The highlights of the Jamaica Bay section of the Brooklyn Christmas Bird Count, held Saturday, are as follows: AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN- This bird flew in from the direction of the Marine Parkway Bridge and cut over Terrapin Point before disappearing from our view. Eric Miller and Jeff Ritter saw it land on the water north of the North Marsh at this point. A few minutes before we spotted it, Scott Whittle had it fly over Bergen Beach heading west, so it apparently looped around after that and flew back in our direction. This was a first for the Brooklyn CBC. Barrow's Goldeneye- This male (presumably the individual that has wintered here for at least the last 2-3 years) was on the West "Pond" pre-dawn, with 16 Common Goldeneye. We were able to identify it in very low light around 6:40 AM, and it flew off the pond at 7:07 AM. We did not see it again. This was a couple of hours before high tide. Nelson's Sparrow- 1 in the North Marsh at high tide. Seaside Sparrow- 2 in the North Marsh at high tide. American Bittern- Steve Walter had this bird flying over one of the marsh islands well out in the bay, viewed from somewhere in Broad Channel or at Big Egg Marsh. Clapper Rail- 3 heard calling from the South and North Marshes American Woodcock- 1 bird displaying on the West Trail well before sunrise White-winged Crossbill- 1 calling flyover over the West Pond. Common Redpoll- Steve Walter had 2 of these land in a tree in Broad Channel. Canvasback- One in the bay south of the south marsh Common Yellowthroat- Eric Miller and Jeff Ritter had 1 or 2 of these at the southern end of the South Garden Brown Thrasher- Two of these were just south of the Visitor's Center Northern Pintail- 1 drake on the West Pond Wood Duck- 3. Could have been up to 6. Birds were seen flying over (by different parties at different times) in groups of 3 and 2, and then 1 was on the West Pond later Boat-tailed Grackle- A flock of 69 feeding on the mudflats consisted of 67 males and 2 females!
35 American Tree Sparrows (most of those around the West Pond) was a good count for the territory. We got shut out of Ruddy Duck for the first time in my memory, after having over 3,000 last year. Also 0 American Wigeon. While the West Pond being a saltwater lagoon certainly has a couple of interesting results, flocks of ducks really seem to NOT like it for roosting! Participants covering Jamaica Bay other than myself were: Bob Gochfeld, Steve Walter, Jeff Ritter, and Eric Miller. Good CBCing -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/ --
