Date: Saturday, 8 May 2010 (7:15a-7:25p) Location: Clove Lakes Park, Goethal's Bridge Pond & Wolfe's Pond Park Reported by: Ben Cacace
A checklist committee is being formed to update the Staten Island checklist < http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SINaturaList/message/1648 >. The new checklist may be produced as early as Fall of 2010 or Spring of 2011. It's clear the status of the 1st two birds has changed since the 2000 list was published. It'll be interesting to see how the decade has changed things for the birds. A trip to Goethal's Bridge Pond didn't clearly reveal the presence of Pectoral Sandpiper. A candidate landed in with the Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs but disappeared too quickly to get confirmation. A better look at the potential Worm-eating Warbler in Clove Lakes Park fell into the same category. The group of 22+ yellowlegs on Goethal's Bridge Pond contained at least 8 LESSER YELLOWLEGS. The count of LEAST SANDPIPERS was 35+. Feeding with them were 3+ SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS. The other shorebirds present were KILLDEER and 1 SPOTTED SANDPIPER. Towards the end of my stay all the shorebirds lifted. This was due to a visit by a sub-adult PEREGRINE FALCON. It spent a few minutes chasing the birds and landed on the pond for a second but did not pick up a meal for its efforts. Soon after, most of the birds returned. An adult YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON was feeding along Old Place Creek just off Western Ave. Two OSPREY were seen. One low & north of Goethal's Bridge Pond and another was seen low over Acme Pond in Wolfe's Pond Park. The afternoon west winds off Raritan Bay were amazing. Off Wolfe's Pond Park there is a male RED-BREASTED MERGANSER molting out of breeding plumage with very few feathers on its right wing. I was wondering if this was the molting process or damage to its wing? It spent quite some time on the beach. Transportation: M15 bus to ferry, 6:30a ferry, S48 to Clove Lakes Park, S48 to Goethal's Bridge Pond, S40 to St. George, S.I. Rail to Wolfe's Pond Park, S78 to ferry, 9pm ferry, M15 home. Abundance categories below from 'The Birds of Staten Island' checklist last updated in 2000. Abundance categories below for 'Spring'. Weather for 8-May for Newark, NJ (6:51a-7:51p) < http://tinyurl.com/3xzl4u4>: - Conditions: Mostly Cloudy / Light Rain / Scattered Clouds - Temperature: 60.1 to 78.1 F (15.6 to 25.6 C) - Wind direction: Variable to roughly WSW changing to W by 11am - Wind speed: Calm - 41 mph (gusts to 54 mph) ** Total species - 65 ** Not listed as a 'Spring' migrant [1 spp]: - Forster's Tern - 3 attempting to feed over rough waters on Raritan Bay off Wolfe's Pond Park 'Rare' seen every 2-5 years [1 spp]: - Bank Swallow - 5+ over Wolfe's Pond 'Occasional' seen a few times per season [2 spp]: - Peregrine Falcon - 1 subadult scaring up shorebirds on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Lesser Yellowlegs - 8+ in a group of 22+ yellowlegs 'Uncommon' present but may not be seen [11 spp]: - Mute Swan - 2 on Wolfe's Pond - Common Loon - 1 adult in breeding plumage on Raritan Bay off Wolfe's Pond Park - Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - 1 adult along Old Place Creek off Western Ave. - Turkey Vulture - 2 just N of Goethal's Bridge Pond - Osprey - 2 incl. 1 over Goethal's Bridge Pond & 1 over Acme Pond in Wolfe's Pond Park - Red-tailed Hawk - 2 incl. Clove Lakes Park & Goethal's Bridge Pond - American Oystercatcher - 2 off Wolfe's Pond Park - Warbling Vireo - 2 in Clove Lakes Park - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1 over Wolfe's Pond - Wood Thrush - 1 seen & heard in Wolfe's Pond Park - Wilson's Warbler - 1 adult male in Clove Lakes Park near Martling Ave. 