While leading a private tour today for some excitable twitchers from Newcastle, UK, we had some nice sightings in Prospect Park in spite [because of?] the dreary cold, wet weather. On the Lake we had two Pied-billed Grebes, a number of American Coots, and many Ruddy Ducks. Nearby under the Terrace Bridge we encountered a flock of White-throated Sparrows that included two Fox Sparrows, one of which burst into song! I don't think I've ever heard a Fox Sparrow singing here in their wintering grounds... it was lovely. Nearby I caught a quick glimpse of a greenish-gray bird I assumed to be a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, but I "pished" and it landed on a branch mere feet from our faces... and it was a fairly bright Orange-crowned Warbler! Seems late, no? On the Peninsula we encountered a flock of 8 House Finches eating Green Ash seeds, and there was one male Purple Finch in the group. We also had Golden-and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, a flock of over 50 Juncos, a calling Carolina Wren, and the pair of Great-horned Owls roosting in their undisclosed location. Not a bad day! Oh, and yesterday from the Terrace Bridge I saw something I'd never witnessed before: in the afternoon a bat was circling (late as well, but it was warm) and a Merlin flew in and took a couple passes at it! The bat went into evasive maneuvers though and the falcon didn't catch it though as far as I could see... must've been trying out to be a Bat Falcon! Good Birding, Gabriel WillowProspect Park Audubon CenterNYC Audubon --
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