*Date*: Saturday, 19 June 2010 (6:30a-5:30p) *Location*: Great Kills Park, Mt Loretto & Goethal's Bridge Pond *Reported by*: Ben Cacace
*Great Kills Park* (3.0 hours / 43 species): Arrived here at low tide but was not rewarded with much on the salt flats. Both regular shorebirds, Killdeer (2) & Oystercatcher (6), were obvious. Two tern species included 1 LEAST TERN & 1 COMMON TERN. BANK SWALLOWS were numerous with 50+ seen feeding just west of the Model Airplane Field viewed from Buffalo Street. Additional swallows were seen along the salt flats. A singing WILLOW FLYCATCHER continues at the entrance to the salt flats. *Mount Loretto Unique Area* (2.0 hours / 10 add'l spp): Seen here were a female type plumaged SCARLET TANAGER. A male GREEN-WINGED TEAL was on the easternmost edge of the east pond just off Hylan Boulevard in the NW corner of the park. Also seen were 2 HOUSE WRENS including 1 persistent singer. A family of NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS were feeding young in the SW corner of the park. *Goethal's Bridge Pond* (1.5 hours / 2 add'l spp): The only shorebird on the pond was Killdeer. Six plus were seen including at least 1 juvenile bird. The additional birds for the day were American Goldfinch and an adult male NORTHERN HARRIER. One LEAST TERN checked out the pond & was chased for a short bit by a Red-winged Blackbird. The blackbird was easily out maneuvered by the tern. Abundance categories below from 'The Birds of Staten Island' checklist last updated in 2000. Abundance categories below for 'Summer'. Taxonomic order follows abundance categories. Checklist to be updated by Spring of 2011. Weather for 19-Jun for Newark, NJ (6:51a-4:51p) < http://tinyurl.com/28q2626>: - Conditions: Scattered Clouds to Mostly Cloudy - Temperature: 64.9 to 80.6 F (18.3 to 27.0 C) - Wind direction: SW / S / SSE / ESE - Wind speed: 5 - 13 mph (gusts to 20 mph) ** Total species - 55 ** Not listed as a 'Summer' resident [2 spp]: - Horned Grebe - 1 breeding plumaged grebe continues off Great Kills Park - Bank Swallow - 60+ in Great Kills Park mainly W of the Model Airplane Field 'Accidental' seen only once or twice [2 spp]: - Green-winged Teal - 1 adult male on the E edge of the E pond in Mt Loretto - Scarlet Tanager - 1 female type plumage in Mt Loretto 'Rare' seen every 2-5 years [5 spp]: - Great Blue Heron - 1 flyover from Mt Loretto - Osprey - 1 flyover from Mt Loretto - Red-eyed Vireo - 1 singing on the S end of the White Trail just N of Great Kills Park - Cedar Waxwing - 4+ just outside Mt Loretto - Orchard Oriole - 1 male just outside Mt Loretto 'Occasional' seen a few times per season [6 spp]: - Northern Harrier - 1 adult male over Goethal's Bridge Pond - Willow Flycatcher - 1 singing on the path leading to the salt flats in Great Kills Park - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 2 sites: 2+ at Great Kills Park & a family of 6+ at Mt Loretto - Carolina Wren - 1 singing at Mt Loretto - Yellow Warbler - 2 sites: 6+ at Great Kills Park & 6+ at Mt Loretto - Boat-tailed Grackle - 10+ on the salt flats at Great Kills Park 'Uncommon' present but June not be seen [9 spp]: - Double-crested Cormorant - 90+ incl. 50+ on Upper N.Y. Bay, 10+ off Great Kills Park & 30+ off Mt Loretto - American Oystercatcher - 6 on the salt falts at Great Kills Park - Least Tern - 2 sites: 1 off Great Kills Park & 1 over Goethal's Bridge Pond - Fish Crow - 2+ heard at Great Kills Park - Tree Swallow - 3 sites: 1+ Great Kills Park, 2+ Mt Loretto & 2+ Goethal's Bridge Pond - House Wren - 2 incl. 1 singing at Mt Loretto - Brown Thrasher - 1 at Great Kills Park - Eastern Towhee - 2 sites: both singing, Great Kills Park & Goethal's Bridge Pond - Brown-headed Cowbird - 4+ at Great Kills Park 'Common' certain in proper habitat [14 spp]: - Great Egret - 3+ over Great Kills Park - Snowy Egret - 2 sites: 1 off Great Kills Park & 18+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond - Black-crowned Night-Heron - 1 over Great Kills Park - Killdeer - 2 sites: 2 at Great Kills Park & 6 at Goethal's Bridge Pond incl. at least 1 juvenile - Common Tern - 15+ in the morning off the ferry to S.I. - Chimney Swift - 1 at Great Kills Park - Downy Woodpecker - 2 at Goethal's Bridge Pond - Northern Flicker - 2 at Great Kills Park - Barn Swallow - All sites incl. 2 at Great Kills Park - Northern Mockingbird - All sites incl. 4+ at Great Kills Park - Common Yellowthroat - All sites incl. 2+ at Great Kills Park - Baltimore Oriole - 1 male chasing a crow over Great Kills Park - House Finch - Several heard at Mt Loretto (2+) - American Goldfinch - 2 at Goethal's Bridge Pond 'Abundant' sure to see [17 spp]: - Canada Goose - 6+ on the salt flats at Great Kills Park - Mallard - 6+ on the salt flats at Great Kills Park - Laughing Gull - 1 adult on the salt flats at Great Kills Park - Ring-billed Gull - 1 over Mt Loretto - Herring Gull - 5+ off Great Kills Park - Great Black-backed Gull - 5+ off Great Kills Park - Rock Pigeon - All sites incl. 12+ at Great Kills Park - Mourning Dove - All sites incl. 12+ at Great Kills Park - Blue Jay - 1 heard at Great Kills Park - American Robin - All sites incl. 12+ at Great Kills Park - Gray Catbird - All sites incl. 24+ at Great Kills Park - European Starling - All sites incl. 12+ at Great Kills Park - Song Sparrow - All sites incl. 6+ at Great Kills Park - Northern Cardinal - All sites incl. 2+ at Great Kills Park - Red-winged Blackbird - All sites incl. 15+ at Great Kills Park - Common Grackle - All sites incl. 4+ at Great Kills Park - House Sparrow - All sites incl. 12+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond Taxonomic order: - Canada Goose - 6+ on the salt flats at Great Kills Park - Mallard - 6+ on the salt flats at Great Kills Park - Green-winged Teal - 1 adult male on the E edge of the E pond in Mt Loretto - Horned Grebe - 1 breeding plumaged grebe continues off Great Kills Park - Double-crested Cormorant - 90+ incl. 50+ on Upper N.Y. Bay, 10+ off Great Kills Park & 30+ off Mt Loretto - Great Blue Heron - 1 flyover from Mt Loretto - Great Egret - 3+ over Great Kills Park - Snowy Egret - 2 sites: 1 off Great Kills Park & 18+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond - Black-crowned Night-Heron - 1 over Great Kills Park - Osprey - 1 flyover from Mt Loretto - Northern Harrier - 1 adult male over Goethal's Bridge Pond - Killdeer - 2 sites: 2 at Great Kills Park & 6 at Goethal's Bridge Pond incl. at least 1 juvenile - American Oystercatcher - 6 on the salt falts at Great Kills Park - Laughing Gull - 1 adult on the salt flats at Great Kills Park - Ring-billed Gull - 1 over Mt Loretto - Herring Gull - 5+ off Great Kills Park - Great Black-backed Gull - 5+ off Great Kills Park - Least Tern - 2 sites: 1 off Great Kills Park & 1 over Goethal's Bridge Pond - Common Tern - 15+ in the morning off the ferry to S.I. - Rock Pigeon - All sites incl. 12+ at Great Kills Park - Mourning Dove - All sites incl. 12+ at Great Kills Park - Chimney Swift - 1 at Great Kills Park - Downy Woodpecker - 2 at Goethal's Bridge Pond - Northern Flicker - 2 at Great Kills Park - Willow Flycatcher - 1 singing on the path leading to the salt flats in Great Kills Park - Red-eyed Vireo - 1 singing on the S end of the White Trail just N of Great Kills Park - Blue Jay - 1 heard at Great Kills Park - Fish Crow - 2+ heard at Great Kills Park - Tree Swallow - 3 sites: 1+ Great Kills Park, 2+ Mt Loretto & 2+ Goethal's Bridge Pond - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 2 sites: 2+ at Great Kills Park & a family of 6+ at Mt Loretto - Bank Swallow - 60+ in Great Kills Park mainly W of the Model Airplane Field - Barn Swallow - All sites incl. 2 at Great Kills Park - Carolina Wren - 1 singing at Mt Loretto - House Wren - 2 incl. 1 singing at Mt Loretto - American Robin - All sites incl. 12+ at Great Kills Park - Gray Catbird - All sites incl. 24+ at Great Kills Park - Northern Mockingbird - All sites incl. 4+ at Great Kills Park - Brown Thrasher - 1 at Great Kills Park - European Starling - All sites incl. 12+ at Great Kills Park - Cedar Waxwing - 4+ just outside Mt Loretto - Yellow Warbler - 2 sites: 6+ at Great Kills Park & 6+ at Mt Loretto - Common Yellowthroat - All sites incl. 2+ at Great Kills Park - Scarlet Tanager - 1 female type plumage in Mt Loretto - Eastern Towhee - 2 sites: both singing, Great Kills Park & Goethal's Bridge Pond - Song Sparrow - All sites incl. 6+ at Great Kills Park - Northern Cardinal - All sites incl. 2+ at Great Kills Park - Red-winged Blackbird - All sites incl. 15+ at Great Kills Park - Common Grackle - All sites incl. 4+ at Great Kills Park - Boat-tailed Grackle - 10+ on the salt flats at Great Kills Park - Brown-headed Cowbird - 4+ at Great Kills Park - Orchard Oriole - 1 male just outside Mt Loretto - Baltimore Oriole - 1 male chasing a crow over Great Kills Park - House Finch - Several heard at Mt Loretto (2+) - American Goldfinch - 2 at Goethal's Bridge Pond - House Sparrow - All sites incl. 12+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