'Common' certain in proper habitat [24 spp]: - Red-breasted Merganser - 1 adult male coming out of breeding plumage off Wolfe's Pond Park - Great Egret - 1 off Wolfe's Pond Park over Raritan Bay & on the beach - Snowy Egret - 5+ on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Green Heron - 1 along Purdy Place Creek off Lemon Creek Park - Killdeer - 2 incl. 1 on Goethal's Bridge Pond & 1 off Wolfe's Pond Park - Spotted Sandpiper - 1 on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Least Sandpiper - 35+ on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Chimney Swift - 1 over Clove Lakes Park - Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2+ in Clove Lakes Park - Blue-headed Vireo - 1 in Clove Lakes Park - Black-capped Chickadee - 2 in Wolfe's Pond Park - Veery - 1 in Clove Lakes Park - Swainson's Thrush - 3+ in Clove Lakes Park - Northern Mockingbird - 2+ around Goethal's Bridge Pond - Cedar Waxwing - 1 in Clove Lakes Park - Northern Parula - Several in Clove Lakes Park (5+) - Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 in Clove Lakes Park - Blackpoll Warbler - 10+ in Clove Lakes Park - Northern Waterthrush - 1 in Clove Lakes Park - Canada Warbler - 1 male in Clove Lakes Park - Scarlet Tanager - At least 1 male in Clove Lakes Park - Baltimore Oriole - 4+ incl. Clove Lakes Park & Wolfe's Pond Park - House Finch - 3+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond - American Goldfinch - 4 at Goethal's Bridge Pond 'Abundant' sure to see [26 spp]: - Brant - 150+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Canada Goose - All sites incl. 2+ at Clove Lakes Park - Mallard - All sites incl. 12+ at Clove Lakes Park - Double-crested Cormorant - 10+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Semipalmated Plover - 3+ on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Greater Yellowlegs - 14+ in a group of 22+ yellowlegs - Laughing Gull - 8 off Wolfe's Pond Park & 1 on Manhattan side of ferry to S.I. - Ring-billed Gull - 12+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Herring Gull - 6+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Great Black-backed Gull - 2+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Rock Pigeon - 12+ in Clove Lakes Park - Mourning Dove - All sites incl. 3+ in Clove Lakes Park - Northern Flicker - 3+ heard in Clove Lakes Park - Blue Jay - 2+ heard in Clove Lakes Park - Tree Swallow - 4+ incl. Clove Lakes Park & Wolfe's Pond Park - Barn Swallow - 5 incl. 2 at Clove Lakes Park, 1 at Goethal's Bridge Pond & 2 at Wolfe's Pond Park - American Robin - All sites incl. 24+ in Clove Lakes Park - Gray Catbird - 3+ in Clove Lakes Park - European Starling - 12+ in Clove Lakes Park - Black-and-white Warbler - 6+ in Clove Lakes Park - American Redstart - 2+ in Clove Lakes Park - Song Sparrow - 2+ around Goethal's Bridge Pond - Northern Cardinal - All sites incl. 2+ in Clove Lakes Park - Red-winged Blackbird - All sites incl. 3+ in Clove Lakes Park & 12+ around Goethal's Bridge Pond - Common Grackle - All sites incl. 24+ in Clove Lakes Park - House Sparrow - All sites incl. 12+ in Clove Lakes Park Taxonomic order: - Brant - 150+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Canada Goose - All sites incl. 2+ at Clove Lakes Park - Mute Swan - 2 on Wolfe's Pond - Mallard - All sites incl. 12+ at Clove Lakes Park - Red-breasted Merganser - 1 adult male coming out of breeding plumage off Wolfe's Pond Park - Common Loon - 1 adult in breeding plumage on Raritan Bay off Wolfe's Pond Park - Double-crested Cormorant - 