Friday's Foto

Prospect Park, from the Esdale Bridge looking towards the Ambergill.

Another Duck for Prospect Park

The other morning I pedaled down to Prospect Lake to check on the waterfowl. With the opening in the ice expanding, a greater diversity of migrating ducks tend to stop off there at this time of year.

Every morning, Peter passes along the edge of Prospect Lake on his way to work. On Tuesday, as I was getting ready for my morning bike ride, he texted to alert all the Brooklyn birders that there was a Common Merganser on the lake. These large, mostly white ducks are usually found on fresh water lakes and ponds. Typically, we'll see one or two on Prospect Lake in the late-winter and they usually don't stay around for very long. I made it down to the lake in about 5 minutes.

Fog and drizzle made for terrible cycling conditions. It was also a real challenge taking an identifiable photo of the merganser, let alone a "good" photograph. I guess this one falls under the category "bad photos of good birds". The bird is still present as of this morning.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a very informative waterfowl guide entitled "Ducks at a Distance: A Waterfowl Identification Guide". It is available online or as a download from this link. ...Read more

Springtime for Red-tails

The breeding season has begun for the city's Red-tailed Hawks with at least one of our Brooklyn pairs caught in the "act". This is from Peter's weekend report:

"February 21st, Prospect + [Brooklyn Botanic Garden]"

"[...] two Red-tailed Hawks seen copulating adjacent to the Battle Pass, before the male flew off to a tree holding last year's nest."

This would be the pair that I refer to as Nelly and Max.

Upcoming Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, local trips for the weekend of February 27th-28th, 2010:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park (Brooklyn)
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Introduction to Birdwatching
Every Saturday, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

Discover Tours
Every Saturday & Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.

Sunday, February 28, 2010
Discover Tours
Every Saturday & Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.


New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center.


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday February 27, 12 noon to 2 p.m.
Old Mill Road
Park at the end of Old Mill Road, behind the church. We'll stroll along Old Mill Road , a newly designed multi-use trail, next to Fresh Kills, below the hills of Latourette Golf Course and return along the Blue Trail. This area has not been accessible for many years and is now open. We are surrounded by beautiful, old woodlands as well as newly grown stands of cottonwoods and other pioneer plants. We’ll see the flow of the famous Hessian Spring as it crosses the road and view Fresh Kills estuary.
For more information phone Clay Wollney at (718)869-6327.

Sunday, February 28, 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Full Snow or Hunger Moon: Sunset-Moon Rise Walk at Mt. Moses
Sunset is at 5:47 p.m. and moon rise is 6:09 p.m. However it takes the moon another 20 minutes to rise above the hills of High Rock. Meet at intersection of Rockland and Meisner Avenues. Flashlight is required for each person in your group. You may bring a light refreshment to share with others. The walk is barely twenty minutes each way. As we walk past the Rockland Avenue intersection, you will see hundreds of trees and shrubs. NYCDEP planted them to landscape the newly designed dam flood control system. Children have always enjoyed this brief walk for an astronomy event and the sharing of some refreshments at the top. The walk leader is Sandra Mechanic.
For more information contact Sandra at 718-967-1037.

Sunday, February 28, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Owl Prowl at Blue Heron Park
Meet owl enthusiast Cliff Hagen at the Blue Heron Park Nature Center for a night hike through the woodlands of South-East Annadale. The park is located between Hylan Blvd. and Amboy Road on Poillon Avenue.
For directions or more information call Cliff Hagen at (718)313-8591.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, February 27, 2010

Early Morning Birding
8:00 a.m.
Join the Rangers for early morning birding.
Location: Marine Park, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Winter Waterfowl
10:00 a.m.
A great variety of ducks and other birds spend the winter at the Van Cortlandt Lake. Learn…
Location: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx
Cost: Free

Eagle Watch
10:00 a.m.
Join us on a walk to the Hudson River as we look for bald eagles, which visit the city this…
Location: Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan
Cost: Free

Duck, Duck, Goose
10:00 a.m.
As the weather gets cold, the birding gets hot. Join us as we look for ducks and geese that…
Location: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
Cost: Free

Loons, Grebes, and Buffleheads…Oh My!
10:00 a.m.
Come walk along the waters of the Little Neck Bay to discover the diverse winter birding in…
Location: Fort Totten Park, Queens
Cost: Free

Making Tracks
11:00 a.m.
Learn how to identify and locate animal tracks found in and around woodland areas, then…
Location: Blue Heron Park Preserve, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Owl Prowl
6:00 p.m.
Learn all about the owls of Blue Heron Park from what they eat to what they sound like.…
Location: Blue Heron Park Preserve, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Leaping Lizards and Other Critters!
11:00 a.m.
Even though it’s not a leap year, we still like animals that rely on jumping to…
Location: Blue Heron Park Preserve, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Raptors: Masters of the Sky
12:00 p.m.
Explore the natural history, biology and ecology of raptors with a lecture and hawk…
Location: Central Park, Manhattan
Cost: Free

