Monday, January 27, 2014

January 26th Waterfowl around the Jamaica Bay region

We begin this post with much excitement:  note this terrific photo taken by Matthieu Benoit, the Snowy Owl chasing the Horned Lark.



date = 2014/01/27
sites = Various
observers = BBC group 
Leader Peter D, Mary E,Lenore S,Rusty H,Monica B, Matthieu B
 ( and thanks to Matthieu for the great photos)


BBC looking at Sunset ;) , photo by Matthieu Benoit
Common Loon 
Red-throated Loon 
Horned Grebe 
Double-crested Cormorant 
Great Cormorant 
Northern Shoveler 
Lesser Scaup 
Bufflehead 
Gadwall 
American Black Duck 
Snow Goose 
Canada Goose 
Black Scoter 
Common Goldeneye 
American Wigeon 
Long-tailed Duck 
Greater Scaup 
Red-breasted Merganser 
Brant 
Mute Swan 
Mallard 
Cooper's Hawk 
Northern Harrier 
American Kestrel 
Killdeer 
Black-bellied Plover 
Sanderling 
Dunlin 
Ruddy Turnstone 
Great Black-backed Gull 
Ring-billed Gull 
Herring Gull 
Rock Pigeon                         
Snowy Owl 4
Northern Flicker 
American Crow 
Horned Lark 
Black-capped Chickadee 
Hermit Thrush 
Northern Mockingbird 
European Starling 
Swamp Sparrow 
White-throated Sparrow 
Savannah Sparrow 
Snow Bunting 
Song Sparrow 
Fox Sparrow 
American Tree Sparrow 
Dark-eyed Junco 
Field Sparrow 
Northern Cardinal 
House Finch 
American Goldfinch 
House Sparrow 
American Robin

55 species


A great winter day to its glorious end..
Tally notable notes : 21 waterfowl species,12 duck species, 6 shorebird species, 9 sparrow species; floating /soaring flying Snowy owl ~25 feet over the BBC group,   owl trying to land in tree next to group; Snowy owl observed chasing a Horned Lark;  bitter cold, arctic like winter landscapes ; 7 degrees windchill early morning.
Takeoff from a tree perch, Snowy Owl across the field, photo by Matthieu

Monday, January 20, 2014

Walkill National Wildlife Refuge Jan 18th

Leader Rob Bate:

Robert Bate posted on Brooklyn Bird Club's timeline

"Our intrepid crew of 4 BBC birders braved a morning snowy drive up to Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge and the "black dirt" farming area just above the New Jersey border. After a few detours and missed exits we arrived and promptly found some Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Sparrows, Robins, Mallards, Black Ducks, Red-tail Hawks at our first stop there. Later, in a search for Greater White-fronted Geese, we came across huge flocks of Canada Geese, Crows and Starlings in the snow covered cornfields.

Once at Wallkill NWR we were treated to sightings of numerous Rough-legged Hawks , Northern Harriers (including several of the "Gray Ghost" mature males) as well as a constant stream of Canada Geese coming in to roost. At one point a Bald Eagle flew too near to the geese and the whole flock took to the air, upwards of 5000 geese the sight and sound of which were breath-taking.

The main attraction of this adventure was the potential sighting of Short-eared Owls as many as 12 of which had been sited there lately during the twilight. As the light faded, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped, the Owls finally appeared fling low over the marsh grasses. We all got good looks at these magnificent creatures, one even whirling in the air above our viewing platform. We counted at least 8 of the Short-eared Owls (most of which were a good 1/2 mile away) and we all climbed back into the car, cranked up the heat and headed home happy. Thanks to all for such great birding and companionship.

Rob Bate"

Waterfowl Counts Jan 18th -20th

Drake BLACK SCOTER at Fort Tilden's Coast Guard Station
Photo by Sandy Paci
January 18th Brooklyn Bridge Park /Red Hook

Mike Yuan

Peter-

Results of Saturday's waterfowl count at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Red Hook.

-Mike

Date: Jan 18, 2014

Locations: Brooklyn Bridge Park, Louis Valentino Jr Park, Pier 44 Waterfront Garden, Van Brunt Street Pier, Ikea Brooklyn, Columbia Street Pier/Gowanus Bay


Brant-28
Canada Goose - 49
Gadwall- 23
 American Black Duck - 11
 Mallard - 40
 Greater Scaup - 4
Greater/Lesser Scaup - 88
Long-tailed Duck - 1, Van Brunt St pier
 Bufflehead-76
 Red-breasted Merganser - 12
Common Loon - 4
Double-crested Cormorant - 10
American Coot - 1

Other non waterfowl species

Red-tailed Hawk - 1
Purple Sandpiper - 2, Fly-by Louis Valentino Pier
 Ring-billed Gull - 489
Herring Gull - 56
Great Black-backed Gull - 7
Rock Pigeon - 29
Peregrine Falcon - 1, scattered gulls over Industry City/Gowanus Bay
crow sp. - 4
Common Raven - 1, Chased by gulls over Gowanus Bay
Northern Mockingbird - 1 European Starling - 10
Song Sparrow - 2
House Sparrow - 7

January 19th. Prospect Park/Greenwood Cemetery

Dennis Hrehowsik

Lots of ice. Obs were Kristin, Janet Z. and Alan B. and myself and covered pp water in 2 hours. Non waterfowl Highlight was close views of male kingfisher at esdale bridge. (One of few areas not frozen!)

