Rye Playland and Environs with Tom Burke, 12/7/2019

Registrar: Louise Fraza
Participants: 8 
Weather: Sunny, temperatures 31-37 degrees Fahrenheit, Winds west, 10-12 MPH
Bird Species: 67

We began the morning at Rye Playland, where we studied a nice array of ducks, including Wood Ducks, Common Goldeneye and more.  Then Tom brought us to Rye Ridge Shopping Center Pond. There we saw hundreds of geese. Tom surprised us by finding one White-fronted Goose. This lovely bird, which we were able to study for some time, turned out to be a “year bird” for all the attendees. We drove to The Marshland Conservancy, where we had lunch. There we enjoyed viewing both the Field and Fox Sparrows and a few in the group saw the American Tree Sparrow.

Species Lists

Birds
Greater White-fronted Goose
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
White-winged Scoter
scoter sp.
Long-tailed Duck
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Wild Turkey
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Northern Gannet
Great Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Great Horned Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Merlin
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren
Carolina Wren
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Field Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal

South Shores of Jamaica Bay with Peter Dorosh, 11/23/2019

Registrar: Anne Lazarus
Participants: 11
Weather: Sunny, wind 5 mph, variable, upper 30’s to 40’s F
Bird Species: 63

We thank our leader Peter Dorosh for guiding us on an exciting tour of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and Shirley Chisholm State Park. This trip was a day of avian surprises. Our first surprise was a female Common Goldeneye on the West Pond among all the other beautiful ducks. Big John’s Pond featured several Wood Ducks. With a little effort we saw the Redhead on the East Pond. A vocalizing Common Raven suddenly appeared overhead. The biggest surprise was three Tundra Swans, a bit distant, but photographed. Our final stop was the newly opened Shirley Chisholm State Park. This park attracted many Lesser Scaup, Belted Kingfisher, six Killdeer in flight, one Vesper Sparrow, one Lincoln’s Sparrow, one Orange-crowned Warbler and other land and water birds. Dusk comes quickly at this time of year, and we had to leave. But we will return.

Species Lists

Birds
Snow Goose
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Tundra Swan
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Redhead
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Bufflehead
Common Goldeneye
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Horned Grebe
Mourning Dove
American Coot
Killdeer
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Barn Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
American Crow
Common Raven
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Carolina Wren (h)
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
American Goldfinch
American Tree Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Mammal
Eastern Gray Squirrel

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge with Joseph DiCostanzo, 11/16/2019

Registrar: Pearl Broder
Participants: 8
Weather: Sunny, Windy with gusts, 12mph, northwest, 30’s F
Bird Species: 45

I would like to thank our leader, Joseph DiCostanzo for leading an excellent trip to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Despite the wind chill, we persevered and were rewarded. with thirteen species of duck, including three Redheads on the East Pond, viewed from the Raunt. The Horned Grebes in the bay reminded us that winter is approaching. Our shorebirds were three Greater Yellowlegs foraging along the edges of the north shoreline of the West Pond. Two thousand or more Snow Geese visited the refuge, and we have posted a picture of a dark, Blue Snow Goose morph seen from the south end of the East Pond.

Species Lists

Birds
Snow Goose
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
American Wigeon
Mallard
American Black Duck
Green-winged Teal
Redhead
Greater Scaup
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Mourning Dove
American Coot
Greater Yellowlegs
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Barn Owl
Northern Flicker
Peregrine Falcon
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
House Finch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Raccoon

Croton Point Park with Paul Keim, 11/10/2019

Registrar: Paul Keim
Participants: 8 
Weather: Partly cloudy weather, 43-52 degrees F, SW Winds 28-9 mph
Bird Species: 42

As we approached the swampy area, it was surprisingly quiet. Then we noticed a perched raptor. Upon closer examination it turned out to be a beautiful Red-shouldered Hawk, which we admired for some time before it flew off. 

We descended from the hill, where we had hoped to see pipits and meadowlarks. We were saddened to see that the tall grasses that normally shelter the birds had been mowed down, leaving only patches of high grasses. Happily, we were rewarded by seeing four Horned Larks fly over.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
Bufflehead
Common Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker (h)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Horned Lark
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Butterflies
Orange Sulphur
Monarch

Prospect Park, Bartel Pritchard Entrance with Roberta Manian, 11/9/2019

Registrar: Mary Beth Kooper
Participants: 13
Weather: Mostly clear skies, around 37 degrees
Bird Species: 41

Our group of both long term and a few new Linnaean Society members set out to explore Prospect Park at 8:00AM, expertly guided by Bobbi Manian assisted by Brooklyn Bird Club President, Dennis Hrehowsik. Highlights were a Merlin, a couple of Ringed-Necked Ducks, an American Wigeon and numerous Wood Ducks, which nest in the park.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
American Wigeon
Mallard
Ring-necked Duck
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Great Blue Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
European Starling
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Palm Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Central Park with Richard Lieberman, Fall 2019

Weather: See checklists

Fall 2019 eBrid lists for Central Park walks (checklists courtesy of Janet Wooten): 

Floyd Bennett Field with Rob Jett, 10/26/2019

Participants: 13
Weather: Mild, around 57 degrees
Bird Species: 50

Our group meet at Floyd Bennett Field by 8AM and spent over 4 hours exploring the area led by Rob Jett, aka The City Birder. A major attraction of this location at this time of year are sparrows, and we were fortunate to see 10 species of sparrows, the highlight being several great views of a Vesper Sparrow. By the time we finished we had seen 50 bird species and enjoyed a wonderful day at this special Brooklyn location, part of the Gateway National Recreation Area.

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Osprey
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Eastern Phoebe
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Common Yellowthroat
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal

Randall’s Island with Alan Drogin, 10/20/2019

Registrar: Miriam Rakowski
Participants: 10
Weather: Cloudy, changing to light rain, 52-57 degrees F, ENE winds 1-4 mph
Bird Species: 34

The day began with many Yellow-rump and Kinglet sightings, because of northwest winds the night before. While it drizzled, we waited by the marsh hoping for a glimpse of the Nelson’s or Saltmarsh Sparrows. We were all rewarded with good looks, not only at the Nelson’s, but also at what appeared to be a Saltmarsh Sparrow. 

Upon later close examination and inquiry, the Saltmarsh Sparrow appears to be a hybrid. The latest DNA research shows that fifty-two percent of Saltmarsh/Nelson Sparrows are hybrids. The sparrow picture below shows a bird with an orange breast and definitive streaks, which extend beyond the breast. This strongly suggests a hybrid Saltmarsh/Nelson Sparrow.

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Northern Shoveler
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue Jay
crow sp.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Winter Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Field Sparrow
Nelson’s Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow

Butterflies
Monarch