I biked up to the north end of Prospect Park with the intent to bird my way down to the Lily Pond. Maybe this time I'd find the chat from the previous day.

Someone had place piles of mixed bird seed on top of the concrete balustrades that surround the ornamental pond at the Vale of Cashmere. For a few minutes I watched hungry, hyperactive chickadees, White-throated Sparrows, nuthatches, titmice and cardinals grab seeds then fly into the underbrush to eat. From the vale I cut across Nelly's Lawn, to the wooded pathway behind Sullivan Hill. Throughout the short stretch of forest I heard the muted, crunchy sound of dried leaves being flipped and the bouncy call notes of dozens of White-throated Sparrows as they foraged for seeds.

The bridle path adjacent to Rick's Place was rutted with tire tracks from park maintenance vehicles. Light snow and freezing rain from the previous night had melted and collected in the muddy depressions. A large flock of American Goldfinches had gathered in and around the temporary watering holes to drink and bath under a brilliant afternoon sun. I laid down my bicycle and sat on the ground at the edge of the bridle path. Several yard to my right, a Pine Siskin joined a group of goldfinches. He was followed by one, then two, then three Common Redpolls. I took my camera out, but a woman walking her pony-sized Mastiff up the path spooked the birds. Some flew up into the trees, others sought the protection of a multiflora rose tangle. When the woman and her steed were well out of sight, the birds slowly began to return.

As soon as I saw the redpolls I called a few friends to let them know the location. I could only reach Peter, who informed me that he was in Delaware. He sent out a text message and a few minutes later I heard Alan and Janet talking near the opening at the end of the path. A runner appeared from under the Boulder Bridge to my left, sprinting directly towards the finches. Again, the birds disappeared. I stood up and waved Alan and Janet over, as they didn't see me tucked back into the side of the trail. Unfortunately, like Friday's experience with Scott, the birds didn't return, so we walked around to the other side of Rick's Place to check some sweetgum trees. There were two birders near the top of the trail with their bins pointed upward. I said that there were some redpolls around, to which one responded, "We're looking at one now."

Alan and Janet got on the birds and were really happy. I was glad that I was able to help others find these rare winter visitors. The two birders that found the redpolls asked me about the goshawk and I described how she seemed to be hunting around that area and that, if they were patient, they might find her.

I couldn't stay very long and was about to jump on my bike and head home. Janet mentioned that they had seen a very large accipiter on their fire escape, next to their bird feeders. By her description it sounded like it wasn't the goshawk, but likely a large Cooper's Hawk. I said that the gos was unmistakable, especially in flight. Red-tailed Hawks appear lumbering and direct when flying in wooded areas. The Northern Goshawk, despite its large size, look amazingly agile as they twist and turn through the forest. We were about 50 yards from the Boulder Bridge facing north, towards Payne Hill. I felt like my description of the goshawk had barely left my lips, when it zoomed out of the woods of Payne Hill, flew over the path in front of us and up onto a perch in the Midwood. We ran to a break in the trees, where we had a good view of the perched raptor in a Sycamore tree. I called the other two birders over and pointed out the hawk.

I never made it to the Lily Pond, in fact, I wasn't even close. One of the great things about birding is that you can never be certain what you'll find when you go out into the field.

Prospect Park, 12/8/2007
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Northern Goshawk (Rick's Place; flying into Midwood.)
American Kestrel (Circling over Payne Hill.)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Northern Cardinal
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Common Redpoll (3, puddles next to Rick's Place.)
Pine Siskin (1, puddles next to Rick's Place.)
American Goldfinch (20-30, Rick's Place.)

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

Belated Halloween story

I received the following, only-in-New-York story from a friend the other day and had to share it:

Forgive me if I sent this to you already...but if not, I thought you might find this interesting:

On Halloween night (2007) in Brooklyn this happened:

"I live in Brooklyn [ ... ] and last night was playing video games in the dark when an owl flew into my apt through an open back door that leads to a deck. My roommate and I were surprised, thinking it was a pigeon, but the bird didn't make any sound as it beat its wings. As we were thinking out loud that it was possibly an owl, it landed on a door frame and we were able to tell that it was an owl. We took a picture and corralled it with a towel. The owl was quiet the whole time and was very docile and not freaking out at all. We took it to the deck and let it fly off into the Halloween night."

The owl was a tiny Northern Saw-whet Owl.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

Winter finches and other surprises

Peter called me early yesterday morning. He was in Prospect Park with Scott Whittle where they were looking at a Yellow-breasted Chat. I hadn't seen a chat this year and was resigned to the fact that I wouldn't, although last year I managed to see one on February 11th. Seeing a warbler in winter is always a nice treat. When the flowers are gone and the trees have all dropped their leaves, they are like a glowing ember left over from spring. Unfortunately, I couldn't drop everything and run into the park.

