Joe Giunta's Brooklyn Botanical Garden birding class visited Riis Park and Ft. Tilden on a bright sunny (started out cold) day. The hedge rows around the Riis Park parking lot were full of moving birds as we arrived. Mostly Yellow-rumped Warblers, but included other species as we birded. The vegetation is still lush and many birds managed to hide. The grass along the edges was also high, partially obscuring the sparrows. Still a good day.
Waterfowl were flyovers--Brant, Canada Goose and Cormorants. Just a few hawks--Red-tailed, Sharp-shinned, Cooper's and Merlin. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was among the numerous Northern Flickers; lots of Eastern Phoebe; Ruby and Golden-crowned Kinglets; Cedar Waxwings. Also, Gray Catbird; Brown Creeper; a Marsh Wren, away from the marsh; Hermit Thrush; a solitary ( I couldn't avoid this) Blue-headed Vireo; 6 warbler species-- Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Palm Warblers, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat; Eastern Towhee and 8 Sparrows including our first FOX SPARROW. --Sy Schiff for the group. -- 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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