Nature Knowledge
1:00 p.m.
Test your knowledge of nature as you learn about the amazing plants and animals that call…
Location: Baisley Pond Park, Queens
Cost: Free

Winter Tree ID
2:00 p.m.
Test your tree knowledge as we learn to identify trees without their leaves.
Location: Crotona Park, Bronx
Cost: Free ...Read more

Birding Brooklyn's Coast

Back on January 18th Shane spotted a rare Western Grebe in the water off Coney Island. Despite two tries later that week, I never managed to find it. Then he did it again. He texted me last Sunday to let me know he was looking at a Western Grebe off the shore at Riis Park. I was determined to find that bird.

I spoke with Heydi during the week and we decided to go out to Coney Island early on Saturday morning to scour the coast where Shane had initially seen the grebe in January. Land birds will follow a feeding route, so I guessed that seabirds did the same and maybe the grebe was working the coastline. With a little luck, we'd find him back in Brooklyn. Shane called me on Thursday and suggested that we do a more comprehensive morning of birding all along coastal Brooklyn. Nearly all my birding is done by bicycle or mass transit, so getting around by car would be a treat I couldn't turn down, plus Shane seems to have amazing birding karma. We would start the morning at the Marine Park Saltmarsh after picking up Heydi, followed by Spring Creek, Hendrix Creek, Fresh Creek Park, the Canarsie Pier, Floyd Bennett Field, then finish off at Coney Island.

The sun was just coming up over the parkway when we parked the car at the end of Gerritsen Avenue. Heydi had been seeing a Red-necked Grebe in this area over the last week and we were hoping that it was still hanging around. We had only been scanning the water for a few minutes when we spotted the bird near the opposite shore. There was also a Red-throated Loon nearby, giving a nice comparison of the two similar species.

Spring Creek was nearly devoid of birds, but there was a nice mix of waterfowl at the adjacent Hendrix Creek. When we began to walk back to the car at Hendrix Creek, an Orange-crowned Warbler flew across the path in front of us. It came down to a small opening at the edge of the ice in a small marshy area. For several minutes it drank, bathed and preened. Heydi has some more photos of it here.

Fresh Creek Park, the Canarsie Pier and Floyd Bennett Field were all pretty quiet so we spent very little time at each spot before heading over to Coney Island. Once at the beach, we stood in the windbreak of the New York Aquarium and scanned the water from the boardwalk. Despite the beautiful weather, there were few birds on the water. I was expecting to see Long-tailed Ducks and scoters offshore, but there wasn't a single bird. Common and Red-throated Loons were also scarce, but there were several Horned Grebes fairly close to shore. At around 11am I spotted a bird sleeping on the water with its head tucked back. It had a very odd appearance because the bump of the head seemed to be directly over the center of the body (as opposed to near the front of the body). I wasn't sure what it was and asked Heydi and Shane to check it out. Shane thought that it might be a sleeping Horned Grebe, but couldn't be sure. It was a distant 300 yards from the shoreline, but compelling enough that we decided to stay on the bird until it woke up. It eventually popped its head up. It was mostly gray and white with a long thin neck, black cap and large yellowish bill. I yelled, "THAT'S IT! THAT'S THE WESTERN GREBE!" Shane ran back to his car to get his camera, Heydi hopped over the boardwalk's railing, running down to the edge of the water to try and get a photo and I started calling people to get the word out.

The grebe slowly paddled in a westerly direction, eventually settling down in the water approximately 100-150 yards due east of the end of the Coney Island Pier. We watched the bird until around 12:45pm. Rob Bate, Bob O'Neill and one other birder had arrived and got to see the bird. I made a point of calling Rob and Bob first, since we had all spent a very long day looking for this bird back in January.

Here's a short video that I shot of the bird from the pier:


Here's a video that I found online that shows the incredible courtship dance of the Western Grebe:
...Read more

Friday's Foto

The Red-tailed Hawk was my "spark" bird. I'd never even paid much attention to birds until I spotted my first Brooklyn hawk, nearly 20 years ago.

Face Off in the Bronx

Debbie Becker describes an amazing experience in the Bronx. While leading a birding trip she witnessed an interaction between two Red-tailed Hawks and a Great Horned Owl. Read about the near fatal face off between these raptors here.

Prospect Park in Winter

I spent three hours in Prospect Park on Valentine's Day morning. Most of the expected winter birds were seen, as well as, one unusual visitor.

