Tim's Bird List 2010

Meet a raccoon at Secret Woods Nature Center, near Ramada Fort Lauderdale Airport/Cruise Port, 2275 SR 84/Marina Mile Blvd.

Cayman Islands (3/18) : which beach we went? Probably Seven Mile Beach near George Town where the Port is.

Chankanaab National Park, Cozumel, Mexico (3/19):
   Brown Pelican - immature: <1>
   Brown Pelican - adult:
   Brown Pelican - flying: <1>
   Great-tailed Grackle - male:
   Great-tailed Grackle - (female?):
   butterfly
   album - Picasa    Google+

香港公園 - 戈氏鸚鵡, 白腰文鳥 ( White-backed or White-rumped Munia ), 黑喉噪鶥 ( Black-throated Laughing Thrush ), 小葵花鳳頭鸚鵡 : Photo: <1>

White-throated sparrows, tree swallows, male red-winged blackbirds, glossy ibis, mockingbird, male boat-tailed grackles, savannah sparrow?, song sparrow, male Eastern Towhee, double-crested cormorants, brants, etc.

taking better pictures and videos of robins and cardinals with Panasonic FZ35. An unknown songbird. Old friends like catbird, etc.

Life bird : Wilson's Phalarope. Took a low-quality picture. ( 威爾森氏瓣蹼鷸 / 赤斑瓣蹼鹬 or 威氏 / 赤斑瓣足鷸 ) myNote

Bath video / picture : catbird, glossy ibis, oystercatcher, laughing gulls,

Foraging/feeding video / picture :
     herring gulls on a crab for more than half an hour
     male tree swallow peeks and guards the box during incubation (Male does not feed incubating female, but will often perch near or at nest site when female is absent. (Kuerzi 1941). learn more here or the mirror and PRBO Conservation Science)   myVideo: 1 2
     osprey parents feed babies on the nest : pictures
     crow steals eggs or kills babies so chased and attacked by tree swallows and red-winged blackbirds. learn more here .
     a cowbird couple forage on the ground just before I left. In fact, I already sat into my car, then I spotted them and took pictures and videos. myArticle : 令「鳥」厭惡的一生

The tree swallow seen in the wren nest box and the standing Canada goose on empty nest on Memorial long weekend were still there. Eastern Towhee, house finch, yellow-crowned night herons, etc. No oystercatcher found.

black-crowned night herons, yellow-crowned night herons, green herons, great egrets, gulls, terns, tree swallows (inc. a juvenile peeking out of the box), barn swallow, red-winged blackbirds (males and female), Starlings, killdeers, song sparrows, unknown sparrows (perhaps saltmarsh sharp-tailed or seaside), many willets, osprey parents feed babies on the nest.

killdeers (probably nesting there), barn swallows, red-winged blackbirds, mourning doves, etc.

taking better pictures and videos of blue jays, mourning dove and red-bellied woodpecker. Also, robins and catbirds. Not nice voices of red-bellied woodpecker and robins caught our attention. And a butterfly on Winnie's hat.

And glossy ibis, oystercatcher, yellow-crowned night herons, mute swam family, Canada goose family, song sparrows, savannah sparrow of Ipswich race, etc. Grackle was attacked by tree swallows. "Common Grackles eat other birds' eggs and nestlings, and occasionally kill and eat other adult birds" (source here, read also this and this; Mirror of birds.cornell.edu)

Today I saw all mockingbirds and thrashers in Eastern North America: Brown thrasher, Gray catbird (a lot in JBWR) and Northern mockingbird (near my apartment). They are all excellent songsters; mimic other birds. Strong-legged, longer tailed than true thrushes, bill usually decurved.

cardinal, mocking bird, brant, many oystercatchers, laughing gulls and other gulls. Hear song sparrow's song.

First, I saw a (or perhaps 2, not sure) juvenile starling cowbird, not afraid of my approaching. Pictures: 1 2

Highlight: Cedar Waxwing, least tern (a small tern with a yellow bill), Phalarope, purple martins flying over me (really big, much bigger than tree swallows), black skimmers, an unknown blue bird at the blind, juvenile catbird, ...

Brown thrasher, Gray catbird and Northern mockingbird; killdeer, crows being chased by red-winged blackbirds, glossy ibis, oystercatcher, black-crowned night heron, laughing gulls and other gulls, song sparrow, terns having red-orange bill with a black tip(probably most are Common Tern), tree swallows, Eastern Towhee, 3 juvenile ospreys, many other shorebirds (inc., probably yellowlegs), yellow warbler, etc.

