Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, December 29, 2017:
- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 29, 2017
* NYNY1712.29
- Birds mentioned
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN+
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD+
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
Greater White-fronted Goose
Cackling Goose
TUFTED DUCK
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
Bald Eagle
Rough-legged Hawk
Semipalmated Plover
Spotted Sandpiper
Long-billed Dowitcher
Wilson's Snipe
Razorbill
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Laughing Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Barn Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Eastern Phoebe
Marsh Wren
Lapland Longspur
Black-and-white Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Pine Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Rusty Blackbird
- Transcript
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44(at)nybirds{dot}org.
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compilers: Tom Burke and Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Ben Cacace
BEGIN TAPE
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, December 29th 2017 at 8pm. The highlights of today's tape are MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD, WESTERN TANAGER, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, TUFTED DUCK, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, EARED GREBE, BLACK-HEADED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL and much more.
Of our recent trio of exciting western passerines two continue but one may have moved on. The female plumaged MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD present since December 17th on Tuesday was seen around field 2 at Robert Moses State Park and then very shortly thereafter back at the Red Cedars along the bay side of Democrat Point at the western tip of Fire Island but it has not been reported from there since Tuesday. Please let us know of any later sightings. The WESTERN TANAGER at Crocheron Park in Queens was still present today near the pond at the south end of the park near the terminus of 35th Avenue. The TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, east of Oyster Bay, can be difficult to find but does continue around the field and hedge row on the east side of Sandy Hill Road just north of the entrance to Tiffany Creek Preserve.
An AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN arriving at Playland Lake in Rye in Westchester County on the 21st stayed around to provide the Bronx-Westchester Christmas Count with a new record Saturday and was last seen on the lake late Tuesday morning interestingly spotted moving by over Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx about noontime. Fortunately headed south.
Nice ducks in the area, thanks in part to this freeze up, include an eclipse male TUFTED DUCK spotted in a scaup flock on Santapogue Creek in West Babylon near where up to 5 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS continue to be seen. Freezing water could force the flock to move further down the creek towards Phoenician Shores Park. This bird currently has a very short crest.
A female BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was spotted this morning off Oak Neck Beach in Bayville probably moving east with some of the Common Goldeneyes. A male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE previously present in the northern part of Jamaica Bay could also be worth looking for.
At Jones Beach West End a winter male KING EIDER in nice plumage off the jetty has been in a flock of Common Eider that also features an immature male KING. Three HARLEQUIN DUCKS also continue near the jetty and if not there could be at the jetties on the Point Lookout side of Jones Inlet. Two young male KING EIDERS were also seen today along the east side of Setauket Harbor as viewed from Shore Road. One of these was noted on the Smithtown Count on Wednesday. An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL in Setauket Harbor was found on Tuesday and another adult remains around Five Island Park in New Rochelle a highlight of the Bronx-Westchester Count.
An EARED GREBE was still present last Sunday off the western end of Oak Beach Road where it's usually west of the Fisherman's parking lot.
Speaking of Christmas Counts the Bronx-Westchester Count last Saturday recorded 108 species including GREATER WHITE-FRONTED and CACKLING GEESE, the AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN and BLACK-HEADED GULL, LAUGHING GULL, EASTERN PHOEBE, a BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER along with ORANGE-CROWNED and PINE, CHIPPING SPARROW and a count period a LAPLAND LONGSPUR.
The Smithtown Count Wednesday netted 109 species including 4 CACKLING GEESE, KING EIDER, SPOTTED SANDPIPER, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, RAZORBILL, BARN and NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, EASTERN PHOEBE, 2 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and 89 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS as well as count period RED-NECKED GREBE, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER and BLACK-HEADED GULL.
The Northern Westchester Count back on the 16th, among its 94 species, featured 32 BALD EAGLES, WILSON'S SNIPE, 4 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS and MARSH WREN.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen today in the clover leafs at the Belt Parkway and Flatbush Avenue intersection near Floyd Bennett Field. Two RED-NECKED GREBES have been at Jamaica Bay off Floyd Bennett recently. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK also reported there yesterday.
A GLAUCOUS GULL and 4 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were at the Bellport Bay Yacht Club Monday.
To phone in reports on Long Island call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 or call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
- End transcript
Friday, December 29, 2017
Saturday, December 23, 2017
New York City Rare Bird Alert
Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, December 22, 2017:
-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 22, 2017
* NYNY1712.22
- Birds Mentioned
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD+
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
Greater White-fronted Goose
“Black” Brant
Cackling Goose
Tundra Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
Blue-winged Teal
King Eider
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
Common Gallinule
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Rough-legged Hawk
Semipalmated Plover
Lesser Yellowlegs
Razorbill
Black-legged Kittiwake
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Barn Owl
Snowy Owl
Short-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Merlin
Eastern Phoebe
Lapland Longspur
Northern Waterthrush
Orange-crowned Warbler
HOODED WARBLER
“AUDUBON’S” YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Clay-colored Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
Indigo Bunting
Rusty Blackbird
Baltimore Oriole
Pine Siskin
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44nybirdsorg
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compilers: Tom Burke and Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, December 22, 2017 at 8:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD, WESTERN TANAGER, TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, EARED GREBE, PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, HOODED and “AUDUBON'S” YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and much more.
The Christmas Count season, providing good coverage throughout much of our area, also usually produces some great birds, a perfect example being the MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD found during the Captree Count. The female-plumaged Bluebird was still present at least through yesterday at Democrat Point, the western tip of Fire Island, favoring a stand of Red Cedars along the bay side of the peninsula west of Parking Field 2. Please refer to the directions posted on the internet to find this bird.
The WESTERN TANAGER included on the Queen's Count continues at Crocheron Park around the pond at the south end of the park.
A TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE was spotted Wednesday near Oyster Bay along Sandy Hollow Road just north of the Tiffany Creek Preserve but has not been reported since.
Two AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were spotted Sunday flying over Peconic Bay during the Quogue-Watermill Count, and then on Thursday afternoon one appeared on Playland Lake in Rye, where it remained all day today.
An EARED GREBE remains in Fire Island Inlet off the western end of Oak Beach Road.
A drake BARROW'S GOLDENEYE and a “BLACK” BRANT were seen from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge last Friday, that same day finding four female KING EIDERS in Shinnecock Bay and two TUNDRA SWANS and a SHORT-EARED OWL at Hook Pond in Easthampton.
For last weekend's Christmas Counts, on a very windy Saturday the Montauk Count netted 122 species, including a PINK-FOOTED GOOSE still in that area and seen on Montauk Downs Golf Course. Also on that Count were two female KING EIDERS, three BALD EAGLES and three ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, one GLAUCOUS, one LESSER BLACK-BACKED and two ICELAND GULLS, five RAZORBILLS, four SNOWY OWLS, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, an ”AUDUBON'S” YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and GRASSHOPPER SPARROW.
Kings County on Saturday among their 121 species featured two EURASIAN WIGEON, three RED-NECKED GREBES, a COMMON GALLINULE continuing in Prospect Park, BALD EAGLE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, single BARN and SNOWY OWLS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, six ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and two BALTIMORE ORIOLES.
On Saturday Northern Nassau tallied 94 species, with three CACKLING GEESE, seven BALD EAGLES, two SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, two MERLINS, and 21 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS.
During the better Sunday weather Captree netted 125 species, including CACKLING GOOSE, two LESSER YELLOWLEGS, two RAZORBILLS, two BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, two SNOWY and two NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, LAPLAND LONGSPUR., two ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, PINE SISKIN and, of course, the MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD.
Queens on Sunday produced 123 species, highlights including BLUE-WINGED TEAL, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, two BALD EAGLES, RAZORBILL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, EASTERN PHOEBE, a male HOODED WARBLER, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, INDIGO BUNTING, VESPER SPARROW and the celebrated WESTERN TANAGER.
Greenwich-Stamford, including parts of Westchester, netted 103 species, with CACKLING GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, two RED-NECKED GREBES, OSPREY, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL and PINE SISKIN.
Other notables for the week included GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE at Belmont Lake State Park, Elda Lake in Babylon, Reeves Avenue in Riverhead and in Rye, Westchester County. Locations for EURASIAN WIGEON included the Salt Marsh Nature Center and Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4 on the Kings Count as well as on Patchogue Lake, Eastport Lake and Agawam Lake in South Hampton.
A GLAUCOUS GULL was in Bellport Bay Monday, an ICELAND Gull at Pelham Bay Park Wednesday. A dark ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was photographed at Brooklyn’s Salt Marsh Nature Center Thursday, and a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW remains at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center in Yaphank.
To phone in reports, on Long Island call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 or call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922 and leave a message.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
- End transcript
-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 22, 2017
* NYNY1712.22
- Birds Mentioned
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD+
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
Greater White-fronted Goose
“Black” Brant
Cackling Goose
Tundra Swan
Eurasian Wigeon
Blue-winged Teal
King Eider
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
Common Gallinule
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Rough-legged Hawk
Semipalmated Plover
Lesser Yellowlegs
Razorbill
Black-legged Kittiwake
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Glaucous Gull
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Barn Owl
Snowy Owl
Short-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Merlin
Eastern Phoebe
Lapland Longspur
Northern Waterthrush
Orange-crowned Warbler
HOODED WARBLER
“AUDUBON’S” YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Clay-colored Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
Indigo Bunting
Rusty Blackbird
Baltimore Oriole
Pine Siskin
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compilers: Tom Burke and Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, December 22, 2017 at 8:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD, WESTERN TANAGER, TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, EARED GREBE, PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, HOODED and “AUDUBON'S” YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and much more.
