Saturday, December 31, 2022

New Year greetings!

 The Kingsboider wishes all



May 2023 be a year of new prospects, prosperity,good health,hope,and momentous highlights!




Friday iceland

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) (1)
- Reported Dec 30, 2022 11:29 by Nate L-S
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124935056
- Comments: "Observed while preening on the ice. Larger than RBGU but smaller than nearby HEGU. Overall mostly white with faint grey along the back. White head, dark eye, dainty yellow bill with dark tip. Pink legs." 

The Winter Season

"Wisdom comes with winters."

— Oscar Wilde


"In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy."

– William Blake

Waterfowl count Help wanted

The NYS waterfowl count takes place next month on Jan 14th to Jan 22nd. The club has one count area walk on Monday the 16th in Prospect Park ( check our field trips page). A friend Tom P would like expert waterfowl help / company ( up to 3 birders)  for his section area along Lower NYC harbor/ Gravesend bay - from Owls head park to Coney island Creek on Sunday the 15th. The requirements: you must drive ( your car), have a scope, be in for the long day making birding stops, be winter hardy and have good knowledge identifying waterfowl ( ducks,grebes,swans, geese,coots) .If interested,please email me at prosbird@gmail.com or prosbird@aol.com. and I'll put you in touch with Tom. Happy New Year! 🦆🎉

Thursday, December 29, 2022

BBP waterthrush (& the importance of leaf litter.)

Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) (1)
- Reported Dec 29, 2022 10:50 by MI YU
- Brooklyn Bridge Park, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6996104,-73.9973745&ll=40.6996104,-73.9973745
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124853654
- Media: 10 Photos
- Comments: "Very late and continuing from 11/12/22. Spotted in the unswept (thank you bbp!) leaf litter under the benches along the hedge-lined walkway into pier 6. Finding food- a wood louse (potato bug) and another invertebrate. Chipping constantly. Flew over to Flower field to chip some more." 

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

continuing rarity in Prospect park and Bush Terminal park


Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) (1)
- Reported Dec 28, 2022 10:19 by Peter Paul
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124780230
- Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Looked like the same second winter bird from yesterday. Photos."

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (3)
- Reported Dec 28, 2022 12:34 by Marcella Durand
- Bush Terminal Piers Park, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6541609,-74.0204451&ll=40.6541609,-74.0204451
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124778281
- Comments: "Mixed in with other gulls. Will submit sound files."

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 28, 2022 10:19 by Peter Paul
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124780230
- Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Sub adult - small, dark-backed gull, white eye, long wings."
--
" Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot,the only home we've ever known"

                                                                            --Carl Sagan

its a good time for rare gulls right now...

 Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (2)

- Reported Dec 27, 2022 16:25 by Doug Gochfeld
- Brooklyn Bridge Park, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6996104,-73.9973745&ll=40.6996104,-73.9973745
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124729269
- Comments: "*Uncommon but regular in winter here. Subadult in marina (digiscoped video) - the first time this individual was detected here this winter. Long-continuing adult 

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) (1)
- Reported Dec 27, 2022 11:51 by Doug Gochfeld
- Prospect Park--Prospect Lake, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6553787,-73.9686421&ll=40.6553787,-73.9686421
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124735716
- Comments: "*Continuing from earlier in day when found by Tripper Paul. Present through the entirety of my vigil."

Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Rare gulls prospect lake Tripper reports

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) (1)
- Reported Dec 27, 2022 09:45 by Peter Paul
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124720297
- Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "First winter bird - small gull with red legs, red bill, white outer primaries seen in flight as well as dark underwing."


Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) (1)
- Reported Dec 27, 2022 09:45 by Peter Paul
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124720297
- Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Second winter bird with all white primaries, some adult mantle coming in on the upper back, and a dark bill, but darkest at tip. Moved around but spent most time in one of the open water bodies."

Herring x Lesser Black-backed Gull (hybrid) (Larus argentatus x fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 27, 2022 09:45 by Peter Paul
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124720297
- Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "My first view of this bird was mostly obscured, but I could see enough that it had a decidedly darker mantle than the nearby HERGs. Eventually it stood up and took its head out. The color never quite clicked for LBBG, and the structure seems a bit off. I never actually saw the birds legs, but photos show the reflection of them, and they appear to be pink.  The pink legs, in between mantle shade, and odd structure seem to add up to this hybrid pair."
Show quoted text 

Iceland gull prospect lake Smith chklist

https://ebird.org/atlasny/checklist/S124701634 

Reported earlier by Tripper Paul who also found simultaneously a Black headed gull on frozen Lake