10+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Great Egret - 1 off Wolfe's Pond Park over Raritan Bay & on the beach - Snowy Egret - 5+ on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Green Heron - 1 along Purdy Place Creek off Lemon Creek Park - Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - 1 adult along Old Place Creek off Western Ave. - Turkey Vulture - 2 just N of Goethal's Bridge Pond - Osprey - 2 incl. 1 over Goethal's Bridge Pond & 1 over Acme Pond in Wolfe's Pond Park - Red-tailed Hawk - 2 incl. Clove Lakes Park & Goethal's Bridge Pond - Peregrine Falcon - 1 subadult scaring up shorebirds on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Semipalmated Plover - 3+ on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Killdeer - 2 incl. 1 on Goethal's Bridge Pond & 1 off Wolfe's Pond Park - American Oystercatcher - 2 off Wolfe's Pond Park - Spotted Sandpiper - 1 on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Greater Yellowlegs - 14+ in a group of 22+ yellowlegs - Lesser Yellowlegs - 8+ in a group of 22+ yellowlegs - Least Sandpiper - 35+ on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Laughing Gull - 8 off Wolfe's Pond Park & 1 on Manhattan side of ferry to S.I. - Ring-billed Gull - 12+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Herring Gull - 6+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Great Black-backed Gull - 2+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Forster's Tern - 3 attempting to feed over rough waters on Raritan Bay off Wolfe's Pond Park - Rock Pigeon - 12+ in Clove Lakes Park - Mourning Dove - All sites incl. 3+ in Clove Lakes Park - Chimney Swift - 1 over Clove Lakes Park - Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2+ in Clove Lakes Park - Northern Flicker - 3+ heard in Clove Lakes Park - Blue-headed Vireo - 1 in Clove Lakes Park - Warbling Vireo - 2 in Clove Lakes Park - Blue Jay - 2+ heard in Clove Lakes Park - Tree Swallow - 4+ incl. Clove Lakes Park & Wolfe's Pond Park - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1 over Wolfe's Pond - Bank Swallow - 5+ over Wolfe's Pond - Barn Swallow - 5 incl. 2 at Clove Lakes Park, 1 at Goethal's Bridge Pond & 2 at Wolfe's Pond Park - Black-capped Chickadee - 2 in Wolfe's Pond Park - Veery - 1 in Clove Lakes Park - Swainson's Thrush - 3+ in Clove Lakes Park - Wood Thrush - 1 seen & heard in Wolfe's Pond Park - American Robin - All sites incl. 24+ in Clove Lakes Park - Gray Catbird - 3+ in Clove Lakes Park - Northern Mockingbird - 2+ around Goethal's Bridge Pond - European Starling - 12+ in Clove Lakes Park - Cedar Waxwing - 1 in Clove Lakes Park - Northern Parula - Several in Clove Lakes Park (5+) - Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 in Clove Lakes Park - Blackpoll Warbler - 10+ in Clove Lakes Park - Black-and-white Warbler - 6+ in Clove Lakes Park - American Redstart - 2+ in Clove Lakes Park - Northern Waterthrush - 1 in Clove Lakes Park - Wilson's Warbler - 1 adult male in Clove Lakes Park near Martling Ave. - Canada Warbler - 1 male in Clove Lakes Park - Scarlet Tanager - At least 1 male in Clove Lakes Park - Song Sparrow - 2+ around Goethal's Bridge Pond - Northern Cardinal - All sites incl. 2+ in Clove Lakes Park - Red-winged Blackbird - All sites incl. 3+ in Clove Lakes Park & 12+ around Goethal's Bridge Pond - Common Grackle - All sites incl. 24+ in Clove Lakes Park - Baltimore Oriole - 4+ incl. Clove Lakes Park & Wolfe's Pond Park - House Finch - 3+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond - American Goldfinch - 4 at Goethal's Bridge Pond - House Sparrow - All sites incl. 12+ in Clove Lakes Park -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
