Van Cortlandt Bird Walk Report 3-24-2012...

Our group gathered at the nature center for our Saturday morning walk at Van Cortlandt Park. I on the other hand was scouting the restoration meadows close by; I was looking for spring arrivals for our group and had in mind that it was a good day for an Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe). I heard the bird first then spotted an Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe), on the steps behind the Van Cortlandt Museum. I called one of our regulars, Frank Donovan, and had him bring the group over to where I was. However, by the time they arrived, the Phoebe had moved; though its occasional calls betrayed its presence in the area. With a little work, I was able to get a few people on the bird, but the looks were not great as it kept moving around. During our wait for the Phoebe to show itself well, we picked up a few passerines.  None, though were new spring arrivals.

Our walk around the lake was not a bird filled one and we had to work hard to pad our day list with the species that were around. Nevertheless, we had a good time and it was fun getting lifers for new people out on the walk for the first time. A hike into the North Forest did not pay dividends with American Woodcock or Wilson's Snipe as I had hoped for, but we did get great looks at Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus), Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) and Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus). The latter put on quite the show for us on our way back to the nature center. We ended our walk doing a little archery practice with the Urban Park Rangers. It was a tough day of birding, with nothing much around. Hopefully within the coming weeks we will begin to pick up more migrants as they move in to the area. Here is a list of birds seen.

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Wordless Wednesday: Blue-Crowned Motmot

Another cool looking bird from Costa Rica.

Tags: Blue-crowned Motmot, Birds of Costa Rica, Wordless Wednesday

Today's Photo - Sanderlings catching a wave...

Sanderlings playing catch me if you can.

Today's Photo - Female Bufflehead Duck...

The female Bufflehead Duck has such a gentle expression. I just had to share this photo with readers.

Tags: Bufflehead Duck

Today's Photo - Great Horned Owl...

Digiscoped shot of a Great Horned Owl.

Tags: Great Horned Owl

Bandit - The Piping Plover is back at Breezy Point Queens...

Guess who is back? The hottest chick in Breezy Point that is, known by her nickname, "Bandit". Bandit nicknamed by a couple of Piping Plover volunteers at Breezy Point Queens New York, is identified by the black flag up left, yellow band over dark blue low left and white band on the lower right leg.

Yesterday, was my third encounter with Bandit and the second time I was able to photograph (just barely before the fog rolled in) her at Breezy Point. Regular readers may remember that she successfully nested at Breezy Point and had chicks, which I documented last year (see post here).

Dr. Cheri L. Gravatto-Trevor, who is involved in the research on these banded Piping Plovers emailed me this morning with the following: "Since Bandit left New York last year, she was reported on July 14th 2011 at Cape Lookout, NC, then seen back in The Bahamas last winter, then she was again seen on March 11th 2012 at Topsail Is., NC".

If yesterday's sighting holds true to form, I would bet that Bandit is finally back to her breeding grounds and maybe we will see her with chicks again. The Borough of Queens, just happen to be the perfect location...fit for a Queen don't you think?

Tags: Breezy Point Queens, Piping Plover

Wordless Wednesday...

Breaking the rules on "Wordless Wednesday" to point out that this is a Rufous-collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis). A tribute to one of the first birds I saw and identified on my own in Costa Rica. I will have much more in the coming weeks on a fantastic trip!!!

Van Cortlandt Bird Walk Report 3-3-2012...

On 3-3-2012, our bird walk group gathered at the Van Cortlandt Park Nature Center for our Saturday morning bird walk. We had several new comers, who were from out of town hoping for some new birds. We scanned the Parade Ground for birds, but did not see much other than a couple of Killdeers on the field, which we observed and studied for a bit before heading towards the Van Cortlandt Lake.

Near the beginning of the lake we picked up Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal and Tufted Titmouse. On the lake we had good looks at Mallards, Black Ducks, Hooded Merganser and Ruddy Ducks. It was a gray, drizzly kind of day, but we plodded on working the shore picking off a bird here or there.

