Date: Sunday, 18 April 2010 (11:05a-7:25p) Location: Goethal's Bridge Pond, Mariner's Marsh & Wolfe's Pond Park Reported by: Ben Cacace
A pair of *PECTORAL SANDPIPERS* flew onto Goethal's Bridge Pond around 12:35p. The pair fed together and the size difference was noticeable. One male, one female. Also on the pond were at least 6 *GLOSSY IBIS* on the western edge of the park seen from the end of the G-H row of the Goethal's Community also known as Goethel's Homes. These were first of season (FOS) birds for me. Two *OSPREY* were seen including 1 low over Goethal's Bridge Pond early in the day. This bird was heading east. The other OSPREY was seen at the end of the day while I was waiting for the bus back to the ferry. It was calling continuously and carrying an unidentifiable morsel. The bird was seen over Hylan Blvd & Seguine Ave. and was heading towards the bay. On Raritan Bay off Wolfe's Pond Park were 2 *COMMON LOONS*. One was in breeding plumage, the other was a '1st summer' bird as described in Sibley's. Weather for 18-Apr for Newark, NJ (10:51a-7:51p) < http://tinyurl.com/y3ffeql >: - Conditions: Mostly Cloudy - Temperature: 51.1 to 60.1 F (10.6 to 15.6 C) - Wind direction: NW / WNW - Wind speed: 11 - 18 mph (gusts to 29 mph) Abundance categories below from 'The Birds of Staten Island' checklist last updated in 2000. Abundance categories below for 'Spring'. ** Total species - 48 ** 'Accidental' seen only once or twice [1 spp]: - Pectoral Sandpiper - Pair (m/f) on Goethal's Bridge Pond from 12:35p 'Occasional' seen a few times per season [2 spp]: - Northern Shoveler - 1 male on Wolfe's Pond - Carolina Wren - 1 singing along Wolfe's Pond 'Uncommon' present but may not be seen [9 spp]: - Mute Swan - Pair on Wolfe's Pond - Common Loon - 2 off Wolfe's Pond Park incl. adult & 1st 'summer' - Pied-billed Grebe - 2 on Old Place Creek - Turkey Vulture - 1 N of Goethal's Bridge Pond - Osprey - 2 incl. 1 heading E of Goethal's Bridge Pond & 1 over Hylan Blvd & Seguine Ave. heading W - Red-tailed Hawk - 1 adult over Goethal's Bridge Pond with some missing tail feathers - American Oystercatcher - 4 on shore of Wolfe's Pond Park - Hairy Woodpecker - Pair (m/f) along Wolfe's Pond Park - Swamp Sparrow - 1 near bridge to beach in Wolfe's Pond Park 'Common' certain in proper habitat [13 spp]: - Green-winged Teal - 20+ (10m/10f) on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Great Egret - 2 incl. Snug Harbor Road & Wolfe's Pond - Snowy Egret - 3 on Goethal's Bridge Pond off Western Ave. - Glossy Ibis - 6 on W edge of Goethal's Bridge Pond - Killdeer - 4+ incl. 2 on Goethal's Bridge Pond & 2 off Wolfe's Pond Park - Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2+ at Wolfe's Pond Park - Black-capped Chickadee - 1+ at Wolfe's Pond Park - Tufted Titmouse - 1+ at Wolfe's Pond Park - Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1+ at Wolfe's Pond Park - Northern Mockingbird - 3 incl. Old Place, Port Ivory & Wolfe's Pond Park - Eastern Towhee - 2+ males incl. Mariner's Marsh Park & Wolfe's Pond Park - House Finch - 2+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond - American Goldfinch - 6+ at Mariner's Marsh Park 'Abundant' sure to see [23 spp]: - Brant - 220+ incl. 20 on Newark Bay & 200+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Canada