a report of new duck activity.Marc Brawer spotted a single drake RING NECKED DUCK with 9 WOOD DUCKS. The latter is definitely a migrating flock. Grackle numbers seemed up ticked so it must mean the migration season is getting upon us.

Next Tuesday club eve program

Subject: Brooklyn Bird Club Evening Presentation
From: Dennis Hrehowsik <deepseagangster@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2016 20:41:14 -0500
X-Message-Number: 8

Please join the Brooklyn Bird Club Tuesday, March 15th, 7:00 PM for:

*The Rarest Bird in the World: The Search for the Nechisar Nightjar*

*Presenter: Vernon R.L. Head*

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

Vernon R.L. Head, chairman of BirdLife of South Africa, will present his
quest to solve the mystery of an isolated wing of an unknown species of
nightjar collected in Ethiopia in 2009. In his search for a possible new
species, Head is not just on a mission for a spectacular tick, but he
places his endeavor in the context of other rare and endangered species
suffering from human impact on the environment.

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

Dennis Hrehowsik

Brooklyn

Cooper's Hawk yesterday

At Greenwood Cemetery, photo'd by Orrin Tilevitz

Fwd: those Cedar Waxwings

In the windsor terrace nabe.

Sent from my MetroPCS 4G Wireless Phone

-------- Original message --------

From: Barbara Christ <>

Date:03/08/2016 9:01 PM (GMT-05:00)

To: prosbird@aol.com

Cc:

Subject: those Cedar Waxwings

Peter,

The city planted a Sophora japonica in front of my house and I have hated since it started bearing fruit and attracting the starlings. It is probably more than 20 years old and this was the first year I have ever seen Cedar Waxwings feasting it. They have come at least twice a day since Saturday.  It is a flock of about 18 - 20.  Loving them.

Barbara Christ

barbchristny@gmail.com

barbchrist.com

New duck blind dedication at Floyd Bennett

The Return a Gift pond has a new duck blind dedication ceremony in honor of Jean Bourque this Friday.Jean was a longtime BBC member and ardent conservationist of Floyd Bennett Field.

Please join Gateway National Recreation Area as we dedicate our new bird blind in Floyd Bennett Field's north 40 on Friday, March 11 at 12:30 PM.

Parking is available in the northeast corner of Aviator Sport's parking lot. From here walk north past the cricket field and the bird blind is on the right.

Yesterday at BBG

A short Sunday excursion to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden to look for early spring blooms had some birds to add to my walk. Not many birds but a few species worthy to appreciate.

First, the dominant presence of the Redtailed Hawk manifested itself at the fireman south tower. Atop the highest point, the REDTAILED HAWK perched the whole time I was visiting the garden for two hours. It's establishing territorialty,  or "turf" presence to keep the Peregrine Falcons at bay I presumed.. I really dont know which has more fearness.Not far , at the Rock Garden, I see a second Redtailed perched in a large Oak tree. Interesting they are far apart in this courtship period..

The other interesting yet delightful sighting involved CEDAR WAXWINGS. While I sat on the promenade overlooking the Cherry Blossom esplanade, about 18 Waxwings were plucking the bubble like fruit of the Japanese Pagoda Tree, a bean family species.Fluttering and alighting energetically, its a special moment watching this handsome species.

On my way home , I walked along the south shore of Prospect Lake. The notable specis here behind Duck Island, at one point along the shore is a drake WOOD DUCK.It must have thought I was going to handout crumbs as I was eating some.