Saturday, April 30, 2016

MAY 1st BBC walk cancelled

Tomorrow' s walk  Shore Road to Greenwood is CANCELLED due to forecast of heavy cold rain, a raw day no one will appreciate.


Better weather next time!

Rusty

Fwd: Rob Jett tweeted: Rusty Blackbird at muddy horse path behind Music Pagoda in Prospect Park 3:36 pm

eBird Checklist – Prospect Park, New York – Thu Apr 28, 2016 – 50 species

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29289088

BBC Thursday walk led by Peter Dorosh
Comments cloudy,overcast chilly morning. Not very active for birds

Fwd: GWC! From John




Sent from my MetroPCS 4G Wireless Phone


-------- Original message --------
From: macro gears <macrogears@gmail.com>
Date:04/28/2016 11:03 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: Peter Dorosh <Prosbird@aol.com>
Cc:
Subject: GWC!

Hi Peter,

Today i went back to GWC to look for the flocks of rose-breasted grosbeak , no luck! Probably already gone! Slow day but i managed to see Blue-headed Vireo, Black and White and the loner Scarlet Tanager. 

Happy Birding!

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Swallow day and spark

Today was "swallow" day in Prospect Park. The lake teemed with a moderate number of swallows that included 4 species. Furthermore,after my dental appointment I saw my "spark" bird  during my lunch hour.

Under very chilly morning conditions and cloudy sky that suited right for the swallow species, 4 species were observed. With numerous BARN SWALLOW the main draw, a single BANK slipped in with NORTHERN ROUGH WINGED  and TREE SWALLOWS throughout Prospect Lake.

Mid morning I had to go to the dentist again. Coming back just before lunchtime, there's nothing like seeing my spark bird, that started my birding career, like a spectacular male SCARLET TANAGER. Going back and forth , sometimes landing on the oak trunks, puzzlingly, the great looking bird hung along the back shore of Upper Pool for other birders to see. In the same oak grove, several ROSE BREASTED GROSBEAKS also chimed in. There was also  Rose Breasted Grosbeak reported at Vanderbilt playground.Also spotted in the Rocky Pass area, a gorgeous looking BLACKTHROATED GREEN WARBLER. On the Lower Pool, Linda Evans pointed out a SOLITARY SANDPIPER walking among the Lily Pads.

Speaking of the Solitary , it flew off though through the Ravine. However , Tripper mentioned to me that it was spotted back at its old haunt , the Lily Pool , from the Viewing Platform.

Other notables: YELLOW THROATED VIREO, in the Peninsula and Teacup Island site( KO'Hearn) ;MARSH WREN singing from the Peninsula phragmites ( T Preston) very early just after 630.







@aredstart2: Lower path near teardrop island brief look at yellow throated vireo and hearing it. m.twitter.com/aredstart2



@KarenOhearn: 4 swallow species Pp lake: barn, tree, n roughwing, bank m.twitter.com/KarenOhearn



@tpreston87: Prospect marsh wren singing in reeds at edge of peninsula m.twitter.com/tpreston87


Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Joshua Malbin prospect note

 I totaled 17 warblers and missed Worm-eating, which makes at least 18 in the park. Also two White-eyed Vireos in addition to the Yellow-throated, and a second Louisiana Waterthrush in the Ambergill in addition to the one at the Lily Pond.



Sent from my MetroPCS 4G Wireless Phone

Fwd: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Apr 26, 2016

Solitary sandpiper



Sent from my MetroPCS 4G Wireless Phone


-------- Original message --------
From: Roberta Manian <roberta.manian@gmail.com>
Date:04/26/2016 5:21 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: Peter Dorosh <prosbird@aol.com>, Kathleen Toomey <kathleentoomey@gmail.com>, Dennis Hrehowsik <deepseagangster@gmail.com>, Rob Bate <robsbate@gmail.com>
Cc:
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Apr 26, 2016

Hi Peter,

Today's Tuesday walk ran over 7 hours.  We had 18 warbler species, they were very vocal. Dennis heard a Nashville as soon as we entered the park, and as we followed it (some, but not all of us got looks before it headed higher onto Lookout) we were treated to lots of other singing birds, Blackburnian, Worm-eating, Prairie, Parula, Blue-wing among them.  The Prairies were high and hard to see, but everyone got good looks at the Blackburnian.

