Fwd: [eBird Alert] Kings County Rare Bird Alert multiple reports

"How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year!"

-- Thomas Wentworth Higginson














   

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: <ebird-alert@birds.cornell.edu>
Date: Sat, Feb 21, 2026, 11:36 AM
Subject: [eBird Alert] Kings County Rare Bird Alert <hourly>
To: <prosbird@gmail.com>

*** Species Summary:

- Common Merganser (4 reports)
- Iceland Gull (kumlieni/glaucoides) (1 report)
- Swainson's Hawk (3 reports)

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Thank you for subscribing to the <hourly> Kings County Rare Bird Alert.  The report below shows observations of rare birds in Kings County.  View or unsubscribe to this alert at https://ebird.org/alert/summary?sid=SN35645
NOTE: all sightings are UNCONFIRMED unless indicated.

eBird encourages safe, responsible birding. Some reports may be from private property. Respect access restrictions and follow the rules wherever you bird. For more information, visit the eBird and Merlin Community Guidelines: https://ebird.org/community-guidelines. Stay connected to the global birding community with eBird Updates: https://mailchi.mp/cornell/ebird-updates-sign-up-page.

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (1)
- Reported Feb 21, 2026 10:24 by D K
- 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/S302728823
- Comments: "Flagged as rare, and genuinely unexpected for this location, where Red-Breasted Mergansers are way, way more likely, but Commons have been scattered around lately, presumably in connection with the freezes. Flyby male headed north up into the bay, with long reddish orange bill and clean white underside (ruling out RBME) neatly set off from all green head, with no red breast in between. Seen by a few of us who all agreed on the ID but it vanished around the corner before any of us could get photos."

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (1)
- Reported Feb 21, 2026 10:24 by Ant Tab
- 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/S302728814
- Comments: "Flagged as rare, and genuinely unexpected for this location, where Red-Breasted Mergansers are way, way more likely, but Commons have been scattered around lately, presumably in connection with the freezes. Flyby male headed north up into the bay, with long reddish orange bill and clean white underside (ruling out RBME) neatly set off from all green head, with no red breast in between. Seen by a few of us who all agreed on the ID but it vanished around the corner before any of us could get photos."

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (1)
- Reported Feb 21, 2026 10:24 by Joe Weisbord
- 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/S302728821
- Comments: "Flagged as rare, and genuinely unexpected for this location, where Red-Breasted Mergansers are way, way more likely, but Commons have been scattered around lately, presumably in connection with the freezes. Flyby male headed north up into the bay, with long reddish orange bill and clean white underside (ruling out RBME) neatly set off from all green head, with no red breast in between. Seen by a few of us who all agreed on the ID but it vanished around the corner before any of us could get photos."

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (1)
- Reported Feb 21, 2026 10:24 by Forrest Wickman
- 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/S302728812
- Comments: "Flagged as rare, and genuinely unexpected for this location, where Red-Breasted Mergansers are way, way more likely, but Commons have been scattered around lately, presumably in connection with the freezes. Flyby male headed north up into the bay, with long reddish orange bill and clean white underside (ruling out RBME) neatly set off from all green head, with no red breast in between. Seen by a few of us who all agreed on the ID but it vanished around the corner before any of us could get photos."

Iceland Gull (kumlieni/glaucoides) (Larus glaucoides kumlieni/glaucoides) (1)
- Reported Feb 21, 2026 08:15 by Elle Auklet
- South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6603108,-74.0112605&ll=40.6603108,-74.0112605
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S302710088
- Comments: "All-white gull with narrow wings and black bill. Looks to be a 1st winter individual."

Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) (1)
- Reported Feb 21, 2026 09:53 by Corey Finger
- Sims Municipal Recycling (restricted access), Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6624882,-74.0090782&ll=40.6624882,-74.0090782
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S302723537
- Comments: "Continuing. Poorly phonescoped. Mob."

Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) (1)
- Reported Feb 21, 2026 09:41 by D K
- Sims Municipal Recycling (restricted access), Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6624882,-74.0090782&ll=40.6624882,-74.0090782
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S302709609
- Comments: "Welcome back, my friend."

Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) (1)
- Reported Feb 21, 2026 09:41 by Joe Weisbord
- Sims Municipal Recycling (restricted access), Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6624882,-74.0090782&ll=40.6624882,-74.0090782
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S302709608
- Comments: "Welcome back, my friend."

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