Van Courtlandt Bird Walk Report 11-27-2010...

Digiscoped White-throated and Fox Sparrow.

Our group met at our usual time, 8:00 a.m. at the Van Courtlandt Park Ranger Station. As I waited for folks to get themselves ready, I scanned the parade grounds parsing through the Canada Geese flock. My search was interrupted by one of our regulars who came running over to inform the group that she had seen a Red-tailed Hawk picking off a Gray Squirrel while on her way into the park. We hustled over and the group got great looks at a Red-tailed Hawk on the ground, munching away on the hapless Squirrel. I kept the group at a safe distance so as not to scare off or interrupt, the Red-tailed with its breakfast. Despite looking at the bird through a chain link fence, the views were excellent and I even tried my hand at digiscoping through the fence. After soaking in the Red-tailed Hawk, I took the group over to the restoration area to look for Sparrows and in particular for the 2 Fox Sparrows, I had on my way in. Unfortunately, the flock had moved on, so we headed over to the lake to look for waterfowl. There was not a lot of waterfowl on the lake, but we did notice an increase in Hooded Mergansers, 15 in comparison to last weeks 7. The birding was very slow and we ended up with our lowest total ever since the walk started, but the group was in good spirits and enjoyed the time we spent outdoors. A complete list of birds seen is provided below.

Digiscoped Red-tailed Hawk.

Location: Van Courtlandt Park Bronx NY 10471
Observation date: 11/27/10
Number of species: 30

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis 259
Mute Swan - Cygnus olor 2
American Black Duck - Anas rubripes 3
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos 14
Northern Shoveler - Anas clypeata 18
Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus 15
Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis 1
Cooper's Hawk - Accipiter cooperii 3
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis 1
Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis 8
Herring Gull - Larus argentatus 2
Rock Pigeon - Columba livia 14
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura 3
Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus 2
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens 2
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata 4
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos 3
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus 11
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor 4
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis 2
American Robin - Turdus migratorius 3
Fox Sparrow - Passerella iliaca 2
Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia 4
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis 15
Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis 13
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis 3
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus 4
American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis 12
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus 24

Tags: Birding, Van Courtlandt Park Bird Walk