The Christmas Count season, providing good coverage throughout much of our area, also usually produces some great birds, a perfect example being the MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD found during the Captree Count. The female-plumaged Bluebird was still present at least through yesterday at Democrat Point, the western tip of Fire Island, favoring a stand of Red Cedars along the bay side of the peninsula west of Parking Field 2. Please refer to the directions posted on the internet to find this bird.
The WESTERN TANAGER included on the Queen's Count continues at Crocheron Park around the pond at the south end of the park.
A TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE was spotted Wednesday near Oyster Bay along Sandy Hollow Road just north of the Tiffany Creek Preserve but has not been reported since.
Two AMERICAN WHITE PELICANS were spotted Sunday flying over Peconic Bay during the Quogue-Watermill Count, and then on Thursday afternoon one appeared on Playland Lake in Rye, where it remained all day today.
An EARED GREBE remains in Fire Island Inlet off the western end of Oak Beach Road.
A drake BARROW'S GOLDENEYE and a “BLACK” BRANT were seen from Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge last Friday, that same day finding four female KING EIDERS in Shinnecock Bay and two TUNDRA SWANS and a SHORT-EARED OWL at Hook Pond in Easthampton.
For last weekend's Christmas Counts, on a very windy Saturday the Montauk Count netted 122 species, including a PINK-FOOTED GOOSE still in that area and seen on Montauk Downs Golf Course. Also on that Count were two female KING EIDERS, three BALD EAGLES and three ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, one GLAUCOUS, one LESSER BLACK-BACKED and two ICELAND GULLS, five RAZORBILLS, four SNOWY OWLS, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, an ”AUDUBON'S” YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and GRASSHOPPER SPARROW.
Kings County on Saturday among their 121 species featured two EURASIAN WIGEON, three RED-NECKED GREBES, a COMMON GALLINULE continuing in Prospect Park, BALD EAGLE, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, single BARN and SNOWY OWLS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, six ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and two BALTIMORE ORIOLES.
On Saturday Northern Nassau tallied 94 species, with three CACKLING GEESE, seven BALD EAGLES, two SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, two MERLINS, and 21 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS.
During the better Sunday weather Captree netted 125 species, including CACKLING GOOSE, two LESSER YELLOWLEGS, two RAZORBILLS, two BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, two SNOWY and two NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, LAPLAND LONGSPUR., two ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, PINE SISKIN and, of course, the MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD.
Queens on Sunday produced 123 species, highlights including BLUE-WINGED TEAL, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, two BALD EAGLES, RAZORBILL, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, EASTERN PHOEBE, a male HOODED WARBLER, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, INDIGO BUNTING, VESPER SPARROW and the celebrated WESTERN TANAGER.
Greenwich-Stamford, including parts of Westchester, netted 103 species, with CACKLING GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, two RED-NECKED GREBES, OSPREY, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL and PINE SISKIN.
Other notables for the week included GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE at Belmont Lake State Park, Elda Lake in Babylon, Reeves Avenue in Riverhead and in Rye, Westchester County. Locations for EURASIAN WIGEON included the Salt Marsh Nature Center and Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4 on the Kings Count as well as on Patchogue Lake, Eastport Lake and Agawam Lake in South Hampton.
A GLAUCOUS GULL was in Bellport Bay Monday, an ICELAND Gull at Pelham Bay Park Wednesday. A dark ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was photographed at Brooklyn’s Salt Marsh Nature Center Thursday, and a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW remains at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center in Yaphank.
To phone in reports, on Long Island call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 or call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922 and leave a message.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
- End transcript
Thursday, December 21, 2017
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Treehugger Tuesday
From the website Earther:
The Most Memorable Environmental Justice Wins of 2017
Yessenia Funes
This year’s been a tough one for environmental justice. Consider the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their allies, who ended 2016 on a high note when the Army Corps of Engineers rejected the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Then, President Donald Trump happened. Within four days of his inauguration in January, he was signing presidential memoranda to push through the DAPL and the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Since then, lots of bad stuff has happened—but lots of good stuff, too. And the good stuff is worth celebrating in a time when the current administration is neglecting the environment, and the poor people and communities of color who are suffering along with it. (Ahem, Puerto Rico?)
Here are some of the year’s environmental justice wins.
The March for Science meets equity
The March for Science, which took place back in April, caused quite a bit of controversy throughout its planning process, especially in how it dealt with race and gender. Some in the field don’t think scientists should get mixed up in the drama of politics. But not all scientists feel they have a choice, especially those who are not white or male (or either).
March organizers, at first, were all for supporting marginalized people, but as soon as a scientist challenged that philosophy, the organization took down a tweet that conveyed a supportive message, in what was just the beginning of a months-long controversy. However, this resulted in some successes.
In March, about a month before the event, organizers added two women of color as national co-chairs. Both were, of course, respected scientists: Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician who helped expose the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff, a molecular and cellular biologist.
While the March for Science has continued to struggle with diversity issues since its April event, this was a step in the right direction. So was the growth of 500 Women Scientists, another grassroots effort that sprung out of a desire for more inclusivity in science. And whatever winds up happening with the March, the fact that it sparked a national conversation about race in science is important. Whenever science recognizes the need for more diversity, that’s a win in my book.
Progress in the Flint water crisis
Make no mistake: The fact that people in Flint, Michigan, still can’t drink their water shouldn’t be considered a win. The ongoing water crisis in Flint resulting from lead contamination is heartbreaking, especially when you take a look at how families have to spend the holidays.
All I’m saying is, you gotta’ find some light in the darkness. And Flint has seen some progress this year. For one, the Environmental Protection Agency awarded the city a $100 million grant in March to help it rebuild its water infrastructure. Now, that process hasn’t left resident without any qualms, but the city is on its way to meeting its goal of replacing 18,000 lead service lines by 2020.
In theory, no more lead pipes should mean no more lead-tainted water. Getting the community to drink tap water again, though, is going to take much more than that. Maybe the city can prioritize some trust building come 2018.
America’s youth take the climate fight to court
Meet the so-called climate kids.
These 21 young people—who range from 10 to 21—are challenging the federal government in the district court for the action (or lack of it) on climate change. They’re arguing that the government’s failure to properly act on the global crisis is threatening their right to life, liberty, and property.
The Trump administration has been trying to prevent the case from going to trial, but, in December, a panel of judges seemed to think the case was too young to kill. (See what I did there?)
Trial was originally scheduled to begin in February. That’ll likely get pushed a bit as the parties wait for the judges to issue their formal decision. Right now, though, the case looks like it’ll get there.
Watch out, Trump. These kids are on a mission.
Latin America’s year of renewable success
The U.S. federal government isn’t all that interested in renewable energy these days, but that’s why we have the rest of the world. Other nations can be the leaders, and the United States can watch opportunities slip by.
So let’s look to Mexico and Costa Rica. They lit the path for renewables this year. Costa Rica’s electricity ran entirely on renewable energy for at least 300 days this year.
The country announced this milestone back in November, so that number is probably higher by now. About 79 percent of the clean energy came from hydropower, and about 10 percent from wind. The sun-lit Central American country generated very little from solar, but that’s where Mexico killed it.
This year, it sold the cheapest solar project—ever.
An auction back in November resulted in a project that’d produce electricity for $17.70 per megawatt hour. During that same auction, another 15 bids went down, and the average price for the projects amounted to $20.57 per megawatt hour. This is cheap as hell for solar power. This move toward renewables is not only good for the planet; it’s good for our economy.
¡Viva América Latina!
The world’s polluters “overachieve”
China and India, two of the world’s worst polluters right now, are on track to “overachieve” their goals set forth in the Paris Agreement, according to a Climate Action Tracker study released in May. Yaaaas!
Of the world’s three top emitters—the U.S., China, and India—the U.S. is the only one steering completely off track to meet these targets. I mean, Trump is withdrawing us from the Paris Agreement completely attempting to dismember the Clean Power Plan bit by bit, so no surprise.
The good news is that with China and India severely cutting their carbon emissions, emissions worldwide should fall, too. And that’s thanks to their shift toward renewables and away from coal. Meanwhile, in the United States, the Trump administration wants to go back to the days of when coal hailed (and killed). Sigh.
Divestment movement snubs Big Oil
From banks to international institutions to entire cities, 2017 was the year of fossil fuel divestment. Maybe they finally realized their money would be better spent elsewhere? Or maybe they simply didn’t want their money going toward Big Oil anymore.
In any case, the year started with the Seattle City Council unanimously voting to end its relationship with Wells Fargo because of its financing of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Then came Davis, California. It’s opting to go with a new bank or credit union instead.
Cities aren’t alone, though. A Norwegian investment group, Storebrand, which manages the pensions of 1.2 million Norwegians, announced in March that it had sold all its shares in the companies behind the Dakota Access Pipeline. This included Phillips 66, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, and Enbridge.
Then, in November, the pension fund decided to drop 10 coal companies from its $80 billion portfolio. Take that, climate change.
The World Bank announced in December that it will end its financial support of oil and gas projects come 2019. While none of these moves in themselves will have a major impact on these companies’ bottom lines, but they send a clear message: Fossil fuels don’t make sense in the long term.
Canadian First Nation treaty rights
Here’s a key fact about tribal nations people often forget: They’re sovereign, and federal governments (like the U.S. and Canada) have signed treaties with them. Y’know, treaties like countries sign with each other. And these documents carry legal merit.
Tribes have won environmental cases in the United States based on treaties, and the same happened in Canada this year.
In December, the Supreme Court in Canada ruled in favor of the Yukon First Nations in a five-year legal battle to protect the Peel watershed, nearly 68,000 acres of pristine land. Back in 2011, an independent commission was all like, “Let’s protect, oh, about 80 percent of this land from development.” But the territory’s governments didn’t approve. It wanted to protect just 30 percent of the land, so it went ahead and created its own land use plan.
