January 11th Finchy walk in Greenwood Cemetery

Leader Megan Thornton (debut)

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Megan Thornton 
Date: Mon, Jan 12, 2026 at 9:31 AM
Subject: Re: Gwc walk 
To: Peter Dorosh 

Hi Peter,

It was a great walk! Lots of engagement and excitement from everyone : - D ! We had amazing views as a juvenile RTH attempted to catch a squirrel, and then we watched him practice his technique on an unsuspecting stick before he flew low over us. I was glad to get such a grand show! I'd say we had about 25 people, with a mix of new and familiar faces. 

Here's the checklist:

Red-bellied Woodpecker (6, only 1 male)

Mourning Dove (15)

Monk Parakeets (18)

White-breasted Nuthatch (4)

Red-breasted Nuthatch (2)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1)

American Crow (6)

Red-tailed Hawk (4, 2 of which were beautiful adults, perhaps a pair)

Cooper's Hawk (2 adults)

Sharp-shinned Hawk (1 adult)

Dark-eyed Junco (25)

Tufted Titmouse (2)

White-throated Sparrow (4, surprised there weren't more)

Eastern Towhee (1 female)

Fox Sparrow (6, woohoo!)

Northern Mockingbird (4)

American Robin (10)

Northern Cardinal (6)

Cedar Waxwing (8)

House Finch (10)

American goldfinch (6)

Carolina Wren (1)

Mallard (8)

Bufflehead (3 males)

Ruddy Duck (1 female)

American Black Duck (5)

and about 5 million Blue Jays! (I'm sure it was more like 30... hard to tell, they were EVERYWHERE as expected haha)

We didn't get deep enough in for the Orange-crowned warbler, but thankfully no one minded; everyone seemed eager to check out the feeders at Dell Water, so we hung to those familiar routes. :- )

Thank you again so much for having me lead this walk! I'll be in touch for leading another walk hopefully in late spring or early summer? 

Take care,

Megan

January 3rd Frosty beginnings Coney Island Winter Walk

Chris Laskowski leading

Hi Peter, 

16 people showed up today and toughed it through some chilly 🥶 conditions. It was a fun day nonetheless. We mostly birded the pier and creek (east end) . The highlights were several hundred scooters scattered about, they were mainly Black Scooters but there were also some Surf mixed in. We had 11 duck species in total so we had a nice variety. We saw a few purple sandpipers. A special Thank you to Adelia for helping me and to Sameer for doing the list.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S292150458

eBird Checklist - 1 Jan 2026 - Prospect Park - 29 species. BBC walk led by Stanley Greenberg

https://ebird.org/checklist/S291608713

“ We had 30 species, plus Radka’s brant and merlin, which she had on the way over. Highlights were three ring necked ducks, common merganser, two hairy woodpeckers, yb sapsucker and brown creeper. When I got there 8 people showed up and then a few more added on, so total of 15.

Cold and windy day 

Something to think about for the New year:

What is success?
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate the beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch Or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!

Ralph Waldo Emerson
















   

Fwd: Brooklyn Bird Club Trip to Staten Island 12/13/2025

"If we had not had a Christmas Bird Count in those early years, we would not have as strong an understanding of long term bird trends. Many of these changes take place gradually." - Chan Robbins, legendary biologist, retired USFWS employee, and creator of the North American Breeding Bird Survey
Robbins bio:
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/robbins/index.cfm

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Tom Preston <t
Date: Wed, Dec 17, 2025, 5:54 PM
Subject: Brooklyn Bird Club Trip to Staten Island 12/13/2025
To: Peter Dorosh <

Hi Peter

We had a good trip to the Eastern shore of Staten Island on Saturday. It was a cloudy day, but not too cold, and without a great deal of wind. It featured a total of 59 species of bird.

Participants: Kathy Toomey, Louis DeMarco, Michele T, Asher Fusco, Fabio Vera,  Marleny Rafferty, Julian Elman, Haley Sh, Chris Miller. Tom Preston (leader)

Registrar: JoAnn Preston

Highlights included: an adult Iceland Gull at Wolfe's Pond Park, Greater White-fronted Goose at the New Creek Watershed, 2 Lapland Longspurs at Great Kills, and a Common Eider from Ocean Breeze FIshing Pier.

Many of today's birds were found by sharp-eyed Julian Elman

The eBird trip report is at:https://ebird.org/tripreport/442128

Regards

Tom

Fwd: Trip report Will you be my gullfriend December 6th

Leading Dennis Hrehowsik and Bobbie Manian 

"If we had not had a Christmas Bird Count in those early years, we would not have as strong an understanding of long term bird trends. Many of these changes take place gradually." - Chan Robbins, legendary biologist, retired USFWS employee, and creator of the North American Breeding Bird Survey
Robbins bio:
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/robbins/index.cfm

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Dennis Hrehowsik <
Date: Mon, Dec 8, 2025, 3:07 PM
Subject: Re: Trip report
To: Peter Dorosh <
Cc: Roberta Manian <

Hey Peter!