Kathy found the star non-warbler of the day, the Solitary Sandpiper, at the back of the Lilly Pond  After the group broke up, Kathy, Tripper and a few others continued on to the Penna where they found a Wilson's Snipe, another star bird!

so all in all a very satisfactory day!  Here's hoping to many more to come.


Additional birds seen by Kathy's post-walk crew brings the species count to 70.  
"We saw a wilson's snipe, 2 spotted sandpipers, a tree swallow, a savannah sparrow, 6 laughing gulls, a chipping sparrow, green-wing teal, and a yellow warbler thanks to Tripper"

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <ebird-checklist@cornell.edu>
Date: Tue, Apr 26, 2016 at 5:04 PM
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Apr 26, 2016
To: roberta.manian@gmail.com


Prospect Park, Kings, New York, US
Apr 26, 2016 7:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
65 species

Canada Goose  3
Mute Swan  5
Wood Duck  3
Mallard  6
Green-winged Teal  1
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Green Heron  2
Black-crowned Night-Heron  1
Osprey  1
American Coot  1
Spotted Sandpiper  3
Solitary Sandpiper  1
Laughing Gull  4
Ring-billed Gull  1
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  5
Mourning Dove  5
Chimney Swift  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Downy Woodpecker  3
Northern Flicker  5
Yellow-throated Vireo  1
Blue-headed Vireo  5
Warbling Vireo  1
Blue Jay  3
Northern Rough-winged Swallow  2
Black-capped Chickadee  1
Tufted Titmouse  2
House Wren  3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  3
Hermit Thrush  2
American Robin  85
Gray Catbird  2
European Starling  75
Ovenbird  5
Worm-eating Warbler  1
Louisiana Waterthrush  2
Northern Waterthrush  2
Blue-winged Warbler  5
Black-and-white Warbler  3
Nashville Warbler  2
Common Yellowthroat  1
American Redstart  2     One near lamppost one near Quaker cem gate both singing males.
Northern Parula  2
Blackburnian Warbler  1
Yellow Warbler  1
Black-throated Blue Warbler  1
Palm Warbler  3
Pine Warbler  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  20
Prairie Warbler  3     One near Quaker ridge two back of upper pool.
Black-throated Green Warbler  2
White-throated Sparrow  5
Song Sparrow  2
Swamp Sparrow  1
Eastern Towhee  3
Scarlet Tanager  1
Northern Cardinal  7
Red-winged Blackbird  5
Common Grackle  8
Brown-headed Cowbird  3
Baltimore Oriole  1
Purple Finch  1
American Goldfinch  2
House Sparrow  15

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29221524

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

Facebook post

Tom Stephenson post  to Brooklyn urban Birders group :  Yesterday was really great in the park. Rob B and I had a chance to bird with Jessica Green Wilson from Prospect Park

Here's a shot of a very cooperative and incredibly beautiful Lincoln's Sparrow we saw.

Amongst the 15 species of warblers we had 3 Louisiana and 8+ Northern Waterthrush. On The Warbler Guide I put some comparison photos and notes on their ID in case they might be of interest.https://m.facebook.com/groups/961809060508566?view=permalink&id=1087951577894313&refid=18&ref=m_notif&notif_t=group_activity&_ft_=qid.6278000258955670695%3Amf_story_key.1087951577894313%3Atl_objid.1087951577894313&__tn__=%2As

Quick passage but Prospect shorebirds surprises


Yesterday's quality day of numbers in Prospect diminished today but instead a couple of good shorebirds as well as a few good warblers salvaged  an otherwise slower day.

