Date: Saturday, 14 January 2012 (11:30a-1:40p) Location: Cow Meadow Park, Freeport - Nassau County Reported by: Ben Cacace
Weather for 14-Jan-2012 for JFK Airport (10:51a-1:51p) < http://bit.ly/wxneXu >: - Conditions: Mostly Cloudy to Overcast - Temperature: 32.0 to 33.1 F (Windchill 20 - 21 F) - Wind direction: West - WNW - Wind speed: 16 - 21 mph (gusts to 27 mph) ** Total species - 17 ** On the walk from the Freeport LIRR station I was looking for a possible raptor on the WBGG radio tower north of Ray Street and spotted a PEREGRINE FALCON power diving north and disappearing behind the tree line. Shortly after it was carrying a pigeon and circling up and to the east towards the creek. The pond held a few birds but they were very skittish. Included in the group was a GREAT EGRET, NORTHERN SHOVELER, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, LESSER SCAUP, HOODED MERGANSER and BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON. The NORTHERN HARRIER was hunting / kiting just west of the Norman J. Levy Preserve where many gulls were kettling over the north end of the preserve. Abundance categories based on Birds of the South Fork last updated in 1998. Abundance season is Winter (Dec. 21st - Mar. 20th). Not listed for Winter [1 spp]: - Great Egret - 1 at the pond 'Uncommon' 1-6 per day [6 spp]: - Northern Shoveler - 1 female on the pond - Green-winged Teal - 2 males on the pond - Lesser Scaup - 4 on the pond incl. 1 male - Hooded Merganser - Several on the pond incl. 2+ males & 2+ females - Black-crowned Night-Heron - 1 on the pond - Northern Harrier - 1 from Freeport Creek hunting just W of Norman J. Levy Park 'Common' 20-50 per day [5 spp]: - Ring-billed Gull - 1+ - Great Black-backed Gull - 1+ - Northern Mockingbird - 1 along the trail to the marsh viewing platform - Song Sparrow - 3+ - Northern Cardinal - 2+ 'Abundant' 200-1,000 per day [5 spp]: - Canada Goose - 100+ - Mallard - 3 incl. 2 males & 1 female - Herring Gull - 1+ - American Crow - 5 across the Freeport Creek seen & heard - European Starling - 12+ Taxonomic order: - Canada Goose - 100+ - Mallard - 3 incl. 2 males & 1 female - Northern Shoveler - 1 female on the pond - Green-winged Teal - 2 males on the pond - Lesser Scaup - 4 on the pond incl. 1 male - Hooded Merganser - Several on the pond incl. 2+ males & 2+ females - Great Egret - 1 at the pond - Black-crowned Night-Heron - 1 on the pond - Northern Harrier - 1 from Freeport Creek hunting just W of Norman J. Levy Park - Ring-billed Gull - 1+ - Herring Gull - 1+ - Great Black-backed Gull - 1+ - American Crow - 5 across the Freeport Creek seen & heard - Northern Mockingbird - 1 along the trail to the marsh viewing platform - European Starling - 12+ - Song Sparrow - 3+ - Northern Cardinal - 2+ -- 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/[email protected]/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/ --
