A check of the storm-battered Coney Island area this morning yielded several interesting avian observations amongst some awful devastation. The most notable follow: 1-2 CAVE SWALLOWS and 5 BARN SWALLOWS along the beach between Coney Island Creek Park and Kaiser Park. (Photos of the former will be embedded into my eBird list later) http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S11931228
The continuing YELLOW WARBLER at the weedy patch to the north of Calvert Vaux Park found by Alex Wilson earlier this week. One of the most notable things, for me, was the influx of Black-capped Chickadees. There were ~12 at the tiny area I checked at Calvert Vaux, and another ~6 at Coney Island Creek Park, 3 of which were outside an apartment complex, not in the park itself. There were also at least 3 calling from the weedy lot at 35th street and Surf Avenue, which is the same place Shane Blodgett found the Boreal Chickadee a few years ago. Upon arriving home in central Brooklyn there were also a couple vocalizing, and we haven't had any around recently. Andrew Farnsworth affirmed this movement by reporting many flying by his apartment in Manhattan throughout the day, including some crossing the river. In addition to seeing 1-2 each of irrupting White-breasted Nuthatch and Red-bellied Woodpecker,I also had an out of place Tufted Titmouse and Andrew also reported a few of them. This is the first time this year that I've heard of any kind of Chickadee (and, I think, Titmouse) displacement, and it certainly bears watching moving forward. Keeping a close tally of how many Black-capped Chickadees you encounter going forward could well prove interesting. Also oodles of Pine Siskins, as has become the norm this fall. Best wishes to all those affected by the storm, and Good Birding, -Doug Gochfeld. Brooklyn, NY. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