The winter birdlife in Prospect Park is, in general, fairly predictable and uneventful. If one spends a few hours meandering through the park's meadows, woodlands and waterways, a couple of dozen resident species of birds will be observed, along with 12 to 15 regular winter visitors. Winter is sometimes the best time to study bird behavior as most of the species are concentration in just a few locations. This season's unusual number of snow storms and cold weather has covered the ground in most of the park and frozen a majority of the waterways. I've found myself skipping over much of the park's usual birdy areas in favor of the bird feeders on Breeze Hill and the small open section of Prospect Lake near West Lake Drive.

The lake has been pretty much the same, lately. Mostly Ring-billed Gulls on the ice and the common waterfowl crowded into a small opening in the ice.

In the woods between the Lullwater and Breeze Hill, Peter has been maintaining several seed and suet feeders.Working the feeders are Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, House Finch and American Goldfinch. On the ground below the feeders you can find Mourning Dove, Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and, of course, squirrels.

The south slope of Breeze Hill has been a busy location for birds this winter. It's wooded hillside is protected from the wind and warmed by the sun. Attracting the birds here are fruiting shrubs dotting the rise and an exposed leaf litter. In addition, the edge of the Lullwater beneath the hill has had tiny openings in the ice allowing the birds to drink and bathe. I've noticed that large flocks of European Starlings and American Robins have been blanketing the park's Pagoda Trees to feed on the trees green seed pods. A pair of these trees are also at the edge of the water in this location. As Heydi and I slowly made our way along the lower path, we heard a chickadee make a high-pitched alarm call, then all the birds scattered. An adult Sharp-shinned Hawk landed in a tree at the edge of the Lullwater. She briefly scanned the area, then took off flying towards the Peninsula Woods.

The birds slowly returned to the trees and shrubs along the hillside. Down the path, near the Terrace Bridge, a mixed flock of birds fed on some cracked corn placed in the center of the path. There were Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco. A cardinal joined the flock, chasing most of the smaller birds away. A Blue Jay landed in the center of the corn and scared all the birds except for one brave Rusty Blackbird, who timidly jabbed at the corn with her long, sharp bill. It's rare to see these beautiful, pale-eyed blackbirds in Prospect Park. These birds are rapidly decline throughout North America. I wish there was something I could do to help other than just posting my sightings.

A juvenile Cooper's Hawk buzzed the area and all the birds headed for cover. Unlike the previous Sharp-shinned Hawk, this raptor stuck around for a few minutes. Perhaps she was hoping to snatch an unwary sparrow, but there wasn't a bird in sight as this large accipiter sat perched in full view. Heydi and I walked back down the path to try and take some photos of the young bird. She was very cooperative and we ended up walking away while she was still sitting in the tree.

Winter in New York City must be a difficult time for all wildlife. The small songbirds need to be vigilant at all times or risk becoming a meal for one of the park's many raptors. Consider this; during one three hour walk in Prospect Park I observed 3 Red-tailed Hawks, 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk, 1 Cooper's Hawk and 1 Merlin. That's a lot of predators in a very small piece of real estate.

Location: Prospect Park
Observation date: 2/14/10
Number of species: 44

Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Ruddy Duck
Great Blue Heron
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Merlin
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hairy Woodpecker
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Hermit Thrush
Northern Mockingbird
Fox Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Rusty Blackbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch

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

Upcoming Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, local trips for the weekend of February 20-21, 2010:

Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, February 20

Introduction to Birdwatching
Every Saturday, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

Discover Tours
Every Saturday & Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.

Sunday, February 21

Discover Tours
Every Saturday & Sunday, 3 p.m.
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.


Brooklyn Bird Club
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Prospect Park
Meet 9:00 am at Grand Army Plaza park entrance (Stranahan Statue)
Leader: Gabriel Willow


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Saturday, February 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Forest Restoration Workshop at LaTourette Bike Path, North
Meet in the parking lot of the Greenbelt Nature Center at the junction of Rockland Avenue and Manor Road. We will walk to the bike path entrance at the junction of Rockland Avenue and Forest Hill Road where we will spend two hours removing invasive plants. If you don’t have your own, Protectors will supply gloves and pruners (& refreshments). After a two hour work session (our 164th consecutive monthly workshop), we will take a short walk over nearby trails.
For more information call Don Recklies at (718)768-9036 or Chuck Perry at (718)667-1393.

Saturday, February 20, 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Clay Pit Ponds State Park/Preserve: Trees and Wildlife in a mini Pine Barren
Find out why Protectors urged the preservation of this parkland and how we got our name in 1975. It has two rare pine species, two rare southern oak species, fence swift lizards, and a few rather unusual wildflowers, nothing like our Greenbelt forest. It’s one of the few parks on S.I. that have American Chestnut trees, one healthy, tall and 8-10 inches in diameter and just recently found, a second, though younger, large tree. The third is a spindly, sick, multi-trunk and diseased tree with the chestnut blight but it always seems to flower and set fruit. This is the only park known to have many deer with footprints galore and nibbled native wildflowers and shrubs. Wear waterproof shoes. We have a permit to enter the restricted natural area on the other side of Clay Pit Road. Meet at the park office at the end of Carlin Avenue, off Sharrott’s Road in Rossville.
Contact Sandra Mechanic at (718) 967-1037.

