Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Prospect Park 2/21--Ruddy Ducks

I had to go into New York yesterday to get our taxes done, so I took the opportunity to visit my old stomping ground of Prospect Park. Nothing very special there, though I did finally see my first Ruddy Ducks of the year. Considering all the water I've been birding this year, I find it surprising that it took almost 2 months to find them, but there it is.

Peter's new feeder set up is elaborate, impressive, and effective--I didn't see one squirrel on them, leaving them free for the fair sized flock of House Finches that were there, along with the usual little winter birds. The Mourning Doves scavenged any seeds that fell to the ground.  A drake and hen Hooded Mergansers over by Three Sisters Islands were the most unusual birds of the day.

It was good to walk around the park, but I haven't been away long enough for it to seem really strange and/or nostalgic.
24 species for the day:
Prospect Park
19 species
Canada Goose  100
Mute Swan  6
American Black Duck  2
Mallard  100
Northern Shoveler  10
Hooded Merganser  2
Ruddy Duck  27
Pied-billed Grebe  2
Red-tailed Hawk  1
American Coot  35
Ring-billed Gull  200
Herring Gull  2
Great Black-backed Gull  1
Rock Pigeon  25
Blue Jay  3
Black-capped Chickadee  3
Red-winged Blackbird  1
House Finch  1
House Sparrow  10
Feeders
7 species
Mourning Dove  7
Downy Woodpecker  2
Black-capped Chickadee  1
Tufted Titmouse  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
White-throated Sparrow  1
House Finch  10

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