The *Brooklyn Christmas Bird Count (CBC)*, one of the most urban of counts in the state, was conducted on Saturday, December 18th, 2021, and compiled on Zoom. The count circle includes most of the borough of Brooklyn, western Jamaica Bay, and the western end of the Rockaway peninsula. On a gray and occasionally spitting day that turned out much nicer than feared, over 100 participants in 12 areas within the count circle recorded *49,961 individuals,* representing *129 species. * These totals exceed our average totals of 43,897 individuals and 123 species.
*High Counts* We established all-time high counts of SANDERLING (1,121) more than doubling our average sum. Our intrepid team of kayakers who explored the inner regions of Jamaica Bay islands contributed the bulk of the DUNLIN (907) count. GREAT BLUE HERON (38) flourished in Prospect Park and along the Brooklyn coast. Perhaps helped by successful, undisturbed breeding in the borough, GREAT HORNED OWLs (4) were detected in several locations. 1,100 TREE SWALLOWs, composed mainly of one 1000-strong flock that has roamed the western Rockaways for well over a month, obliterated the previous high count of 180. Mild temperatures in late autumn assisted in the high counts of GRAY CATBIRD (48), BROWN CREEPER (18), and AMERICAN ROBIN (564). *Low counts* Continuing a downward trend, counters tallied an all-time low of GREATER SCAUP (483), which have wholly disappeared from Dead Horse Bay, where they once amassed in the thousands in winter. We are curious if this flock has shifted elsewhere, and if nearby count circles have seen an uptick in this species. SHARP-SHINNED HAWKs (2) were poorly represented, which corresponds to a notably weak flight of them along the coast this fall. A count of 3 COMMON RAVENs seemed low, as they’ve profoundly settled into urban areas, but their presence on this year’s count promoted their frequency status to Regular (seen 8 or more times in the last 10 years). It’s terrific to see increased observations in the field reflected in the count’s moving average method of monitoring species’ presence and frequency. *Rare sightings* The Brooklyn CBC deems rare species as those seen 0 to 3 times in the last 10 years. Topping the rarities, Emily Peyton and former Brooklyn CBC compiler and database mastermind, Rick Cech, spotted a LARK SPARROW at Hendrix Creek, rare for winter in New York and a count first. An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, seen at Owls Head Park the day before the count, benevolently stayed the night and became the 2nd occurrence of this species on the count. CBCers in Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and on the west side of Cross Bay Boulevard and noted a YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, the 4th record and first seen on the count since 2004, a GREAT EGRET, a single SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, a drake EURASIAN WIGEON, and 3 flyover DOWITCHERs over the West Pond, likely LONG-BILLED due to the date, but ultimately left as a “sp.,” as Short-billed Dowitchers linger in the Northeast. Rounding out the other rarities, Floyd Bennett Field counters and Jamaica Bay kayakers tallied a ten-year high count of 74 RED KNOTs. The north shore of Brooklyn, including Brooklyn Bridge Park, contributed sightings of BALD EAGLE and LAUGHING GULL to the rare list. Perhaps classified as rare for the last time, an ICELAND GULL was spotted over Prospect Lake and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLs (6) were seen on Breezy Point beaches, and will be promoted to Irregular (seen 4-7 times in the last ten years) for next year’s count. Increased distribution of gulls in the area, and increased interest in gulls among birders will hopefully make them regulars on the count. *Worst Misses/Count Week birds* It was tough to miss COMMON GRACKLE, a species seen on 85% of our counts, and tougher to see eBird reports of large flocks of them in Brooklyn on adjacent days. We suffered a harsh about-face in missing BONAPARTE’s GULL, scarcer in the last ten years but seen on 90% of our counts, including an all-time high of 2,789 in 2020. This compiler has a sweet and sour feeling towards “count week” birds, those species not seen on Count Day but seen on the three days before and after Count Day. While it’s nice to see a variety of species in the area, the sightings are a stinging reminder of what could have been. This year, a number of species were not seen on count day, but before and after, such as a potential count first NORTHERN PARULA, and RUSTY BLACKBIRD. Thanks to a recent AOS split, a SHORT-BILLED GULL, first seen on Tuesday, would have been a count first. Other count week birds include TURKEY VULTURE, RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, HOUSE WREN, NELSON’S SPARROW, and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. A complete report will be published later in the Brooklyn Bird Club’s Clapper Rail <http://brooklynbirdclub.org/clapper-rail/> newsletter. Special thanks to co-compiler Chris Laskowski for keeping everyone honest, and teams coordinator Bobbi Manian for always finding a place for everyone. Much gratitude to the participants, area leaders, and the Brooklyn Bird Club for making the count truly amazing year after year, no matter what we see and total. Thank you, Mike Yuan Co-compiler, Brooklyn CBC Brooklyn, NY -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