Sunday, February 21, 12 noon to 2 p.m.
High Rock Park
Take a walk around Loosestrife Swamp and the nearby uplands. Search for remnants of plants and their fruits. Look at the leaf scars and bark of the trees for identification. Bring water and dress for the weather.
For more information call Cathy at 1-917-596-4198.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, February 20, 2010

Early Morning Birding
8:00 a.m.
Join the Rangers for an early morining birding.
Location: Marine Park, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Eagle Watch
8:00 a.m.
Join us on a walk to the Hudson River as we look for bald eagles, which visit the city this…
Location: Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan
Cost: Free

Winter Weeds
11:00 a.m.
Join us for an exploration of the shapes and textures of wildflowers in the winter.
Location: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx
Cost: Free

The Giving Trees
1:00 p.m.
You will be suprised by how many different species of trees are located within the…
Location: Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Making Tracks
1:00 p.m.
Learn how to identify and locate animal tracks found in and around woodland areas. You will…
Location: Fort Totten Park, Queens
Cost: Free

Dabbling Ducks
2:00 p.m.
Do you know the difference between those dynamic ducks and other feathered friends? Come…
Location: Clove Lakes Park, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Early Birding
8:30 a.m.
The early bird gets the worm! Be sure to set your alarm clock and join us for this morning…
Location: Forest Park, Queens
Cost: Free

Wacky Winter Waterfowl
10:00 a.m.
Join us the third Sunday of every month. Bring your own binoculars if you have them.
Location: Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
Cost: Free

Who, Who, Who Did I Eat?
1:00 p.m.
Find out what owls love to eat by dissecting owl pellets at the Salt Marsh Nature Center.
Location: Marine Park, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Woodpecker Walk
2:00 p.m.
With its reinforced skull and a chiseled bill the woodpecker is a true New Yorker. Join us…
Location: Wolfes Pond Park, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Astronomy Club
6:00 p.m.
Gaze at the heavens through our high-powered telescope, as we identify constellations,…
Location: Blue Heron Park Preserve, Staten Island
Cost: Free ...Read more

Friday's Foto

Probably my all time favorite duck, this Wood Duck seems to have taken up residence in front of the boathouse in Prospect Park.

Prospect Park in the Snow

Peter texted me that there was a Common Merganser on Prospect Lake. I pulled on my snow boots and trudged down to the lake.

Unfortunately, the duck had taken off by the time I made it into Prospect Park. As a consolation, I did take some nice photos of the snow storm.

...Read more

Upcoming Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, local trips for the weekend of February 13th-14th, 2010:


Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, February 13
Introduction to Birdwatching
Every Saturday, 12 - 1:30 p.m.
Free
Explore the Park's natural areas and learn how to look for amazing birds.

Discover Tours
Every Saturday & Sunday, 3 p.m.
Free
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.

Sunday, February 14
Discover Tours
Every Saturday & Sunday, 3 p.m.
Free
Discover the Prospect Park you never knew! Meet birds and other wildlife on this walk, guided by a naturalist.


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, February 13, 12 noon to 2 p.m.
Conference House Park and Beach
Past and present blend in the Conference House park where history stretches back thousands of years with the seasonal occupation of the Lenape and hundreds of years with the habitation of the Dutch and English. In addition to the local history we’ll observe the geology of the area and look for what the debris at the high tide line has to reveal. As the tide goes out we'll move into the intertidal zone to find out what sorts of living things survive in this challenging environment in the winter. Meet at the parking lot at the end of Hylan Blvd. on the left.
For more information phone Clay Wollney at (718)869-6327.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, February 13, 2010

Early Morning Birding
8:00 a.m.
Learn everything you need to know about birds with the Rangers.
Location: Marine Park, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Eagle Watch
8:00 a.m.
Join us on a walk to the Hudson River as we look for bald eagles, which visit the city this…
Location: Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan
Cost: Free

Duck, Duck, Goose
11:00 a.m.
As the weather gets cold, the birding gets hot. Join us as we look for ducks, and…
Location: Highland Park, Queens
Cost: Free

Wild Romance
1:00 p.m.
Celebrate Valentine's Day by learning about how animals court each other. Bring your…
Location: Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Winter Waterfowl
10:00 a.m.
Take a stroll around the Prospect Park Lake while we look for some winter visitors in…
Location: Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Valentine's Day Poetry Hike
11:00 a.m.
Express your love of nature as we hike to the most romantic spots around Central…
Location: Central Park, Manhattan
Cost: Free

