Friday, June 3, 2011

Prospect Park 6/3--Summer Doldrums?

Someone closed the door, shut the window, flicked the switch, pulled the plug: Migration is over. It could have been because it was very windy this morning, but not much was happening in the park. It seemed like all the birds were robins, starlings, or pigeons. The only "interesting" sighting today was 5 cygnets on the Lullwater--this is not necessarily good news seeing as how swans are essentially floating pigeons.

And speaking of pigeons, the weirdest sight today was a pigeon swimming (not bathing) in the lake. Flailing is a more apt description. Since it was a mostly white pigeon my first reaction was some kind of horribly deformed gull. It whacked away at the water until it disappeared into some reeds on the bank. Never saw anything like that before.

Anyway, it was a pleasant walk in the park.
Number of species:    25
Canada Goose    15
Mute Swan    10    Five cygnets on Lullwater
Mallard    12
Double-crested Cormorant    1    Lullwater
Great Egret    1    Lake
Black-crowned Night-Heron    1    Lullwater
Rock Pigeon
    13
Mourning Dove    4
Chimney Swift    10
Red-bellied Woodpecker    1
Downy Woodpecker    1
Northern Flicker    1
Eastern Kingbird    1
Blue Jay    1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow    1
Tree Swallow    2
Barn Swallow    6
American Robin    60
Gray Catbird    6
European Starling    35
Yellow Warbler    2
Northern Cardinal    6
Red-winged Blackbird    10
Common Grackle    5
House Sparrow    20

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