West Island and its cove acts like an avian airport, with this southernmost point of the park receiving the first migrating birds. This spot is known as a COMMON GRACKLE hub, evident this morning by 23 of them, mixed in with Starlings on the ground, feeding together by the phragmite choked cove; other birds flew over and use the trees for perches; it wont be long before the numbers shoot up in the coming week.
The Vale of Cashmere is a beehive lately. In the last two days, I noted increased activity of BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEEs and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, a good number of them using the fallen trees in the pool as cover for water drinking and bathing. Assuming these trees stay in there thru the spring, it will be a love fest of warblers for sure. ( eventually those trees will come out , not soon though). In the exotic pine--Cedar of Lebanon I believe-- in the pool middle, a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER favors the bark for the last two days.I was hoping for Redpoll here in the Vale but no luck. Its likely a miss for me this winter but I cannot complain after all my fantastic rare winter sightings (Pine Grosbeak, Gyrfalcon ,Tufted Duck, Xbills) in other non Brooklyn locales . Another year for those redpolls.
The lake continues its good offerings: 2 COMMON MERGANSERS, 3 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERs , 2 RING-NECKED DUCK hens, HORNED GREBE with a single BUFFLEHEAD hen , 59 NORTHERN SHOVELERs inside the west island cove and 63 RUDDY DUCKS on the lake.
But at the Boathouse pond, a delight to see 5 HOODED MERGANSERS , including 3 drakes, huddling together by the dock. I am hoping they aren't waiting for the electric boat; And add two more RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, a mixed pair. Not bad for this little water spot.
There were no reports of the Varied Thrush today, likely no one is birding out there (well , actually me in short spurts) today or the bird is proving its well known elusiveness. I can't guess its pathways...Just have to wait till it reappears.
And a last note: Brooklyn's best amateur basketball team , the collegiate Long Island University Blackbirds are in March Madness NCAA playoffs. If they win Wednesday eve, they play the number one seed Thursday. Nice to know they have a birds moniker.
KB
Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, US-NY
Mar 18, 2013 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM
Protocol: Stationary
16 species
Canada Goose 238
Mute Swan X
Mallard X
Northern Shoveler 59
Ring-necked Duck 2
Bufflehead 1
Hooded Merganser 7
Red-breasted Merganser 3
Ruddy Duck 63
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Horned Grebe 1
Great Blue Heron 1
American Coot X
Ring-billed Gull X
Herring Gull X
Great Black-backed Gull 1
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13444419
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Mar 18, 2013
Protocol: Incidental
25 species (+1 other taxa)
American Black Duck/Mallard X
Ring-necked Duck 1 Lullwater
Bufflehead 1 Lullwater
Red-breasted Merganser 2 Boathouse pond
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 9 Boathouse pond
Rock Pigeon X
Mourning Dove X
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Vale cashmere
Hairy Woodpecker 2 BBC Centennial Garden Nellies lawn/Vale
Eastern Phoebe 2 Boathouse Pond; Lullwater
Blue Jay 3
Black-capped Chickadee 12 Vale Cashmere
Tufted Titmouse 6
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
American Robin 75 Long Meadow/ Ballfields/ Vale
European Starling X
Song Sparrow 3
White-throated Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco 2
Northern Cardinal 8
Red-winged Blackbird X
Common Grackle 23 West island
Brown-headed Cowbird 1 West Island
American Goldfinch 11 Vale Cashmere
House Sparrow X
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13444499
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)