Raphael Campos called me from Prospect Park this morning at around 11am. He was in the Vale of Cashmere looking at a Blue Grosbeak. After sending out a quick report to the forums I hopped on my bicycle and took off towards the north end of the park.
When I arrived Raphael was waiting for me and it took all of about 60 seconds for the bird to show himself. He perched in a small ornamental tree then flew across the pond and perched in a Higgin Cherry tree. Primarily buffy in coloration, he is a male bird molting into his alternate plumage. The patterns of blue emerging are interesting. Dark blue patches around his eyes and cheeks, look as if someone gave him a couple of nasty "shiners".
Peter Dorosh and Rusty Harold had seen the report and also came looking for the bird. It's a small area, so it took very little time to relocate the grosbeak. Foraging along with the sparrows and other passerines in the area, he seems to be following a loop pattern around the inclines that surround the decorative pond at the center of the Vale of Cashmere.
He was still present as of approximately 12:15 p.m.
Blue Grosbeak in the Vale of Cashmere (click to enlarge)
(Photo credit - Rob Jett)
-Click here for more info on Blue Grosbeaks-
-Click here for a satellite image of the area-
-Click here for a park map-
Thanks for sharing the images of the Blue Grosbeak transitioning to breeding plumage.
ReplyDeleteSome interesting birds are arriving in the NYC area i.e. tanagers & grosbeaks.
What a beautiful grosbeak- even in molt!
ReplyDeleteI had to google "Vale of Cashmere". A beautiful name.
beautiful bird. I didn't know anything about them.
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