At the bridge near the golf course we picked up a couple of birds of which, Rusty Blackbirds (Euphagus carolinus) put in a pleasing appearance making many of us happy especially for those who counted them as life birds (birds seen for the first time). We abandoned any ideas of the North Woods due to the rain and by then many had begun to take in water and so abandoned the walk. Alex Pirko and I continued to bird and picked up what was probably the three best birds of the day in Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis), Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) and Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus), but only after we worked over an area after hearing them. Despite a wet and dreary day, we were quite pleased with the birds we saw.

Here is a list of birds from our walk:

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Wordless Wednesday - Hawks from the Backyard...

Cooper's Hawk snacking on an unlucky Pigeon in the backyard.

Sharp-shinned Hawk that has been hunting House Sparrows in the backyard.

White-winged Dove discoverd at backyard feeders on Staten Island NY...

How would you like to find a rare bird at your backyard feeders? I know I would and that is exactly what happened when Anthony Ciancimino a 14 year old junior high school birder discovered a White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) while scanning a flock of Mourning Doves roosting in a tree near his feeders. Let's back up a second here to focus on what should not be missed. "Scanning a flock of Mourning Doves"! Right there you know that Anthony is not your casual birder, one who did not casually chalk up the MODOS as well...MODOS.

What makes the White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) rare for our area you ask? Well, its mostly a tropical dove, that can be found in Texas and the Southwest. However, it is increasing its range northward and an introduced population has become established in Florida. From my observation, this looks very much like a wild and not a caged bird - strong flight with no visible "cage wear" and no bands on the legs. I would be very surprised if this candidate is not accepted by NYSARC (New York State Avian Record Committee) as a Staten Island first record for this species.

Note the white line along front of wing on the perched bird.

 I first met Anthony last year while birding Cloves Lake Park on Staten Island. He was attending a bird walk led by my friend Howie Fischer and stood out from the birders in attendance as he called out birds as fast as the leader. Howie had spoken highly of him and it was evident why. Equally impressive was the presence of Anthony's mother who was in attendance, showing her support for her son's passion. And it is a passion because Anthony is pretty much in the field with every spare time he gets. Are you getting the picture already on how serious this kid takes his birding?

I met Anthony for the second time as I finally made it over to his house with his permission to see the White-Winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica). I enjoyed speaking with him about birds and the plants he was tending in his yard. I hope the bird sticks around and many more get to see it. If you are interested in seeing the bird, check out the Staten Island List Serve for information on recent sightings and to contact Anthony. It seems proper birding etiquette not to show up unannounced. Oh and given the recent sighting of another rarity, in Gray-crowned Rosy Finch at another backyard feeder, you may want to consider putting out some feeders too... you never know what bird may show up in your backyard.

Tags: Staten Island, White-Winged Dove

Van Cortlandt Bird Walk Report 2-25-2012...

On Saturday, our bird walk group gathered at the Van Cortlandt Park Nature Center for our morning bird walk. We had several new comers, who were immediately given obliging looks at the star of Van Cortlandt Park, the continuing Greater White-fronted Goose. We also had a couple of Killdeers on the field, which we observed and studied for a bit before heading towards the Van Cortlandt Lake.

Near the beginning of the lake we quickly picked up Brown Creeper, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Cardinal and Tufted Titmouse. On the lake we had good looks at Mallards, Black Ducks, Hooded Merganser and Ruddy Ducks. Near the shore, an immature Red-tailed Hawk was spotted with its back to us; identified from a distance by size and the white "V" in the scapulars. The bird was extremely cooperative and we had very good looks as we got closer.

At the bridge we had a very nice surprise in a handsome drake Northern Pintail Duck, which was the tenth species of Ducks seen at Van Cortlandt Park this year. John Young, a long time birder of Van Cortlandt Park remarked that it had been ten years since he had seen a Northern Pintail at Van Cortlandt. Everyone got great looks. Looking at my records, this was my first Pintail at Van Cortlandt Park, making it the 49th species seen this year and the 125th species seen at Van Cortlandt since I began leading this walk.

After studying the Pintail, we then headed to the bridge by the Golf Course where we enjoyed looks at Red-bellied Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadees and a few others. We were disappointed at not seeing any Rusty Blackbirds this time around, but since we were on a time constraint we were not able to linger and work the areas as I would have liked. Our walk ended earlier than usual due to a Birdathon meeting that many of us needed to attend. Below is a list of the species seen.

American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Tags: Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx NY