Breezy Point (myGPS: to Fort Tilden or 1 Beach 193rd St [but the actual location is about 169th St.], Rockaway Point/Beach, NY 11697; Take exit 11S of Belt Pkwy for Flatbush Ave S toward Rockaways; back home can take route along Rockaway Park avoiding tolls)

w/ naturalist Ron Bourque and only 3 participants (including us) because of heat

barn swallows, mourning dove, mockingbird, female cowbird, young and adult American crows, male and female red-winged blackbirds, young and adult oystercatchers (I took picture and video on 2 families), young and adult common terns, black skimmers, young and adult piping plovers, 4 deserted eggs of piping plover ( good picture of 4 eggs at www.on.ec.gc.ca; deserted possibly because they don't like the exclosure cage or predators visited; more about the predator management here ), gulls (《天地一沙鷗》), heard song sparrow.

Alternatives to the poison plan:
1. putting crow carcasses near shorebird nesting areas
2. designing more natural-looking plover nest "exclosures" that would escape crows' attention
3. using sharpshooters to take out the birds more quickly

Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris 長嘴秧雞 ), Black Skimmer, yellowlegs, willets, semipalmated plovers, sandpipers, black-crowned night herons, yellow-crowned night herons, great egrets (Finger-licking on treetop), snowy egrets, gulls, terns, house finch (male/female), swallows, sparrow, red-winged blackbirds (male/female), starlings, etc. No osprey. Pictures Videos: Snowy Egret chases food

Dragonflies. Photo:
Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax berenice) <1> probably male but possibly a black female (pictures, click to the 5th one, found on Web). Seaside Dragonlet is a small blackish dragonfly of salt marshes. MALE: Thorax and abdomen dark navy blue to black. Wing clear. Eyes dark chestnut to black. Perches horizontally or obliquely on marsh grasses. (Variable Darner or other Mosaic Darners? but Darners usually perch by hanging vertically; young male Elfin Skimmer? Bar-winged Skimmer? male Slaty Skimmer?);
Black Saddlebags? <2> <3>

What are shorebirds? Shorebirds, a diverse group of birds that include terns, gulls, sandpipers, plovers, stilts, avocets, snipes, oystercatchers, turnstones, and phalaropes, belong to the Order Charadriiformes. ... There is little history of sport hunting for many of the species, and consequently many are easily approached and amenable to getting their picture taken. ...

Despite the absence of sport hunting, many shorebird populations are declining, primarily because their preferred habitat, shorelines, are also the preferred habitat of humans.

A group of governmental and nongovernmental organizations surveyed the native shorebird population and released an action plan to help stabilize their population declines. A 2004 re-evaluation listed seven species as highly imperiled:

This morning I decided to do a healthier activity - jogging instead of go to any birding site. To sustain my sub-healthy body, I should do more physical exercise instead of birding. A birder told me that she get less fit and fatter because she go birding instead of gym.

But I still saw many sub/urban birds: 3 urban pests - Rock Dove, House Sparrow, & European Starling. 3 suburban or backyard birds I frequently see at the urban area around my home - Morning Dove, Northern Mockingbird, & Northern Cardinal. Of course, American Robin is everywhere. And I saw a dead Morning Dove along 150th St.; a nest at Queens College, probably belongs to House Sparrows; a hawk-like bird (perhaps eagles, kites, harriers or buzzards) at the clock tower in Queens College.

3 suburban birds at my home - Morning Dove, Northern Mockingbird, & Northern Cardinal

3 mockingbirds and thrashers in Eastern North America: Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, & Northern Mockingbird

3 smaller terns: Least, Common, & Forster's (Terns can be simply classified to 3 groups: large, smaller and dark.)

More shorebirds, e.g., American Avocets @ Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge or Marine Study Area, Oceanside, etc.

From: "Michael Farina" <michfar AT tohmail.org>
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:28:22 -0400

Big John's Pond: Louisiana Waterthrush (Its clear throat and broad white eyeline distinguishes from the more common Northern Waterthrush.)

East Pond: a group of female boat-tailed grackles, yelllowlegs, juvenile and adult Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, juvenile and adult Mute Swan, etc.

Wrong timing. Should go in the evening when high tide. Hope to see a large group (or a "bind", "contradiction", "fling", "hill", and "time-step") of sandpipers.

Tides for Barren Island, Rockaway Inlet starting with August 7, 2010.

1> The word "semipalmated," referring to the birds' toes, means "half-webbed." Actually the toes are only slightly lobed at their bases, but they do help the birds to walk on mud without sinking.

Jamaica Bay is famous for the shorebird migration. Starting in late July all the way through late September a great number of shorebirds stop for a rest and to feed in the area, the last two weeks of August being the peak time for juveniles. Juvenile birds are usually very tame, not yet wary of humans, will often allow close approach for those frame filling shots.

The most accessible area for shorebird photography is East Pond. There is no paved road or boardwalk; depending on water level you will be walking (and crawling) in deep mud and water to get close to the birds.

