June Birds

By June most of the northbound migrants are gone leaving the local breeding birds and a few stragglers. It should be no surprise that over the past month I only managed to add 4 new species for my Brooklyn year list, making it the slowest month so far.

As the movement of migrating birds diminished I thought that I had missed the opportunity to find an Acadian Flycatcher. I was pleasantly surprised when, on a walk through Prospect Park's Ravine, I heard the unmistakeable explosive "peet-sah" call of one of these diminutive flycatchers as it perched above the stream. I learned later in the month that it was one of a pair that had built a nest nearby for only the second known breeding record in Brooklyn.

I rounded out the month's observations with three wetland species Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Willow Flycatcher and Marsh Wren. I'm still on the hunt for Saltmarsh Sparrow and Seaside Sparrow (aka "Cuteass Sparrows" by Paige). They are known to nest in Brooklyn, so hopefully I'll be able to track some down in July.



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NYS total: 216
Kings total: 201

198) Acadian Flycatcher (Prospect Park, 06/07/12)
199) Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Salt Marsh Nature Center, 06/10/12)
200) Willow Flycatcher (Salt Marsh Nature Center, 06/10/12)
201) Marsh Wren (Salt Marsh Nature Center, 06/10/12)