By 2:30pm I had some time so I headed up to the park. I realized as I was crossing the deserted Long Meadow that it was colder than I expected. The clear sky and brilliant sun had lulled me into thinking that it was still warm outdoors. The low sun created a golden glow on a pool of fallen ginkgo leaves near the edge of the lower pool.

When I made the right turn at the rock bridge in the Ravine I noticed one of our Red-tailed Hawks perched on a dead limb above the pathway. As I got closer I realized that it was actually the juvenile Northern Goshawk. She is a very large, imposing bird and has likely been reigning terror on all the forest birds since she's arrived in Brooklyn. Peter was walking the path towards me and I pointed up at the hawk. We thought that it might be her evening roost. She looked like she was settling down for the night so we left her in peace to try and relocate the chat.

The bright yellow bird was found by Alex Wilson while it was foraging near the Music Pagoda. The warbler gradually made his way along the edge of the stream that feeds into the Lily Pond, then across a small patch of grass and into the dense euonimous shrubs at the East Wood Arch. I spent about 30 minutes looking for the bird unsuccessfully then started back home.

I decided to walk up the ridge on the south side of the Ravine, hoping that the goshawk was still perched above the walkway on the opposite side. From that vantage point I would be nearly at eye level with her. She hadn't left, so I set up my tripod and shot about two dozen photos. I don't think she was finished hunting for the day as her head kept darting from side to side scanning the ground for prey. By about 3:30pm I packed up my gear and continued towards the Boulder Bridge and back through the Ravine. The sidewalk and forest in the Ravine was loaded with White-throated Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos. They were feeding on sweetgum seeds scattered along the ground. A flock of about 20 birds were on the path in front of me and I was reluctant to continue walking as I'd interrupt their dinner. My hands were getting cold so I pushed ahead and the birds flew into the woods on either side of the path.

As I approached the stairway that descends into the Ravine's lower path, towards the Long Meadow, the mewing from a flock of goldfinches caught my attention. A flock of about 24 birds were feeding in a sweetgum tree. I began scanning the flock, looking for something different, and quickly spotted a smaller bird with a tiny bill and a black "soul patch" under its chin. Common Redpolls had recently been reported around the city, and I was staring up at two of them within the flock of goldfinches. I called Peter, then he called Scott, then Scott called me. I gave him directions to my location and he said that he'd be right over with his camera. I'm guessing that it was about 3 minutes after I had hung up the phone that the goshawk decided that it wasn't bedtime, but dinner time. She seemed to come out of nowhere and headed directly towards the flock of finches. They scattered and she perched near the top of an oak tree that towers over all the other trees in the Ravine. A few moment later she took off, flying through the trees towards the Midwood. When Scott arrived I gave him the bad news. We stayed for a little while hoping that the finches would return, but they didn't and the setting sun was quickly vanishing behind the Picnic House.

Both the Common Redpoll and the Northern Goshawk are denizens of New York State's northern forests. Goshawks probably eat redpolls way up north. It seems a little sad and ironic that a redpoll, who only ventures as far south as Brooklyn when food is scarce, survived the trip, found a good supply of seeds and then is eaten by a predator, who, under normal circumstances, he would never encounter in NYC. I guess it is tough to make it in New York.

Prospect Park, 12/7/2007
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Northern Goshawk (Ravine.)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren (Lily Pond.)
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Northern Cardinal
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Redpoll (2, sweetgum in Ravine, with goldfinches.)
American Goldfinch

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

Birds in Winter

A Walk in Prospect Park
Many Birds Found by a Good Observer.

Those of you who visit Prospect Park during the winter months rarely, perhaps, notice the many little feathered creatures who still flutter about the trees which cold weather has robbed of their leaves. The chattering English sparrow is a bird always much In evidence or a casual visitor may feel sure that he recognises a robin, but usually we are so certain that there are no birds left during the winter that we do not trouble ourselves to look for them.

But a closer observation, by a real lover of nature, will reveal quite a large number of birds that flutter about the park trees during the winter season. Let us take a stroll on a clear morning early in January and just after sunrise. Passing to the left from the main entrance we soon arrive at the Vale of Cashmere, which is a quiet spot, entirely surrounded by high ground, heavily wooded. The little friends for which we watch are shy, but we hear from yonder bush a prolonged 'Tseep!" Oh, there are several white throated sparrows (zonotrichia albicollis), indulging in a sun bath. This bird is one of the largest of the sparrow family. It Is mottled brown on the back, with a pure white throat and breast ashy. Although most of these birds migrate yet a colony of them spends the winter regularly In Prospect Park.

