Sunday after the rain

I get restless if I'm stuck indoors all day. Thankfully the rain stopped by about 2:00pm so I grabbed my binoculars and headed up to the park. I went directly to the south end. I thought I'd check the lake for any possible waterfowl that may have dropped in during the storm. I also wanted to take a quick look for the owl and then try to locate the Ash-throated Flycatcher.

Northern Shovelers are still the dominant species of duck on the lake, followed by Mallards and Ruddy Duck. There didn't appear to be anyone new among their ranks. The Great Horned Owl seems to have either moved on or just found a new roost. I've only been checking around the south end of the park so it's possible that he just found a quieter spot in one of the other wooded areas (park workers were using a wood chipper near his roost on Friday).

I ran into Janet and Marie near the Terrace Bridge. They were also looking for the flycatcher. We walked along Wellhouse Drive for a while but came up empty. We ran into Dave and Helen, who had seen it yesterday on the Peninsula. Janet and Marie had to leave at that point but I joked that I'd call them in 10 minutes, right after we found the bird. I wasn't that far off the mark.

I think we've found its other feeding spot. At the eastern edge of the Peninsula meadow is a weedy area separated from the rest of the field by a low, metal fence. Behind and to the right of that is a tall, straight Gingko tree. The Ash-throated Flycatcher was snapping up insects in the gingko, as well as, closer to the ground in the weedy area right behind the fence. I spotted another birder at the far end of the meadow and called her over to share in our find. She was very thankful as she had never seen one before.

Sunset over the Long Meadow

(Photo credit - Rob J)

- - - - -

Prospect Park, 11/28/2004
-
Wood Duck (Lullwater.)
Northern Shoveler (~200.)
Ruddy Duck (~75.)
Red-tailed Hawk (1, perched next to lake near West Island.)
Ring-necked Pheasant (Peninsula between upper and lower pools.)
American Coot (approx. 15-20.)
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Heard calling on Peninsula.)
Downy Woodpecker (Peninsula.)
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Feeding in gingkos and low grass at east edge of Peninsula meadow.) [Also seen by Dave, Helen and Judith]
Brown Creeper (Peninsula.)
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Purple Finch (1, seen from Terrace Bridge.)
American Goldfinch

Other resident species seen (or heard):
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker (Heard calling on Peninsula.), Downy Woodpecker, American Crow, Tufted Titmouse, European Starling, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, House Sparrow