Bitter cold has frozen about 80 % of Prospect Lake, leaving some open areas in the middle and one along the west shore; on the latter, 16 HOODED MERGANSERS huddled together with the Ruddy Ducks and Northern Shovelers with Canada Geese in the mix. The RED -BREASTED MERGANSER took advantage of one of the lake middle areas, a solitary figure happy I presume to have the feeding spot all to itself.
Winter's grip does not have an effect on WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, two females seen feeding in the leaves and broken small twigs in Butterfly Meadow's middle section, along with 4 PINE SISKINS, a nice sighting to watch from the warm confines of a heated work truck ( with the vents going full blast ).
One more note to mention: when looking at the sweetgums trees by the West Island shelter, all the Black-capped Chickadees took off into the phragmites ,making me wonder why. Of course, a moment later,an adult COOPER'S HAWK flew in and landed in one of the Sweetgum trees.I would take off rather than get eaten by a winter testy hawk.
--KB
Peter lists
Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, US-NY
Jan 23, 2013 9:00 AM - 9:25 AM
Protocol: Stationary
15 species
Canada Goose 125
Mute Swan X
American Black Duck X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 30
Bufflehead 4
Hooded Merganser 16
Red-breasted Merganser 1
Ruddy Duck 55
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Great Blue Heron 1
American Coot X
Ring-billed Gull 500
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Jan 23, 2013
Protocol: Incidental
9 species
Cooper's Hawk 1 west isl shelter sweetgums
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Black-capped Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 1
White-throated Sparrow 25
Northern Cardinal 2
White-winged Crossbill 2 Butterfly Meadow
Pine Siskin 4 Butterfly Mead
American Goldfinch 2
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12709564