Walking south over the lawn toward Battle Pass we startle a flock of small mouse colored birds. As they fly off we perceive the white feathers in their tails, showing plainly against the dark body. This is the slate colored junco (junco Hyemalis), known as the snow bird. The sharp "Tschip-tschip" is so like the chipping sparrow that Wilson, the celebrated ornithologist, believed that the chipping sparrow turned into the snow bird in winter.

Looking upward as we trudge along we see a crow lazily flying and his familiar "khrah-khrah" is answered by his mate in the distance. But something flitted overhead as we watched the crow. Bigger than the robin, with a snowy patch on his back and each wing and tail feather possessing a yellow shaft, the flicker (Colaptes Auratus) is indeed a beauty. He is shy, keeping well up in the trees. He flies with quick. vigorous strokes. He Is also known as the golden winged woodpecker and the yellow hammer. His cry of "urick-ah-urlck-ah" is very penetrating.

Near the music stand we come across a small nervous feathered creature running spirally up the trunk of an elm, pausing occasionally to observe what we are doing, for this brown creeper (certhia familiaris Americana) Is somewhat timid. Of a rich brown color, the little fellow is scarcely to be distinguished from the tree bark. His long curved bill is well adapted to picking out the insects on which be feeds. His quick "shree-shree-shree" may be heard from October until April.

As we cross the bridge back of the boat house, we hear the cheery call "Chick-a-dee, chick, chick, chIck-a-dee-dee" and we know that the black capped titmouse or chick-a-dee (Parus atricapillus) Is somewhere near. His cousin, the golden crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa), is not far off either, for we catch another call "Te-cet, te-it, te-cet" and we catch sight of this bird searching dillgently among the pine cones for the seeds which make his dinner. Next to the hummingbird, this little fellow is the smallest bird we have. He is dark olive green, with a grayish white breast and a broad flame colored band on the crown of his tiny head is margined with black.

In our circuit of the park we came across several other species of our feathered friends. The cherry robin, the blue bird and the gold finch, are all to be found at times on a winter walk through the park, by whoever will, with patient observation, look for the pretty feathered inhabitants in their winter quarters.

EDWARD FRASER, Brooklyn Eagle, February 13, 1898

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

Injured Red-tailed Hawk

There was a story in the New York Post about an injured young Red-tailed Hawk in the Bronx. Bobby Horvath was called in again to rehabilitate the hawk.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

2008 Calendar

Several people have inquired about prints of my images. In response, I have created the City Birder Wall Calendar. You can preview it here I also added a link in the sidebar.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

Prospect Park birds

On Friday morning I received a call from Scott Whittle, who was birding in Prospect Park. Scott is a beginner birder but has been finding some incredible birds. His good fortune likely has a lot to do with him having very sharp eyes, as he is a professional photographer. When I see his name on my phone's caller ID I think, "oh no, what did he find this time that I can't go chase." On that particular morning he spotted a vireo feeding in the underbrush at lamppost J249. It is very unusual to see any species of vireo around NYC at such a late date and this is the time of year when odd vagrants tend to appear. I'm not sure what conditions lead to western species of bird finding their way to the east coast, but a Bell's Vireo was just found in Rhode Island.

I dropped everything and ran into the park to meet Scott and help identify the species of vireo. Near the Terrace Bridge I ran into another birder, Rob Bates, and we walked the short distance down Wellhouse Drive to lamppost J249. Scott was standing under a pair of magnolia trees at the east edge of the dense underbrush where the bird was last seen. I avoided the suggestion of Bell's Vireo and discussed the relative field marks of a red-eyed, warbling and Philadelphia Vireo. Within only a few minutes of my arrival I spotted a very pale bird flying in from our right. Before I had my bins on it, Scott exclaimed, "That's the bird!" I focused on a very pale bird with bright yellow plumage on its breast sides. After about 10 seconds, it vanished into the vegetation. Despite a long time searching, we never relocated the bird. I posted what I had observed on the local birding group hoping that someone would go looking for it on Saturday. I received lots of responses suggesting that it was a Bell's Vireo, but I couldn't make that stretch given my brief look.

On my way out of the park I stopped on Breeze Hill to retrieve my Birdcam. There was a Red-tailed Hawk perched atop a Bald Cypress at the edge of the Lullwater across from the Terrace Bridge. I watched her for several minutes and noticed that she seemed a little uneasy. She kept craning her neck and looking very intently at something off in the distance. Shane, who had come by to help with our earlier search, joked that she was probably staring down a goshawk perched at the other end of the Nethermead Meadow (about 1/4 mile away). I'm not sure who would win in a showdown between a Northern Goshawk and a Red-tailed Hawk. Judging by the nervous behavior of the red-tail on the cypress, she thinks it would be the goshawk. As I crossed the Long Meadow near the Picnic House I spotted a juvenile goshawk flying out of the woods on Payne Hill. She flew south at treetop level and dropped into the woods near the Upper Pool.