Today is Prospect's offering of shorebirds. The Lily Pool ( by the boathouse) with its small mudflat treated birders with a wonderful looking SOLITARY SANDPIPER working in the water .With its prominent eye ring and darker back, it stood out well from the back water viewing platform. I just received a tweet report of WILSON'S SNIPE  reported by Kathy Toomey at 1:55. It was seen on the black plastic covering the phragmites inside the Peninsula hand , the cove that last weekend had the Greater Yellowlegs. And then earlier, Karen O'hearn reported about 7  SPOTTED SANDPIPERS in and around the Peninsula: 2 on the shoreline were joined by 4 more Spotteds flying across the Lake.This day I believe one of the best days for shorebirds in Prospect I remember in a long time.

Some continuing good warblers prevailed. Today's observations included WORMEATING, BLACKBURNIAN  along the south path below Butterfly Meadow, LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH at Lily pool sharing with the Solitary Sandpiper, as well as a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH at the same mudflat.

Other good birds to mention is YELLOW THROATED VIREO at Butterfly Meadow;  and a hen GREEN WINGED TEAL in Prospect Lake.ORANGE CROWNED WARBLER continues its long spell.( I presumed its still at Lookout Hill lamppost 249 at the slouth slope , correct me if I'm wrong)








Monday, April 25, 2016

Support your Brooklyn Birdathon

Brooklyn Birdathon takes place May 12th. The Brooklyn Bird Club decided on habitat restoration or creation for the Jean Bourque Duck blind at Floyd Bennett Field North Forty, a new blind created over the winter. It needs native plants and border habitat as well as the perimeter

Here's the note from Bobbi , the teams coordinator and BBC President Rob Bate

Birdathon: Saturday, May 14, 2016
The Jean Bourque Duck Blind
May 14th is International Migratory Bird Day - A global event celebrating the beauty of birds and habitats; this event encourages fundraising for conservation causes.  This year, the IBMD theme is “Spread Your Wings for Bird Conservation.” . Every year, the Brooklyn Bird Club participates by holding a birdathon.   This year’s Birdathon will be dedicated to raising funds for the Jean Bourque Duck Blind habitat at Floyd Bennett Field’s North Forty section.  Jean Bourque, a 40+ year member of the BBC, passed away last year.  She, and her husband Ron were singlehandedly responsible for much of the restoration and maintenance work at the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center.  As a tribute to her, the duck blind at the Return-a-Gift Pond at Floyd Bennet Field was recently restored.  We will augment this work with additional funding to plant new trees around the blind to enhance the habitat and our viewing pleasure.
Please come out in support of this cause!  Anyone can participate, organize a team, join a team, or sign on to donate to a team.  Team members solicit pledges from friends and family, usually an amount per bird, sometimes a flat amount, and the team spends the whole day (or as much as they want) birding in Brooklyn and seeking a high number of species during the busiest birding day of the year.  Results are circulated on the clubs Facebook page (www.facebook.com/BrooklynBirdClub), website and newsletter.
Bobbi Manian will act as coordinator for the Birdathon and would be happy to hook you up with a team or help you organize a team.  Please email her at roberta.manian@gmail.com if you have any questions, to register or to pledge your support.  If you have a car and would be willing to drive to such locations as Floyd Bennett Field or JBWR, let Bobbi know.  If you'd like to be placed with a team, and assuming we have healthy signup, we'll try to match skills and endurance levels.  Please indicate if you are a 'sun-up to sun-down' birder or if 6-8 hours is your limit.  
For those not up for a full day of birding, Michele Dreger's Introduction to Birdwatching group will meet at the Boathouse (in Prospect Park) at noon, and bird for a few hours - all are welcome
 May 14th is a great day to make a special contribution to our cause, and, at the same time, enjoy our friends, the migratory songbirds and our fellow birders on a special day for all of us.  Let’s hope for fall-out conditions on all fronts!
Rob Bate