Long story short, that move was illegal because of the Yukon’s Umbrella Final Agreement, a treaty signed in 1990. It requires the government consult with tribes on such decisions. So this Supreme Court decision doesn’t mean that the government must use the plan the commission laid out in 2011. Rather, it brings the parties back to that point in the land-use planning.
Now, the government has to work through the process. That means tribal consultation and actually listening to what the First Nations have to say. The government may go ahead and reject that plan, anyway, but at least relevant stakeholders can give it a piece of their mind first.
Standing Rock fight lives on
The year 2017 began with a dark cloud over our heads. The remarkable fight for indigenous rights at Standing Rock came to an immediate halt with Trump in the White House. Except, not really.
Maybe federal support was gone, but now the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is trying to make its case in court. And that’s not over. In fact, this year, the lawsuit has seen some incredible advances that spark hope—even if that damn pipeline is now up and running.
In June, Judge James Boasberg ruled that the Trump administration violated the National Environmental Policy Act when it quickly issued the pipeline’s permit. He explicitly mentioned “environmental justice” in his opinion, too, writing:
“Although the Corps substantially complied with NEPA in many areas, the Court agrees that it did not adequately consider the impacts of an oil spill on fishing rights, hunting rights or environmental justice, or the degree to which the pipeline’s effects are likely to be highly controversial.”
Then, just earlier this month, the court decided pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners must come up with an oil spill response plan. The Keystone Pipeline (not to be confused with the Keystone XL) saw a major oil spill in November, and the court acknowledged that. Now, the court wants to see Energy Transfer Partners be prepared for anything similar and file regular reports on any incidents or pipeline repairs.
That lawsuit is ongoing, too, so you never know. It could lead to some more success stories next year.
The Most Memorable Environmental Justice Wins of 2017
Yessenia Funes
This year’s been a tough one for environmental justice. Consider the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their allies, who ended 2016 on a high note when the Army Corps of Engineers rejected the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Then, President Donald Trump happened. Within four days of his inauguration in January, he was signing presidential memoranda to push through the DAPL and the Keystone XL Pipeline.
Since then, lots of bad stuff has happened—but lots of good stuff, too. And the good stuff is worth celebrating in a time when the current administration is neglecting the environment, and the poor people and communities of color who are suffering along with it. (Ahem, Puerto Rico?)
Here are some of the year’s environmental justice wins.
The March for Science meets equity
The March for Science, which took place back in April, caused quite a bit of controversy throughout its planning process, especially in how it dealt with race and gender. Some in the field don’t think scientists should get mixed up in the drama of politics. But not all scientists feel they have a choice, especially those who are not white or male (or either).
March organizers, at first, were all for supporting marginalized people, but as soon as a scientist challenged that philosophy, the organization took down a tweet that conveyed a supportive message, in what was just the beginning of a months-long controversy. However, this resulted in some successes.
In March, about a month before the event, organizers added two women of color as national co-chairs. Both were, of course, respected scientists: Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician who helped expose the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff, a molecular and cellular biologist.
While the March for Science has continued to struggle with diversity issues since its April event, this was a step in the right direction. So was the growth of 500 Women Scientists, another grassroots effort that sprung out of a desire for more inclusivity in science. And whatever winds up happening with the March, the fact that it sparked a national conversation about race in science is important. Whenever science recognizes the need for more diversity, that’s a win in my book.
Progress in the Flint water crisis
Make no mistake: The fact that people in Flint, Michigan, still can’t drink their water shouldn’t be considered a win. The ongoing water crisis in Flint resulting from lead contamination is heartbreaking, especially when you take a look at how families have to spend the holidays.
All I’m saying is, you gotta’ find some light in the darkness. And Flint has seen some progress this year. For one, the Environmental Protection Agency awarded the city a $100 million grant in March to help it rebuild its water infrastructure. Now, that process hasn’t left resident without any qualms, but the city is on its way to meeting its goal of replacing 18,000 lead service lines by 2020.
In theory, no more lead pipes should mean no more lead-tainted water. Getting the community to drink tap water again, though, is going to take much more than that. Maybe the city can prioritize some trust building come 2018.
America’s youth take the climate fight to court
Meet the so-called climate kids.
These 21 young people—who range from 10 to 21—are challenging the federal government in the district court for the action (or lack of it) on climate change. They’re arguing that the government’s failure to properly act on the global crisis is threatening their right to life, liberty, and property.
The Trump administration has been trying to prevent the case from going to trial, but, in December, a panel of judges seemed to think the case was too young to kill. (See what I did there?)
Trial was originally scheduled to begin in February. That’ll likely get pushed a bit as the parties wait for the judges to issue their formal decision. Right now, though, the case looks like it’ll get there.
Watch out, Trump. These kids are on a mission.
Latin America’s year of renewable success
The U.S. federal government isn’t all that interested in renewable energy these days, but that’s why we have the rest of the world. Other nations can be the leaders, and the United States can watch opportunities slip by.
So let’s look to Mexico and Costa Rica. They lit the path for renewables this year. Costa Rica’s electricity ran entirely on renewable energy for at least 300 days this year.
The country announced this milestone back in November, so that number is probably higher by now. About 79 percent of the clean energy came from hydropower, and about 10 percent from wind. The sun-lit Central American country generated very little from solar, but that’s where Mexico killed it.
This year, it sold the cheapest solar project—ever.
An auction back in November resulted in a project that’d produce electricity for $17.70 per megawatt hour. During that same auction, another 15 bids went down, and the average price for the projects amounted to $20.57 per megawatt hour. This is cheap as hell for solar power. This move toward renewables is not only good for the planet; it’s good for our economy.
¡Viva América Latina!
The world’s polluters “overachieve”
China and India, two of the world’s worst polluters right now, are on track to “overachieve” their goals set forth in the Paris Agreement, according to a Climate Action Tracker study released in May. Yaaaas!
Of the world’s three top emitters—the U.S., China, and India—the U.S. is the only one steering completely off track to meet these targets. I mean, Trump is withdrawing us from the Paris Agreement completely attempting to dismember the Clean Power Plan bit by bit, so no surprise.
The good news is that with China and India severely cutting their carbon emissions, emissions worldwide should fall, too. And that’s thanks to their shift toward renewables and away from coal. Meanwhile, in the United States, the Trump administration wants to go back to the days of when coal hailed (and killed). Sigh.
Divestment movement snubs Big Oil
From banks to international institutions to entire cities, 2017 was the year of fossil fuel divestment. Maybe they finally realized their money would be better spent elsewhere? Or maybe they simply didn’t want their money going toward Big Oil anymore.
In any case, the year started with the Seattle City Council unanimously voting to end its relationship with Wells Fargo because of its financing of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Then came Davis, California. It’s opting to go with a new bank or credit union instead.
Cities aren’t alone, though. A Norwegian investment group, Storebrand, which manages the pensions of 1.2 million Norwegians, announced in March that it had sold all its shares in the companies behind the Dakota Access Pipeline. This included Phillips 66, Marathon Petroleum Corporation, and Enbridge.
Then, in November, the pension fund decided to drop 10 coal companies from its $80 billion portfolio. Take that, climate change.
The World Bank announced in December that it will end its financial support of oil and gas projects come 2019. While none of these moves in themselves will have a major impact on these companies’ bottom lines, but they send a clear message: Fossil fuels don’t make sense in the long term.
Canadian First Nation treaty rights
Here’s a key fact about tribal nations people often forget: They’re sovereign, and federal governments (like the U.S. and Canada) have signed treaties with them. Y’know, treaties like countries sign with each other. And these documents carry legal merit.
Tribes have won environmental cases in the United States based on treaties, and the same happened in Canada this year.
In December, the Supreme Court in Canada ruled in favor of the Yukon First Nations in a five-year legal battle to protect the Peel watershed, nearly 68,000 acres of pristine land. Back in 2011, an independent commission was all like, “Let’s protect, oh, about 80 percent of this land from development.” But the territory’s governments didn’t approve. It wanted to protect just 30 percent of the land, so it went ahead and created its own land use plan.
Long story short, that move was illegal because of the Yukon’s Umbrella Final Agreement, a treaty signed in 1990. It requires the government consult with tribes on such decisions. So this Supreme Court decision doesn’t mean that the government must use the plan the commission laid out in 2011. Rather, it brings the parties back to that point in the land-use planning.
Now, the government has to work through the process. That means tribal consultation and actually listening to what the First Nations have to say. The government may go ahead and reject that plan, anyway, but at least relevant stakeholders can give it a piece of their mind first.
Standing Rock fight lives on
The year 2017 began with a dark cloud over our heads. The remarkable fight for indigenous rights at Standing Rock came to an immediate halt with Trump in the White House. Except, not really.
Maybe federal support was gone, but now the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is trying to make its case in court. And that’s not over. In fact, this year, the lawsuit has seen some incredible advances that spark hope—even if that damn pipeline is now up and running.
In June, Judge James Boasberg ruled that the Trump administration violated the National Environmental Policy Act when it quickly issued the pipeline’s permit. He explicitly mentioned “environmental justice” in his opinion, too, writing:
“Although the Corps substantially complied with NEPA in many areas, the Court agrees that it did not adequately consider the impacts of an oil spill on fishing rights, hunting rights or environmental justice, or the degree to which the pipeline’s effects are likely to be highly controversial.”
Then, just earlier this month, the court decided pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners must come up with an oil spill response plan. The Keystone Pipeline (not to be confused with the Keystone XL) saw a major oil spill in November, and the court acknowledged that. Now, the court wants to see Energy Transfer Partners be prepared for anything similar and file regular reports on any incidents or pipeline repairs.
That lawsuit is ongoing, too, so you never know. It could lead to some more success stories next year.
Monday, December 18, 2017
Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips
Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, December 23, 2017 to Sunday, December 24, 2017:
Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, December 23, 2017, 12 pm – 1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a birdwatching walk and learn about Prospect Park’s magnificent array of birds and how to identify them!
**********
New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 11:00 a.m.
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11am to 12:30pm beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Included in All-Garden Pass
Get Tickets
**********
Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Ranger's Choice: Birding Van Tour: Owls at Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Winter is the best time of year to spot owls. Registration is required.
Free!
Birding Jamaica Bay at Bay 32nd Street and Beach Channel Drive (in Bayswater Park), Queens
1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Our Rangers will guide you t the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome.
Free!
Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, December 23, 2017, 12 pm – 1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a birdwatching walk and learn about Prospect Park’s magnificent array of birds and how to identify them!
**********
New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 11:00 a.m.
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11am to 12:30pm beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Included in All-Garden Pass
Get Tickets
**********
Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, December 23, 2017
Ranger's Choice: Birding Van Tour: Owls at Pelham Bay Park, Bronx
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Winter is the best time of year to spot owls. Registration is required.
Free!
Birding Jamaica Bay at Bay 32nd Street and Beach Channel Drive (in Bayswater Park), Queens
1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Our Rangers will guide you t the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome.
Free!
Friday, December 15, 2017
New York City Rare Bird Alert
Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Thursday, December 14, 2017:
-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 14, 2017
* NYNY1712.14
- Birds Mentioned
HAMMOND’S FLYCATCHER+
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Snow Goose
EURASIAN WIGEON
SANDHILL CRANE
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
BLACK-HEADED GULL
GLAUCOUS GULL
Snowy Owl
Short-eared Owl
Red-headed Woodpecker
Black-and-white Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Northern Parula
Pine Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
Wilson’s Warbler
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44nybirdsorg
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compilers: Tom Burke and Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, December 14, 2017 at 10:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are HAMMOND’S and ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, WESTERN TANAGER, SANDHILL CRANE, BLACK-HEADED and GLAUCOUS GULLS, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT.
With Christmas Count season just about to begin, attention has intensified regarding some of the best rarities and late-lingering species continuing in our area. Unfortunately, the HAMMOND’S FLYCATCHER in Central Park has not been reported since Tuesday, when it was still present in the Ramble, being seen again near the Swampy Pin Oak. Hopefully it will reappear.
The WESTERN TANAGER in Crocheron Park in Queens was spotted today, still near the pond in the south end of the park, though it has been wandering more around the area. Also continuing there have been a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and a WILSON’S WARBLER, a nice potential Christmas Count trio.
An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER appeared at Jones Beach West End Wednesday, staying mostly around the median, ranging from near the entrance to the Coast Guard Station along the westbound road to a little east of the eastern exit from Field 2 on the eastbound side. It was not reported today, the snowy, cold weather presumably playing a part in that.
With a large goose flight going on all day Wednesday and into Thursday, including many skeins of SNOW GEESE, a report of two SANDHILL CRANES moving along the Hudson River, as viewed from mid-Manhattan Wednesday morning, seemed to fit the occasion.
An immature BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen last Sunday around Veterans Memorial Pier in Brooklyn, and there was also a report of a brief appearance of an adult on Prospect Park Lake Tuesday.
Single immature GLAUCOUS GULLS out on eastern Long Island last weekend included one at Goldsmith Inlet in Peconic Saturday and one at Breakwater Beach in Mattituck Sunday.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was off Depot Lane in Cutchogue last weekend, with another still along Reeves Avenue north of Riverhead Monday.
A drake EURASIAN WIGEON continued on Mill Pond in Sayville to Sunday, and another has returned to the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center as of today.
At Santapogue Creek in West Babylon Saturday there were still 5 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS as well as a rather late SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER.
Along with the current SNOWY OWL incursion, there was a SHORT-EARED OWL last weekend at Jones Beach West End, and other owls should be present for the upcoming Counts – please take extra caution and do not disturb these birds at their daytime roosts.
A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues at Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn
A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was a nice find at Midland Beach on Staten Island last Sunday, the bird continuing near ballfield #6 at least to Wednesday, and other late WARBLERS this week have included BLACK-AND-WHITE, NORTHERN PARULA and decent numbers of PINE, as well as some ORANGE-CROWNEDS.
Other unseasonal goodies are also still lurking out there to be found, and we will be happy to include local Christmas Count highlights, so please phone them in.
To phone in reports, on Long Island call Tony Lauro at (631) 734 4126 or call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922 and leave a message.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
- End transcript
-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 14, 2017
* NYNY1712.14
- Birds Mentioned
HAMMOND’S FLYCATCHER+
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Snow Goose
EURASIAN WIGEON
SANDHILL CRANE
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
BLACK-HEADED GULL
GLAUCOUS GULL
Snowy Owl
Short-eared Owl
Red-headed Woodpecker
Black-and-white Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Northern Parula
Pine Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
Wilson’s Warbler
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44nybirdsorg
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compilers: Tom Burke and Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Thursday, December 14, 2017 at 10:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are HAMMOND’S and ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS, WESTERN TANAGER, SANDHILL CRANE, BLACK-HEADED and GLAUCOUS GULLS, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT.
With Christmas Count season just about to begin, attention has intensified regarding some of the best rarities and late-lingering species continuing in our area. Unfortunately, the HAMMOND’S FLYCATCHER in Central Park has not been reported since Tuesday, when it was still present in the Ramble, being seen again near the Swampy Pin Oak. Hopefully it will reappear.
The WESTERN TANAGER in Crocheron Park in Queens was spotted today, still near the pond in the south end of the park, though it has been wandering more around the area. Also continuing there have been a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and a WILSON’S WARBLER, a nice potential Christmas Count trio.
An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER appeared at Jones Beach West End Wednesday, staying mostly around the median, ranging from near the entrance to the Coast Guard Station along the westbound road to a little east of the eastern exit from Field 2 on the eastbound side. It was not reported today, the snowy, cold weather presumably playing a part in that.
With a large goose flight going on all day Wednesday and into Thursday, including many skeins of SNOW GEESE, a report of two SANDHILL CRANES moving along the Hudson River, as viewed from mid-Manhattan Wednesday morning, seemed to fit the occasion.
An immature BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen last Sunday around Veterans Memorial Pier in Brooklyn, and there was also a report of a brief appearance of an adult on Prospect Park Lake Tuesday.
Single immature GLAUCOUS GULLS out on eastern Long Island last weekend included one at Goldsmith Inlet in Peconic Saturday and one at Breakwater Beach in Mattituck Sunday.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was off Depot Lane in Cutchogue last weekend, with another still along Reeves Avenue north of Riverhead Monday.
A drake EURASIAN WIGEON continued on Mill Pond in Sayville to Sunday, and another has returned to the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center as of today.
At Santapogue Creek in West Babylon Saturday there were still 5 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS as well as a rather late SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER.
Along with the current SNOWY OWL incursion, there was a SHORT-EARED OWL last weekend at Jones Beach West End, and other owls should be present for the upcoming Counts – please take extra caution and do not disturb these birds at their daytime roosts.
A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues at Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn
A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was a nice find at Midland Beach on Staten Island last Sunday, the bird continuing near ballfield #6 at least to Wednesday, and other late WARBLERS this week have included BLACK-AND-WHITE, NORTHERN PARULA and decent numbers of PINE, as well as some ORANGE-CROWNEDS.
Other unseasonal goodies are also still lurking out there to be found, and we will be happy to include local Christmas Count highlights, so please phone them in.
To phone in reports, on Long Island call Tony Lauro at (631) 734 4126 or call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922 and leave a message.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
- End transcript
Monday, December 11, 2017
Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips
Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, December 16, 2017 to Sunday, December 17, 2017. Most organizations are participating in this year's annual Christmas Bird Count, however there are still a few trips for those not counting birds this weekend:
Alley Pond Environmental Center
Saturday, December 16, 2017, 7pm – 9pm
Stargazing - Winter Solstice
For more information and to register visit www.alleypond.com/adults
**********
Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, December 16, 2017, 12 pm – 1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a birdwatching walk and learn about Prospect Park’s magnificent array of birds and how to identify them!
**********
Gateway National Recreation Area
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Evening Owl Prowl
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Junior Rangers and their families are invited to an owl adventure.
View Details
**********
New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 11:00 a.m.
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11am to 12:30pm beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Included in All-Garden Pass
Get Tickets
**********
New York City Audubon
Saturday, December 16, 2017, 9:00am – 4:00pm
The Freshwater Ponds of Long Island's South Shore
Guide: Tod Winston
Visit up to seven South Shore freshwater ponds that provide refuge to a surprising variety of wintering waterfowl—and great viewing opportunities to birders. Possible sightings include hooded mergansers, green-winged teal, ring-necked ducks, northern pintails, and redheads. We’ll also make a short stop or two by the bay to look for loons, grebes, and sea ducks.
Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $94 (66)
Click here to register
Saturday, December 16, 2017, 9:00am – 10:30am
Winter Walk in Van Cortlandt Park
Guide: Nadir Souirgi
Enjoy this ecologically diverse park with extensive woodlands and the Bronx's largest freshwater lake. Look for rarities such as wintering owls, land birds like snow buntings and Lapland longspurs, or even spot the odd migratory goose species like cackling goose, barnacle goose, or greater white-fronted goose. Limited to 15. $36 (25)
Click here to register
Sunday, December 17, 2017, 10am – 1pm
Winter Waterfowl ID Workshop Trip
Thursday, December 14, 6-7:30pm (class) and Sunday, December 17, 10am-1pm (trip)
Guide: Gabriel Willow
If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck . . . but is it a dabbling duck or a diving duck? Or could it be a grebe? This class will help you distinguish between ducks, geese, loons, grebes, and more. Following our class, we'll put our newfound skills to work as we seek out the diverse mix of dabbling ducks, bay ducks, sea ducks, grebes, loons, and cormorants to be found in Central Park's Reservoir.
