A Good Northwest Wind

It was a very productive day in Prospect Park. The northwest winds brought lots of songbirds through the area, particularly sparrows. Flocks of White-throated Sparrows seemed to have invaded the area. I even found some in the dead leaf piles between the parked cars on my block early this morning.

Merlin looking for sparrows

(Photo credit - Rob J)

One of the young Red-tailed Hawks hunting

(Photo credit - Rob J)

We concentrated our efforts on sunny spots in the wind breaks and were rewarded with a nice mix of migrants. Both species of kinglet were seen in good numbers and we tallied a surprising 13 species of warbler. An Orange-crowned Warbler seen at 7:30am by Shane was a first for the year for Prospect Park. An unusual third fall sighting of Red-headed Woodpecker occurred at the north end of the Midwood near the Locust stands of Payne Hill.

Some of the various sparrow species migrating through Prospect Park:

White-throated Sparrow

(Photo credit - Steve Nanz)

White-crowned Sparrow

(Photo credit - Steve Nanz)

Chipping Sparrow

(Photo credit - Steve Nanz)

Field Sparrow

(Photo credit - Steve Nanz)

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Double-crested Cormorant (35, flying in formation over lake.)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Three Sisters Island.)
Wood Duck (4 near skating rink, 1 Duck Is.)
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal (3, Prospect Lake.)
Ruddy Duck
Osprey
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk (3 or 4.)
Merlin (Chasing Red-tailed Hawk over Nethermead.)
Ring-billed Gull
Chimney Swift
Red-headed Woodpecker (North end of Midwood.)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Vale of Cashmere.)
Hairy Woodpecker (Heard on Quaker Ridge and Midwood.)
Northern Flicker (Fairly common.)
Eastern Phoebe (Several.)
Blue-headed Vireo (3 or 4.)
Red-eyed Vireo (3 or 4.)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Concert Grove.)
White-breasted Nuthatch (2 or 3.)
Brown Creeper (Concert Grove.)
House Wren (Long Meadow near 5th St.)
Winter Wren (4 or 5.)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Common.)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Common.)
Hermit Thrush (Fairly common.)
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Orange-crowned Warbler (Near Terrace Bridge.)
Nashville Warbler (2.)
Northern Parula (Butterfly Meadow.)
Magnolia Warbler (2, Butterfly Meadow & Midwood.)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Several.)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Common.)
Black-throated Green Warbler (2.)
Palm Warbler (Fairly common.)
Black-and-white Warbler (2.)
Ovenbird (2, Lookout Hill & Midwood.)
Northern Waterthrush (End of Peninsula.)
Common Yellowthroat (Several.)
Wilson's Warbler (3; near Terrace Bridge, Thumb, Sparrow Bowl.)
Scarlet Tanager (2, East Wood Arch.)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Sparrow Bowl.)
Indigo Bunting (3 or 4.)
Eastern Towhee (Several.)
Chipping Sparrow (Fairly common.)
Field Sparrow (Near Terrace Bridge.)
Savannah Sparrow (Labella Point behind rink.)
Swamp Sparrow (Several.)
White-throated Sparrow (Abundant.)
White-crowned Sparrow (2; Near Terrace Bridge, Sparrow Bowl.)
Dark-eyed Junco (Several.)
Common Grackle (Flyovers plus a few at Sparrow Bowl.)
House Finch
American Goldfinch (Fairly common.)

Other resident species seen (or heard):
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, American Robin, European Starling, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow