Date: Saturday, 3 April 2010 (11:40a-2:10p, 4:15p-6:00p) Location: Goethal's Bridge Pond, Newark Bay, Lemon Creek & Wolfe's Pond Park Reported by: Ben Cacace
The *NORTHERN GANNETS* were seen from the Sharrott Ave. fishing pier after a heavy fog lifted. I was on the pier for about 15 minutes and based on a few scans I picked up 100+ gannets all heading south viewed through the scope. An hour later, from the north edge of Prince's Bay, there were no gannets in view. Two *NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS* were seen and heard over Wolfe's Pond in the evening. Weather for 3-Apr in Newark, NJ (11:51a-5:51p) < http://tinyurl.com/ycpb7fw>: - Conditions: Mostly Cloudy - Temperature: 52.0 to 63.0 F (11.1 to 17.2 C) - Wind direction: E to SE - Wind speed: 5-14 mph (gusts to 22 mph) ** Total species - 37 ** Abundance categories below from 'The Birds of Staten Island' checklist last updated in 2000. Abundance categories below for 'Winter'. Not listed for 'Spring' season [1 spp]: - Great Cormorant - 1 adult from Lemon Creek Park on Raritan Bay 'Occasional' seen a few times per season [3 spp]: - Northern Shoveler - 8+ incl. 5m/3f on Wolfe's Pond - Northern Gannet - 100+ heading S on Raritan Bay from Sharrott Ave. Pier - Boat-tailed Grackle - 1 heading N from Sharrott Ave. Pier 'Uncommon' present but may not be seen [7 spp]: - Mute Swan - 1 on Wolfe's Pond - American Wigeon - Pair (m/f) on Newark Bay seen from Richmond Terr. & Western Ave. - Pied-billed Grebe - 2 incl. Newark Bay & Wolfe's Pond - Turkey Vulture - Group of 5 N of Goethal's Bridge Pond & S of Richmond Terr. - Red-tailed Hawk - 1 adult W of Western Ave. over Goethal's Bridge Pond - American Oystercatcher - 2 on the shore off Wolfe's Pond Park - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 2 over Wolfe's Pond seen & calling 'Common' certain in proper habitat [9 spp]: - Gadwall - 5+ incl. Newark Bay & Wolfe's Pond - Red-breasted Merganser - 8+ (3m/5f) on Raritan Bay from Lemon Creek Park - Great Egret - 2 east of Western Ave. W of Goethal's Bridge Pond - Snowy Egret - 2 east of Western Ave. W of Goethal's Bridge Pond - Killdeer - 2 in Port Ivory parking lot off Western Ave. & 4 over Lemon Creek Park - Downy Woodpecker - 3+ incl. Mariner's Marsh Park & elsewhere - Fish Crow - 10+ on Western Ave. near Goethal's Bridge Pond - Northern Mockingbird - 5+ - House Finch - Pair (m/f) on Western Ave. 'Abundant' sure to see [17 spp]: - Brant - 400+ incl. Newark Bay 100+ & Raritan Bay 300+ - Canada Goose - 12+ - American Black Duck - 7+ - Mallard - 24+ - Bufflehead - Several on Newark Bay (3+) - Double-crested Cormorant - 2+ - Ring-billed Gull - Herring Gull - Great Black-backed Gull - Rock Pigeon - 12+ - Mourning Dove - 6+ - American Robin - 50+ - European Starling - 50+ - Song Sparrow - 6+ - Red-winged Blackbird - 10+ incl. 2 females calling - Common Grackle - 100+ - House Sparrow - 12+ Taxonomic order: - Brant - 400+ incl. Newark Bay 100+ & Raritan Bay 300+ - Canada Goose - 12+ - Mute Swan - 1 on Wolfe's Pond - Gadwall - 5+ incl. Newark Bay & Wolfe's Pond - American Wigeon - Pair (m/f) on Newark Bay seen from Richmond Terr. & Western Ave. - American Black Duck - 7+ - Mallard - 24+ - Northern Shoveler - 8+ incl. 5m/3f on Wolfe's Pond - Bufflehead - Several on Newark Bay (3+) - Red-breasted Merganser - 8+ (3m/5f) on Raritan Bay from Lemon Creek Park - Pied-billed Grebe - 2 incl. Newark Bay & Wolfe's Pond - Northern Gannet - 100+ heading S on Raritan Bay from Sharrott Ave. Pier - Double-crested Cormorant - 2+ - Great Cormorant - 1 adult from Lemon Creek Park on Raritan Bay - Great Egret - 2 east of Western Ave. W of Goethal's Bridge Pond - Snowy Egret - 2 east of Western Ave. W of Goethal's Bridge Pond - Turkey Vulture - Group of 5 N of Goethal's Bridge Pond & S of Richmond Terr. - Red-tailed Hawk - 1 adult W of Western Ave. over Goethal's Bridge Pond - Killdeer - 2 in Port Ivory parking lot off Western Ave. & 4 over Lemon Creek Park - American Oystercatcher - 2 on the shore off Wolfe's Pond Park - Ring-billed Gull - Herring Gull - Great Black-backed Gull - Rock Pigeon - 12+ - Mourning Dove - 6+ - Downy Woodpecker - 3+ incl. Mariner's Marsh Park & elsewhere - Fish Crow - 10+ on Western Ave. near Goethal's Bridge Pond - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 2 over Wolfe's Pond seen & calling - American Robin - 50+ - Northern Mockingbird - 5+ - European Starling - 50+ - Song Sparrow - 6+ - Red-winged Blackbird - 10+ incl. 2 females calling - Common Grackle - 100+ - Boat-tailed Grackle - 1 heading N from Sharrott Ave. Pier - House Finch - Pair (m/f) on Western Ave. - House Sparrow - 12+ -- 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/ --