Limited to 12. $65 (45)
Click here to register
**********
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Sunday, December 17, 2017, 11:00am – 1:00pm
Wolfe’s Pond Park Ancient Trees
Walk the end-of-autumn woods of this park made famous for its ancient trees, notably Tulip and Oak. We may also explore placid Acme pond. The entrance to the park is from Cornelia Avenue off Hylan Blvd. Park closest to the restrooms, where we will meet.
For more information, contact Hillel Lofaso at 718-477-0545.
Read More
**********
South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Jones Beach West End 2
From the Southern State Parkway, exit onto the Meadowbrook State Parkway south. After entering Jones Beach State Park, exit right (west) into the West End. Continue west to West End 2 parking lot; we meet in the northeast corner of the lot.
From the Wantagh State Parkway, travel south. Upon entering Jones Beach State Park, exit at Bay Drive and continue west to West End 2 parking lot; we meet in the northeast corner of the lot.
Directions via Google Maps
Bird walks led by a member of SSAS are conducted nearly every Sunday morning from late August through early June. Walks are open to the public and are free of charge. We especially encourage youngsters to attend.
All walks start at 9:00 A.M.
There is no walk if it rains or snows or temperature is below 25°F.
For more information or in case of questionable weather conditions, please phone Joe at 516 467-9498.
**********
Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Nature Walk: Birds and the Winter Garden at Wave Hill House (in Wave Hill), Bronx
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Take a guided, brisk walk to see birds and bird habitats in the garden. Along the way, hear about fascinating adaptations that help birds survive the cold.
Free!
Birding: Waterfowl at 155th Street and Baisley Boulevard (in Baisley Pond Park), Queens
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle.
Free!
Nature Walk: Birds and the Winter Garden at Wave Hill House (in Wave Hill), Bronx
2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
Take a guided, brisk walk to see birds and bird habitats in the garden. Along the way, hear about fascinating adaptations that help birds survive the cold.
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Birding: Waterfowl at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels. Beginners are welcome.
Free!
Alley Pond Environmental Center
Saturday, December 16, 2017, 7pm – 9pm
Stargazing - Winter Solstice
For more information and to register visit www.alleypond.com/adults
**********
Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, December 16, 2017, 12 pm – 1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a birdwatching walk and learn about Prospect Park’s magnificent array of birds and how to identify them!
**********
Gateway National Recreation Area
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Evening Owl Prowl
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Junior Rangers and their families are invited to an owl adventure.
View Details
**********
New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 11:00 a.m.
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11am to 12:30pm beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Included in All-Garden Pass
Get Tickets
**********
New York City Audubon
Saturday, December 16, 2017, 9:00am – 4:00pm
The Freshwater Ponds of Long Island's South Shore
Guide: Tod Winston
Visit up to seven South Shore freshwater ponds that provide refuge to a surprising variety of wintering waterfowl—and great viewing opportunities to birders. Possible sightings include hooded mergansers, green-winged teal, ring-necked ducks, northern pintails, and redheads. We’ll also make a short stop or two by the bay to look for loons, grebes, and sea ducks.
Transport by passenger van included. Limited to 12. $94 (66)
Click here to register
Saturday, December 16, 2017, 9:00am – 10:30am
Winter Walk in Van Cortlandt Park
Guide: Nadir Souirgi
Enjoy this ecologically diverse park with extensive woodlands and the Bronx's largest freshwater lake. Look for rarities such as wintering owls, land birds like snow buntings and Lapland longspurs, or even spot the odd migratory goose species like cackling goose, barnacle goose, or greater white-fronted goose. Limited to 15. $36 (25)
Click here to register
Sunday, December 17, 2017, 10am – 1pm
Winter Waterfowl ID Workshop Trip
Thursday, December 14, 6-7:30pm (class) and Sunday, December 17, 10am-1pm (trip)
Guide: Gabriel Willow
If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck . . . but is it a dabbling duck or a diving duck? Or could it be a grebe? This class will help you distinguish between ducks, geese, loons, grebes, and more. Following our class, we'll put our newfound skills to work as we seek out the diverse mix of dabbling ducks, bay ducks, sea ducks, grebes, loons, and cormorants to be found in Central Park's Reservoir.
Limited to 12. $65 (45)
Click here to register
**********
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Sunday, December 17, 2017, 11:00am – 1:00pm
Wolfe’s Pond Park Ancient Trees
Walk the end-of-autumn woods of this park made famous for its ancient trees, notably Tulip and Oak. We may also explore placid Acme pond. The entrance to the park is from Cornelia Avenue off Hylan Blvd. Park closest to the restrooms, where we will meet.
For more information, contact Hillel Lofaso at 718-477-0545.
Read More
**********
South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Jones Beach West End 2
From the Southern State Parkway, exit onto the Meadowbrook State Parkway south. After entering Jones Beach State Park, exit right (west) into the West End. Continue west to West End 2 parking lot; we meet in the northeast corner of the lot.
From the Wantagh State Parkway, travel south. Upon entering Jones Beach State Park, exit at Bay Drive and continue west to West End 2 parking lot; we meet in the northeast corner of the lot.
Directions via Google Maps
Bird walks led by a member of SSAS are conducted nearly every Sunday morning from late August through early June. Walks are open to the public and are free of charge. We especially encourage youngsters to attend.
All walks start at 9:00 A.M.
There is no walk if it rains or snows or temperature is below 25°F.
For more information or in case of questionable weather conditions, please phone Joe at 516 467-9498.
**********
Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, December 16, 2017
Nature Walk: Birds and the Winter Garden at Wave Hill House (in Wave Hill), Bronx
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Take a guided, brisk walk to see birds and bird habitats in the garden. Along the way, hear about fascinating adaptations that help birds survive the cold.
Free!
Birding: Waterfowl at 155th Street and Baisley Boulevard (in Baisley Pond Park), Queens
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle.
Free!
Nature Walk: Birds and the Winter Garden at Wave Hill House (in Wave Hill), Bronx
2:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
Take a guided, brisk walk to see birds and bird habitats in the garden. Along the way, hear about fascinating adaptations that help birds survive the cold.
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Birding: Waterfowl at Salt Marsh Nature Center (in Marine Park), Brooklyn
10:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels. Beginners are welcome.
Free!
Saturday, December 09, 2017
118th Christmas Bird Count Info
The 118th Annual Christmas Bird Count begins Saturday, December 16, 2017. If you'd like to participate with one of the many groups of birders in our area (of all skill levels) here is an abbreviated listing of the local counts. Below only includes the team coordinator information for the 5 boroughs of New York City, as well as, Long Island. A comprehensive listing for New York State can be found here.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
New York City Rare Bird Alert
Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, December 8, 2017:br />
br />
- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 8, 2017
* NYNY1712.08
- Birds mentioned
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER+
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
Greater White-fronted Goose
Eurasian Wigeon
KING EIDER
Common Eider
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
EARED GREBE
Willet (subspecies "Western Willet")
Red Knot
Parasitic Jaeger
Razorbill
Black-legged Kittiwake
BLACK-HEADED GULL
LITTLE GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Royal Tern
Snowy Owl
Red-headed Woodpecker
Lapland Longspur
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Pine Warbler
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (western subspecies "Audubon's" form)
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Clay-colored Sparrow
Boat-tailed Grackle
Pine Siskin
- Transcript
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44(at)nybirds{dot}org.
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compilers: Tom Burke and Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Ben Cacace
BEGIN TAPE
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, December 8th 2017 at 8pm. The highlights of today's tape are HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, EARED GREBE, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, LITTLE GULL, BLACK-HEADED GULL, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, "Audubon's" YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and more.
Present today for its 13th day the unexpectedly long staying HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER will now face its toughest test yet as snow is predicted for Saturday. The flycatcher has been seen daily mostly in Central Park's Ramble and although wandering a bit has usually returned to sections of the Ramble near Azalea Pond with such local names as the Swampy Pin Oak, the Humming Tombstone and the Oven. Hopefully it will be seen at these sites as the snow moves on.
With folks now hoping some of the late lingering passerines will hang around for the local Christmas Counts. Another bird high on that list is the WESTERN TANAGER found Wednesday at Crocheron Park in Queens and still present today. This bird, most likely the same WESTERN present recently at the Alley Pond Environmental Center about a mile away, has generally been seen around the pond at the south end of the park just south of 35th Avenue. This park is on some maps also called John Golden Park. Also in that park yesterday were YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and WILSON'S WARBLER.
Also notable but not apparently lingering was an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER visiting a private residence in Brooklyn Monday.
AN EARED GREBE has been present since last Saturday at Oak Beach returning to the area in Fire Island Inlet just west of the Fisherman's parking lot off Oak Beach Road the same site one frequented late last Winter.
'Tis the season for waterfowl and among the more unusual was a drake BARROW'S GOLDENEYE seen last Saturday out in Jamaica Bay northeast of the Fisherman's parking lot at Floyd Bennett Field. HARLEQUIN DUCKS have returned to Jones inlet as of last Sunday with 3 seen on the Jones Beach West End side of the inlet and 2 along the Point Lookout jetties. A male KING EIDER was also seen again in Jones Inlet on Monday. Other notable species around Jones Beach West End this week have included some COMMON EIDERS, a "Western" WILLET, 6 RED KNOTS, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, a PARASITIC JAEGER Sunday, a RAZORBILL Sunday and a LAPLAND LONGSPUR traveling with some Horned Larks. Drake EURASIAN WIGEON continue on the Sayville Mill Pond and Eastport Pond and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE include one at Elda Lake in Babylon Friday, one still at Tung Ting Pond in Centerport and one off Reeves Avenue north of Riverhead Sunday.