The Four Elements of Survival: Part IV
1:00 p.m.
In this four-part series, you will learn about four basic elements of wilderness…
Location: Forest Park, Queens
Cost: Free

"Whooo Said That?"
1:00 p.m.
Winter is the best time to see wild owls in New York City. Don't miss this opportunity!
Location: Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
Cost: Free

Four Elements of Survival: Food
1:00 p.m.
In this four part series, you will learn abou the four basic elements of wilderness…
Location: Forest Park, Queens
Cost: Free

Winter Tree I.D.
2:00 p.m.
How do you identify a tree when there are no leaves, flowers, or fruit? Come with us and…
Location: Clove Lakes Park, Staten Island
Cost: Free ...Read more

Central Park Coyote

Bruce Yolton has some nice photos and a brief report on the Central Park coyote here.

Rare Gull in Prospect Park

Around NYC the winter months are primarily a time to look for gulls and waterfowl. To the uninitiated, there is only one type of gull - the "Seagull". Occasionally, I'll point out to beginner birders that there is no such bird. There are Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls and Great Black-backed Gulls (to name a few), but no seagulls. Over the last month I've been checking Prospect Lake's large winter roost of gulls, hoping to find something different. I was finally successful.

When the lake in Prospect Park freezes, assorted gulls, which spend most of their time foraging along the coast, fly into the park for a brief respite within the relative safety of the lake. They rest on the barren stretch of ice and drink or bathe at the small openings created by the constant movement of the resident waterfowl. The vast majority of the gulls are tiny Ring-billed Gulls,which can sometimes number as many as 3,000 individuals. The larger Herring Gulls can be seen by the dozens. Great Black-backed Gulls, the world's largest gull, are usually only represented by a handful of birds.

I had about an hour yesterday to cycle down to the lake, do a little birding, then head back. When I got to the edge of the lake, I leaned my bicycle up against a tree, looked across a narrow stretch of open water and immediately saw a Lesser Black-backed Gull in front of me. It was amusing itself by tossing a bone around on the ice and retrieving it. Before even looking through my binoculars (which seemed moot, because the bird was so close), I texted Peter, who then sent the word out. I then called Heydi, Doug and Shane. Doug and Shane would swing by, but Heydi was stuck in Long Island City (I knew that, but thought it would be fun to torture her).

While I waited for Doug and Shane, I took a bunch of photos of the bird as it walked around the edge of the ice. The bird was so close, it was the best looks I've ever had of this rare NYC visitor. I think it was the fourth one that I've seen in Prospect Park in 20 years. This bird looks similar to the Great Black-backed Gull, but the dark gray wings and mantle are a bit lighter than the great. In addition, it is a much smaller bird; smaller than a Herring Gull and nearly the size of a Ring-billed Gull.

Eventually, the gull flew into the water where it spent several minutes bathing and drinking. Peter pulled up in one of the park's work trucks and walked over to me. I think he expected the bird to be way out on the ice in the middle of the lake. When he asked where it was, I pointed to a spot in the water about 10 feet away from us. He didn't need binoculars, but I handed him mine, anyway. Doug was the next person to arrive, and the gull had flown from the open water and into the main flock of gulls, several yards back from the edge of the ice. When I left, Shane, Doug and Rob Bate were still watching the gull.

In this video I shot of the Lesser Black-backed Gull in the water, you can get a good sense of how small it is in relation to the adjacent Ring-billed Gulls. ...Read more

Friday's Foto

It may still be winter, but some plants are beginning to flower, like this Hellebore at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Prospect After the Snow

Brooklyn received a dusting of snow overnight. I had about an hour free at noon, so I ran into Prospect Park to see if any new gulls or waterfowl showed up on Prospect Lake.

I ran into Alex Wilson at the "duck feeding spot" at the edge of the lake near Wellhouse Drive and West Lake Drive. Some guy was feeding bread to the waterfowl and gulls a few yards to our right. Both Alex and I were primarily interested in any possible vagrant gulls and scanned a large flock of Ring-billed Gulls as they stood around on the mostly frozen lake. There were several Herring Gulls and a few Great Black-backed Gulls, but nothing unusual. In addition to a handful of bathing gulls, in a tiny opening in the ice directly in front of us was a raucous collection of Canada Goose, Mute Swan, American Black Duck, Mallard, Ruddy Duck and American Coot. There was also a male and female Hooded Merganser nervously hiding under the branches of an overhanging willow tree.