Heres a reprise of the BBC Bourque memorial walk in honor of Jean

http://bbcprevioustripreports.blogspot.com/2015/06/saturday-june-20th-memorial-to-jean.html

and dont forget there is a Prospect Park walk the same day aside from the teams version

snipeSaturday, May 14th, "The Birdathon Walk" in Prospect Park
Meet: 
7:15 am at the Grand Army Plaza park entrance (Stranahan Statue)
Leader: Paul Keim
Note: Participants can elect to support the club theme


Mild movement, new arrivals



Some mild movement was evident in Prospect, with new warbler arrivals as well as a gorgeous LINCOLN SPARROW highlighted the morning.It didn't seem like it was going to be a productive day but it was an above average birding day if you like Yellow rumped warblers with new birds.

Highlighting the best bird, a fantastic close view of a LINCOLN SPARROW at the Lower Pool back gate. Feeding mostly in the fragrant Honeysuckle bush, the sparrow was only 10 feet from the back gate. It at times would fly away to the opposite shore but always came back to the bush . Latest report came at 2 pm.

New arrivals regarding the warblers: topping the list , WORMEATING in the Vale Cashmere, followed in other areas ( Payne Hill, Ambergill etec) by BLUEWINGED, NASHVILLE, PRAIRIE,LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, BLACKBURNIAN (3 arches bridge)  BLACK THROATED BLUE & BACK THROATED GREEN warblers were some gems.  A typical stroll through the park and run-ins with other birders or even following twitter would help get you these birds.

A note from me. As migration gets into its frenzy period, it gets harder for me to keep up with the texts and tweets as I must work without disruption. ( In fact at mid morning I had to mute my phone) .The same be said if I am off on a vacation day ( or days away somewhere in which case my phone will be turned off), looking to enjoy my personal time. Unless the species is a super rare or highly terrific species which would be retweeted, its best for you getting quick alerts to follow my twitter Kingsboider and my followers you can also follow or ask around other prospect birders if they have twitter . Blog reports on my work days will be posted by 330 pm weekdays and in the evenings on weekends .Or check Birdtrax on the left sidebar or the Prospect Ebird checklist link above in the heading to see what species are in. After the migration, its easier to get back into the normal routine. Some sanity must prevail for me.


Sunday, April 24, 2016

Overlooked

From Ebird birdtrax the sidebar on the left,ORANGE CROWNED WARBLER today, whereabouts unknown. From yesterday, an oftentimes overlooked but difficult to distinguished empidonax, ALDER FLYCATCHER which is a good bird to see if drabness fits the fashion.The beautiful WOOD THRUSH is in as well, one report hanging out along the Ambergill..

Also reports of Nashville( at Ricks Place) & Prairie Warblers (above Well house ) in town as well.


Yellow throated warbler

From the Peninsula taken by Ryan Candee


Fwd: Yellow-throated Vireo

Taken by Peter Colen on the Peninsula



-----Original Message-----
From: peter.colen@gmail.com
To: prosbird
Cc: Peter Dorosh
Sent: Sun, Apr 24, 2016 1:11 pm
Subject: Yellow-throated Vireo


Its all yellow on the Peninsula





Yellow is the color on Prospect's Peninsula today.And why? Three species bearing the color were spotted ,three rare species for the park and a good thing as birding was slow. When you have those days especially when it's chilly north winds, the few great birds saved an otherwise dull day.

The first report  came in of a YELLOW THROATED WARBLER. This bird was spotted on the Peninsula thumb. I was over in Greenwood cemetery at the time just after seeing a YELLOW THROATED VIREO by Dellwater. Then a report of that species the vireo came through seen on the Peninsula tip. Joshua Malbin and Ryan Candee observed these two species.

After my Greenwood tour,I headed over to the Peninsula. Several other birder s came in as my intention to look for the Yellow throated Warbler. We didn't get any luck there, but the vireo was heard, a bright YELLOW THROATED VIREO at the base of the thumb.

