We disdain rain when its peak migration, but when it hits at the right time, it can be spectacular birding.
Any spring rain storm overnight during early morning hours puts a stop on bird migration. Birds come down and wait for the storm to pass, That means birders get the best chances for numbers and oddities.
A case in point was a rare weekday birding walk by the Brooklyn Bird Club. Today it was a rare trip to a small island called Governors Island. Expectations weren't high and the inclement weather look like a downer. But lo and behold, I get a report from trip leader Ryan Goldberg--leading 25 birders-- saying he and his group found 71 species birds, including a Eastern Whip-poor-will!. Adding to that, good sparrow variety included White-crowned and Seaside Sparrow with numbers of the more common species. For an island, 71 species is darn good.
In Prospect, 93 species in the morning with good warbler variety..some birders at dawn said it was a fallout , a term I don't use lightly unless the numbers are mind blowing. Nevertheless, the birding was good according to several sources pointing to the Ravine among the best locations.
I'll post more later including Ryans' list , photos and a summation of the day ..
Will there be an "Annual Governors Ball" ?
" Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot,the only home we've ever known"
--Carl Sagan
