Salt Marsh Nature Center--West--Monk Parakeets

I was going to title this entry, I'm Sick of Butterbutts! because it felt like there was no room for other birds today with all the Yellow-rumped Warblers hogging the trees and bushes and at times the airspace. This month I've seen more YRWAs than I can ever remember seeing.

But, just as I was about to exit on to Avenue U with nothing much of interest for the 4 plus hours I spent walking the trails, I heard a raucous cry above and snapping my head up instantly with my binoculars somehow miraculously focused I saw two green birds fly overhead: Monk Parakeets. I knew that they've been reported there and once this fall I thought I'd heard them, but this is only the 2nd time I've seen them in Brooklyn outside of Green-wood Cemetery. The other time was flying up Union Street while we were waiting for the late lamented B71.

I should have just stood at the entrance all day. From there I could see the water and pick out most of the waterfowl and it was there that I saw, besides the parakeets, flickers, crows, kinglets, robins, the phoebe, the Hermit Thrush, enough of the yellow-rumps to satisfy me that there were a lot there, and even a flyover Northern Harrier.

So the month ends with 105 species tallied, including some tasty ones like the Prothonotary Warbler (see the NYT story http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/library-warbler-barron/#more-237603
in which Shari's indignant email to the NYBirds list is quoted) Tricolored Heron, White-crowned Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow and American Woodcock.  It seems appropriate somehow that the last species added to the month list on Halloween would be the clownish Monk Parakeet. 

Full list:

Notes:    Low tide
Number of species:    29
Brant    150
Canada Goose    95
Mallard    10
Ruddy Duck    3
Pied-billed Grebe    2
Double-crested Cormorant    6
Great Blue Heron    1
Northern Harrier    2
Greater Yellowlegs    2
Ring-billed Gull    50
Herring Gull    50
Great Black-backed Gull    2
Rock Pigeon    1
Mourning Dove    8
Monk Parakeet    2    Flyover near Avenue U
Northern Flicker    3
Eastern Phoebe    1    Near entrance
Blue Jay    1
American Crow    5
Black-capped Chickadee    10
Ruby-crowned Kinglet    2    Near Entrance
Hermit Thrush    1    Near entrance
American Robin    4    In trees on Avenue U
European Starling    1    Near Entrance
Yellow-rumped Warbler    90
Song Sparrow    11
White-throated Sparrow    1
Red-winged Blackbird    1    Near entrance
American Goldfinch    20