On Saturday I received a few calls that the unidentified vireo seen the day before hadn't been found. I decided to go over to Lookout Hill and check the brushy, edge habitats on the opposite side of the hill from lamppost J249.

It was colder than I expected, although it was probably just "normal" for December 1. I'd been spoiled by very warm weather and didn't have a chance to ease into winter. Some trees still seem reluctant to relinquish leaves. Sweetgum balls have opened, there tiny seeds creating brief snow showers with each gust of wind. Goldfinches were present in the sweetgums all along Center Drive and at the Butterfly Meadow on top of Lookout Hill. Flocks of White-crowned Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos scoured the ground beneath the trees picking up seeds missed by the finches.

I met Scott at the footpath above lamppost J249. He and Bob O'Neill were the only two people still looking for the vireo. While Scott and I were scanning down into the underbrush, Bob was on the road below, search upward. Suddenly, Bob waved to us. I yelled, "Did you find the bird?" Neither Scott nor I were certain what he said, but we ran down the stairway leading towards Wellhouse Drive, then cut across the hillside down to the edge of the lake. Bob hadn't found the mystery vireo, but instead said that a hawk had just grabbed a pigeon behind him. I figured that it was just a Red-tailed Hawk, but standing on the ground at the edge of the reeds was a juvenile Northern Goshawk! The raptor had her wings spread in a mantling posture to hide her catch. I quickly forgot about the vireo. I think we all did.

Goshawks are rare but regular winter visitors seen in the forested sections of city parks when they are migrating south. Usually one only gets a brief glimpse of one as it flashes passed. While the hawk several yards away from us seemed unfazed by our presence, we continued watching from a safe distance. She slowly dragged her meal into the phragmites, where she could eat undisturbed. Like a tiger's stripes in long grass, the bold streaking on the front of the goshawk help it virtually disappeared into the vertical light and dark patterns of the reeds.

The hawk meticulously plucked the pigeon then slowly ate every part of the bird. When I first arrived at the scene I took a photograph. The time on the image was 12:54pm. I stayed until she finished, hoping to snap some photos of her as she emerged from the reeds and took flight. Well, all it took was a second of inattention and I missed the opportunity. At 3:19pm, she flew across the road in front of four unsuspecting park patrons and perched in a Ginkgo tree above the Wellhouse. She wiped her bill back and forth across a branch. Two women, who had witnessed the flight, were really intrigued so I gave them my binoculars to look at the hawk. At one point the goshawk wagged her tail from side to side. One of the women asked why it did that. My friend Carrie is a falconer and she once told me that hawks do that as a sign of contentment. It sounds like a reasonable explanation. I know I'd be pretty content after a 2 hour meal.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

The Birdcam works

I needed to make sure that the Birdcam didn't contain some kind of bird repellent or, more important, squirrel attractant. Call me paranoid, but I've observed waterfowl at a particular stretch of shoreline nearly every time I've been in Prospect Park for the past 10 years and the Birdcam only captured images of squirrels ... well, you see where I'm going with this.

Every winter my friend Peter puts up a pair of bird feeders at the edge of the woods on Breeze Hill. It's the spot where I recently photographed a Pine Siskin. I decided to test out the Birdcam at that location.

I attached the camera to a locust tree next to the mixed seed feeders using the included bungee cords. The thistle feeder was full of seeds, but there didn't seem to be any finches around using it. I felt almost like I was cheating because I wouldn't actually be taking the photographs. The birds would be creating their own self-portraits ... hopefully. My initial plan was to leave the camera overnight, but the feeder was so busy with chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and other winter birds that I thought leaving it for a couple of hours would suffice.

After a few hours I retrieved the camera and brought it home. I plugged it into my computer and walked away for a few minutes. I couldn't bear the thought of watching the images slowly pop up on my screen, only to see squirrels robbing the feeders. I gave the software several minutes to load all the photos, then sat down in front of my computer. Low and behold, there wasn't a single squirrel on the screen. The Birdcam had captured Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Chipping Sparrow and Purple Finch. The Chipping Sparrow was a nice surprise as they usually don't hang around Prospect Park this late into the year.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

The squirrels are out to get me

I swear, they must be following me around. You might get the impression that there are no birds in NYC parks, only squirrels. My "brilliant" selection of Birdcam placement was, yet again, a flop. I put the camera in a spot where I have seen various species of waterfowl resting on the shoreline ... for years! It sees so much bird foot traffic that they have worn out a small section of shore right down to the dirt. The week that I chose to place a camera on the shore, not one bird, duck or otherwise, passed anywhere near the camera. I am 0 for 3. This is who filled up the memory card in the camera -