The park management lowers the water level on East Pond for the shorebird migration period. When it is high tide in the bay, the birds are pushed over to East Pond to feed on the exposed mud flats. This also means ideal time for photography. Morning or afternoon high tide will give you best of both worlds, good light angle and plenty of tame birds to choose from.

5> Least vs. Semipalmated Sandpiper : (1) Yellow vs. black legs; (2) More brown vs. gray; (3) Semipalmated frequent aggressive encounters with other birds.

Morning
Glossy Ibis, Lesser Yelllowlegs, Short-Billed Dowitchers, Least Sandpipers, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers, a Mute Swan family, American White Pelican, Barn Swallows, Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, etc.

Evening
Best "shorebirding" time is 2 hours before high tide which is about 7:30pm today. We saw hundreds of them at the South flat of East Pond. The American White Pelican is still at East side of the pond. A birder said there are a few Black Terns. Hudsonian Godwit ( Limosa haemastica ) and Marbled Godwit ( Limosa fedoa ) may still be there at the North side of the pond. To me, this is the best birthday present. Birthday = bird day ;-)

Pictures: Yellowlegs : <1> | Short-Billed Dowitchers : <1> | Semipalmated Sandpiper | Least Sandpiper : <1> <2> | Semipalmated Plover : <1> <2> <3> | Misc. <1> <2> <3> <4> Foraging sandpipers
Note: The picture of Semipalmated Sandpiper is very good may be partly because of strong sunlight. Properties: f/4.4 1/200 sec. ISO-80 focal-length=86mm (35mm focal length: 486) max-Aperture=3 Digital-Zoom=2.9 (Surprised for the high digital zoom)

Semipalmate, or half-webbed: the anterior toes are joined part way by a small webbing, as in the Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus), or Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla).

semipalmate

Note: ID Stilt Sandpipers

8/14/2010 (Sat) morning

Today is Shorebird Festival at JBWR. But we went to Lido Beach Passive Nature Area (Point Lookout, NY). myGPS: 752 Lido Blvd, Lido Beach, Nassau, New York 11561 (to Eugene Nickerson Beach or called Nassau Beach Park). Drive to the entrance of Nickerson Beach and find out the parking fee is $30. Can I reach the beach by walking? I think so. More read here.

Two Peregrine Falcons on the tower, one uses the tower as a perch on which to eat its prey [ Pictures : <1> <2> ]; after the early lunch, it stays behind the shadow for cooling off on this hot day.

Osprey, Tree Swallow flocks (easy to be more than one hundred), shorebirds, inc. Yellowlegs, Dowitchers, etc. Some are not sure.

Pictures: <1>

Videos: <1>

"Most Tree Swallows leave for their wintering grounds by mid-August." "During the winter, Tree Swallows congregate in large numbers, roosting by the thousands in marshes and wooded areas." ( http://hikes.gettoknow.ca/profile/tree-swallow/ )

Tree Swallow roost at Vacherie was the subject of much discussion for birders in Louisiana last year (Nov. 2009). ( http://vimeo.com/7528398 )

Test drive new Xlogic VD628 tripod: some pictures taken with the help from the new tripod just received from a USPS postman at our apartment door before 9am today. Original service provider is FedEx SmartPost. "FedEx SmartPost® has a transit time of 2-8 business days ... with final delivery to the residence made by the U.S. Postal Service." ( www.fedex.com )

Tip: It's best to disable optical stabiliser when the camera is on a tripod (unless it is a dSLR lens of tripod sensitive).

Note: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert (212) 979-3070 -

"This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, August 13th, 2010 at 9:15 pm. The highlights of this week's tape are AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, HUDSONIAN GODWIT, MARBLED GODWITS, WILSON'S PHALAROPES, and an extralimital report of a WHITE-TAILED KITE. ... Approximately 5,000 shorebirds of 22 species were seen on the East Pond, along with LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, WESTERN SANDPIPER, and PECTORAL SANDPIPER."

Juvenile Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

8/19/2010 (Thu) 1:30-4pm

West and East Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (JBWR)

Many Northern Mockingbirds at West Pond. Some are seemed to be molting : <1>

Many Glossy Ibis at East Pond. Taken sharp pictures: <1a> <1b> (edited by SilkyPix)

To get sharp pictures with Panasonic FZ35, select Aperture-priority and set to max. exposure. For digital zoom 4x (total 72x), it is f/4.4. Of course, ISO-80 to reduce noise. Under strong sunlight, it will give some nice shorebird shoots. Forget about forest birds, this P&S camera's sensor is too small (Effective Sensor Size: 10.9mm diameter, i.e., 1/2.5"; so Lens Multiplication Factor: x6). More about dSLR sensor size.

