Prospect Park Bird Sightings & North Brooklyn Nature News

Friday, January 2, 2026

Two local rarities today

Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 02, 2026 13:02 by Ryan Mandelbaum
- 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/S291921002
- Comments: "photos, big white winged gull with black tipped pink beak"

Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata) (1) CONFIRMED
- Reported Jan 02, 2026 08:05 by Z .
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291904961
- Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "same spot on the flats as seen on 28th. Feeding from exact same sapsucker hole. Presumedly same sapsucker butler in residence as well. Pic"

Something to think about for the New year:

What is success?
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate the beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch Or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Chippie at feeders in GWC

Now the only feeders locally with Prospects ended.

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) (1)
- Reported Jan 01, 2026 14:18 by Caroline Quinn
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291743590
- Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "At the feeders by Dell Water. Small sparrow with chestnut cap, grey face and and underparts, pink bill and dark eyeline. Terrible ID shots tba."

LBBG Roost at BBP Pier 1 pilings

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Jan 01, 2026 16:40 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/S291744098
- Comments: "Continuing 2nd winter, o the P1 pilings."

1st day Huggard prospect chklist

https://ebird.org/checklist/S291656390

Note hen Common merganser, Rusty bb, ring necked neck ducks, Carolina Wren,fox sparrow

A good first day for Mr.Huggard...

Cobble Hill patch patchy OCWA..

New spot for blog

Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata) (1)
- Reported Jan 01, 2026 11:20 by E R
- Cobble Hill Park, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6882527,-73.9961675&ll=40.6882527,-73.9961675
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291644046
- Comments: "Flagged for date. Seen naked eye a few feet away, in a low bush, vocalizing. Olive/gray-backed warbler with yellowish underside and brighter yellow under tail. After watching it for a minute I decided to get out my camera but then it vanished in plain sight, argh. Nice New Year's Day bird though"

Common merganser on Prospect lake

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (1)
- Reported Jan 01, 2026 08:10 by Sean Sime
- 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/S291587998
- Comments: "Continuing hen. Photos"

eBird Checklist - 1 Jan 2026 - Prospect Park - 29 species. BBC walk led by Karen Ohearn

https://ebird.org/checklist/S291608713

Prospect Park, Kings, New York, United States - eBird Hotspot

https://ebird.org/hotspot/L109516

First Birds *

New Years Greetings!

May your New Year be a special one, healthy and prosperous, with dreams and hopes fulfilled.

The Kingsboider wishes you a Happy New Year!

New Year Greetings!

The Kingsboider wishes you Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Last day gulls

On this last last of the year,it's all gulls.

Bush Terminal Pier Park hosted both Glaucous and Black headed Gulls, with the latter also visiting Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4.

BATPier 4 had the Lesser black back gill today, continuing at this location.Itd a good time visiting both renown gull spots. A late report also placed this species in Brooklyn bridge park.( See the report below)

Meanwhile the Iceland gull hangs around Prospect Park ,an observer believing it's the Thayer's subspecies, this bird continuing since pre CBC .

A hen Common Merganser also stuck around on the lake,loving the place

Happy New Year!...

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 16:29 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/S291474590
- Comments: "2cy @marina"

Iceland Gull (Thayer's) (Larus glaucoides thayeri) (1)
- Reported Dec 31, 2025 13:58 by Julian Elman
- 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/S291489407
- Media: 9 Photos
- Comments: "Dark eye, small greenish bill, rounded head, very pink legs. Pale underwing. Appeared only a bit larger than nearby RBGUs. Seen with mchl from hammerhead but eventually lost in flight over the lake. I still need to dig into the finer ID details but the spread wings look consistent with recent photos."

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Rare gulls trifecta at Bush Terminal Pier #4 and waste treatments plant

Reports today of Glaucous Gull at Owls Head waste treatments plant , a Black headed Gull there as well but reported flying afterwards towards BATPIER4 plus the gull below.. good stuff if you like gulls...

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 30, 2025 13:06 by Joseph Trezza
- Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.646519,-74.026074&ll=40.646519,-74.026074
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291232674
- Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Subadult with dark back, straight black bill, punched-in-the-eye look, dark rump + white uppertail coverts and one donut."

Monday, December 29, 2025

Possible slaty backed gull prospect lake

A strong possibility with an immature seen from the Hammerhead or southwest mainland of prospect lake, up close.