A recent large influx of Bonaparte's Gulls along Long Island's south shore provided an accompanying adult LITTLE GULL off Riis Park last Saturday. A BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was also off Robert Moses State Park Saturday morning along with a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and a PARASITIC JAEGER. A BLACK-HEADED GULL has been present at Five Islands Park in New Rochelle this week and a ROYAL TERN was still at Orient Beach State Park last Sunday.
Very unusual has been the male PROTHONOTARY WARBLER lingering around the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center off Yaphank Ave in Yaphank still present at least to Thursday this site also featuring a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW.
In Central Park a collection of late warblers this week has included MAGNOLIA, NASHVILLE, NORTHERN PARULA, ORANGE-CROWNED, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, PINE, AMERICAN REDSTART, OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and WILSON'S. A PINE SISKIN has been around the Ramble while a female type BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE also continues in the Common Grackle flock.
Another great bird was a well marked "Audubon's" YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER found west of Napeague Harbor last Saturday.
A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues in Brooklyn's Green-wood Cemetery and 7 RAZORBILLS were spotted Monday from a boat in eastern Long Island Sound.
Please remember to keep a suitable distance from and do not stress SNOWY OWLS now arriving in our area.
To phone in reports on Long Island call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 or call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
- End transcript
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 8, 2017
* NYNY1712.08
- Birds mentioned
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER+
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
Greater White-fronted Goose
Eurasian Wigeon
KING EIDER
Common Eider
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
EARED GREBE
Willet (subspecies "Western Willet")
Red Knot
Parasitic Jaeger
Razorbill
Black-legged Kittiwake
BLACK-HEADED GULL
LITTLE GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Royal Tern
Snowy Owl
Red-headed Woodpecker
Lapland Longspur
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Pine Warbler
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (western subspecies "Audubon's" form)
Wilson's Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Clay-colored Sparrow
Boat-tailed Grackle
Pine Siskin
- Transcript
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44(at)nybirds{dot}org.
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compilers: Tom Burke and Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Ben Cacace
BEGIN TAPE
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, December 8th 2017 at 8pm. The highlights of today's tape are HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, EARED GREBE, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, LITTLE GULL, BLACK-HEADED GULL, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, "Audubon's" YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and more.
Present today for its 13th day the unexpectedly long staying HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER will now face its toughest test yet as snow is predicted for Saturday. The flycatcher has been seen daily mostly in Central Park's Ramble and although wandering a bit has usually returned to sections of the Ramble near Azalea Pond with such local names as the Swampy Pin Oak, the Humming Tombstone and the Oven. Hopefully it will be seen at these sites as the snow moves on.
With folks now hoping some of the late lingering passerines will hang around for the local Christmas Counts. Another bird high on that list is the WESTERN TANAGER found Wednesday at Crocheron Park in Queens and still present today. This bird, most likely the same WESTERN present recently at the Alley Pond Environmental Center about a mile away, has generally been seen around the pond at the south end of the park just south of 35th Avenue. This park is on some maps also called John Golden Park. Also in that park yesterday were YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and WILSON'S WARBLER.
Also notable but not apparently lingering was an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER visiting a private residence in Brooklyn Monday.
AN EARED GREBE has been present since last Saturday at Oak Beach returning to the area in Fire Island Inlet just west of the Fisherman's parking lot off Oak Beach Road the same site one frequented late last Winter.
'Tis the season for waterfowl and among the more unusual was a drake BARROW'S GOLDENEYE seen last Saturday out in Jamaica Bay northeast of the Fisherman's parking lot at Floyd Bennett Field. HARLEQUIN DUCKS have returned to Jones inlet as of last Sunday with 3 seen on the Jones Beach West End side of the inlet and 2 along the Point Lookout jetties. A male KING EIDER was also seen again in Jones Inlet on Monday. Other notable species around Jones Beach West End this week have included some COMMON EIDERS, a "Western" WILLET, 6 RED KNOTS, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, a PARASITIC JAEGER Sunday, a RAZORBILL Sunday and a LAPLAND LONGSPUR traveling with some Horned Larks. Drake EURASIAN WIGEON continue on the Sayville Mill Pond and Eastport Pond and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE include one at Elda Lake in Babylon Friday, one still at Tung Ting Pond in Centerport and one off Reeves Avenue north of Riverhead Sunday.
A recent large influx of Bonaparte's Gulls along Long Island's south shore provided an accompanying adult LITTLE GULL off Riis Park last Saturday. A BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was also off Robert Moses State Park Saturday morning along with a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and a PARASITIC JAEGER. A BLACK-HEADED GULL has been present at Five Islands Park in New Rochelle this week and a ROYAL TERN was still at Orient Beach State Park last Sunday.
Very unusual has been the male PROTHONOTARY WARBLER lingering around the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center off Yaphank Ave in Yaphank still present at least to Thursday this site also featuring a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW.
In Central Park a collection of late warblers this week has included MAGNOLIA, NASHVILLE, NORTHERN PARULA, ORANGE-CROWNED, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, PINE, AMERICAN REDSTART, OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and WILSON'S. A PINE SISKIN has been around the Ramble while a female type BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE also continues in the Common Grackle flock.
Another great bird was a well marked "Audubon's" YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER found west of Napeague Harbor last Saturday.
A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues in Brooklyn's Green-wood Cemetery and 7 RAZORBILLS were spotted Monday from a boat in eastern Long Island Sound.
Please remember to keep a suitable distance from and do not stress SNOWY OWLS now arriving in our area.
To phone in reports on Long Island call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 or call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
- End transcript
Tuesday, December 05, 2017
Treehugger Tuesday
From the website "Earther":
Wind Farms Can Now Produce More Electricity Than Coal Plants In Texas
Brian Kahn
Thursday 11:20am
The war on coal is alive and well in Texas. Yes, Texas.
Wind power capacity has officially topped coal generating capacity according to data from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Wind farms are popping up across the state and coal plants are shuttering, largely due to economics that increasingly favor low cost renewables.
The wind revolution in Texas has been swift. Wind power accounted for just 2 percent of Texas’s power generation a decade ago according to the Houston Chronicle, but it now accounts for more than 15 percent. In real numbers, wind capacity stands at 20,102 megawatts, enough to power roughly four million homes by the Chronicle’s estimate. ERCOT data shows that capacity could top 21,000 megawatts by the end of the year.
It now stands as the second-largest source of electricity capacity in Texas, trailing only natural gas. Coal, however, still accounts for a larger overall share of electricity generated in Texas, but that will likely change within the next few years.
Image: ERCOT
While wind power has blown up, coal generation has fallen across Texas. The latest casualties are the Big Brown and Sandow coal-powered plants, which are slated to close in 2018.
“Trump can repeal environmental rules, but he can’t repeal economics,” Daniel Cohan, an associate professor of environmental engineering at Rice University, told E and E News when the decision to shutter the plants was announced last month. “I think you’re seeing market forces take over on this.”
And that’s exactly what’s happening. Cheap natural gas has made coal increasingly uncompetitive. Columbia research published earlier this year found that 49 percent of the drop in coal use in the U.S. from 2011-2016 was due to low-cost gas.
At the same time, wind power has never been cheaper. The declining cost of renewable energy over that period is responsible for 18 percent of coal’s decline, according to the Columbia research.
In contrast, environmental regulations have played a very tiny role, despite the Trump administration’s argument that they’re killing coal. Texas—a state where “regulation” is akin to a four-letter word—has become the wind capital of the U.S. due to these economic factors and its abundance of wind. That means it’s highly unlikely that Trump’s push to roll back fossil fuel regulations will mess with the Lone Star state’s wind revolution.
Texas is a microcosm of what’s happening across much of the U.S. and the world. The fastest growing jobs in the country are in wind and solar and renewables are being installed at record rates around the globe. Mexico auctioned off the cheapest solar project on the planet earlier this month. The pace, however, will need to quicken to ensure we don’t suffer the worst impacts of climate change.
Wind Farms Can Now Produce More Electricity Than Coal Plants In Texas
Brian Kahn
Thursday 11:20am
The war on coal is alive and well in Texas. Yes, Texas.
Wind power capacity has officially topped coal generating capacity according to data from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Wind farms are popping up across the state and coal plants are shuttering, largely due to economics that increasingly favor low cost renewables.
The wind revolution in Texas has been swift. Wind power accounted for just 2 percent of Texas’s power generation a decade ago according to the Houston Chronicle, but it now accounts for more than 15 percent. In real numbers, wind capacity stands at 20,102 megawatts, enough to power roughly four million homes by the Chronicle’s estimate. ERCOT data shows that capacity could top 21,000 megawatts by the end of the year.
It now stands as the second-largest source of electricity capacity in Texas, trailing only natural gas. Coal, however, still accounts for a larger overall share of electricity generated in Texas, but that will likely change within the next few years.
Image: ERCOT
While wind power has blown up, coal generation has fallen across Texas. The latest casualties are the Big Brown and Sandow coal-powered plants, which are slated to close in 2018.
“Trump can repeal environmental rules, but he can’t repeal economics,” Daniel Cohan, an associate professor of environmental engineering at Rice University, told E and E News when the decision to shutter the plants was announced last month. “I think you’re seeing market forces take over on this.”
And that’s exactly what’s happening. Cheap natural gas has made coal increasingly uncompetitive. Columbia research published earlier this year found that 49 percent of the drop in coal use in the U.S. from 2011-2016 was due to low-cost gas.