We had been standing at the edge of the lake for a few minutes when Alex finally realized that there was a Green-winged Teal on the shoreline a few feet to our left. We rarely see these tiny ducks in Prospect Lake, and it's even more unusual to see one so close up. The tiny bird walked up onto the ice a few feet away from the shore and tried to blend in with a flock of sleeping Northern Shovelers. The smallest of our North American waterfowl he would occasionally disappear from view whenever he walked behind one of the shovelers or Mallards.

On my way across the Long Meadow I stopped near the baseball fields to look for an American Pipit which has been hanging around the park for over a month. It only took me a minute or two to locate the bird as it fed behind a stretch of snow fencing. It is in an area of the park where our overwintering Merlins can usually be seen scanning the grass for prey. So it didn't surprise me to see that the pipit was frequently tipping its head sideways, watching the sky for predators.

In this video I shot of the pipit, notice its unusual tail-pumping behavior. I don't know what the evolutionary purpose is for this action. Perhaps it flushes insects from the grass. ...Read more

January Birds

I wanted to try and locate at least 100 species in Brooklyn before the end of January. It seems like a lot, especially considering that I saw 220 in all of last year.

I came into the home stretch only needing to see 3 more species. In the dead of winter my best bets were to focus on waterfowl and gulls. There were a few songbirds missing from my list, most notably Cedar Waxwings, but I decided to play the odds and focus on coastal habitats.

During the week, Heydi and I found a lone Purple Finch in Prospect Park. That left me with only two to go. I decided to go out to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on Saturday to try and locate a Barrow's Goldeneye that had been recently reported. This is a rare bird in NYC, so it would be worth trudging around in near frostbite weather. While most of the refuge is in the borough of Queens, the Brooklyn border runs along the western edge of the West Pond and up through Pumpkin Patch Marsh. Any birds seen on the west side of the pond and beyond were fair game.

I took the "A" train to the Broadchannel station, where I met my friend. The refuge is just a short walk from the train. Most of the West Pond was frozen, but a small section remained open at the Brooklyn edge. As we walked towards the pond, a large flock of Snow Geese took flight and headed out over the bay. A flock of black ducks were still in the narrow stretch of open water in the pond. Among the common waterfowl were 19 Northern Pintails. That brought me up to 99 species. We spent a long time scanning the bay and marsh in search of the Barrow's Goldeneye, but never found it. Next stop would be Dead Horse Bay.

We took Q53 bus from in front of the refuge. That took us into Rockaway, where we transferred to the Q35, which stops in front of Floyd Bennett Field, and across from the Dead Horse Bay trailhead. The scaup flock at Dead Horse, unbelievably, seemed to have grown even larger than the 20,000 birds from my last visit. Most were in the water, but some of the flock was sleeping high up on the shoreline while others walked back to the water's edge. I'd never seen a scaup walking before and, with legs set fairly far back on their body, they seemed awkward. Frigid northwest winds were blowing directly into our faces as we scanned the huge flock. Numb faces and fingers finally forced us to pack up our scopes before we could do a really thorough search for any unusual birds in the flock.

Once across Flatbush Avenue, we walked the pathway along the edge of Floyd Bennett Field, towards Aviator Sports. At one point, Heydi stopped to point out a flock of sparrows in the vegetation at the edge of the fence. It was a flock of American Tree Sparrows - or species number 100!

After a hot chocolate break we continued birding Floyd Bennett. We spent time at the Cricket Field, the main grassland, Ecology Village and Archery Road, before heading back to Flatbush Avenue and the Q35 bus. I didn't add any other species to my month list, but Heydi was able to add an Eastern Meadowlark to hers.

Here is a breakdown of my January species list with the location and date of the first sighting. The links for each location will bring you to a Google Earth map of that spot.

Locations: Breezy Point; Brighton Beach; Coney Island Creek Park; Coney Island Pier; Dead Horse Bay; Dreier-Offerman Park; Floyd Bennett Field; Gravesend Bay; Green-Wood Cemetery; Hendrix Creek; Jamaica Bay West--Brooklyn; Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge; Plum Beach; Prospect Park; Sheepshead Bay; Spring Creek Park--North Channel Marsh

1) Snow Goose - 01/16/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)
2) Brant - 01/06/10 (Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn)
3) Canada Goose - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
4) Mute Swan - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
5) Wood Duck - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
6) Gadwall - 01/06/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
7) American Wigeon - 01/16/10 (Plum Beach, Brooklyn)
8) American Black Duck - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
9) Mallard - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
10) Northern Shoveler - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
11) Northern Pintail - 01/30/10 (Jamaica Bay West, Brooklyn)
12) Green-winged Teal - 01/16/10 (Hendrix Creek, Brooklyn)
13) Canvasback - 01/21/10 (Hendrix Creek, Brooklyn)
14) Greater Scaup - 01/06/10 (Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn)
15) Lesser Scaup - 01/21/10 (Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn)
16) Surf Scoter - 01/24/10 (Coney Island Pier, Brooklyn)
17) White-winged Scoter - 01/13/10 (Coney Island Pier, Brooklyn)
18) Black Scoter - 01/24/10 (Coney Island Pier, Brooklyn)
19) Long-tailed Duck - 01/13/10 (Coney Island Pier, Brooklyn)
20) Bufflehead - 01/06/10 (Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn)
21) Common Goldeneye - 01/06/10 (Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn)
22) Hooded Merganser - 01/16/10 (Hendrix Creek, Brooklyn)
23) Red-breasted Merganser - 01/06/10 (Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn)
24) Ruddy Duck - 01/09/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