We had a great day 40 birders met at Coney Island and observed 5 species of gull. ring billed, herring, laughing, lesser and great black back representing 11 different plumages. We also had 5 purple sandpipers as well as all three scoters for 26 species total.  A pleasure to birds with so many folks with sharp eyes and great questions. I think they're all ready for the CBC! Brooklyn winter birding at its best. 

Best,

Dennis and Bobbi

BBC Gull workshop
26 species

Brant  35
Canada Goose  17
Surf Scoter  5     Several in an around 25th streetarea about 59 yards offshore
White-winged Scoter  1
Black Scoter  50     Conservative count several small rafts all along beach and about 20 at 35th st jetti.
Long-tailed Duck  3
Bufflehead  10
Red-breasted Merganser  3
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  300
American Coot  1
Purple Sandpiper  5
Laughing Gull  1
Ring-billed Gull  450
American Herring Gull  500
Great Black-backed Gull  19
Lesser Black-backed Gull  2     Both on beach west of ford theater a few hundred yards apart yellow legs dark eye yellow bill with gonydeal spot smaller than Hegu
Red-throated Loon  1
Common Loon  2
Northern Gannet  50     Off of shore in direction of Atlantic highlands diving in a loose flock
Double-crested Cormorant  12
Great Blue Heron  1
Fish Crow  3
European Starling  100
Northern Mockingbird  1
American Robin  3
House Sparrow  5

Fwd: BBC First Sunday walk

"If we had not had a Christmas Bird Count in those early years, we would not have as strong an understanding of long term bird trends. Many of these changes take place gradually." - Chan Robbins, legendary biologist, retired USFWS employee, and creator of the North American Breeding Bird Survey
Robbins bio:
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/robbins/index.cfm

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Peter Dorosh 
Date: Sun, Dec 7, 2025, 5:11 PM
Subject: BBC First Sunday walk

Led by Ryan Goldberg 

https://ebird.org/checklist/S287692619

Highlight Orange crowned warbler

"If we had not had a Christmas Bird Count in those early years, we would not have as strong an understanding of long term bird trends. Many of these changes take place gradually." - Chan Robbins, legendary biologist, retired USFWS employee, and creator of the North American Breeding Bird Survey
Robbins bio:
https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/robbins/index.cfm












   

December 6th Coney Island gull workshop

Leaders Dennis Hrehowsik and Bobbi Manian

https://ebird.org/checklist/S287548538

"Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love—that makes life and nature harmonize."

Mary Ann Evans ( pen name George Eliot) 18th c author














   

The conclusion to a golden year: American Goldfinch claims Prospect Park as Lucky “Golden Bird” #8 in a celebratory year November 22 Leader : Peter Dorosh. With Sameer and Nolan

https://ebird.org/checklist/S285664015

My conclusion to my golden year , achieving success with American Goldfinch ,the 8th and final gold bird. Thanks to Sameer hearing and spotting 20 goldfinches low over the path just before the Rocky Pass fork..

"Is not this a true autumn day? Just the still melancholy that I love—that makes life and nature harmonize."

Mary Ann Evans ( pen name George Eliot) 18th c author














   

Jones Beach in Coastal Beauty November 15

Leader : Max Epstein 
Date: Tue, Nov 18, 2025 

https://ebird.org/checklist/S284650641

November 8 : A Tribute to Paul Keim: A nostalgic return to Fort Tilden

 

Sick /injured Common Loon at Fort Tilden,  rescued by BBC members

 "Loon Squad"

 to Wild Bird Fund ( photo by Lisa Curtiss)

US Park Police helping hands, carried the loon to a members car.

 Photo by Birgitta.

Safe at Wild Bird Fund ,upper NYC ,photo by Lisa

Leader Peter Dorosh

Members: Lisa Curtiss, Tim Sequin, Sameer Ajmani, Birgitta and Dave Norman  "The Loon Squad"

Hilight was the rescue of a sick /injured Common Loon that beached itself , with teamwork along  with the US Park Police (officer Rodriquez) providing a dog cage for transport in Birgitta and Dave 's car and primary members making calls Lisa and Tim assisting. Two passerbys , one an animal expert moved the loon into the cage carefully ( avoiding its dagger bill) .The bird was taken to to Upper Manhattan's Wild BIrd Fund where care is pending.. Many thanks to all who helped this one precious life given a chance rather than suffering alone on the beach. 

Checklist compiled by Sameer Ajmani

https://ebird.org/checklist/S283505254

Atlantic Ghost Crab  at Riis Beach, photo by Birgitta Norman

selfie by Sameer

Video Atlantic Ghost Crab taken by David N.