Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi) (1)
- Reported Nov 16, 2022 10:59 by Doug Gochfeld
- Fort Greene Park, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.691923,-73.9754964&ll=40.691923,-73.9754964
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S122522618
- Comments: "**Very rare. 5th or so Kings County record (two each from Prospect and Green-Wood), though three of these have been in the past 14 months. As I was heading off the hill on my way out of the park, I heard a warbler contact call from a tall tree on the SW flank of the hill. I recognized it as a BTNW/TOWA/HEWA chip, which of course piqued my interest, given that BTNW should be long gone and the others are rarities. First views were poor and from underneath, as the bird moved frenetically through dark (still overcast out) deciduous canopy showing the white vent and black flank streaking of a warbler, but just before it hopped away, glimpsed solid yellow on the lower chest, and so I assumed it was a Townsend's Warbler. Luckily, I was able to get another view of the bird that showed the entire underparts and head, showing the dark gray (but not black) auriculars on a yellow face, yellow breast, black streaking below, and a black lower throat. It then flew to another tree in more difficult viewing conditions where I failed to adequately take a phone video through my binoculars before it disappeared. After I got the word out, it was MIA for twenty minutes. As I was attempting to leave yet again, and as the sun finally started peeking through, I heard it chipping again and re-found it here: (40.6910046, -73.9748978). It was actively foraging and frequently chipping, and this was the tree that it most favored over the rest of my stay here, though it did head east across the path beyond the lone pine in the easternmost field once. Stayed on it for the first few twitchers to connect before finally extricating myself from the park. Audio and Phone-binned video."
- Reported Nov 16, 2022 10:59 by Doug Gochfeld
- Fort Greene Park, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.691923,-73.9754964&ll=40.691923,-73.9754964
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S122522618
- Comments: "**Very rare. 5th or so Kings County record (two each from Prospect and Green-Wood), though three of these have been in the past 14 months. As I was heading off the hill on my way out of the park, I heard a warbler contact call from a tall tree on the SW flank of the hill. I recognized it as a BTNW/TOWA/HEWA chip, which of course piqued my interest, given that BTNW should be long gone and the others are rarities. First views were poor and from underneath, as the bird moved frenetically through dark (still overcast out) deciduous canopy showing the white vent and black flank streaking of a warbler, but just before it hopped away, glimpsed solid yellow on the lower chest, and so I assumed it was a Townsend's Warbler. Luckily, I was able to get another view of the bird that showed the entire underparts and head, showing the dark gray (but not black) auriculars on a yellow face, yellow breast, black streaking below, and a black lower throat. It then flew to another tree in more difficult viewing conditions where I failed to adequately take a phone video through my binoculars before it disappeared. After I got the word out, it was MIA for twenty minutes. As I was attempting to leave yet again, and as the sun finally started peeking through, I heard it chipping again and re-found it here: (40.6910046, -73.9748978). It was actively foraging and frequently chipping, and this was the tree that it most favored over the rest of my stay here, though it did head east across the path beyond the lone pine in the easternmost field once. Stayed on it for the first few twitchers to connect before finally extricating myself from the park. Audio and Phone-binned video."
