I will write a longer passage for the fall newsletter issue after time off writing. Have to enjoy my retirement.
Many thanks to Heidi Nanz for all the time she devoted to getting this party to happen, sending out evites (online invitations) and getting the details and arrangements done , with Mary Eysters help , and Rob Bate and the council.( it was hard hearing in the crowd getting all the details who helped ). And thanks especially to Heidi and Steve for hosting the party at their home. It was very gracious of them and I am deeply appreciative to them and the others for getting this off without my usual intel prowess finding out the big secret. ( it was a funny scene , me holding a bottle of Greek white wine, puzzled as to what the heck all these folks come from.I was really surprised!) . . And to thanks Paul Keim getting the plaques and proclamation done with Heidi's written words , Rob Bate's speech and Steve's as well;and everyone tribute.. I might have forgotten some who help with the party details, but its been a whirlwind weekend. But especially to all who showed up in support and recognition of my service. Its after all, you the members and birders who keep this club going and vibrant. More later in the newsletter in the fall. SO, for now, many thanks for your support.
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Now to Prospect's Birds. I will mention the hilight s and boldface the quality birds to save time ( cause I went to another party tonight, Shane Blodgett's 50th , so Happy Birdthay to Shane !)
From smoozing at tonight's party, I found out from Seth Autsubel that VARIED THRUSH was spotted this morning at 9 am ish , at the original location after all the nethermead Bridge north path, but after this first spotting, the thrush disappeared for most of the day. It has been less cooperative of late. But talking to Rob Jett tonight, I also found out that famed ornithologist and Brooklyn eminence Paul Buckley spotted the VARIED THRUSH at or near the Quaker Cemetery main gate. The Varied Thrush has expanded its range , from yesterday's Ambergill creek to todays' Quaker cemetery sighting. One needs to now check the edges of Center Drive thru the Ravine for hopes of seeing this bright bird. I assume its also going up slope and out of sight for this woods loving bird.
During the search for the extralimital thrush, some other very good birds to report. Seth spotted BROAD WINGED HAWK , as well as a count of 20 PINE SISKINS. Other birders reported COMMON REDPOLLS in the Vale of Cashmere. On the waters of Prospect , COMMON MERGANSER with RING NECK DUCK and the continuing HORNED GREBE.
Keir reported COMMON RAVEN , and a rarity which I ve seen twice , ( not a bird) , WOODCHUCK in the vicinity of Breeze Hill. ( Cool mammal !)
Check all the reports below to see what were reported.Partying has me exhausted :) >
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Keir
No Varied Thrush for me this afternoon but did see Common Redpolls, Common Merganser, Common Raven and a Groundhog (south slope of Breeze Hill)!Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY Mar 10, 2013 1:00 PM - 5:30 PM Protocol: Traveling 2.5 mile(s) Comments: Vale, Midwood, Breeze Hill, lake and back to Midwood and Vale 44 species Canada Goose 22 Mute Swan 3 Gadwall 2 Mallard X Northern Shoveler 8 Ring-necked Duck 2 Hens on lake Bufflehead 1 Hooded Merganser 8 Common Merganser 1 Hen continues off of Three Sisters Red-breasted Merganser 4 Ruddy Duck 28 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Red-tailed Hawk 2 American Coot 4 Ring-billed Gull 250 Herring Gull 14 Great Black-backed Gull 4 Rock Pigeon 3 Mourning Dove 13 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Downy Woodpecker 3 Hairy Woodpecker 1 Merlin 1 Common Raven 1 My first in Prospect Park. Heard first, calling very loudly then seen flying over Terrace Bridge calling - big corvid with wedge shaped tail. Black-capped Chickadee 11 Tufted Titmouse 7 White-breasted Nuthatch 2 Winter Wren 1 Carolina Wren 1 American Robin 18 European Starling 8 Fox Sparrow (Red) 6 White-throated Sparrow 18 Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 3 Northern Cardinal 7 Red-winged Blackbird 22 Common Grackle 4 House Finch 12 Common Redpoll 3 All female types, watched for 15+ minutes feeding on seed pods in a tree (sp? sames tree as in Bobbi Manian's photos) on west side of the Vale pool. Photos. Pine Siskin 5 American Goldfinch 5 House Sparrow 14
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Adam
What a great day to get into the park! Dipped on the Varied, but saw
lotsa other nice things. Great ducks on the Lullwater/Lake & the
Redpolls were fantastic.
A
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <do-not-reply@ebird.org>
Date: Sun, Mar 10, 2013 at 5:35 PM
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Mar 10, 2013
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Mar 10, 2013 11:10 AM - 3:00 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments: Birded feeders, Lullwater, part Lakeshore, Upper & Lower
Pools, Ravine, Midwood, Vale of Cashmere
44 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) X numerous, Lake
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) X
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 2 Upper Pool, courting behavior
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) X
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) X numerous
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) 2
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) 2
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) X prob more than 5
birds, seen distantly
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) 1 Seen on Prospect Lake,
distinguished from nearby Red-breasted Merganser by larger size,
notably different jizz, etc. Has been seen by other observers in
recent days.
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) 6
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) X numerous
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) 1
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) 3
American Coot (Fulica americana) 11
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) X numerous, Lake
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) X numerous, Lake
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) X at least 3, Lake
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 8
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) 2 One bird seen distantly
on Prospect Lake, another on Lower Pool, the latter seen well,
definitely male
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) 2
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 3
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) 1
Merlin (Falco columbarius) 1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) X
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) X
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) X
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) 4
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 5
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) 20
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 3
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 4
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 25
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) 1
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 1
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) 5
Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) 3 3 birds seen feeding in Vale
of Cashmere by numerous observers. Thickly-streaked flanks, scapulars
appeared dark.
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) 7
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) 10
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) X
View this checklist online at
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13355143
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
********Rafael ( 2 reports , cons days )
