A decent flock of WHITE WINGED CROSSBILLS with at least (2) RED CROSSBILLS highlighted the Saturday morning bird walk.
Twenty-two birders were treated to a high flying flock of CROSSBILLS that kept growing and growing as more birds kept joining them. On one tree we spotted: WW CROSSBILL (16), RED CROSSBILL (2), Red winged blackbird (3), House finch(20), American Goldfinch(10), and Chickadees (30). The CROSSBILLS were primarily feeding on Sweet Gum seed balls. Also spotted: Song sparrow (2) White throated sparrow (5) Swamp sparrow (1) Hairy woodpecker (1) Downy woodpecker (2) Red-bellied woodpecker (2) Red breasted nuthatch (1) White breasted nuthatch (1) Dark eyed juncos (14) Mourning doves (16) Tufted titmouse (17) American Robins (81) Blue Jays (5) Cardinals (3) Mockingbird (1) Red tailed Hawk (1) The lakes were bare except for mallards and (4) Hooded mergansers. Of special mention is the ever growing BARRED OWL population. NYBG now has 2. Our resident Great Horned Owls continue to be in a courtship phase. The group found an immature red tailed hawk sitting in a stream. One talon was bloody and mangled. After calling several rehabs we were directed to 311 and the NYPD who were going to come capture the hawk and bring him to animal control for care. The only downer to this beautiful day was the obnoxious audacity of a person who continues to ruin birders' days when he plays tape recordings of bird songs. Today was our turn to be harassed by this person who was been admonished by most Parks people and birding groups. Good Respectful Birding, Debbie Becker BirdingAroundNYC.com -- 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/ --
