Tuesday, March 19, 2013

March 19th Prospect Springs eternal

ON this last day of Winter ( according to the celestial calendar when earth passes the equinox tomorrow morning or more definitively the two times each year, near March 20th and September 22nd, when the Sun is directly overhead at noon as seen from Earth’s equator. On an equinox date, day and night are of equal length), a dreary day but nevertheless some birds if you put up with the elements.

On the Lake, distant views were obtained of hen COMMON MERGANSERs still present with the HORNED GREBE off the Peninsula thumb with a few RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS.

Waterfowl in the news, then the Upper Pool is another spot to look at , small as it is. A pair of HOODED MERGANSERS , hen and drake struck up a friendship with the GADWALL pair, together near the island; maybe they are a bridge club mixed couples. Must be a game tonight. 4 species ducks on this pond, I was trying to find a fifth to no avail.

On the Pools isthmus, a BROWN CREEPER creeping up the bark , with a nearby JUNCO watching.

Hope springs eternal as Spring starts 7:02 tomorrow morning.


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Addenum : Note Mike Elliot's list  including 10 species Ducks, sort of a "magic" daily number for Prospect Park . Kudos on that achievement!

-KB 

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From Rob Bate :

2 Male, 1 female White-winged Crossbills by entrance to Quaker Cemetery.  No VATH though.
2 Phoebes along the Lullwater.

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From Mike Elliot:

i saw the euro goodfinch atop the lookout hill switchback. 
And in Ambergill flash of yellow distracted me from a phoebe: yellow on the 
rump, head and buffy throat that hooked around like a ring. I grew up calling 
these myrtle warblers. 
Will send rest of list later. Definitely saw the 2 common hens today.

nd the pair of merganser hens. 

vagrunt e-bird:
Mar 19, 2013
Prospect Park
Traveling
4 miles
120 Minutes
Observers: 1
All birds reported? Yes
Comments:
Submitted from BirdLog NA for iOS, version 1.5.2
100 Canada Goose -- 69 on lawn; another 40+ on shore
4 Mute Swan

2 Wood Duck -- Drakes on the Lake
2 Gadwall -- Drake in middle of pool - alert as ever
X Mallard -- 4 - upper pool 4 - lower pool
X Northern Shoveler -- Drake - upper pool
1 Ring-necked Duck -- lullwater b/b bridges
1 Bufflehead -- Lullwater b/n bridges
10 Hooded Merganser -- Pair - upper pool | 8 together (2 drakes) in lullwater b/n bridge and peninsula.
2 Common Merganser -- Hens on the lake.
5 Red-breasted Merganser -- Drakes on lake, hens nowhere in sight
X Ruddy Duck

1 Pied-billed Grebe
1 Horned Grebe -- Lake
1 Red-tailed Hawk
X American Coot
1 Belted Kingfisher
3 Eastern Phoebe
1 American Crow
1 Brown Creeper -- 2nd time on the shattered pine, off N. trail along Lullwater.
1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) -- Female in Ambergill
2 Common Grackle
1 European Goldfinch -- Toward Top of switchback on Lookout Hill

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Peter's list 

Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Mar 19, 2013
Protocol: Incidental
25 species

Canada Goose  X
Mute Swan  X
Gadwall  2     Upper Pool
Mallard  X
Northern Shoveler  X
Bufflehead  1     Lake
Hooded Merganser  2     Upper Pool
Common Merganser  2     Lake
Red-breasted Merganser  2
Ruddy Duck  X
Horned Grebe  1     Lake
Great Blue Heron  1     Peninsula shore
Red-tailed Hawk  1
American Coot  X
Ring-billed Gull  X
Herring Gull  X
Mourning Dove  X
Eastern Phoebe  1     Upper Pool
Blue Jay  X
Tufted Titmouse  X
Brown Creeper  1     Pools isthmus
American Robin  X     common
European Starling  X
Dark-eyed Junco  1
Red-winged Blackbird  X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13455263

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

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From Cobble Hill/Downtown Brooklyn  section
An Ebirds Yahoo report
Brooklyn Peregrines
Posted By: Tue Mar 19, 2013 4:13 pm  |
The Brooklyn House of Detention Peregrines were seen copulating today at 4 PM. Atlantic Avenue and Smith Street. Scott Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
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From Adam Welz:
Walked around the park late today, skipped over a few spp I'm sure,
but interesting duckish action on Lake, lots of American Robin in
fresh plumage, thought I heard a Killdeer near Lullwater but could not
find it.

Cheers!

Adam


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:  <do-not-reply@ebird.org>
Date: Tue, Mar 19, 2013 at 11:14 PM
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Mar 19, 2013



Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Mar 19, 2013 5:40 PM - 7:10 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 kilometer(s)
Comments:     Surveyed Breeze Hill, Lullwater, Lookout Hill, northern
shore of Lake
30 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  X
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)  X
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)  2     middle of Lake
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  X
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)  23
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)  1
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)  3
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)  2     2 female birds seen clearly
on Lake, one initially very close to observer, both later nearby group
of Red-breasted Merganser. Clearly larger than Red-breasted, white
chin spots seen well, body paler, more uniform gray than Red-breasted,
crest & bill shape different.
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)  5
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)  X
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)  1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)  1
American Coot (Fulica americana)  22
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  X
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  3
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  3
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  4
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  70     low estimate of numbers
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)  1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  X
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  5
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  15
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)  4
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  30
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  20
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  X

View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13456136

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