As is often the case and some luck, more birders more eyes mean maybe another good bird.I was the lucky guy, spotting a GREATER YELLOWLEGS on the black plastic covering phragmites in the cove ( or in the hand as the peninsula is shaped ) before it flew to the tip. This species is rare for Prospect,the first seen since 2013. Here are other records below of less than 15 reports historically. SPOTTED SANDPIPER hung out in the same spot with the Yellowlegs. At the tip ,two drab PINE WARBLERS were observed.

http://tinyurl.com/ppgryerecs

On my Greenwood personal tour, quiet time did have a few nice birds. Besides my Yellow throated Vireo, FIELD SPARROW and flyover COMMON RAVEN appeared on the "south flats " of the cemetery. A BELTED KINGFISHER flew over the Dellwater.

Yellowlegs pp

Greater Yellowlegs Peninsula tip by black plastic,with spotted Sandpiper

ytvireo

GWCEM:Yellow throated vireo orchard ave west slope dellwater end of crescent ave

200 pm yellow throated vireo Peninsula  thumb

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Fwd: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Apr 23, 2016

Bbc walk led by Dennis


Sent from my MetroPCS 4G Wireless Phone


-------- Original message --------
From: Dennis Hrehowsik <deepseagangster@gmail.com>
Date:04/23/2016 9:10 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: prosbird@aol.com
Cc:
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Apr 23, 2016

Peter,

22 birders met at the pergola where highlights were spotted sandpiper, green heron, blue headed vireo, Louisiana waterthrush and singing northern waterthrush for a total of 61 species.

Best,

Dennis



>
>
> Prospect Park, Kings, New York, US
> Apr 23, 2016 7:15 AM - 2:15 PM
> Protocol: Traveling
> 4.0 mile(s)
> 61 species
>
> Canada Goose  5
> Mute Swan  1
> Wood Duck  2
> American Black Duck  2
> Mallard  6
> Ruddy Duck  7
> Double-crested Cormorant  2
> Green Heron  2
> Osprey  1
> Red-tailed Hawk  3
> American Coot  2
> Spotted Sandpiper  1
> Laughing Gull  4
> Ring-billed Gull  3
> Herring Gull  2
> Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  5
> Mourning Dove  4
> Chimney Swift  2
> Belted Kingfisher  1
> Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
> Downy Woodpecker  4
> Hairy Woodpecker  2
> Northern Flicker  5
> American Kestrel  1
> Peregrine Falcon  1
> Blue-headed Vireo  4
> Warbling Vireo  1
> Blue Jay  3
> Fish Crow  2
> Northern Rough-winged Swallow  1
> Tree Swallow  1
> Barn Swallow  2
> Tufted Titmouse  2
> White-breasted Nuthatch  1
> House Wren  2
> Carolina Wren  1
> Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  4
> Ruby-crowned Kinglet  3
> Hermit Thrush  1
> American Robin  55
> European Starling  45
> Northern Parula

> Louisiana Waterthrush  1
> Northern Waterthrush  1
> Black-and-white Warbler  2
> Yellow Warbler  1
> Palm Warbler  3
> Pine Warbler  2
> Yellow-rumped Warbler  35
> Chipping Sparrow  4
> Field Sparrow  1
> Dark-eyed Junco  1
> White-throated Sparrow  5
> Song Sparrow  3
> Swamp Sparrow  1
> Eastern Towhee  3
> Northern Cardinal  7
> Red-winged Blackbird  5
> Common Grackle  12
> Brown-headed Cowbird  2
> House Sparrow  15
>
> View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29154937
>
> This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)