Panasonic HDC-SD60, a nice camcorder:

The SD60 has a new 1/4.1-inch CMOS sensor and it is equipped with a 25x optical zoom lens.

Lens		Sensor
Filter Diameter	None	Type	CMOS
Focal Range	3.02 - 75.5mm	Size	1/4.1 inches
Focal Range (35mm equiv.)	35.7 - 893mm	Pixel Count (Gross)	3.32 megapixels
Aperture	f/1.8 - f/3.3	Pixel Count (Effective)	2.11 megapixels (video) 2.32 megapixel (stills)

SmugMug has beautiful pictures of molting birds

8/21/2010 (Sat) 4 - 6pm

Highland Park and my backyard playground

Try to locate Ridgewood Reservoir but fail. See a lot of American Robins in the park.

Back to home and sit on the bench to take photos of House Sparrows.

Direction 2 Ridgewood Reservoir: Park at the parking lot for Highland Park. Walk across the street to the southwest corner of Ridgewood Reservoir. Continue east along the south side of the reservoir, being sure to bird the brush and trees to the right (south) of the walk. Bird up the east side of the most eastern pool as far as the caretaker's house at its northeast corner.

Where to find birds in New York State: the top 500 sites

Help Save Ridgewood Reservoir!

A stopover for migratory songbirds and seasonal shorebirds, it is also home to a variety of non-migratory and breeding birds. To date, over 150 species of birds have been recorded at the reservoir.

Corey saw Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) & Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) at Ridgewood Reservoir on 03 Jan, 2010.

8/28/2010 (Sat) 12 - 3pm

Inwood Hill Nature Center

Ranger brought us to Overlook at the park. The view at the overlook is nice, the beautiful Hudson River lying in front of us. It is near Eagle Preserve? but we found no bird of prey. On the way saw 2 woodpeckers, one is Red-bellied and the another probably is Hairy, and 1 American Robin; heard Blue Jays' call. Walked under Henry Hudson Bridge of Henry Hudson Parkway. The bridge runs across Spuyten Duyvil Creek. At the end of the walk, we finally saw an Osprey beside the creek. Also a Mockingbird and many Mallards, drakes in non-breeding plumage [ Picture of a drake in non-breeding plumage , Video ] and females, beside the creek; a lonely molting Great Black-backed Gull stood in the creek; a Great Egret flied over the creek. Not to mention many other gulls, House Sparrows [ Picture of a juvenile female ], Rock Doves, ... And the frequent New York Circle Line Cruises sightseeing boats.

Pictures of Henry Hudson Bridge : <1>

Mallard (Anus plutyrhynchos) :
- Mallards are known as puddle or dabbling ducks, which means they search for food on or near the water's surface. They dabble by tipping up with their head under water, and their tail wagging in the wind.
- During the non-breeding season, the male's plumage is similar to the females, but it maintains its distinctive yellow bill and chestnut colored breast.
- Molt twice a year: After the Mallard drakes abandon their mates to the job of raising the young, they fly to a secluded area and undergo their annual molt (in late Spring or early Summer). The molting of their wing feathers leaves them temporarily flightless. [ Here is a picture found on Web. ] They are no longer displaying their courtship plumage, but a drab "eclipse" plumage is similar to that of a female. It provides better camouflage against predators while their wing feathers grow back. The entire process takes 2 to 3 weeks. The hens go through a similar molt once their ducklings have fledged. In Summer, the molted drake looks more similar to female. Then they molts back again to breeding plumage in Fall.
- From Courtship to Parenthood: Fall, courtship starts. Mid-winter, the pairs have formed. Then, the mated pair migrates together returning to the female's place of origin. Spring, once the female lays her eggs, the male abandons her. 她年年都做單親媽咪 :)
The female Mallard's clutch usually has 8 to 13 eggs. They are incubated for 27 to 28 days. The ducklings are precocial, which means they can swim and feed themselves right after hatching. They stay close to their mother for protection until they fledge at 50 to 60 days.
- All flight feathers are molted simultaneously. Thus Mallards molting in a restricted wetland area must rely on the food resources available there while they are flightless, i.e., for three to four weeks (Boyd, 1961; Balat, 1970)
source: http://www.squidoo.com/mallard , http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Condor/files/issues/v089n02/p0329-p0339.pdf , etc.

Mallard in Connecticut

Intersex Mallard - mirror site

Mallard (and Blue-winged Teal) http://sites.butler-bremer.com/web/kladage/Mallards%20(48078).jpg
Blue Winged Teal & Mallard http://www.jacksmithart.com/birds/blue_wing_teal_mallard.html
Blue-winged Teal

House Sparrow:
- Female House Sparrow's bill becomes yellowish in the non-breeding season. And juvenile has a yellow gape. Another picture found on Web which on this page.

