April Birds

By mid-April migrant birds begin moving through New York City in increasing numbers. By the end of the month, migration is in full swing, so it should be no surprise that I tallied the greatest number of new species thus far this year during April. In just the borough of Brooklyn I tallied 57 new species, bringing this year's local list to 177 (181 for the entire state of New York).

The highest number of new birds were tallied in Prospect Park on April 30th. On that day I found 12 addition species. While 57 may sound like a high number, a majority of my April birds were species that one would expect to encounter in New York City by year's end. Of my April birds three were species that I didn't see last year; Bald Eagle, Yellow-throated Warbler and Chuck-will's-widow. The last time I saw a Bald Eagle in Brooklyn (or New York City, for that matter) was in September of 2001. The Yellow-throated Warbler is a semi-annual migrant that I missed last year. Chuck-will's-widow breed on Staten Island and I've heard them there several times. The one in Prospect Park was a Brooklyn first for me, as well as, the first time I've laid my eyes on one.

I don't expect to add nearly as many new birds during the month of May, but in less than a week I've already added 8.

April 2011 Brooklyn birds:

121) Tree Swallow (Prospect Park, 04/02/11)
122) Rusty Blackbird (Prospect Park, 04/02/11)
123) Hermit Thrush (Prospect Park, 04/05/11)
124) Barn Swallow (Prospect Park, 04/05/11)
125) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Coney Island Creek Park, 04/06/11)
126) Palm Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/08/11)
127) Great Egret (Four Sparrow Marsh, 04/09/11)
128) Eastern Towhee (Prospect Park, 04/10/11)
129) Louisiana Waterthrush (Prospect Park, 04/10/11)
130) Yellow-throated Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/10/11)
131) Common Tern (Marine Park Saltmarsh Nature Center, 04/14/11)
132) Snowy Egret (Marine Park Saltmarsh Nature Center, 04/14/11)
133) Greater Yellowlegs (Marine Park Saltmarsh Nature Center, 04/14/11)
134) Little Blue Heron (Marine Park Saltmarsh Nature Center, 04/14/11)
135) Common Yellowthroat (Green-Wood Cemetery, 04/16/11)
136) Brown Thrasher (Prospect Park, 04/18/11)
137) Black-and-white Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/18/11)
138) Northern Waterthrush (Prospect Park, 04/18/11)
139) Blue-headed Vireo (Prospect Park, 04/18/11)
140) Prairie Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/18/11)
141) Bald Eagle (Prospect Park, 04/18/11)
142) Yellow Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/20/11)
143) House Wren (Prospect Park, 04/20/11)
144) Chimney Swift (Prospect Park, 04/20/11)
145) Spotted Sandpiper (Prospect Park, 04/20/11)
146) Ovenbird (Prospect Park, 04/22/11)
147) Eastern Kingbird (Prospect Park, 04/22/11)
148) Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Prospect Park, 04/22/11)
149) Green Heron (Prospect Park, 04/22/11)
150) Glossy Ibis (Floyd Bennett Field, 04/24/11)
151) Scarlet Tanager (Prospect Park, 04/24/11)
152) White-eyed Vireo (Prospect Park, 04/24/11)
153) Northern Parula (Prospect Park, 04/24/11)
154) Orchard Oriole (Prospect Park, 04/24/11)
155) American Redstart (Prospect Park, 04/25/11)
156) Black-throated Blue Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/25/11)
157) Blue-winged Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/25/11)
158) Baltimore Oriole (Prospect Park, 04/25/11)
159) Bank Swallow (Prospect Park, 04/25/11)
160) Worm-eating Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/25/11)
161) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Prospect Park, 04/25/11)
162) Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Prospect Park, 04/25/11)
163) Nashville Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/25/11)
164) Prothonotary Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/26/11)
165) Warbling Vireo (Prospect Park, 04/28/11)
166) Wood Thrush (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
167) Veery (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
168) Blackburnian Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
169) Red-eyed Vireo (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
170) Blackpoll Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
171) Bobolink (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
172) Marsh Wren (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
173) Black-throated Green Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
174) Least Sandpiper (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
175) Chestnut-sided Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
176) Magnolia Warbler (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)
177) Chuck-will's-widow (Prospect Park, 04/30/11)