Prospect Park Peninsula
This morning's CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (CCSP) provided very favorable views on the Peninsula meadow by the fallen giant Linden (Basswood) tree. Working along the timber tree perimeter , the CCSP frequented the meadow along with some CHIPPING SPARROWS for good comparison ,the sparrow being seen by Karen O'Hearn and Chris Laskowski who texted me on my cell.I observed it near the very young Persimmon tree between that fallen Basswood and the Sumac grove, though closer to the basswood timber.
I was fortunate to see the sparrow in very good light, its bright whitish breast complexion with warm buffy overtones among other indicative field marks. Later Sean Sime viewed the bird but I was told much farther down the meadow near the back forest /fence line. The CCSP is in a winter plumage by the way.
Unfortunately , the Parks Forest Department will be moving that large tree , down for two weeks now this afternoon maybe tomorrow as well.Hopefully the rare sparrow will have deaf ears and stay put for the upcoming Kings CBC. I'll keep you posted.
reference http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Clay-colored_Sparrow/id
On another far more usual note, for the first time I've seen an uncommon woodpecker here, a HAIRY WOODPECKER caught me by surprise at the Vanderbilt Street park entrance. First landing in young red maple tree, it flew closer to the entrance by a planted Pine tree. A first for some ......
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From Joshua Malbin yesterday report
Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY
Dec 14, 2014 10:24 AM - 12:42 PM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
36 species
Canada Goose 7
Mute Swan 9
American Wigeon 1 female, boathouse.
Mallard 118
Northern Shoveler 195
Hooded Merganser 1
Ruddy Duck 57
Pied-billed Grebe 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
American Coot 21
Ring-billed Gull 215
Herring Gull 15
Great Black-backed Gull 3
Mourning Dove 52
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Downy Woodpecker 7
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Blue Jay 13
American Crow 2
Black-capped Chickadee 5
Tufted Titmouse 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 5
Winter Wren 1
American Robin 6
Northern Mockingbird 1
Chipping Sparrow 3
Fox Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 8
Dark-eyed Junco 13
Northern Cardinal 6
Red-winged Blackbird 3
House Finch 14
Purple Finch 2
American Goldfinch 13
House Sparrow 28
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S20901085
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)