February 27th, Winter Waterfowl Wildcard Duckathon Brooklyn and Queens

Leader Peter Dorosh

participants : Mary E, Bob O,Kathy T, Adelia H

Locations in visited order : Bush Terminal Park, Army Terminal pier 4, Gravesend south lot ( Belt Parkway), Coney Island creek, Coney Island 37th Jetty and Pier, Baisley Pond ( Queens) , Hendrix Creek, Salt Marsh Center 

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27893859   Bush Terminal

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27893877   Gravesend Bay Lot

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27893884  Coney Island Creek

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27893902  Coney Island 37th Jetty

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27893920  Coney Island Pieer

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27893944  Baisley Pond

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27893966  Hendrix Creek

http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27893975  Marine Park Salt Marsh Center


18 species duck

Brant Branta bernicla 
Canada Goose B. canadensis * 
Mute Swan Cygnus olor (I) * 
 Gadwall Anas strepera * 
American Wigeon A. americana * 
American Black Duck A. rubripes * 
Mallard A. platyrhynchos * 
Northern Shoveler A. clypeata * 
Green-winged Teal A. crecca *  25 birds
Redhead A. americana *  58 birds
Ring-necked Duck A. collaris * 
Greater Scaup A. marila 
Lesser Scaup A. affinis * 
Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata 
Black Scoter M. americana 
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis 
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola 
Common Goldeneye B. clangula * 
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus * 
Red-breasted Merganser M. serrator * 
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis *

Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata 

Common Loon G. immer * 

Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps * 
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus 

Double-crested Cormorant P. auritus * 
Great Cormorant P. carbo

Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus * 

American Coot Fulica americana *

Killdeer C. vociferus *

Purple Sandpiper C. maritima 

Ring-billed Gull L. delawarensis * 
Herring Gull L. argentatus * 
Great Black-backed Gull L. marinus * 

Rock Pigeon Columba livia (I) * 
Mourning Dove Z. macroura * 

American Kestrel Falco sparverius * 

Peregrine Falcon F. peregrinus *

Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata * 

American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos * 
Common Raven C. corax *

American Robin T. migratorius * 

Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos *

European Starling Sturnus vulgaris (I) *

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia * 

Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus * 

House Sparrow Passer domesticus (I) *

February 21st: Brooklyn's southwest coast

Group walk : Rusty Harold, Linda Evans, Alexis Clements, etc

List from Alexis

Hi Peter:

Dan had a veterinary emergency and couldn't lead the walk today, but four of us went off on our own, and then, of course, you saw Linda and I on the boardwalk after the Murre and Razorbill sightings.

American Coot

American Crow

American Wigeon

Black Scoter

Brant

Bufflehead

Canada Goose

Common Loon

Common Merganser

Double-Crested Cormorant

Great Black-Backed Gull

Herring Gull

Horned Grebe

House Sparrow

Lesser Scaup

Long-Tailed Duck

Mallard

Northern Mockingbird

Purple Sandpiper

Razorbill

Red-Breasted Merganser

Red-Throated Loon

Ring-Billed Gull

Rock Pigeon

Surf Scoter

Thick-Billed Murre

Gadwall

American Black Duck

Hope you got a chance to see the Murre.

All the best,

Alexis

photo on Facebook of Thick billed Nurre  https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=441708079358219&set=gm.1045612625461542&type=3

Thick billed Murre at Norton Point, photo by Rob Bate

FB Post From Rob Bate

Linda Ewing made a remarkable discovery off the beach at Coney Island today - Thick-billed Murre!!! Luckily Josh Malbin was close at hand to help with the unusual identification (not the kind of tweet you want to send out if you're not 100% sure). The bird was working it's way slowly from east to west giving all the early chasers good views, before finally fading out of scoping distance as it went past Norton Point at the west end of the island. A good number of birders later made the trek out to the point where they were treated to close views of the Thick-billed Murrre.

