The brief stint into Prospect Park for me was productive given the small area I covered thanks to achy legs from last nights evening PPark cross country skiing. In the lake by Three Sisters Islands, its like the old 5 & 10 store I remembered from my youth: the 5 COMMON MERGANSERS -- so long being here-- and the ten RING NECKED DUCKS. The latter species moved around along Three Sisters. Then to Lamppost 249 at the Well drive tables , the COMMON REDPOLL was seen feeding voraciously on the birch catkins.It was also spotted earlier morning there by Mike Yuan.
Also of note were three WOOD DUCKS ( 2 d, 1 h) sticking close to the Lake west shore,one pair attracted to people throwing handouts.
An hour earlier, I watched the season's first OSPREY over the lake ,coming quite close over us before heading southeast and circling over south lakeside. Speaking of raptors I did see one raptor perched on the distant Botanic Garden fire tower. Its size though lean more towards Red tailed Hawk then the usual Peregrine.
Then a quick run over to Greenwood Cemetery for my third attempt at Woodcock before a pickup of a family member in Park Slope. And I was successful this time with Woodcock. At the previous reported location the prior two weeks of the Warrior Path in Greenwood's north corner, I initially found one AMERICAN WOODCOCK sleeping under a yew bush on the south edge of the path near Atlantic Ave intersection. Calling two birders to the spot,I found the second bird hunkered down low under the same yew bush,very well hidden under I noticed a bump in the leaf clutter. Pretty slick birds who know well how to camouflage themselves. So, a very satisfying day personally given less than two hours birding I experienced
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S22456943