Hoodies 6 Shovelers 27 Mallard 139 Canada 187 Black duck 8 Ruddy 9 Coot 24 Swan 9

Orrin reported gwc water frozen no wAter fowl other than canada flyover heard not seen.

January 20th Coastal Ft Tilden,Breezy Pt, Dead Horse Bay,Gerritsen Creek

Peter Dorosh,with Mary Eyster,Sandy Paci,Joshua Malbin

date = 2014/01/20

Coastal sites= Fort Tilden, Rockaway Yacht Club, Breezy Point ,Dead Horse Bay                                (Floyd Bennett), Marine Park Gerritsen Creek

observers = Waterfowl Count Team

Common Loon 27
Red-throated Loon 35
Pied-billed Grebe 3
Horned Grebe 15
Red-necked Grebe 2 Breezy Pt
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Cormorant 8
Northern Shoveler 38
Lesser Scaup 1
Bufflehead 41
American Black Duck 38
Canada Goose 199
Black Scoter 22
American Wigeon 40
Long-tailed Duck 5656
Greater Scaup 17507; massive flock at Dead Horse Bay marina
Red-breasted Merganser 151
White-winged Scoter 6
Brant 230
Ruddy Duck 2
Surf Scoter 37
Mute Swan 4
Mallard 144
American Coot 1
Scoter species 275

Gallery coastal photos

Sunset upon grasses against the backdrop of Dead Horse Bay; beyond at the docks,17,000 Greater Scaup wintering this day.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

January 4th,2014 Coney Island

Leader: Mike Yuan
On the Pier, Photo by Chris Laskowski

Lots of sun+good company+great birds=Great walk around Coney Island today. The day turned out to be pretty comfortable despite the frigid forecast for the morning.

Highlights from the beach were a Surf scoter and 9 poor, huddled Purple Sandpipers on the land side of the 37th st jetty. At Coney Island Creek, Bobbi added to the recent run of good gulls at this location by spotting a Black-headed Gull in the creek, and shortly after a trio of Black Vultures passed over us from the south.

To top off a fun morning, the group split a couple of classic NY pizzas at Totonno's. 13 birders, 40 species

Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Gadwall
American Black Duck
Mallard
Surf Scoter - Coney Island Beach
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
 Common Goldeneye
Common Merganser - two drakes and a hen, Coney Island Creek
Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
 Black Vulture - 3 flying over Coney Island Creek
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
 American Coot
 Killdeer
Sanderling
 Purple Sandpiper
Black-headed Gull - adult at Coney Island Creek
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
 Great Black-backed Gull
 Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
 Peregrine Falcon
American Crow
 European Starling
American Pipit
Song Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
House Sparrow

Thanks, -Mike
On Coney Island Creek,  Photo by Chris Laskowski


adult Black-headed Gull, photo by Bobbi Manian who discovered the rare gull

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

New Year's celebration of birds in Prospect Park

date = 2014/01/01
site = Prospect Park
observers = Brooklyn Bird Club New Year's Celebration of birds

Leader : Peter Dorosh
Northern Shoveler Lake, est 75
Canada Goose 
Wood Duck Upper Pool,drake
Hooded Merganser 2 Three Sisters Islands
Ruddy Duck 8 Lake
Mute Swan 
Mallard 
Cooper's Hawk perched Lamppost 249
Red-tailed Hawk 
American Coot 
Great Black-backed Gull 1
Ring-billed Gull 
Herring Gull 
Rock Pigeon 
Mourning Dove 
Downy Woodpecker 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 
Red-bellied Woodpecker 
American Crow 
Blue Jay 
Tufted Titmouse 
Black-capped Chickadee 
White-breasted Nuthatch 
Brown Creeper horse loop ballfields
Carolina Wren lullwater
American Robin 
Hermit Thrush 2 peninsula
Gray Catbird breeze hill feeders area; unseasonable
Northern Mockingbird 
European Starling 
White-throated Sparrow 
Song Sparrow 
Fox Sparrow 
Eastern Towhee male nethermead bridge north;unseasonable
Northern Cardinal 
Red-winged Blackbird 
Common Grackle 175 lawn near bartel pritchard square entrance
House Finch feeders,10
American Goldfinch 
House Sparrow 

late addition: Red-breasted Nuthatch



New birds from side trip to Greenwood Cemetery

date = 2014/01/01
site = GWC
observers = BBC side trip after Prospect, remaining members
Merlin 
Monk Parakeet 
Red-headed Woodpecker juvenile ,just inside main 25th St entrance,battle &   Arbor road "T" intersectio;stashing acorns

Fish Crow 

45 species