Monday, December 26, 2022

Iceland gull on Prospect lake

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) (1)
- Reported Dec 26, 2022 11:15 by MCHL ____
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124637985
- Comments: "Reported by Josh M. Sean S. showed me in his scope. 
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) (1)
- Reported Dec 26, 2022 10:30 by Sean Sime- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124640202
- Comments: "1st winter

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Tweet from Nicole Peyrafitte (@peyrafitte) yb sapsuckers video

Nicole Peyrafitte (@peyrafitte) tweeted at 0:31 PM on Sun, Dec 25, 2022:
Merry Xmas from Owl's Head Park with the lovely Yellow-bellied Sapsucker who was already there yesterday. @BirdBrklyn #bayridge https://t.co/PwC2IkGwkt
(https://twitter.com/peyrafitte/status/1607066428053622789?s=03)

Get the official Twitter app at https://twitter.com/download?s=13 

Saturday, December 24, 2022

Christmas greetings


 The Kingsboider wishes all a Merry Christmas and the blessings of the holiday with family, friends and fellow birders.

Peace, good will, and joy to you!




PPLake COME

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (2)
- Reported Dec 24, 2022 12:05 by R M

- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124549847
- Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "big saw billed ducks with smooth dark green heads and white bodies" 

Bush teminal park rare gull

 Its that time of the year for special gulls.

Joshua Malbin found today a Black headed Gull at Bush Terminal pier park jetty rocks .

The gift of birds

 On likely the coldest Christmas Eve day in nyc, its the little gifts that count. A holiday season puts things in perspective especially for a birder. Frigid conditions rendered bird life inactive as I can attest all morning in Prospect park . With frozen toes to think about, I shortened my stay but seeing later Ryan Mandlebaums tweet of a pair of drake Common Mergansers, I needed to gift myself.

And so, I set out 315 to go see them,hopefully they stuck around. Arriving at West Island benches, I scanned Prospect Lake and found the distant rare ducks in the lake middle.Desiring a closer look but not much, my new spot from the rustic shelter improved the view as I watched admiringly the rare handsome large Common mergansers. Battling cold seeping thru my double layered gloves, I stuck out long as I could. I needed to enjoy them as what one does with a new gift.

All birds are gifts. To deeply appreciate them regardless the species means to do the best of our ability to preserve them for generations to come. They provide us with enjoyment, wonders, happiness,distraction from life and oneness with nature. So we need to return the gift of saving them and habitats.

As I turned to head home ,noting the fading light,the frigid cold getting to me- a battle hardened winter birder- I was met with surprise a large flock of Common Grackles feeding in a frenzy on the ground. I estimated about 350 of them as I followed them to the lawn Oval by Vanderbilt playground. Quite  a sight given the tough challenging circumstances.

But at the lucky moment, thats the gift of birds. 🌲🎁🐦

Merry Christmas everyone.

-kb

New Prospect fence



 

The Ravine Ambergill area gets a new rigid structure fence. And that's good news..( no more repair caused by misbehaving humans who'll get coal in their Christmas stockings 😄🤣)

Friday, December 23, 2022

LBBG on prospect lake

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 23, 2022 12:11 by Kathleen Toomey
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S124481479
- Comments: "Smaller than nearby Herring Gulls, much darker backed than Herring and Ring-billeds, almost as dark as nearby Great Black-backed Gulls.  Long winged appearance, seeming longer winged and more slender than Great Black-backed Gulls.   Unfortunately, no camera to take photos" 

Final tally Kings County Christmas Bird Count

Thanks to Mike Yuan, our CBC compiler, please find attached the Kings CBC held Saturday December 17th.

We unexpectedly achieved 133 species, one of of highest ever for our CBC, short of the record 137.

Top bird was first ever for Brooklyn Townsends Warbler still at Fort Greene Park.

Prospect park ( including BBGarden) topped off with 50 species with the top bird a perched Red shouldered hawk in the Rose Garden

Happy Holidays all !

"The real voyage of discovery lies, not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." --Proust.