Gwc april 22

Subject: Greenwood Cemetery Arrivals/Kings County
From: Sean Sime <sean@seansime.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2016 18:28:18 -0400
X-Message-Number: 10
A mid day visit to the cemetery yielded some new arrivals. The conditions
proved to be good enough for an impromptu hawk watch as well.
Highlights included:
Green Heron
Double-crested Cormorants (total of 63 all moving ENE)
Great Egrets (single group of 3 looking like they dropped into Prospect
Park)
Turkey Vulture (2)
Osprey (6 individuals, 2 were local birds)
Northern Harrier (adult male)
Laughing Gull (17)
Chimney Swift (2)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
American Kestrel (5)
Merlin (4)
Northern Parula
Prairie Warbler
Good birding,
Sean Sime
Brooklyn, NY

@themeowking: Nashville Warbler and Northern Parula in oaks below Rick's Place, where the horse trail and paved paths meet. Reported by Chang P


Friday, April 22, 2016

Fwd: Fwd: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Apr 22, 2016





-----Original Message-----
From: kathleentoomey@gmail.com
To: Peter Dorosh
Sent: Fri, Apr 22, 2016 4:52 pm
Subject: Fwd: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Apr 22, 2016




From: ebird-checklist@cornell.edu
Date: April 22, 2016 at 8:45:58 PM EDT
To: Kathleentoomey
Subject: eBird Report - Prospect Park, Apr 22, 2016

Prospect Park, Kings, New York, US
Apr 22, 2016 10:10 AM - 4:40 PM
Protocol: Traveling
3.0 mile(s)
Comments:     Lookout, Peninsula, Lullwater, to Ravine and Pools
44 species (+1 other taxa)

Canada Goose  9
Mute Swan  5
Wood Duck  5
Mallard  2
Ruddy Duck  2
Double-crested Cormorant  30     Flyover
Great Egret  1
Green Heron  2
Osprey  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
American Coot  2
Spotted Sandpiper  2     Peninsula, thanks to Karen O and Raphael
gull sp.  1
Mourning Dove  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  7
Northern Flicker  3
Blue-headed Vireo  4     One on Lookout was singing
Blue Jay  5
Fish Crow  1     Heard, maybe more than one
Tufted Titmouse  5
House Wren  2     Both heard
Winter Wren  1     Ambergill falls
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Hermit Thrush  2
American Robin  50
European Starling  20
Louisiana Waterthrush  1     Behind the Lily Pond
Northern Waterthrush  1     Peninsula sora spot, singing
Black-and-white Warbler  4
Palm Warbler  6
Pine Warbler  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  32
Chipping Sparrow  1
Field Sparrow  1
White-throated Sparrow  11
Song Sparrow  1
Swamp Sparrow  8
Eastern Towhee  3
Northern Cardinal  11
Red-winged Blackbird  5
Common Grackle  15
Brown-headed Cowbird  2
American Goldfinch  1
House Sparrow  6

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29129357

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

Polyphemus moth

Sometimes we see astonishing  nature in our city parks. The relatively new park Brooklyn Bridge park about two weeks ago had this big moth emerge,a spectacular species to see.

It was discovered last year as a pupate,brought inside the building and eventually opened.
Photos by Diana Grabon


Ebid rare bird alert today

Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) (1)
- Reported Apr 22, 2016 10:57 by Robert Bate
- Prospect Park, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6602841,-73.9689534&ll=40.6602841,-73.9689534
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29118710
- Comments: "Mid ambergill"

Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) (1)
- Reported Apr 22, 2016 08:35 by Gus Keri
- Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6523083,-73.9904281&ll=40.6523083,-73.9904281
- Checklist: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29118830
- Comments: "A delicate sparrow with fine streaking on a buffy chest. Seen at the southern edge of Sylvan Water with the two Swamp Sparrows. It flew before I could get a photo."

***********

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KB Note: these reports are considered rare for the timing of the observation. ( early birds)

also reported late in day : LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH back of Lily Pool ( Ktoomey), ORANGE CROWNED WARBLER bathing in the Ravine ( Dennis Hrehowsik, Bobbi Manian, Kristin Costello )also seen by this crew immature BALD EAGLE flyover Rink.