At the same time, wind power has never been cheaper. The declining cost of renewable energy over that period is responsible for 18 percent of coal’s decline, according to the Columbia research.
In contrast, environmental regulations have played a very tiny role, despite the Trump administration’s argument that they’re killing coal. Texas—a state where “regulation” is akin to a four-letter word—has become the wind capital of the U.S. due to these economic factors and its abundance of wind. That means it’s highly unlikely that Trump’s push to roll back fossil fuel regulations will mess with the Lone Star state’s wind revolution.
Texas is a microcosm of what’s happening across much of the U.S. and the world. The fastest growing jobs in the country are in wind and solar and renewables are being installed at record rates around the globe. Mexico auctioned off the cheapest solar project on the planet earlier this month. The pace, however, will need to quicken to ensure we don’t suffer the worst impacts of climate change.
Monday, December 04, 2017
Upcoming Birding and Nature Trips
Below is a list of upcoming nature trips by local birding/conservation groups for Saturday, December 9, 2017 to Sunday, December 10, 2017:
Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, December 9, 2017, 12 pm – 1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a birdwatching walk and learn about Prospect Park’s magnificent array of birds and how to identify them!
**********
Bedford Audubon Society
Sunday, December 10, 2017, 8:30am - 11:00am
Deans Bridge and Titicus Reservoir with Naturalist Tait Johansson
Somers, NY, USA
Join Tait in exploring these excellent winter waterfowl spots in Somers and North Salem. This is perfect for beginning birders. Meet at the end of Dean’s Bridge Road in Somers.
Level of physical difficulty: Moderate.
Please let us know if you’d like to borrow binoculars.
Register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.302.9713.
See more details
**********
Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, December 9, 2017
A Duck Walk Marathon of Southern Jamaica Bay
Leader: Peter Dorosh
Focus: Duck species of fresh and salt waters
Registrar: Peter Dorosh Prosbird@aol.com or text only cell 347-622-3559
Registration Period: Dec 2nd - Dec 7th
Trip Details: The walking tour distance is about 9 miles. Starting at Jamaica Bay Refuge Visitors Center (From A train Broad Channel station), the walk-– after a loop of the West […]
**********
Gateway National Recreation Area
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Winter Bird Walk
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge visitor center for a slide program on winter birds and wildlife followed by a walk around the ponds and gardens with Jamaica Bay Guardian Don Riepe.
View Details
**********
Great South Bay Audubon Society
Saturday, December 9, 2017, 9:00am
Montauk
Leader(s): Bob Grover (516-318-8536) Ken Thompson (631-612-8028)
Meet at Lighthouse parking lot. Latecomers can still join in the vicinity of the restaurant overlook.
**********
Green-Wood Cemetery
Sunday, December 10, 7:00am
Birding in Peace
Just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean that there aren’t interesting birds to discover in Green-Wood. For some bird species that migrate south after the breeding season, Brooklyn is their Miami during the cold months. Spend the early morning exploring the cemetery, looking for overwintering waterfowl, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows, finches and any half-hardy birds that decided to stick around. By February we’ll see some of the early north-bound birds beginning to trickle back into the area.
$10 for members of Green-Wood and BHS / $15 for non-members
For this program you will check in at the Gothic Arches, right at the main entrance.
Click here for our inclement weather policy.
**********
New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 11:00 a.m.
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11am to 12:30pm beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Included in All-Garden Pass
Get Tickets
**********
New York City Audubon
Saturday, December 9, 2017, 10am – 1pm
America Littoral Society's Winter Birds at Jamaica Bay
Guide: Don Riepe with American Littoral Society and Gateway National Recreation Area
Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center for a slide program on winter birds and wildlife followed by a walk around the ponds and gardens. Learn about bird migration, survival, and adaptation to cold temperatures and look for owls, raptors, finches, and waterfowl.
For info and reservations, contact Don Riepe at 718-474-0896 or donriepe@gmail.com. No limit. Free
Sunday, December 10, 2017, 9:30am – 11:30am
Winter Birding Along the Hudson: Wave Hill
Guide: Gabriel Willow with Wave Hill
Meet at the Perkins Visitor Center. The Hudson River valley hosts an impressive diversity of bird species, even during the winter months. Come explore the beautiful gardens and woodlands of Wave Hill and observe the hardy birds that spend the winter in this urban oasis. Walks run rain or shine. Ages 10 and up welcome with an adult. See www.wavehill.org for admission rates. NYC Audubon members enjoy two-for-one admission
**********
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Sunday, December 10, 2017, 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Conference House Park
What do burnt cornflakes, worts, and ski trails all have in common? They are identifying characteristic of tree bark at Conference House Park. Participants will learn to identify trees in the winter using their bark including the persimmon, a native tree species that is threatened in New York State. We will meet at the parking lot near the Visitors Center, 7455 Hylan Boulevard. For more information contact Will Lenihan at wleni5584@gmail.com.
**********
Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Liberty State Park
Leader: Bob Dieterich (848) 468-7207
Liberty State Park, 200 Morris Pesin Dr, Jersey City, NJ 07305, USA (map)
**********
South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Hempstead Lake State Park
From the Southern State Parkway, take Exit 18 (Eagle Avenue) south to Field 3 (use second park entrance and make an immediate left turn.).
Directions via Google Maps
Bird walks led by a member of SSAS are conducted nearly every Sunday morning from late August through early June. Walks are open to the public and are free of charge. We especially encourage youngsters to attend.
All walks start at 9:00 A.M.
There is no walk if it rains or snows or temperature is below 25°F.
For more information or in case of questionable weather conditions, please phone Joe at 516 467-9498.
**********
Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Birding: Owls at Parking Area (in High Rock Park), Staten Island
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Be wise and join this Urban Park Ranger-led hike, as we listen for calls and look for this nocturnal bird of prey.
Free!
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Winter Birding at Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill), Bronx
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
The Hudson River Valley hosts an impressive diversity of bird species in the winter. Observe birds in their winter habitats and explore Wave Hill with naturalist Gabriel Willow.
Audubon Center in Prospect Park
Saturday, December 9, 2017, 12 pm – 1 pm
Introduction to Bird Watching
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a birdwatching walk and learn about Prospect Park’s magnificent array of birds and how to identify them!
**********
Bedford Audubon Society
Sunday, December 10, 2017, 8:30am - 11:00am
Deans Bridge and Titicus Reservoir with Naturalist Tait Johansson
Somers, NY, USA
Join Tait in exploring these excellent winter waterfowl spots in Somers and North Salem. This is perfect for beginning birders. Meet at the end of Dean’s Bridge Road in Somers.
Level of physical difficulty: Moderate.
Please let us know if you’d like to borrow binoculars.
Register with Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or 914.302.9713.
See more details
**********
Brooklyn Bird Club
Saturday, December 9, 2017
A Duck Walk Marathon of Southern Jamaica Bay
Leader: Peter Dorosh
Focus: Duck species of fresh and salt waters
Registrar: Peter Dorosh Prosbird@aol.com or text only cell 347-622-3559
Registration Period: Dec 2nd - Dec 7th
Trip Details: The walking tour distance is about 9 miles. Starting at Jamaica Bay Refuge Visitors Center (From A train Broad Channel station), the walk-– after a loop of the West […]
**********
Gateway National Recreation Area
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Winter Bird Walk
Location: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge visitor center for a slide program on winter birds and wildlife followed by a walk around the ponds and gardens with Jamaica Bay Guardian Don Riepe.
View Details
**********
Great South Bay Audubon Society
Saturday, December 9, 2017, 9:00am
Montauk
Leader(s): Bob Grover (516-318-8536) Ken Thompson (631-612-8028)
Meet at Lighthouse parking lot. Latecomers can still join in the vicinity of the restaurant overlook.
**********
Green-Wood Cemetery
Sunday, December 10, 7:00am
Birding in Peace
Just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean that there aren’t interesting birds to discover in Green-Wood. For some bird species that migrate south after the breeding season, Brooklyn is their Miami during the cold months. Spend the early morning exploring the cemetery, looking for overwintering waterfowl, nuthatches, woodpeckers, sparrows, finches and any half-hardy birds that decided to stick around. By February we’ll see some of the early north-bound birds beginning to trickle back into the area.
$10 for members of Green-Wood and BHS / $15 for non-members
For this program you will check in at the Gothic Arches, right at the main entrance.
Click here for our inclement weather policy.
**********
New York Botanical Garden (Bronx)
Saturdays -- 11:00 a.m.
Debbie Becker leads a free bird walk at the Garden every Saturday from 11am to 12:30pm beginning at the Reflecting Pool in the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Meet at the Reflecting Pool at the Leon Levy Visitor Center
Included in All-Garden Pass
Get Tickets
**********
New York City Audubon
Saturday, December 9, 2017, 10am – 1pm
America Littoral Society's Winter Birds at Jamaica Bay
Guide: Don Riepe with American Littoral Society and Gateway National Recreation Area
Meet at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center for a slide program on winter birds and wildlife followed by a walk around the ponds and gardens. Learn about bird migration, survival, and adaptation to cold temperatures and look for owls, raptors, finches, and waterfowl.
For info and reservations, contact Don Riepe at 718-474-0896 or donriepe@gmail.com. No limit. Free
Sunday, December 10, 2017, 9:30am – 11:30am
Winter Birding Along the Hudson: Wave Hill
Guide: Gabriel Willow with Wave Hill
Meet at the Perkins Visitor Center. The Hudson River valley hosts an impressive diversity of bird species, even during the winter months. Come explore the beautiful gardens and woodlands of Wave Hill and observe the hardy birds that spend the winter in this urban oasis. Walks run rain or shine. Ages 10 and up welcome with an adult. See www.wavehill.org for admission rates. NYC Audubon members enjoy two-for-one admission
**********
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
Sunday, December 10, 2017, 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Conference House Park
What do burnt cornflakes, worts, and ski trails all have in common? They are identifying characteristic of tree bark at Conference House Park. Participants will learn to identify trees in the winter using their bark including the persimmon, a native tree species that is threatened in New York State. We will meet at the parking lot near the Visitors Center, 7455 Hylan Boulevard. For more information contact Will Lenihan at wleni5584@gmail.com.