9/4/2010 (Sat) morning

Forest Park

A yellow Budgie parakeet or called Budgerigar, escaped : photo

Parakeets are tiny (the size of a hand) and colorful birds from Central Australia. In Latin, the term "parakeet" translates to Melopsittacus undulates which means "song parrot with wavy lines". The Aborigines called parakeets "budgerigar" or budgie. The Aborigines, inhabitants of Australia 5,000 - 40,000 years ago, ate parakeets as snacks. source

Try to figure out what variety the budgie is? Read here

Sticker of Yellow Budgie Parakeet

Dargonflies, turtles, a Waterthrush, Canada Goose and Lotus flower found in Reclamation Pond.

9/6/2010 (Mon) Labor Day 10am - 12:30pm

Gardens and West Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (JBWR)

Today is our "Redstart Day." Many American Redstarts along the trail to West Pond. Photo: <1>

Blue Heron, Peregrine Falcon, White-eyed Vireos, Chickadees, Mockingbirds, Mourning Doves, Catbirds, Red-winged Blackbird group atop cattails (香蒲), Swallows probably Barn flying overhead, Mallard groups staying on land (many are looked like males in non-breeding plumage, are they waiting for next molt?), Mute Swan family, Egrets, Canada Geese, etc. Heard Song Sparrow.

Canada Geese

9/11/2010 (Sat) 2 - 3:30pm

Kissena Park

Osprey plunged into the lake several times. Blue Heron (is a surprise, probably is a Great Blue Heron). Mallards (one with white neck and partly white in body; partially albino?), Red-winged Blackbirds, etc.

Osprey in action: <1> <2> <3> <4>

Osprey vs. Bald Eagle

Photo: House Sparrow - <1>

9/18/2010 (Sat) afternoon

Kissena Park, after the Thursday microburst over Queens

Met 2 of the 3 friends of the park: Blue Heron and partially albino Mallard. No Osprey was seen. The Blue Heron may have make the park home, at least temporary.

QCBC Kissena Field Trip, Oct. 10, 2009 mirror

9/25/2010 (Sat) afternoon

Kissena Park

partially albino Mallard, Swallow flock, flock of all male Red-winged Blackbirds. Some drake Mallards have already in breeding plumage.

10/2/2010 (Sat) 11am-1pm

Big John's and West Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (JBWR)

Big John's Pond/East Pond: many Flycatchers (probably Eastern Phoebe), Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellowlegses, still quite a lot Mute Swans, Night Heron, etc. a lot Bluets (Familiar Bluet? or Tule Bluet? or else) at the lookout.

Gardens/West Pond: male and female Black-throated Green Warbler (also seen on 10/17 last year at Forest Park), Vireos?, Osprey, Double-crested Cormorants.

First started with the path to gardens, met QCBC members on the way so made trip to Big John's Pond and lookout of East Pond; then back to West Pond, staying for half an hour until 1:10pm. Many flycatchers were seen so close for such a prolonged period behind the blind at Big John's Pond. This made a flycatcher day!

Photo: Black-throated Green Warbler - female male (note its bright yellow face) ; Flycatcher (Eastern Phoebe) - <1> <2> <3> <4> <5> <6> <7> (the yellow on belly indicates that it is an immature); Yellow-rumped Warbler - <1> <2> ; Double-crested Cormorant - <1>

RECORD OF A BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER WINTERING IN FLORIDA

Perhaps the most familiar flycatcher in eastern North America, the Eastern Phoebe nests near people on buildings and bridges. It can be recognized by its emphatic "phee-bee" call and its habit of constantly wagging it tail.

Adult Description

Small songbird.
Dark grayish brown back and head.
Lighter underparts.
No eyering or conspicuous wingbars.
Wags tail.

Immature Description

Immature like adult, but with more yellow on belly and noticeable faint wingbars.

Similar Species

Black Phoebe is darker with a dark chest.
Eastern Wood-Pewee has distinct wingbars and does not wag tail.
Empidonax flycatchers have distinct wingbars, usually have distinct eyerings, and do not wag their tails.

Bluet - Photo: <1>

Note on Dragonfly and Damselfly

10/9/2010 (Sat) morning

Big John's, East and West Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (JBWR)

Little Blue Herons (2) along with Snowy Egrets, Eastern Phoebes (many), Yellow-rumped Warblers (many), Brants in migration, Crows, Swallows, Sparrows, Kinglets?, Vireos?, etc.

Green Darner Dragonflies, a yellow Butterfly (Moth?) and other Butterflies (the small one in white color, Monarch or alike, etc.).