During my walk home a section of the Ravine creek was a bird bath spot for warblers.Just before the creek empties into the pool, 7 warblers bathed in the slower running water cluttered with leaves. Gorgeous views of Yellow rumped warblers--4 at one time, bathe along with Black & White and Palm Warblers An Eastern Towhee joined in. Kathy Toomey also watched the scene. It's amazing to see the color come out off the Yellow rumped, feathers all fluffed up while in the water. Seriously!

3 Wood ducks remain on the Upper Pool.There's a possibility of the wood ducks nesting inside the fallen box on the little island according to an eyewitness.

reported at GWC yesterday

Subject: Evening Grosbeak at Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn
From: Isaac Grant <hosesbroadbill@gmail.comhosesbroadbill@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 21 Apr 2016 10:26:08 -0400
X-Message-Number: 4

Just had a fly over and calling Evening Grosbeak. 10:20 a.m. I am standing at the corner of Vista Avenue and Southwood Avenue. Bird was flying west. There is a small valley just below vista. I am standing next to a pink flowering tree. Bird flew over my head and continued west. Keep an eye to the sky... 

Isaac Grant
Senior Loan Officer

Today is.....




....do something for the planet..its the only one we live on....


Sunup birding.

A mostly inactive first half of birding from sunup , until the last 20 minutes before I reported to work at 7. Typical species I found in and around Lookout Hill top habitats. Most prominently , EASTERN TOWHEE flew through the brush at the south end of Butterfly Meadow, first a mixed pair , then another male along the west slope, with several HERMIT THRUSHES following them. In the Butterfly Meadow elm grove, RUBY CROWNED KINGLET, YELLOW RUMPED WARBLERS, PALM WARBLER, BLACK & WHITE WARBLER were present. Small flocks of RED WINGED BLACKBIRDS overhead with one flock coming down to feed in the oak at the summit.

Noon time update >reports from Rob Bate and Kathy Toomey : WOOD THRUSH in middle Ambergill ( Ravine); 2 GREEN HERONs in Lower Pool ; NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH on the Peninsula meadow first marsh ( along lake) . First season SPOTTED SANDPIPER at Peninsula Pink beach ( K Ohearn), then lake side of Peninsula meadow 12 :05 .Later BALTIMORE ORIOLE (OBS: dh, bm, kc)

Towhee , photo Steve Nanz

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Fwd: BBC Walk Today Prospect


Leader Tom Stephenson


-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Stephenson <12toms@gmail.com>
To: Peter Dorosh <ProsBird@aol.com>; Rob Bate <robsbate@gmail.com>
Sent: Thu, Apr 21, 2016 3:11 pm
Subject: BBC Walk Today

Hi Peter,

We had a very pleasant walk today with almost 30 folks. It was somewhat birdy but without lots of variety. We did have 45 species including 5 warbler species. Lots of Palms, Yellow-rumps and quite a few Pines along with Blue-headed Vireo, a Laughing Gull flying over the lake, and  more.

Here's the list.

Best regards,
Tom




Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Mallard
Ruddy Duck
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

Warm slow day , hot time in Ricks Place

Sandwiching time around a midmorning dentist appointment, there wasn't much excitement to report birding wise in sunny day Prospect.The best excitement aside from personal first of season warblers was a pair of Flickers making out at Ricks Place.

After  my dental appointment on "sick time" so that my mouth numbness could subside in time and not during working, I took a slow walk around the Ravine and Midwood. I picked up seeing BLACK & WHITE WARBLER along the Midwood bridle trail, then the NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH ( also reported earlier by Mike Yuan) at the Lower Pool.Above Rocky Pass, a hard to see high up BLUE HEADED VIREO worked the blooming Red Maple.

An eventual stop at Ricks Place provided me some intrigue. One NORTHERN FLICKER  chased another and on the branch above the bridle trail, the male did its thing, copulating a few times atop the female. It happened so fast , maybe two seconds tops. ( That's fast !)