I have a good idea. Stay tuned for my next attempt.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

NPR Show on NYC Nature

NPR had an interesting broadcast on the nature of New York City. It was an interview with author Leslie Day, whose book "Field Guide to NYC" was recently published. You can listen to the broadcast below:

More hawks outside the kitchen

I was eating breakfast with my wife early this morning when she looked out the window and exclaimed, "Look, one of your red-tails came to visit". The blinds were blocking my view so I walked to the window and looked across the courtyard to the TV antenna where the raptors usually perch. I was surprised to see that it wasn't a Red-tailed Hawk, but a huge Cooper's Hawk. It was the first time that we've seen this hawk of the forest outside our window. My wife, understandably misidentified the bird as it was nearly the size of a Red-tailed Hawk.

For a size comparison, at the bottom of this posting is a photo of a red-tail on the same perch taken last year. Because the two birds are so close in size I would presume that the Red-tailed Hawk was a male and that the Cooper's Hawk was a female. I normally don't see individuals of those two species so close in size. In terms of weight, Red-tailed Hawks are, generally, a much heftier bird. Hopefully, she'll help thin out a flock of pigeons that someone has been feeding between the buildings.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

Winter finch

Peter called me from the park to tell me that there was a Pine Siskin on the thistle feeder on Breeze Hill. Despite the cold, drizzly weather, I grabbed my gear and made the 25 minute walk across the park.

Pine Siskins are another bird species that is regarded as rare around the city, but I think is frequently overlooked. Every year at around this time I walk through Prospect Park, checking Sweetgum trees for American Goldfinch flocks. Once I find one, I take my time and scan through the entire flock looking for siskins. If I'm patient (and lucky), I'll usually find one. Last year I found one within a flock of goldfinches drinking from a large puddle on Center Drive.

There was a noisy flock of goldfinches at the feeder that Peter set-up on Breeze Hill. A few greedy birds monopolized the six perches on the tube feeder and snapped at others trying to access the seeds. A few minutes after I arrived a Pine Siskin aggressively pushed his way onto one of the perches.

I had been watching the birds for about 15 minutes when Rusty arrived. At that point the siskin had disappeared. It would be a life bird for Rusty and I reassured him that the Pine Siskin had been coming and going since I arrived. Eventually, it returned to the feeder and we both had good looks at the male bird. If the sun had been shining, I probably could have taken some nicer photos. It was nice to see all the winter visitors back in the park. Another interesting bird that I spotted at the feeders was a rare, yellow variant Purple Finch.

Prospect Park, 11/18/2007
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Northern Shoveler
Ring-necked Duck
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Sharp-shinned Hawk
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Hairy Woodpecker
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
White-throated Sparrow
Purple Finch (Yellow variant.)
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch

Other common species seen (or heard):
American Black Duck, Mallard, Herring Gull, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

More pipits

I had a brief window of time at around noon to run into the park, set up the Birdcam and run back. Peter met me near the pools to unlock the gates. There is a small area at the edge of the water that looked as if it had seen a lot of bird traffic. The four foot stretch of shoreline was virtually devoid of plant life. In the passed, I've seen many Wood Ducks resting inconspicuously at that spot. Virginia Rail has also been observed in the vicinity. It seemed like a good place to point the camera.

On my way home, as I crossed the Long Meadow, I heard the high-pitched "pip-it, pip-it, pip-it" flight calls of several American Pipits. I looked up as the flock of birds passed above me. They dropped down onto the grass to my left, near a patch of freshly reseeded lawn. Like juncos, they have distinct, white outer tail feathers that flash as they fly. Modest, brown on brown streaky plumage may cause this unassuming bird to be overlooked when they are passing through the city, but habitual tail bobbing when they are walking or perched is a good tipoff that they might be someone special.

The wind was blowing hard out of the northwest and, as I watched the small flock foraging in the dry, stubbly grass of the Long Meadow, I thought that it must have felt familiar to the birds. I pictured them in a windswept, arctic tundra landscape during the nesting season. Long toes and claws make it easy for them to cling to the ground in strong winds. I have only observed pipits on the ground in Prospect Park 8 times since 1997. There were 13 individuals in this flock.

I rarely see American Pipits in Prospect Park. This was the first time that I've seen them twice in one season. Last night Steve and I talked about pipits passing through New York City. We surmised that they are likely more common than assumed as they are more often heard than seen. When we both learned their distinct flight call, we began to notice them flying overhead fairly regularly as they migrated south at this time of year .