Goose - 24+ - Mallard - 24+ - Double-crested Cormorant - 6+ incl. Goethal's Bridge Pond & Raritan Bay - Greater Yellowlegs - 3+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond - Ring-billed Gull - Herring Gull - Great Black-backed Gull - Rock Pigeon - 24+ - Mourning Dove - 12+ - Northern Flicker - 1 at Wolfe's Pond Park - Blue Jay - 1 calling at Old Place - Tree Swallow - 3+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond - Barn Swallow - 4 incl. 2 at Goethal's Bridge Pond & 2 off Wolfe's Pond Park - American Robin - 50+ - European Starling - 12+ - Yellow-rumped Warbler - 4+ at Wolfe's Pond Park - Song Sparrow - 6+ - White-throated Sparrow - 1 singing at Mariner's Marsh Park - Northern Cardinal - 6+ - Red-winged Blackbird - 12+ males - Common Grackle - 100+ - House Sparrow - 12+ Taxonomic order: - Brant - 220+ incl. 20 on Newark Bay & 200+ off Wolfe's Pond Park - Canada Goose - 24+ - Mute Swan - Pair on Wolfe's Pond - Mallard - 24+ - Northern Shoveler - 1 male on Wolfe's Pond - Green-winged Teal - 20+ (10m/10f) on Goethal's Bridge Pond - Common Loon - 2 off Wolfe's Pond Park incl. adult & 1st 'summer' - Pied-billed Grebe - 2 on Old Place Creek - Double-crested Cormorant - 6+ incl. Goethal's Bridge Pond & Raritan Bay - Great Egret - 2 incl. Snug Harbor Road & Wolfe's Pond - Snowy Egret - 3 on Goethal's Bridge Pond off Western Ave. - Glossy Ibis - 6 on W edge of Goethal's Bridge Pond - Turkey Vulture - 1 N of Goethal's Bridge Pond - Osprey - 2 incl. 1 heading E of Goethal's Bridge Pond & 1 over Hylan Blvd & Seguine Ave. heading W - Red-tailed Hawk - 1 adult over Goethal's Bridge Pond with some missing tail feathers - Killdeer - 4+ incl. 2 on Goethal's Bridge Pond & 2 off Wolfe's Pond Park - American Oystercatcher - 4 on shore of Wolfe's Pond Park - Greater Yellowlegs - 3+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond - Pectoral Sandpiper - Pair (m/f) on Goethal's Bridge Pond from 12:35p - Ring-billed Gull - Herring Gull - Great Black-backed Gull - Rock Pigeon - 24+ - Mourning Dove - 12+ - Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2+ at Wolfe's Pond Park - Hairy Woodpecker - Pair (m/f) along Wolfe's Pond Park - Northern Flicker - 1 at Wolfe's Pond Park - Blue Jay - 1 calling at Old Place - Tree Swallow - 3+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond - Barn Swallow - 4 incl. 2 at Goethal's Bridge Pond & 2 off Wolfe's Pond Park - Black-capped Chickadee - 1+ at Wolfe's Pond Park - Tufted Titmouse - 1+ at Wolfe's Pond Park - Carolina Wren - 1 singing along Wolfe's Pond - Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 1+ at Wolfe's Pond Park - American Robin - 50+ - Northern Mockingbird - 3 incl. Old Place, Port Ivory & Wolfe's Pond Park - European Starling - 12+ - Yellow-rumped Warbler - 4+ at Wolfe's Pond Park - Eastern Towhee - 2+ males incl. Mariner's Marsh Park & Wolfe's Pond Park - Song Sparrow - 6+ - Swamp Sparrow - 1 near bridge to beach in Wolfe's Pond Park - White-throated Sparrow - 1 singing at Mariner's Marsh Park - Northern Cardinal - 6+ - Red-winged Blackbird - 12+ males - Common Grackle - 100+ - House Finch - 2+ at Goethal's Bridge Pond - American Goldfinch - 6+ at Mariner's Marsh Park - 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/ --