25) Red-throated Loon - 01/13/10 (Coney Island Pier, Brooklyn)
26) Common Loon - 01/06/10 (Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn)

27) Pied-billed Grebe - 01/21/10 (Hendrix Creek, Brooklyn)
28) Horned Grebe - 01/07/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)
29) Red-necked Grebe - 01/13/10 (Coney Island Pier, Brooklyn)

30) Northern Gannet - 01/13/10 (Coney Island Pier, Brooklyn)

31) Double-crested Cormorant - 01/13/10 (Coney Island Pier, Brooklyn)
32) Great Cormorant - 01/07/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)

33) Great Blue Heron - 01/13/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
34) Black-crowned Night-Heron - 01/21/10 (Hendrix Creek, Brooklyn)

35) Northern Harrier - 01/16/10 (Plum Beach, Brooklyn)
36) Sharp-shinned Hawk - 01/30/10 (Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens)
37) Cooper's Hawk - 01/07/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)
38) Red-tailed Hawk - 01/06/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
39) American Kestrel - 01/15/10 (Spring Creek Park--North Channel Marsh, Brooklyn)
40) Merlin - 01/06/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
41) Peregrine Falcon - 01/13/10 (Dreier-Offerman Park, Brooklyn)

42) American Coot - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

43) Black-bellied Plover - 01/07/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)
44) Killdeer - 01/21/10 (Hendrix Creek, Brooklyn)
45) Sanderling - 01/16/10 (Plum Beach, Brooklyn)
46) Purple Sandpiper - 01/06/10 (Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn)
47) American Woodcock - 01/15/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

48) Bonaparte's Gull - 01/06/10 (Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn)
49) Mew Gull - 01/06/10 (Gravesend Bay, Brooklyn)
50) Ring-billed Gull - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
51) Herring Gull - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
52) Great Black-backed Gull - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

53) Thick-billed Murre - 01/19/10 (Brighton Beach, Brooklyn)

54) Rock Pigeon - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
55) Mourning Dove - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

56) Monk Parakeet - 01/09/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

57) Great Horned Owl - 01/10/10 (Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn)
58) Snowy Owl - 01/19/10 (Breezy Point, Queens)
59) Northern Saw-whet Owl - 01/06/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

60) Belted Kingfisher - 01/16/10 (Hendrix Creek, Brooklyn)

61) Red-bellied Woodpecker - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
62) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
63) Downy Woodpecker - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
64) Hairy Woodpecker - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
65) Northern Flicker - 01/16/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)

66) Blue Jay - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
67) American Crow - 01/07/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)

68) Horned Lark - 01/07/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)

69) Black-capped Chickadee - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
70) Tufted Titmouse - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

71) Red-breasted Nuthatch - 01/06/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
72) White-breasted Nuthatch - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

73) Brown Creeper - 01/10/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

74) Carolina Wren - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
75) Winter Wren - 01/15/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

76) Golden-crowned Kinglet - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
77) Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

78) Hermit Thrush - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
79) American Robin - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

80) Northern Mockingbird - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

81) European Starling - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

82) American Pipit - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

83) Yellow-rumped Warbler - 01/16/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)

84) Eastern Towhee - 01/06/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
85) American Tree Sparrow - 01/30/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)
86) Chipping Sparrow - 01/10/10 (Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn)
87) Savannah Sparrow - 01/16/10 (Plum Beach, Brooklyn)
88) Fox Sparrow - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
89) Song Sparrow - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
90) White-throated Sparrow - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
91) White-crowned Sparrow - 01/16/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)
92) Dark-eyed Junco - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
93) Lapland Longspur - 01/07/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)

94) Northern Cardinal - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

95) Red-winged Blackbird - 01/06/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
96) Eastern Meadowlark - 01/26/10 (Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn)
97) Rusty Blackbird - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
98) Common Grackle - 01/06/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

99) Purple Finch - 01/28/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
100) House Finch - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
101) American Goldfinch - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)

102) House Sparrow - 01/01/10 (Prospect Park, Brooklyn)
...Read more

Upcoming Trips

Below is a list of upcoming, local trips for the weekend of February 6th - 7th, 2010:


Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Sunday, February 7, 2010, 10 a.m.
Morning Bird Walk: Backyard Birds
Free
See the birds that call the Park home all winter. Start your Sunday morning surrounded by nature! Learn about the Great Backyard Bird Count and search for your favorite "backyard bird." Find woodpeckers, chickadees, and nuthatches eating from feeders along Prospect Park's Nature trails. Rain or shine. Led by the Brooklyn Bird Club.