Here's a short video clip of a pipit that I found on the Cornell Macaulay Library website. Notice how it continually bobs its tail.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

Comic Hawks

A friend of mine works for the Landscape Management Office in Prospect Park. The LMO maintains all of the trees and other botanics in the park. They are also in charge of all new plantings. Anyway, I received a funny email from him last night about an encounter with a hawk.

The crew has been cutting down large, invasive trees adjacent to the Tunnel Arch to open up the area for new, native plantings. On this particular day, while one worker cut through the trunk with a chainsaw, a few others tugged on ropes that they had attached to the tree. The tree swayed from side to side as they alternately pulled and released the ropes. While this was going on, a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk flew in and perched on a nearby limb. As he watched, his head moved back and forth, following the swinging tree as if he were watching a tennis match. When the tree began to fall, he watched it go passed him, and then flew off after it crashed to the ground.

At first I thought that the young hawk was just curious or foolish, then I realized that there was probably a good reason for his interest in the activities. He was watching to see if any squirrels came tumbling out of the tree.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

Shrooms and squirrels

I went back to the Ridgewood Reservoir on Sunday to retrieve my camera. The Birdcam doesn't have an LCD to view images, just a small set-up screen to access menus. It also has a counter, so you can tell immediately if it has taken any photos. The feeling of anticipation that I experience when I see numbers ticked off on the display reminds me of the days when I used a film camera. I couldn't wait to pick up my photos to see what I shot. In this case, I can't wait to get home and plug the camera into my computer.

There were nine images on the camera and I'll get right to the point - damned squirrels! My strategy must be completely stupid as I have yet to photograph anything other than squirrels. Obviously, my choice of camera placement stinks. Birds need food, shelter and water. I could buy some seeds and toss them around in front of the camera, but I feel like that would be cheating. It occurred to me that all birds need water to drink and bathe, so that will be my next target. I'll pick out a spot at the edge of the water where it is shallow enough for most birds to bathe. Maybe I should put the camera inside of a fake Red-tailed Hawk to keep the squirrel away.

There wasn't a lot of bird activity at the reservoir but we did manage to add two more species to the year list - American Coot and Fox Sparrow. While scanning a flock of Ruddy Ducks on the lake within the center basin, I spotted a huge Cooper's Hawk flying from north to south across the water. The blue-gray raptor made a diving pass at a Ruddy Duck that was a distance away from the flock. Could an accipiter actually pull itself out of a lake while holding onto its prey? I could see eagles or Osprey with their long powerful wings doing it, but a Cooper's Hawk? Maybe she was just playing.

There were daisy fleabane flowers still in bloom around the reservoir. Some of the flowers looked like they were sprouting new buds. In the bog, there were some fresh mushrooms that I had never before seen and am still trying to identify. I've been learning that some species of mushrooms require a spore print to make identification possible. I'll post an update if I figure out what they are.

I've asked a friend who works for the Prospect Park if I could get permission to place the Birdcam within a protected area in park. If I can set it up tomorrow, I'll pick it up after Thanksgiving.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

The birds remembered Al

The late Al Ott was scheduled to lead a trip to Floyd Bennett Field for the Queens Bird Club this past Sunday. In honor of Al, the trip proceeded as planned. I think Al would have wanted it that way. The short, but impressive list of species seen (as reported on NYC Bird Report) seemed as if the birds also came out to pay homage to the big man.

Green-winged Teal
Red-shouldered Hawk
American Kestrel
Merlin
Red Knot
Dunlin
Laughing Gull
Belted Kingfisher
Hairy Woodpecker
Horned Lark
Brown Thrasher
American Pipit
White-crowned Sparrow
Snow Bunting
Purple Finch
Pine Siskin

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

Prospect Park Winter Birds

The cold, gray sky and dropping temperatures had me thinking about winter birds. Outside of my brief run up to the park to see the Eurasian Wigeon, I hadn't birded in Prospect Park for nearly 3 weeks. The abundance and mix of the birds had no doubt changed significantly. Many trees have already dropped their leaves. Late fall wildflowers and grasses have gone to seed, providing food for arriving songbirds.

Unlike Central Park, Prospect Park is nearly devoid of people midday during the week. The sudden drop in temperature also deters many park patrons from venturing into the wilds of Brooklyn. Those perfect conditions lead me to drop everything to spend a few hours wandering around the park.

I was walking the path behind the park headquarters in the Litchfield Mansion, towards the Picnic House. Several squealing squirrels were lined up in trees along the path, making me think that a hawk was in the vicinity. I spent a few minutes scanning the nearly bare tree branches but didn't find one. Perhaps one had just been in the area. A mixed flock of birds that consisting of chickadees, Hermit Thrush, White-throated Sparrows and a single Carolina Wren began working the ivy blanketed underbrush to my right. The wren hopped up onto a black, wire fence and churred as if he were calling a missing mate or family member.

