First Brooklyn Birds 1/2/11

Since the anti-auto Bloomberg administration that encourages us to use mass transit cut the Union Street bus, in order to get to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens we have to walk to downtown Brooklyn to catch the 2 or the 3--which today worked out fine for us because on the way we found 3 Black-capped Chickadees and 5 House Finches in a tree at the corner of Kane & Clinton. I have heard chickadees occasionally on Clinton Street but hadn't seen any until today. Good FOY Brooklyn birds; certainly more interesting than pigeons or sparrows. A couple of blocks later we also got our first cardinals and Blue Jay of the year.

With the temperature in the 40's the melting snow was creating a fog at the gardens. We walked almost the length of the gardens before we saw any birds.  We did find a Cooper's Hawk in a tree by the Japanese Garden.

After lunch there (they have great chili at the cafe), the sun came out and so did the birds. Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, White Throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, chickadees, cardinals--suddenly it became interesting.

We crossed Flatbush and went into the park, heading for the feeders. 13 species of birds there in about  a half hour including Pine Siskin, easily the highlight of the day.

Pine Siskins with Goldfinches
Photo by Shari Zirlin

We trudged through snow along the Lullwater, past the Boathouse, along the Nethermead, picking up some birds here and there. I showed Shari the cavity in the tree about 20 feet up where I had seen a raccoon on Friday; sure enough there were 2 sleeping in the hole. I'd rather there was an owl up there.

3 lists for the day:
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Number of species:    11
Cooper's Hawk    1    Tree in Japanese Garden
Red-bellied Woodpecker    1
Blue Jay    2
Black-capped Chickadee    6
Red-breasted Nuthatch    1
White-breasted Nuthatch    1
Northern Mockingbird    1
Song Sparrow    3
White-throated Sparrow    17
Northern Cardinal    4
House Sparrow    10
Prospect Park
Number of species:    12
Mallard    47    Boathouse Pond
Red-tailed Hawk    1    Long Meadow
Mourning Dove    7
Blue Jay    2
Black-capped Chickadee    20
White-breasted Nuthatch    1    Lullwater Path
Northern Mockingbird    1    Boathouse
European Starling    5
White-throated Sparrow    6
Northern Cardinal    6
American Goldfinch    2
House Sparrow    10
Feeders
Number of species:    13
Mourning Dove    2
Downy Woodpecker    2
Blue Jay    1
Black-capped Chickadee    6
Tufted Titmouse    1
Red-breasted Nuthatch    1
White-breasted Nuthatch    1
Fox Sparrow    1
White-throated Sparrow    3
Northern Cardinal    1
House Finch    4
Pine Siskin    2
American Goldfinch    11