Come flock prosLake

13 Common Mergansers just circled over Prospect Park Lake.l

COME prospect lake

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (2)
- Reported Dec 29, 2025 15:10 by Joseph Trezza
- 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/S291071787
- Comments: "M, f, many observers

Good gulls at prospect lake

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 29, 2025 11:45 by Jeanne Cimorelli
- 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/S291060140
- Media: 1 Photo
- Comments: "Continuing adult and possible immature. Photo."

Iceland Gull (Thayer's) (Larus glaucoides thayeri) (1)
- Reported Dec 29, 2025 11:45 by Jeanne Cimorelli
- 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/S291060140
- Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing bird with dark eye, small rounded head and small bill. Photos."

Glaucous gull*at BATPier4

Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) (1)
- Reported Dec 29, 2025 11:16 by Casey Ferio
- Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.646519,-74.026074&ll=40.646519,-74.026074
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S291043145
- Comments: "*continuing second year bird that haunted the army terminal last winter as a juvenile and has now returned. Flew in (from the east?) and landed on the pier at 12:21 as gull numbers started to rise. After a while it was flushed by a car and flew high downriver towards the owls head water treatment plant. I headed south to try and get this species for my all-important bay ridge list (the only list that matters) but failed to relocate it from the bay ridge pier or by looking down into the water treatment plant from the hill at owls head. The only non-first cycle glaucous gull I've ever seen. Photos"

Sunday, December 28, 2025

OCWA in GWC ( unknown specific location) one of 3 reports

Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata) (1)
- Reported Dec 28, 2025 07:14 by Susie Dippel
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S290837475
- Comments: "Continuing, feeding at Sapsucker drilled hole, Sapsucker chased the warbler away"

LBBG juvenile on prospect lake

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (2)
- Reported Dec 28, 2025 13:07 by Austin Johnson
- 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/S290874815
- Comments: "one adult with a slate gray back and yellow legs and one juv"

Glaucous Gull continuing at BTPP

Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) (1)
- Reported Dec 28, 2025 12:16 by Asher Fusco
- Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.646519,-74.026074&ll=40.646519,-74.026074
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S290832861
- Media: 3 Photos
- Comments: "Continuing second-cycle individual, initially reported 12/23 by Joshua Malbin. Bulky gull with pink legs, marbled wing pattern, thick bicolor bill, and yellow eye. Loafing with Ring-billed and American Herring gulls, intermittently picking at a corn cob. Photos."

Saturday, December 27, 2025

Come and LBBG on prospect lake , reports

Also note flyover Red shouldered Hawk lake

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (2)
- Reported Dec 27, 2025 12:44 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/S290623280
- Comments: "Image."

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (7)
- Reported Dec 27, 2025 10:15 by Sean Sime
- 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/S290623551
- Comments: "One hen on lake. Flock of 2 Drake and two hen circled lake multiple times then headed SW out of park, then flock of two hen did the same some time later."

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (7)
- Reported Dec 27, 2025 09:26 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/S290626531
- Media: 2 Photos
- Comments: "1, 4, 2. The four flew around and then out to the SW. The one was on the lake maybe the whole time. And then two flew in, out, maybe back in or maybe there were 9 total, and stayed for a bit."

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 27, 2025 12:44 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/S290623280
- Comments: "Image."

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 27, 2025 09:26 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/S290626531
- Media: 3 Photos

BTPP BLACK HEADED GULL *continuing

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) (1)
- Reported Dec 27, 2025 10:34 by Nick Dawson
- 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/S290549899
- Comments: "Continuing. Photos

Friday, December 26, 2025

Orange crowned warbler southern GWC and plus 2

Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata) (1)
- Reported Dec 26, 2025 10:27 by Asher Fusco
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S290360947
- Comments: "Quick-but-clear views: foraging eye-level in a Yew on the flats. Pointy-billed warbler with gray head, olive back, and yellow undertail coverts."

Also reported today on prospect lake an uncommon species 6 Brant

And....

BLACK-HEADED GULL at Bush Terminal Pier Park , roosting on the jetty by the Osprey platform

Thursday, December 25, 2025

Local Lesser black backed gulls

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 25, 2025 07:03 by John Huggard
- 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/S290149237
- Comments: "Dark grey back, smudgy eye. Smaller than nearby GBBG. Was not able to get photo. All gulls flew off lake when I was pointing me camera and then I could not find again."

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 25, 2025 07:59 by Yosef Yitzchok Schusterman
- 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/S290173416
- Comments: "Landed after flying from another part of the lake. Smaller than the other Black-backed Gull (Great). Dark gray rather than black or light gray"

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 25, 2025 09:50 by jules w
- Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.646519,-74.026074&ll=40.646519,-74.026074
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S290155917
- Comments: "adult gull, distinctive black wash on back but small; compared to herrings. would be consistent with caseys report yesterday"

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

Christmas Greetings

The Kingsboider wishes all a Merry Christmas and festive holiday be yours this day.