Big John's Pond: quiet with water

East Pond lookout: no Bluet

Photo: Eastern Phoebe - <1>
            adult female Green Darner (or Common Green Darner) Dragonfly (look like another species: Emperor Dragonfly) - <1>   <2> ; see note on Green Darners
            yellow Butterfly (probably Sulphur, more specific Orange Sulphur or Clouded) - <1>
            Brant - <1>   <2>
            Unknown (female Ruby-crowned Kinglet with a conspicuous broken white eye-ring vireo or warbler? Northern Parula?) - <1>

ID Request of insects - <1> <2>

Butterfly & Moth

Common insects in Queens: Black Saddlebags and Green Darner Dragonflies, and Monarch, Orange-sulphur, Black Swallowtail, Buckeye and TWO Checkered White Butterflies. The Checkered Whites were definitely a trip highlight, and were life butterflies for several of the participants. http://www.qcbirdclub.org/Trip-Reports?offset=10

10/10/2010 (Sun)

Jonathan's home, Valhalla

In the evening, a flock of more than 50 Common Grackles roosting.

10/11/2010 (Mon) morning

Jonathan's school and Kensico Cementery, Valhalla

Red-tailed Hawk , Common Grackles, Mockingbirds, Savannah Sparrows, Blue Jays (heard only), Crows, etc.

Photo: Savannah Sparrow - <1> ; Mockingbird - <1>

10/12/2010 (Tue) after table tennis

Missing Impossible

10/16/2010 (Sat) noon

Around home and restaurant

Sparrows, Starlings, Mourning Dove, Rock Doves.

Three flies in this year: Horsefly (6/5/2010, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge with Megan), Dragonfly and Butterfly. [Their 3 allies: Deerfly, Dameslfly and Moth]

The salt marsh horse fly often called the greenhead fly actually describes two cryptic species Tabanus nigrovittatus and Tabanus contenninus.

From mid to late summer, greenhead flies (Tabanus sp.) abound in the marsh. Female greenheads lay their eggs on the stems of Spartina grass. The eggs hatch and the larvae spend one or two years groping in the salt marsh mud searching for prey. Greenhead larvae are un-mistakable—elongate, fat, whitish, and marked with black rings. They show a pair of organs for breathing at one end, and a pair of knife-edged jaws at the other. These sharp jaws work to slicea hole in the side of their prey, whose body contents are sucked out. Larvae overwinter and in summer adults emerge from pupation. Adult greenheads are recognized by their large heads (mostly eyes in males], stout bodies, and brown or black abdomens, which are sometimes striped. The females are the ones that make themselves so conspicuous and annoying, searching tor a blood meal in order to nourish their supply of eggs. Male greenheads are harm-less, feeding on nectar. The bite of a greenhead can be painful and sometimes causes a swelling which lasts for several days. Fortunately the flies are not abundant throughout the year! source: http://www.nps.gov/archive/gate/jbu/pdf_files/nature_trail_guide_to_west_pond_brochure.pdf

10/16/2010 (Sat) 4-5:30pm

Forest Park

Very quiet. Only a couple of sparrows. A Mockingbird passed by. That is! No Robin, Dove, Cardinal, Blue Jay is seen and heard.

10/17/2010 (Sun)

Be careful with Deerflies: These biting flies live in wetlands, forests, and other damp environs. Treat the painful bites with alcohol to prevent infection. Deerflies spread Tularemia, an infectious bacterial disease that requires medical attention. (WebMD)

10/23/2010 (Sat) afternoon

Rockefeller State Park, NY - <1> <2> park map

Been there before many times with Jonathan family.

Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Double-crested Cormorant, a hawk-like bird over Pocantico River, Mallards, Crows, Robins, Blue Jays (heard), etc.

I biked today after haven't been for > 15 years. In this wonderful year, I got back swimming (in sea water at Caribbean in March) and biking. And my bowling may have space for improvement.

Photo: family and friend pictures taken at the hike 2 years ago

10/30/2010 (Sat) 10:30am-12:30pm

West Pond, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (JBWR)

Northern Harrier

Northern Harrier was recorded by birders on 10/10 at Fort Tilden; on 10/11 and 11/14 at JBWR

Crows (many sharp photo and video), small bird with big eyes like Ovenbird or one of the brown Thrushes, Dark-eyed Junco ("Slate-colored"), Mockingbird, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Sparrows (Savannah probably, or Song?; and a clear-breasted one; etc.), etc.

Photo: Dark-eyed Junco at the front door of the Visitor Center (in fact, I saw this bird feeding on the ground at there in 2008 early Spring.) - <1>

Video: Dark-eyed Junco at the small water pond taken from the blind Northern Harrier (probably female)

More about Junco

2010 Nov 11-20 Caribbean Cruise

Cruise (12-19) Info

Nov 11 (Thu)
FLL
staying at Lisa's place

Nov 12 (Fri)
FLL
Loggerhead Marine Center - Turtle rehab. in an open-to-public setting. Video: <1>
slept in Rm 6158 on the ship docked at Port Everglades due to the standby generator failed to pass the requirement of U.S. Coast Guard.