While we were on the Murre, Josh was able to spot another alcid flying to the west. We were able to get on this bird which turned out to be a Razorbill and a second Razorbill was spotted in the same general area off Norton's Point, an area which is turning out to be a real birding hotspot.

Bush Terminal Park

Leader Chris Laskowski ( debut)



-----Original Message-----
From: celaskowski@yahoo.com
To: Peter Dorosh ; Peter Dorosh
Cc: Jane Simmons <17stars@gmail.com>; Janet Schumacher ; Monica Berger ; Nina Bai ; Linda Ewing
Sent: Sat, Feb 13, 2016 11:06 am
Subject: Today's walk

Hi Peter,

Brave or crazy?  Or a little of both…

I was joined today by five tough as nails birders (Jane Simmons, Monica Berger, Nina Bai, Janet Schumacher and Linda Ewing) in some pretty challenging weather.  At one point it was snowing horizontally.  It was a very friendly group that managed to make the most out of our difficult situation.

We started at Bush Terminal and lasted there for a little over an hour before the weather just became too much and someone mentioned pancakes.  Which then brought us to our "spot of the day" Cafe Zona Sur.  After a very pleasant meal and some hot coffee, Monica, Nina and I did about an hour in Prospect -- south end of the lake and the feeders.  Here's our lists and a couple of photos.

Bush Terminal

Great Black-backed Gull

Herring Gull

Canada Goose

Double-crested Cormorant

House Sparrow

Rock Dove

Mallard

Ring-billed Gull

Bufflehead

American Black Duck

Red-breasted Merganser

Gadwall

Great Cormorant

American Widgeon

 

Prospect Park

American Robin

Black-capped Chickadee

Downy Woodpecker

Blue Jay

Tufted Titmouse

Song Sparrow

Herring Gull

Mute Swan

Canada Goose

House Sparrow

European Starling

American Goldfinch

Northern Cardinal

Mourning Dove

Red-winged Blackbird

Mallard

Ring-billed Gull

White-breasted Nuthatch

White-throated Sparrow

American Coot

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Ruddy Duck

Northern Shoveler

American Black Duck

American Widgeon

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Cedar Waxwing

February 6th: Jones Beach, Long Island RESCHEDULED FROM JANUARY 24

Leader Mike Yuan

On Saturday, 9 birders enjoyed a chilly but pleasant day at Jones
Beach State Park and Cammann's Pond in Merrick.

Highlights were close Surf and Black Scoters at the Coast Guard
Station, the continuing Lark Sparrow who we easily spotted as we drove
around the West End turnaround, copious looks at Long Tailed Ducks,
Red-throated Loons, Harlequin Duck, Common Eider, and Purple
Sandpipers at the West End Jetty, and a nice surprise of 19 hearty
American Oystercatchers at Field 10. A final stop on the way home at
nearby Cammann's Pond got the group the elegant Northern Pintails and
Hooded Mergansers, plus a round of "spot-the-night heron." 47 species
total.

I saw that Razorbills were seen at the jetty on Sunday. Too bad we
missed them, but to me it suggests they arrived just ahead of the
nor'easter that arrived here today.

Here's the day list, and links to the individual ebird lists. If you
are an ebird user and would like me to share the list with you, send
me your username.

Thanks everyone for making it a great day, and special thanks to Matt
for driving. Look forward to seeing all of you soon.

-Mike

Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Common Eider
Harlequin Duck
Surf Scoter
Black Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Red-throated Loon 25
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Northern Harrier
American Oystercatcher
Black-bellied Plover
Killdeer
Ruddy Turnstone
Sanderling
Dunlin
Purple Sandpiper
Bonaparte's Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Northern Flicker
American Crow
Horned Lark
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Snow Bunting
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Lark Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Boat-tailed Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Sparrow


http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27366803
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27366944
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27366893
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27366820
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27366822

  2 Attached Images

Hi Mike,

Thanks for a wonderful day of birding. I posted a copy of the video of the Harlequin duck I took with your scope to YouTube at:https://youtu.be/iu1k_Y9PEtY

Enjoy!

Regards,
Gordon