May your Happy celebration with family ,friends or birders be meaningful and memorable.

🎄🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

"The reason for the season"

Glaucous Gull flyover GWC 330 PM

Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) (1)
- Reported Dec 24, 2025 11:20 by MCHL ____
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S290041148
- Comments: "!!! Large all-white/gray gull with bi-colored bill seen fairly low over Linden Ave at the edge of Hill of Graves, flying West towards South Brooklyn Marine Terminal or Brooklyn Army Terminal, perhaps departing from Prospect Park Lake. Reported at Pier 4 Brooklyn Army Terminal by Josh M. yesterday. I assume it's the same individual. Images for review."

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

LBBG @BATP4

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) (1)
- Reported Dec 23, 2025 12:07 by Casey Ferio
- Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.646519,-74.026074&ll=40.646519,-74.026074
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S289867768
- Comments: "*probably the same adult I sometimes see from the bay ridge pier, in basically the same place. Small: dark-backed Larus, particularly heavily marked face on this individual"

" Preserve and cherish the pale blue dot,the only home we've ever known"

--Carl Sagan

Monday, December 22, 2025

Rusty Blackbird in Vale cashmere

Rusty. Blackbird in Vale of Cashmere today

Two COME on Prospect Lake

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) (2)
- Reported Dec 22, 2025 10:16 by Marleny Rafferty
- 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/S289702020
- Comments: "I spotted this pair on the lake while searching for the Thayer's Gull. Juan Salas was there to help confirm ID, (thank you Juan). A pair of adult female common mergansers. Sharp, clean break of brown head and body. Unfortunately, only got 2 pics before they flew off heading west towards Green-wood Cemetery. Will post my 2 pics."

Sunday, December 21, 2025

Last night Christmas bird count dinner tally

At the prospect park boathouse, a large gathering.

The preliminary count is 130 species from 13 different Kings county circle ..a great count !

“If we had not had a Christmas Bird Count in those early years, we would not have as strong an understanding of long term bird trends. Many of these changes take place gradually.” - Chan Robbins, legendary biologist, retired USFWS employee, and creator of the North American Breeding Bird Survey
Robbins bio:
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/robbins/index.cfm

Winter Begins

Winter Solstice occured at 9:03 this morning.

Happy Winter !

🐧🌨️☃️❄️🌬️🥶☃️❄️🐧🌨️🌬️

"If we had not had a Christmas Bird Count in those early years, we would not have as strong an understanding of long term bird trends. Many of these changes take place gradually." - Chan Robbins, legendary biologist, retired USFWS employee, and creator of the North American Breeding Bird Survey
Robbins bio:
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/robbins/index.cfm

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Prospect Baltimore

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) (1)
- Reported Dec 20, 2025 14:13 by Forrest Wickman
- 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/S289444450
- Comments: "Flagged: very late. I went to the lake to look for the Ant's Gull, took 100 photographer's of a rather Thayer's-y gull that threatened to spark a civil war at the count dinner (it may just be the world's most Thayer's-y Herring Gull?), and, while gulling from the west side of the lake, heard a rattle call from overhead. I immediately thought, "oriole?!" and looked up to see this bird, which I suppose is technically a rarer species—Prospect's rarest for the day—even if it's a common breeder here in the summer, and not nearly so rare as that subspecies. It then flew off to the west and out of the park, perhaps never to be seen again. Photos."

Bald eagle ( also seen prospect park just prior)

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) (1)
- Reported Dec 20, 2025 08:20 by Ryan Goldberg
- 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: https://ebird.org/checklist/S289376541
- Comments: "Adult, large raptor with dark wings, white head and white tail, gliding high westbound over the south side of the cemetery at 12:45."

Japanese pond path

Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata) (1)
- Reported Dec 20, 2025 10:11 by Tina Alleva
- Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Kings, New York
- Map: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=40.6680222,-73.96367&ll=40.6680222,-73.96367
- Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S289357157
- Comments: "Will add pics"

Friday, December 19, 2025

Tomorrow is the 126th CBC

Kings county bird count is conducted on the first Saturday within the December 14th -Jan 5th period .

History and details

https://www.audubon.org/community-science/christmas-bird-count

https://nycbirdalliance.org/our-work/conservation/community-science-bird-surveys/audubon-christmas-bird-count