**********
Queens County Bird Club
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Liberty State Park
Leader: Bob Dieterich (848) 468-7207
Liberty State Park, 200 Morris Pesin Dr, Jersey City, NJ 07305, USA (map)
**********
South Shore Audubon Society
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Hempstead Lake State Park
From the Southern State Parkway, take Exit 18 (Eagle Avenue) south to Field 3 (use second park entrance and make an immediate left turn.).
Directions via Google Maps
Bird walks led by a member of SSAS are conducted nearly every Sunday morning from late August through early June. Walks are open to the public and are free of charge. We especially encourage youngsters to attend.
All walks start at 9:00 A.M.
There is no walk if it rains or snows or temperature is below 25°F.
For more information or in case of questionable weather conditions, please phone Joe at 516 467-9498.
**********
Urban Park Rangers
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Birding: Owls at Parking Area (in High Rock Park), Staten Island
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Be wise and join this Urban Park Ranger-led hike, as we listen for calls and look for this nocturnal bird of prey.
Free!
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Winter Birding at Perkins Visitors Center (in Wave Hill), Bronx
9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
The Hudson River Valley hosts an impressive diversity of bird species in the winter. Observe birds in their winter habitats and explore Wave Hill with naturalist Gabriel Willow.
Saturday, December 02, 2017
New York City Rare Bird Alert
Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, December 1, 2017
- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 1, 2017
* NYNY1712.01
- Birds mentioned
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER+
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
ROSS'S GOOSE
Cackling Goose
Eurasian Wigeon
HUDSONIAN GODWIT
Parasitic Jaeger
Black-legged Kittiwake
BLACK-HEADED GULL
LITTLE GULL
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Red-headed Woodpecker
Common Raven
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
Dickcissel
Boat-tailed Grackle
- Transcript
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44(at)nybirds{dot}org.
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compilers: Tom Burke and Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Ben Cacace
BEGIN TAPE
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, December 1st 2017 at 8pm. The highlights of today's tape are HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, LITTLE GULL, BLACK-HEADED GULL, PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, ROSS'S GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, LAPLAND LONGSPUR and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. A good week for birds.
First spotted near the Ramble in Central Park early last Sunday a small empidonax flycatcher was accommodating enough to enable sufficiently detailed photos that soon determined its identity as a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER. A third record for New York State. Seen everyday since Sunday the flycatcher has been elusive but when being observed it has usually been in areas of the Ramble with such names as the Oven, the Gill, the Rustic Shelter and the Swampy Pin Oak. This latter, a tree that hasn't existed since Hurricane Sandy. The above areas are all near Azalea Pond just west of the Boat House on Central Park Lake. But today the flycatcher also ventured a little farther north to the south end of the Maintenance Meadow but was seen later again near Azalea Pond. Hopefully for the weekend folks will be able to track the bird and direct arriving birders to its current location.
The WESTERN TANAGER at the Alley Pond Environmental Center was being seen at least through Tuesday along the trail that enters the east side of the park right after crossing the Northern Boulevard bridge over the creek. Parking is at the center on the west side of the creek. Interestingly a second WESTERN TANAGER has been visiting a private residence in Stony Brook first seen on November 17th but only subsequently and positively identified.
Staying with the landbirds. A male PROTHONOTARY WARBLER has been present at least since last Friday at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center off Yaphank Avenue in Yaphank. Two other interesting reports from that location during the week both accompanied by photographs were a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE last Sunday and a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW today. A gathering of over 30 COMMON RAVENS seen there today was also quite impressive.
A PINK-FOOTED GOOSE was found with Canadas in Montauk Tuesday this on the south side of Route 27 at the Deep Hollow Ranch. A ROSS'S GOOSE was photographed in Connetquot River State Park in Great River last Saturday. Single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE continue to be seen at Belmont Lake State Park and Tung Ting Pond in Centerport as well as at other sites. Seemingly widespread CACKLING GEESE include 2 in Prospect Park last Sunday. Both drake EURASIAN WIGEON continue to be noted at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, on Mill Pond in West Sayville, on Fresh Pond in Fort Salonga and on Eastport Lake.
Among the gulls, missed on last week's tape, was a subadult LITTLE GULL off Montauk Point on November 23rd and the presumed Pelham Bay BLACK-HEADED GULL was back at Five Islands Park in New Rochelle last Saturday. An ICELAND GULL was at Playland Park in Rye Tuesday and at Riis Park last Saturday a single BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was joined by an ICELAND and two LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. The latter still around in low numbers. A PARASITIC JAEGER was off Jones Beach West End Saturday. At least one HUDSONIAN GODWIT continued at Heckscher State Park through last Saturday.
An immature RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was still at Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn Wednesday. A DICKCISSEL visited Robert Moses State Park last Saturday and LAPLAND LONGSPURS featured singles at Smith Point County Park Saturday and at the Fire Island Hawkwatch Sunday.
Unusual by location was a BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE with Common Grackles in Central Park's Sheep Meadow last weekend. Decent numbers of ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS continue in the area but the nice list of late lingering other warblers have folks thinking already of the upcoming Christmas Counts this list including OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, BLACK-AND-WHITE, NASHVILLE, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, NORTHERN PARULA, MAGNOLIA, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, CANADA and WILSON'S.
To phone in reports on Long Island call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 or call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
- End transcript
- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 1, 2017
* NYNY1712.01
- Birds mentioned
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER+
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
ROSS'S GOOSE
Cackling Goose
Eurasian Wigeon
HUDSONIAN GODWIT
Parasitic Jaeger
Black-legged Kittiwake
BLACK-HEADED GULL
LITTLE GULL
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Red-headed Woodpecker
Common Raven
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
Dickcissel
Boat-tailed Grackle
- Transcript
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44(at)nybirds{dot}org.
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compilers: Tom Burke and Tony Lauro
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Ben Cacace
BEGIN TAPE
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, December 1st 2017 at 8pm. The highlights of today's tape are HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, LITTLE GULL, BLACK-HEADED GULL, PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, ROSS'S GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, LAPLAND LONGSPUR and CLAY-COLORED SPARROW. A good week for birds.
First spotted near the Ramble in Central Park early last Sunday a small empidonax flycatcher was accommodating enough to enable sufficiently detailed photos that soon determined its identity as a HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER. A third record for New York State. Seen everyday since Sunday the flycatcher has been elusive but when being observed it has usually been in areas of the Ramble with such names as the Oven, the Gill, the Rustic Shelter and the Swampy Pin Oak. This latter, a tree that hasn't existed since Hurricane Sandy. The above areas are all near Azalea Pond just west of the Boat House on Central Park Lake. But today the flycatcher also ventured a little farther north to the south end of the Maintenance Meadow but was seen later again near Azalea Pond. Hopefully for the weekend folks will be able to track the bird and direct arriving birders to its current location.
The WESTERN TANAGER at the Alley Pond Environmental Center was being seen at least through Tuesday along the trail that enters the east side of the park right after crossing the Northern Boulevard bridge over the creek. Parking is at the center on the west side of the creek. Interestingly a second WESTERN TANAGER has been visiting a private residence in Stony Brook first seen on November 17th but only subsequently and positively identified.
Staying with the landbirds. A male PROTHONOTARY WARBLER has been present at least since last Friday at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center off Yaphank Avenue in Yaphank. Two other interesting reports from that location during the week both accompanied by photographs were a TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE last Sunday and a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW today. A gathering of over 30 COMMON RAVENS seen there today was also quite impressive.
A PINK-FOOTED GOOSE was found with Canadas in Montauk Tuesday this on the south side of Route 27 at the Deep Hollow Ranch. A ROSS'S GOOSE was photographed in Connetquot River State Park in Great River last Saturday. Single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE continue to be seen at Belmont Lake State Park and Tung Ting Pond in Centerport as well as at other sites. Seemingly widespread CACKLING GEESE include 2 in Prospect Park last Sunday. Both drake EURASIAN WIGEON continue to be noted at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, on Mill Pond in West Sayville, on Fresh Pond in Fort Salonga and on Eastport Lake.
Among the gulls, missed on last week's tape, was a subadult LITTLE GULL off Montauk Point on November 23rd and the presumed Pelham Bay BLACK-HEADED GULL was back at Five Islands Park in New Rochelle last Saturday. An ICELAND GULL was at Playland Park in Rye Tuesday and at Riis Park last Saturday a single BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was joined by an ICELAND and two LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. The latter still around in low numbers. A PARASITIC JAEGER was off Jones Beach West End Saturday. At least one HUDSONIAN GODWIT continued at Heckscher State Park through last Saturday.
An immature RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was still at Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn Wednesday. A DICKCISSEL visited Robert Moses State Park last Saturday and LAPLAND LONGSPURS featured singles at Smith Point County Park Saturday and at the Fire Island Hawkwatch Sunday.
Unusual by location was a BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE with Common Grackles in Central Park's Sheep Meadow last weekend. Decent numbers of ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS continue in the area but the nice list of late lingering other warblers have folks thinking already of the upcoming Christmas Counts this list including OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, BLACK-AND-WHITE, NASHVILLE, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, NORTHERN PARULA, MAGNOLIA, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, CANADA and WILSON'S.
To phone in reports on Long Island call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 or call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
- End transcript