Brant in Prospect Park

I had just scared up my first Merlin of the year off the Terrace Bridge, when I ran into Peter scanning the lake from his Parks Dept truck. He pointed out a flock of Brant to me on the other side of the lake shore.

I've always wondered why you don't see Brant in the park and finally figured that they prefer salt water. I also think that the hundreds of Canada Geese foraging on the grass leaves little room for them. So 82 (I counted each one) Brant on the lake is notable. 10 seconds after I finished counting them they took off en masse, heading in the direction of the Parade Grounds.

I had to hurry home because we lost our Internet connection, so I missed a couple of birds I normally see--Red-breasted Nuthatch and Tufted Titmouse. Still, I'd consider the 2 1/2 hours there well-spent. When I got home I rebooted the system and voila, we're back on line.

Prospect Park

Number of species:     36

Brant     82     On Lake

Canada Goose     61

Mute Swan     6

Wood Duck     1

American Black Duck     6

American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid)     2

Mallard     200

Northern Shoveler     26

Ruddy Duck     33

Merlin     1     Off Terrace Bridge

American Coot     8

Ring-billed Gull     300

Herring Gull     13

Great Black-backed Gull     1

Rock Pigeon     25

Mourning Dove     7

Red-bellied Woodpecker     2

Downy Woodpecker     2

Hairy Woodpecker     2

Blue Jay     7

American Crow     9

Black-capped Chickadee     3

White-breasted Nuthatch     1

American Robin     60

Northern Mockingbird     2

European Starling     110

Fox Sparrow     1     Feeders

Song Sparrow     4

Swamp Sparrow     2     Phragmites on lake shore

White-throated Sparrow     30

Dark-eyed Junco     15

Northern Cardinal     26

Red-winged Blackbird     6

Common Grackle     1

House Finch     4

American Goldfinch     1

House Sparrow     9