Prospect Park, Kings, New York, US
Apr 21, 2016
Protocol: Incidental
19 species

Canada Goose  X
Wood Duck  2     Upper Pool island
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Mourning Dove  X
Belted Kingfisher  1     Ambergill pool
Northern Flicker  2     Ricks Place
Blue-headed Vireo  1     Rocky Pass
Blue Jay  X
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  1
Hermit Thrush  1
American Robin  X
European Starling  X
Northern Waterthrush  1     Lower Pool left shore from back gate
Black-and-white Warbler  1     Midwood Bridle trail
Palm Warbler  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  3
White-throated Sparrow  X
Common Grackle  X
House Sparrow  X

View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S29102074

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

Fwd: ridgewood and prospect




Sent from my MetroPCS 4G Wireless Phone


-------- Original message --------
From: Tinsley Perky <deartinsleyperky@gmail.com>
Date:04/20/2016 11:43 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: Peter Dorosh <Prosbird@aol.com>
Cc:
Subject: ridgewood and prospect

Hi Peter,
Ridgewood reservoir yesterday evening was totally duck-less. Just one mute swan and a coopers hawk chasing redwing blackbirds.

Prospect Park was just spring-gorgeous today! Here a black and white warbler at the upper pool and a pair of red-tailed hawks on the firemen's com tower on Empire.

TP

OCWA continues April 20

Prospect Park's ORANGE CROWNED WARBLER continues , seen yesterday late afternoon on the hillside above the Well Drive shipping containers. It was spotted above the dirt pile by Kathy Toomey just before the under restoration Wellhouse..

Some other mentions by birders I ran into yesterday, BLUE HEADED VIREO & PURPLE FINCH  were species seen the last two days, the finch on the west side of Quaker Cemetery, the vireo in the north Ravine. SAVANNAH SPARROW I found after work a single bird along Baseball field #2 dugout  as well as a single bird on the Peninsula meadow by Kathy.


Osprey nest Bush Terminal

Earlier over the weekend, Matthew Wills reported the happy occasion of a pair of Ospreys building a nest . Seen atop a multi floodlight tower, the pair brought sticks to the perch. This is a historic new location for this species , normally only confined  up to then at Jamaica Bay and Marine Park region.

Although there is an osprey platform at Bush Terminal Park, its nevertheless good news of the species nesting deeper inside NY lower harbor. Time will tell of the success and whether they will expand to new quarters.

The nest is inside the restricted Marine Transfer Station by the Simms Recylcing complany that deals with our trash.

Gus Keri Facebook video post https://www.facebook.com/gus.keri.7

Here's Marisa's account from NYS Birds :

Tue Apr 19, 2016 7:19 pm (PDT) . Posted by:

marisawohl

Sorry for the delay in posting. The listserve did not publish my earlier attempts. On Sunday I confirmed the osprey nest that Matthew Wills found at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. At 3:45 I saw 2 birds on the nest which looked fully built out. To view, go to the Industry City parking lot at 35th Street and 2nd Avenue in Sunset Park. Stand at the parking lot entrance and direct binoculars or scope straight towards the water to the top of the far light tower. Thanks to Matthew for this wonderful find.

I then took a quick walk around Bush Terminal Park nearby at 43rd Street and First Avenue. There was a nice assortment of waterfowl for the 2nd half of April. The best bird was a blue winged teal in the fenced off cove to the west of the park entrance. Other species in the park included American wigeon, gadwall, ruddy duck, black duck, mallard, bufflehead, brant, Canada goose, double crested cormorant, herring gull, song sparrow, house sparrow, red winged black bird, European starling, mourning dove and rock pigeon.

If you plan to visit, note that Bush Terminal Park is open from 8 to 5 from March 1st through May 1st. The park is open 8 to 8 from May 2nd to September 30th.












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