I slowly and quietly approached the grass on the south side of the Picnic House. The air flashed with the white outer tail feathers of several dozen skittish juncos. Merlins and Sharp-shinned Hawks were on the prowl and the sparrows were on edge. There was a large area of freshly seeded lawn surrounded by fencing in the middle of the meadow. It would be an easy meal, but the flock of about 100 juncos and several Chipping Sparrows worked the grass closest to the safety of the trees. I moved a little closer, but the birds vanished into a linden tree that was still holding onto all its leaves. They were so nervous that I decided to walk wide around where they were feeding and continue towards the Upper Pool.

Upper Pool Panorama (click to enlarge)

A flock of birds appeared, virtually out of nowhere, and landed a few yards ahead of me. They were American Pipits making a rare stopover on their way to somewhere less populated. I started to count them. When I reached 28, they spooked and took off towards the baseball fields. Pipits have a unique ability to flatten out and hide in the grass as they feed. There are always more present then you think, until they take flight. This flock was no different and there were likely closer to 50 birds in the flock, the most I've ever seen in Prospect Park.

The Eurasian Wigeon that had been associating with a small flock of American Wigeon wasn't on the water of the Upper Pool. Present on the pond was the ubiquitous Mallards, a pair of Ruddy Ducks and a single Ring-necked Duck. I only stayed for a few minutes then continued towards the Nethermead Meadow. The pipits had vanished and I thought that they may have continued to the next largest expanse of grass in the park.

At this time of year I like to walk along Center Drive and scan the Sweetgum trees for finches. Each of the tree's spiky balls hold hundreds of tiny seeds. A favorite for wandering flocks of goldfinches and Purple Finches. Occasionally, a Pine Siskin can be found within a flock of American Goldfinches. More rare are sightings of redpolls or crossbills feeding on the abundant seeds. There were no rarities on this day.

I walked towards a stand of conifers at the base of Lookout Hill, at the south end of the Nethermead Meadow. Owls are rare in Prospect Park, but it never stops me from looking. Several yards short of the trees I noticed something moving in the short grass. It was a flock of Chipping Sparrows who were, apparently, not the least bit frightened by my approach. I stood and watched them, their heads down, mousing through the grass like a rat in a maze. They'd find a select blade of grass, pull it to the ground and nibble on the seeds.

There were more sparrows at the western edge of the Peninsula meadow. An area that had been fenced off for new plantings, was dense with grasses, mugwort, Staghorn Sumac, Dwarf Sumac, burdock, Pokeweed and dozen of other seed-bearing plants. A flock of Song Sparrows alternated between feeding in the meadow's grass and disappearing into the jungle of plants behind the fence.

It looked like there was a population explosion of overwintering Northern Shovelers on Prospect Lake. There were so many, that I had to count them. Most were swirling in circles with their faces in the water. Some were sleeping and some kept flying back and forth across the 11 acre lake. I counted 225 on the main part of the lake, then walked out onto the Peninsula to check the narrowing body of water near Duck Island. There were approximately 125 on that side. It hardly left room for anyone else, well, sort of. Ruddy Ducks numbered in the dozens and there was a single Ring-necked Duck, as well as, the usual assortment of Mallards, black ducks, Mallard/Black Duck hybrids and weird looking waterfowl "mutts".

On my way back home I decided to walk north on the Long Meadow to look for any overwintering Merlins. When they are around, there are a few predictable places to find them perched; Center Drive near the Nethermead Arches and overlooking the bridle path, a tall, thin Ginkgo tree adjacent the Lower Pool and a Linden tree at the north end of the Long Meadow near the Theodore Roosevelt memorial plaque.

The Ginkgo tree was unoccupied so I continued north. As I passed a stand of mature Oak trees near the barbecue area, a Merlin zipped through the trees, heading towards 5th Street. Behind the small, agile falcon was a lumbering Red-tailed Hawk. She flew into the stretch of woods on the west side of the meadow and vanished. Squirrels that had been foraging in the compacted dirt basin at the center of the barbecue area bolted towards the safety of the trees. I expected the hawk to come swooping out of the trees, but she didn't, so I went looking for her. Two squirrels in a beech tree made the familiar, hide-from-the-hawk chuck squeal. I looked where they were looking and found a large, dark female hawk scanning the ground for prey. It was a difficult angle to take photographs, so I began walking backwards, trying to find the right spot. There was a pile of leaves at the edge of the wooded area and, as I backed into it, two woodcock exploded from the ground. Wings whistling, they zig-zagged across the meadow and dropped down into the woods on Sullivan Hill.