Nov 13
At 12:15pm, ship undocked and left FLL
young (I think not adult) Turkey Vulture (I think not Black Vulture). Juvenile Turkey Vulture may have shorter tail and uniform-generation wings with no evidence of molt (Molt in North American Birds (Peterson Reference Guide)). Photo: <1>

Nov 14
At Sea

Nov 15
San Juan, Puerto Rico
docked at Old San Juan. We don't know so waste $10 plus $1 tips for taxi.
Bananaquit
Brown Pelican (褐鵜鶘)
Northern (not Tropical) Mockingbird - Photo: <1>
a lot Greater Antillean Grackle - Photo: <1>   <2>   <3>   <4>   <5>   <6>   <7>   <8> ; Video: <1>   <2>
Monk Parakeet, Mourning Dove, Rock Dove, House Sparrow. Video: <1>
Plaza Darsenas & La Casita, Old San Juan
Army of Pigeons at Plaza de Armas (Arms Square).
Beauty and Pigeons at Chapel of Christ / Parque de las Palomas (Pigeon's Park).
A beautiful cat photo    post-processed
Birds we NOT seen: Java Sparrow (a finch, also known as Java Finch or Java Rice Bird), Puerto Rican Spindalis, etc.
Note: Blackbirds have different summer and winter plumages, Grackles and Cowbirds do not.

Nov 16
St Maarten
Weather at noon: North Easterly 9kts, Clear skies, 31C/88F
Ilet Pinel (Island)
A short (5-10 min.) water-taxi ride from French Cul-de-Sac. Roundtrip US$7/person. The driver said they run every hour: 11am, 12am and 1pm. But people told us there are rides every half hour.
We shared taxi with people going to Butterfly Farm and Orient Beach (the nude beach). Since totally 4 persons to Pinel island, we paid $9/person to the driver. Arrived at a pier at French Cul-de-Sac at 10:30am. Water-taxi fully-loaded with people arrived at the beach at Pinel island at 11am. Left Pinel island at 1pm. Although kind of rush, we did some good swimming/snorkeling (without snorkeling gear). I saw many colorful fish near the pier. From French Cul-de-Sac to the Dr. A.C. (Albert Claudis) Wathery Pier at Philipsburg (where the ship docked) takes 20-30 minutes.
Bananaquits at Pinel island, Pelicans, Cattle Egrets with cattle along the road between Philipsburg and French Cul-de-Sac, Great Egrets, a sandpiper-like shorebird
Many road names in Philipsburg, St. Maarten are bird names.

Nov 17
At Sea
Masked Booby (藍臉鰹鳥) - black tail; absence of yellow wash over head; and black of trailing wing edge reaching body.
Photo: <1>   Video: <1>
not: Red-footed Booby (one form is all white with black flight feathers),
not: adult Northern Gannet or
not: molting or juvenile Tropicbird (no long tail). ( 紅嘴 / 紅尾 / 白尾熱帶鳥 ) Molt: The wirelike tail streamers of a Red-tailed Tropicbird require almost 6 months to reach their full length : mirror . myNote
Note:
1. adult Northern Gannet (white tail and black wing tips). So not the one we saw.
2. Boobies fly with slow wingbeats and intermittent glides. Sometimes an up and down soaring and gliding flight pattern with no wing beats when moving over open water. Feed on fish and squid by plunge-diving.
3. I don't see red feet nor red bill base so not pale-form Red-footed Booby.

Nov 18
Half Moon Cay
Weather at noon: Light airs, Partly cloudy skies, 26C/80F
Common Ground-doves near the BBQ place. (I think is not juvenile Mourning Dove). Photo: <1>   <2>   Video: <1>
Bananaquits (蕉森鶯)
Mockingbirds: saw fast and secretively walking on the ground, gesture like Road Runner. Probably Bahama (not Northern) Mockingbirds because of the streaking (條紋). Photo: <1>   <2>
Notes: (1) Northern has large white patch on wing and bold white outer tail, conspicuous in flight while Bahama has not; Northern's wings with 2 conspicuous white wing-bars while Bahama's are inconspicuous; (2) Northern is smaller and grayer with no streaking above or below while Bahama Mockingbird is slightly larger and could be mistaken for a scruffy or juvenile Northern Mockingbird due to the streaked flanks (翼側 / 側腹 ) and striped throat; (3) Bahama's head is less "clean" looking; (4) Bahama prefer more natural habitats while Northern are found more often in human settlements and environments. Here has pictures of all 3 Mockingbirds.
Bahama Mockingbird (巴哈馬小嘲鶇) - pictures found on Web: <1> (mirror)
Pearly-eyed Thrasher or like (brown not gray singer)
hummingbird feeding on nectar of the red flowers outside Bahamian Church.
Note: Bananaquit nests in sea grape tree.

