A BARNACLE GOOSE was on the Lake in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park today. It was first seen with a group of Canada Geese along the Peninsula shore at about 10:30 am, not long after a rain shower let up. Being without a field guide, and unexperienced with the species, I gave a description to Doug Gochfeld by phone, and he said it sounded good. Later observed on land, it showed no bands or missing toes; I believe that recent analysis of vagrant goose occurrence patterns suggests that most are probably legitimate wild birds. According to subsequent postings the bird was still present to this evening. A few pictures are posted at:
http://www.digitalmediatree.com/arboretum/barnacle/ Other birds of note in Prospect included two VESPER SPARROWS among continued good numbers of sparrows, continued PINE SISKINS, and a NASHVILLE WARBLER. Good birding, Alex Wilson Brooklyn Prospect Park, Kings, US-NY Oct 24, 2012 64 species (+1 other taxa) Barnacle Goose 1 (On Lake by Peninsula shore with 20 CAGO at 10:30 am after rain shower. Then the flock swam across the lake to feed on shore near Three Sisters Islands where seen later. Like Brant with white face, but stockier, with shorter, thick neck. Crisp black and white with barring on wings/back creating silvery effect. Small, triangular black bill, with black extending around eyes. Blackish legs and feet; no bands, hallux intact. Photographed.) Canada Goose 100 Mute Swan 4 Wood Duck 3 American Black Duck 2 Mallard 80 American Black Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 2 Northern Shoveler 25 Ruddy Duck 20 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Great Blue Heron 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Coot 6 Ring-billed Gull 5 Herring Gull 20 Rock Pigeon 30 Mourning Dove 15 Belted Kingfisher 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker 4 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2 Downy Woodpecker 5 Hairy Woodpecker 3 Northern Flicker 20 American Kestrel 1 Merlin 1 Peregrine Falcon 1 Eastern Phoebe 5 Blue-headed Vireo 1 Blue Jay 30 American Crow 2 Black-capped Chickadee 5 Tufted Titmouse 8 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 White-breasted Nuthatch 3 Brown Creeper 1 Carolina Wren 4 Golden-crowned Kinglet 15 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 15 Hermit Thrush 45 (Abundant; on lawns as well as wooded areas.) American Robin 75 Gray Catbird 3 Northern Mockingbird 1 European Starling 150 Nashville Warbler 1 (Breeze Hill. Probably male with fairly bright yellow underneath and into throat; blue-gray hood with complete eye ring; small and flighty with fine bill.) Palm Warbler 15 Yellow-rumped Warbler 50 Eastern Towhee 5 Chipping Sparrow 50 Vesper Sparrow 2 (Breeze Hill in am; Long Meadow ball fields in pm.) Savannah Sparrow 3 Song Sparrow 15 Swamp Sparrow 8 White-throated Sparrow 100 White-crowned Sparrow 2 Dark-eyed Junco 60 Northern Cardinal 15 Red-winged Blackbird 50 Common Grackle 200 (A few blackbird flocks early and after rain; mostly grackles.) Brown-headed Cowbird 15 Purple Finch 1 House Finch 4 Pine Siskin 25 (Flyby flock from Breeze Hill; a few on Lookout.) American Goldfinch 40 House Sparrow 15 -- 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/ --