-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Yuan <
To: Peter Dorosh <Prosbird@aol.com>
Sent: Thu, Dec 22, 2022 9:38 pm
Subject: bk cbc list

Brooklyn Xmas Count Annual Report:                                                                2022
                                Total
Species                       Seen
Snow Goose                    1350
Brant                          15565
Canada Goose                  3667
Mute Swan                      81
Wood Duck                      4
Northern Shoveler               246
Gadwall                        241
Eurasian Wigeon                  1     IRR
American Wigeon               277
Mallard                         480
American Black Duck            808
Northern Pintail                  14
Green-winged Teal              191
Greater Scaup                   1000
Lesser Scaup                    134
Surf Scoter                       8
White-winged Scoter             11
Black Scoter                     57
Scoter (sp.)                      170
Long-tailed Duck                265
Bufflehead                      855
Common Goldeneye              22
Hooded Merganser               71
Common Merganser              4     IRR
Red-breasted Merganser          781
Ruddy Duck                     922
Pied-billed Grebe                 7
Horned Grebe                    64
Red-necked Grebe                2     IRR
Rock Pigeon                    2067
Mourning Dove                 724
American Coot                  152
American Oystercatcher           1     IRR
Black-bellied Plover              7
Killdeer                          8
Ruddy Turnstone                 2     IRR
Sanderling                      457
Dunlin                          232
Purple Sandpiper                 23
Western Sandpiper                1     RARE
Long-billed Dowitcher            3     RARE
American Woodcock              6
Wilson's Snipe                    1     IRR
Spotted Sandpiper                cw    RARE
Greater Yellowlegs               18
Dovekie                          1     RARE
Razorbill                        115    RARE
Bonaparte's Gull                 521    IRR
Black-headed Gull                cw    RARE
Laughing Gull                    8     IRR
Ring-billed Gull                 7713
Herring Gull                    2121
Lesser Black-backed Gull          2     RARE
Great Black-backed Gull         286
Red-throated Loon               260
Common Loon                  506
Northern Gannet                 137
Great Cormorant                 48
Double-crested Cormorant        134
Great Blue Heron                27
Black-crowned Night-Heron       1     IRR
Black Vulture                    cw    RARE
Turkey Vulture                   2     RARE
Bald Eagle                       5     RARE
Northern Harrier                 13
Sharp-shinned Hawk              3
Cooper's Hawk                   32
Red-shouldered Hawk             4     IRR
Red-tailed Hawk                 44
Barn Owl                        1     IRR
Great Horned Owl                cw
Northern Saw-whet Owl           2     IRR
Belted Kingfisher                 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker          62
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker         25
Downy Woodpecker              79
Hairy Woodpecker                3
Northern Flicker                 36
American Kestrel                 29
Merlin                           5
Peregrine Falcon                  8
Monk Parakeet                   7
Eastern Phoebe                   1     IRR
Blue Jay                        286
American Crow                 132
Fish Crow                       541
Common Raven                  9
Horned Lark                     52
Black-capped Chickadee         216
Tufted Titmouse                 284
Ruby-crowned Kinglet            11
Golden-crowned Kinglet           4
Cedar Waxwing                  46
Red-breasted Nuthatch            14    IRR
White-breasted Nuthatch          58
Brown Creeper                   2
Carolina Wren                   60
Winter Wren                     5
Gray Catbird                     17
Brown Thrasher                  2     IRR
Northern Mockingbird           129
European Starling               2232
Hermit Thrush                    6
American Robin                 169
House Sparrow                  807
American Pipit                   5
House Finch                     175
Purple Finch                      7     IRR
Red Crossbill                     4     RARE
European Goldfinch              cw    RARE
American Goldfinch             164
Snow Bunting                   112
Chipping Sparrow                1
Field Sparrow                    5
Fox Sparrow                     31
American Tree Sparrow           9
Dark-eyed Junco                 255
White-throated Sparrow          641
Seaside Sparrow                  1     RARE
Savannah Sparrow                8
Song Sparrow                   249
Lincoln's Sparrow                 1     RARE
Swamp Sparrow                  21
Eastern Towhee                   9
Eastern Meadowlark              1     IRR
Baltimore Oriole                 cw    IRR
Red-winged Blackbird            29
Brown-headed Cowbird          287
Common Grackle                350
Boat-tailed Grackle              475    IRR
Ovenbird                        cw    RARE
Northern Waterthrush             cw    RARE
Black-and-white Warbler          1     RARE
Orange-crowned Warbler          9
Nashville Warbler                 2     IRR
Common Yellowthroat            3     IRR
Northern Parula                   1     RARE
Black-throated Blue Warbler      cw    RARE
Palm Warbler                     4
Yellow-rumped Warbler          340
Townsend's Warbler              1     RARE
Wilson's Warbler                 1     RARE
Northern Cardinal               207
Species Count:                133
Number Seen:               51,567
NOTE:  "cw" = Count Week only