The hawk's eyes looked like yellow-orange, glass beads and reflected a tiny glint of white clouds. She made a couple of half-hearted passes at a squirrel hiding on the opposite side of the tree trunk. Intent on finding her last meal of the day, she gave up and headed off towards 3rd Street. I caught up with her just as she tore into a squirrel on a perch opposite the playground. I looked for an identifiable pattern in her feathers. She was an adult bird, dark, like Alice or the male of the pair that hangs around the north end of the park. When I got home I compared her image with other photos I've taken and, while I can't be 100 percent certain, she looks a lot like Alice. Hmmm, isn't that the lyrics from a song?

Pied-billed Grebe
American Wigeon
Northern Shoveler
Ring-necked Duck
Ruddy Duck
Red-tailed Hawk
Merlin
American Coot
American Woodcock
Ring-billed Gull
Northern Flicker
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
American Pipit
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
American Goldfinch

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

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

Kestrel in Highland Park

I mentioned in my previous post that I went to the Ridgewood Reservoir yesterday to retrieve my Birdcam. On our way back to the subway, my wife suddenly stopped and pointed to a bird perched on a television antenna. She thought it might be a falcon. I fished my bins out of my pack and, sure enough, there was a kestrel perched above the roof of the apartment building at the corner of Cleveland and Arlington.

My wife is only a sometimes-birder, but kestrels are a favorite and she seems to be able to spot them from a mile away. Her love of these feisty, little falcons began about 20 years ago. We were at a raptor exhibition at the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary on Long Island. At the indoor facility there were several handlers walking around with various owls, hawks and falcons that they use for educational purposes. As is the case with some birds brought in for rehabilitation, they had recovered from their injuries, but for various reasons could not be released into the wild. The male American Kestrels have beautifully patterned rust, blue-gray and white plumage. They are only about the size of a Blue Jay, but, given half a chance, could probably kill and eat a jay. Up close, they look surprisingly delicate. We were admiring a male kestrel perched on its handler's arm, when another handler walked by with a Barn Owl. The tiny falcon reacted by puffing up his feathers and emitting a high-pitched "ki ki ki ki ki ki ki". If it weren't for the tether on his leg, he seemed like he would have attacked the owl. Now, bear in mind that the average kestrel weights about 117 grams, whereas the average Barn Owl weighs in at a hefty 460 grams. He was either gutsy or foolish, take your pick. The owl ignored the falcon's threats.

We had been watching the kestrel on the T.V. antenna for a few minutes when it took off, making a beeline right into a pine tree across the street from where we were standing. Sparrows scattered, but the falcon emerged from the tree, sparrow-less. He flew back up to his perch to wait for another opportunity. We heard a familiar "ki ki ki ki ki" from somewhere to our right and he took off in that direction. I ran up to the corner and saw that he had joined another kestrel, a female and probably his mate. Together they circled above the two story homes along Arlington Place, then disappeared up the hill, towards the reservoir.

I took this photo of a male American Kestrel at Floyd Bennett Field.

















This guy hitched a ride to my apartment in a recess on my Birdcam. I think he's a type of grass spider. I'm not sure, so I posted the photo on the Bug Guide website.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"

BirdCam part 2

Having learned from my previous experiments with the Wingscapes BirdCam, I decided to try it out at the Ridgewood Reservoir.

Last Sunday I found, what I guessed was, a good location to shoot some images of unsuspecting birds going about their daily routine. The spot was in a fairly open habitat. I didn't think it would get enough light in some of the reservoir's more densely vegetated areas. Also, it was in a place where I had flushed a woodcock. I figured that I'd at least get images of a woodcock. The camera was attached to the base of the tree using two bungee cords that come with the unit. I tried to camouflage the gray, weather-proof box with some stalks of mugwort I pulled up.

All week I kept wondering what kind of birds would accidentally trip the shutter on the camera. Pheasant? Woodcock? A hawk would be excellent. Finally, this morning I hopped on the subway to go retrieve the camera. I climbed down into basin 3, where I had hidden the camera. At first, I was a little annoyed as I thought it had been stolen. After a brief search, I found it. I had done a better job hiding it than I thought. Unfortunately, it was tipped to one side. The tree I had attached it to didn't have a very thick trunk and the bungees were a little loose. Even so, I didn't think it could possibly get windy enough in the basin to knock it over. I had placed a few branches between the camera and tree so that it was tipping downward a little. The branches had been moved. Hmmm. I couldn't wait to get it home and upload the images to my computer.

The camera had snapped off 16 images over a period of five days. I was a little disappointed as there weren't any pheasants, woodcocks or hawks on the memory card, but I did figure out who messed with the camera. I plan to set the camera up tomorrow in basin 1, but for my third try at using the camera I'll make sure that I don't pick a tree that has a squirrel living in it.

by Rob Jett for "The City Birder"