Nov 19 (Fri)
FLL
1.
at John U. Lloyd Beach State Park:
I think we parked at the 2nd parking lot instead of the 1st. The jetty at the northern end of the park is closed. No Reddish Egret was seen along Whiskey Creek.
American Kestrel 2 times. One at open perching, looking for prey; once got it, don't come back from the pole anymore. Photo: <1>   <2>   <3> <4> ; Video: <1>
Kingfisher outside of the lunch place (Concession)
Osprey
Turkey Vultures
Gulls
many V-shaped migrating flocks of Brown Pelicans and many Brown Pelicans making steep, twisting, head-first dives into water to catch fish. Video: <1>
Brown Pelican migration
Mourning Dove or like
Sanderlings (三趾濱鷸/三趾鷸) - Photo: <1>   <2>   <3>   <4>   <5>   <6> ; Video: <1>   <2>
Ruddy Turnstone - Photo: with a Sanderling   <2>   <3>   <4> ; Video: <1>
2.
at West Lake Park/Anne Kolb Nature Center:
walked on 2 trails: Lake Observation Trail and Mudflat Trail. Took elevator to the Observation Tower.
American White Ibis (美洲朱鷺) along the Lake Observation Trail. Photo: <1> ; Video: <1>

Nov 20 (Sat)
FLL -> NYC

New life birds:
Greater Antillean Grackle (11/15, Old San Juan)
Masked Booby (11/17, Caribbean Sea)
Common Ground-dove (11/18, Half Moon Cay)
American Kestrel (11/19, John U. Lloyd Beach State Park, FL)
American White Ibis (11/19, Anne Kolb Nature Center, FL)
Bahama Mockingbird (11/18, Half Moon Cay)

Good book:
Collins Field Guide: Birds of Mexico and Central America, Ber van Perlo (2006)
ISBN-13: 978-0-691-12070-6
ISBN-10: 0-691-12070-6

2010 Nov

About 100 wild Turkeys wandering around the East shore, including Dongan Hills, of Staten Island (2010). More: <1> Ocean Breeze (2007) <3>

2010 Dec

Harbor Herons: Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tri-colored Heron, Green Heron, 2 Night Herons and Glossy Ibis. (source: NYC Audubon's Harbor Herons Program)

Heron-Cam on Goose Island: <1> The website (starting in April)

12/18/2010 (Sat) 11:30am

Around home, corner at 78th Rd. and 150th St.

Broad-winged Hawk flied from the backyard of our building (probably was sitting on a perch and watching for prey before this hunting attempt) towards a short tree at the corner; attempting to catch the 2 Eastern Gray Squirrels inside the branches. It even entered into the branches. Failed to catch anything then perched on the top of the taller tree at the other side of the 78th Rd. Not very large, crow size, tail banding is so conspicuous (so should be an adult), red-streaks on breast. Don't see red shoulder so it is not Red-shouldered Hawk (which is uncommon here but common in Florida).

Found a video on Web: Broad-winged Hawk devouring Squirrel

"Winter records of Broad-wings in Vermont are rare. One bird spent the winter of 1974-75 in Chester; another was seen in late December in South Strafford; and yet another was found in Tinmouth in early March (RVB, Winter 1973-83). An individual was observed on the Ferrisburg Christmas Bird Count in 1979 (December 15)." source: http://www.vtecostudies.org/vbba/pdf/VBBA1/Broad-Winged%20Hawk.pdf

A small flock of House Sparrows (many are immature) was enjoying its late-morning roost at the corner at 78th Ave. and 150th St. - Photo: <1> <2>

One Year in the Life of a House Sparrow

12/21/2010 (Tue) 2pm

I saw 2 white-throated sparrows at Columbus Park in China Town around 2pm after my lunch.

"The only park in Chinatown, Columbus Park, was built on what was once the center of the infamous Five Points neighborhood of New York. During the 19th century, this was the most dangerous slum area of immigrant New York (as portrayed in the book and film Gangs of New York)." source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatown,_Manhattan

Around home, corner at 78th Ave. and 150th St. ; the same place I saw House Sparrows on 12/18

Small Sparrows in Big Storm: "The New York City weather forecast today calls for 11 to 16 inches of snow. While NYC weather might not have brought a white Christmas, a blizzard warning the day after was issued for the New York are including Westchester County and Long Island. ... Winds are expected to get up to 40 mph or more. ... There is going to be close to zero visibility." (according to here) The small flock of House Sparrows were still there, bravely facing the attack of the white. - Photo: <1> <2>

Starlings and House Sparrows. Saw Rock Doves and Seagulls too. Storm did not stop them flying.