Brooklyn Bird Club
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens
Trip Leader: Tom Preston
Focus: waterfowl, coastal variety, winter passerines, waterbirds
Car Fee: $15.00
Registrar: Marisa Wohl, email marisaw@earthlink.net or call (718) 596-0285 up to
9PM
Registration period: January 26th - February 4th


Linnaean Society of New York
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Pelham Bay Park
Leader: Rob Jett
Registrar: Sandy Paci (sandypaci@earthlink.net)
Registration opens Monday 1/25. Ride: $20.


Protectors of Pine Oak Woods (Staten Island)
Saturday, February 6, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
High Rock Park
The winter may be a quiet time in the woodland; however, we will look for busy birds quietly fighting the cold in search of food. And if our feathered friends are in short supply, we can still enjoy the woods in their winter splendor. Our hike will bring us to the shores of Lake Ohrbach, the fresh water lake secluded in the Pouch Camp property. If the lake is open there may be some wintering Ring-necked Ducks. Dress for cold weather, a rugged hike and bring binoculars.
Call Howie at 718-981-4002 for more information.

Saturday, February 6, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ancient Trees of Wolfe’s Pond Park: Annual Bruce Kershner Winter Memorial Walk
In an easy two miles, large numbers of ancient trees, 200 to 300 years old, will be examined in Staten Island’s most ancient forest. Even with their leaves on, their wide girth and great height will be obvious. We’ll practice guessing their age using many clues. Our printed guide to ancient trees was prepared by the late Bruce Kershner, the northeast’s ancient tree expert. Walk up a short hill and view the broad flood plain forest of this major Bluebelt stream below us and discover an old, rare beech tree climax forest near the crest. We’ll have a few copies of his book for those who wish to purchase it. Meet at the far right corner of the parking lot at the end of Cornelia Avenue, near the rest rooms.
Call Sandra Mechanic at (718) 967-1037.

Sunday, February 7, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Mt. Loretto Harbor Seal Watch below the Bluff
Dress warmly and please bring your cameras and binoculars to see this magnificent sea mammal and have a photo to treasure and exhibit. Be sure to bring binoculars for close up views. We will meet at 1:30 p.m. in the Mt Loretto parking lot on Hylan Blvd. opposite the CYO building across Hylan Blvd.
For more information, phone Sandra Mechanic at (718) 967-1037.


Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, February 6, 2010

Early Morning Birding
8:00 a.m.
Learn everything you need to know about birds with the Rangers.
Location: Marine Park, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Birding Club
9:00 a.m.
Once a month, every month, come bird with us! Bring your own binoculars if you have them.
Location: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx
Cost: Free

Happy Hibernators
11:00 a.m.
Where do all the animals that call New York City parks home go in the winter? Come learn…
Location: Blue Heron Park Preserve, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Animal Tracking
12:00 p.m.
Animals leave behind different signs of their whereabouts, from scat to tracks. Learn…
Location: Alley Pond Park, Queens
Cost: Free

The Flower of the Month: The Iris
1:00 p.m.
Flowers have long been a part of many cultures of the world. Please come to learn…
Location: Marine Park, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Where Did They All Go?
1:00 p.m.
Ever walk around when it's cold and wonder how plants and animals survive through the…
Location: Fort Totten Park, Queens
Cost: Free

Winter Waterfowl
2:00 p.m.
Get a glimpse of New York’s winter water birds, such as brants, buffleheads, and…
Location: Clove Lakes Park, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Early Birding
8:30 a.m.
The early bird gets the worm! Be sure to set your alarm clock and join us for this…
Location: Forest Park, Queens
Cost: Free

Winter Waterfowl Watch
10:00 a.m.
Ducks and geese fly thousands of miles to spend the winter in New York City's Central…
Location: Central Park, Manhattan
Cost: Free

Seal-shore Safari
1:00 p.m.
Seals hang out by the beach between December and March and you'll get to see them during…
Location: Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
Cost: Free

Surviving the Winter
1:00 p.m.
Learn how the winter residents of Prospect Park survive the cold weather. Dress…
Location: Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Winter Survival
2:00 p.m.
Join us for our classic survival workshop. Navigation, fire starting, gear, and more will…
Location: Blue Heron Park Preserve, Staten Island
Cost: Free ...Read more