Bird List                

    2014 log: Jamaica / Canadian Rockies / Curacao
    2013 log (New Orleans, Costa Maya, Belize City, Roatan, & Cozumel, HK)        
    2012 (after Hurricane Sandy) log   2012 (Jul-before Hurricane Sandy) log  (Netherlands, UK, Scotland, Norway, Denmark) (birdList.b4_split2_b_and_c.htm)    2012 (Jan-Jun) log  (Costa Rica)  
    2011 log  (HK, Punta Cana) 
    2010 log  ( 1. Mar. Caribbean Cruise : Fort Lauderdale / Cozumel, Mexico ; 2. Nov. Caribbean Cruise : Puerto Rico / Half Moon Cay ) 
    2009 log  (Las Vegas; HK, Mainland China and Taiwan)  
    2008 log  (South Caribbean Cruise - Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Grenada, Bonaire & Aruba; Toronto; Palm Beach, Florida)   
    Photo and Video @ Punta Cana    pic01.htm  others   HK trips
    Note on Dragonfly and Damselfly   my insect spider list    Macro   butterflyMoth.htm   frog   kissena_rare_encounter.htm    Postings of NY Birding List
    Favorites in 2013   Favorites in 2012   Favorites in 2011  
    Bees   Wasps   Cricket   myInventory   myNationalPark.htm
    Costa Rica info   Costa Rica, 2012 - Photo    costa_rica_mybirdlist.htm
    Birding in Shetland Islands     Norway cruise     pc_stuff.htm    Google Voice    t-mobile (6/2014)   多部未华子   Don't vote Senator Gillibrand in 11/2018!   cull_CanadaGeese_at_JBWR.htm
    samsung_s3600.note01.htm   http://www.nycgovparks.org/news/notices   Biblical_problems_caused_by_translation.htm   translation resource
    how_can_i_make_a_very_sharp_phot.htm   flash_wont_sync_in_slave_mode.htm   Camera/Camcorder for birding   cam4underwater   infrared_photography.htm  
    comet_PANSTARRS.htm    Jamaica_bird.htm   2015plus_jamaica_trips.htm   Glacier   Hay fever   Glacier & Canadian Rockies   Curacao-1   Curacao-2  
    South Carolina   Seattle
    Lead Adventures 3-Week Galapagos program - doc  
    Quito - Monastery of San Francisco - pic1  quito.htm
    List of whale and dolphin species        List of birds of HK
    全膝關節置換術 (TKA)

Vanessa's Delights Omega-3 Mix contains Omega-3 Fortified Cranberries, Roasted Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Raw Pistachios, and Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds).   Other brands: thenutbox.com (has retail stores in NYC)

Remember to adjust focus of the viewfinder

Photo:
    Skipper -
    Cicada -
    Damselfly -

Photo:
    American Redstart -

Video:
    Unknown shorebird -

 Postings of NY Birding List   Tide time site (should go when high tide; cf. birdList2010.htm)

Tides for Barren Island, Rockaway Inlet starting with August 8, 2015.

Photo:
    Tiger Swallowtail - <1>

7/21-29/2015 (Tue-Wed)
Seattle, Washington - Olympic National Park

Steller's Jay and probably Gray Jay at Hoh Rain Forest.  Pyrrhuloxia (not possible in NW)
Columbian Black-tailed Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus):  info-1: vs. Mule Deer and White-tailed Deer  |  wiki
海葵 (sea anemone) 

fb-1   fb-2

Note:
(1) Hoh Rain Forest - expedia : You might encounter roaming herds of Roosevelt elk or black-tailed deer. More dangerous creatures, including black bear and cougars, also call this area home. Bring binoculars if you want to go bird-watching. Look for gray jays, pileated woodpeckers and the endangered spotted owl hiding among high branches.

7/18/2015 (Sat) am cloudy then rain
JBWR (8th visit this year)

Waxwings.  Goldfinch(es).  Redstarts.  Unknown shorebird (peep?) at Big John's Pond.  Tree Swallow at the box at Blind Pond feeding its baby.

7/11/2015 (Sat) am
Oceanside

Back playground at home: Cicada Killer, great pictures.
Oceanside: Osprey, one parent and 2 out of 3 babies are seen.  Black Skimmer.  Willet.  Dragonfly, many, mainly Seaside Dragonlet [cf. 6/29/2013].   Cicada sound is heard.

Photo:
    Cicada Killer (male?) - <1>   <2>  
    Seaside Dragonlet
    Osprey
    Black-crowned Night Heron
    Yellow-crowned Night Heron
    Snowy Egret, taking off
    Song Sparrow
    Barn Swallow

Note:
(1) Cicada Killer - male vs. female   mirror

7/5/2015 (Sun) pm, sunny
JBWR (7th visit this year)

Waxwings.  Osprey parent and their chick/nestling.  Cicada sound is heard from trees on the way to Big John.

7/4/2015 (Sat) am
Lido Beach [Oceanside is closed because of holiday]

Oystercatcher (2+1).  Osprey couple with 2 fledged children.  Boat-tailed Grackle.  Willet.  RWBB.  Barn Swallow.  Tern.  Gulls.  Canada Geese.  Song Sparrow.  Catbird.  Mockingbird.  Cormorant.  Starlings, juvenile gang.  Many butterflies (Small White, Silver-spotted Skipper, (American?) Painted Lady?, Spring or Summer Azure, etc.).  Wasps (one species seen on the sand looks like Bicyrtes quadrifasciatus).  Bumble? Bees.  Cricket at the entrance of the men's restroom (great pictures with flash & 1/160s).

Photo:
    Silver-spotted Skipper
    Painted Lady?
    Cricket - <1>
    Willet
    Tern
    Barn Swallow

Photo:
    Silver-spotted Skipper
    Ring-necked Pheasant
   
   

6/21/2015 (Sun) afternoon, sunny, hot and humid
Kissena Park 

一般人在45～55%的相對濕度下感覺最舒適。過熱而不通風的房間裏的相對濕度一般比較低，這可能對皮膚不良和對黏膜有刺激作用。濕度過高影響人調節體溫的排汗功能，人會感到悶熱。總的來說人在高溫但低濕度的情況下（如沙漠）比在溫度不太高但濕度很高的情況下（如雨林）的感覺要好。  wiki

6/20/2015 (Sat) am
JBWR

Waxwings.  Osprey parent feeding baby fish (we only see one chick, or called nestling, but there may be more).  According to the whiteboard, babies or baby were/was born 2 weeks ago.

Look back:
(1) 2006 Sep. 9 visited JBWR after Maryland trip.
(2) 2007 Jun. 7 - Killdeer did the "broken-wing act" 
(3) 7/26/2008 - w/ naturalist Don Riepe
(4) 2010- saw Cedar Waxwing 2 times.
(5)

6/14/2015 (Sun)

Box Office: 'Jurassic World' Sets Global Record With $511.8 Million Debut : It marks the first time a film has ever grossed more than $500 million in a single weekend.

6/7/2015 (Sun) late afternoon
Kissena (Corridor) Park 

6/6/2015 (Sat) am until 1pm / late afternoon
Oceanside & Lido Beach / Kissena Park 

Oceanside: Glossy Ibis flying over.  Saltmarsh Sparrow (I only see the photo taken by a birder).  Tree Swallow (many, in and out from those new nest boxes).  Clapper Rail.  Boat-tailed Grackle.  Willet. 
Lido: Oystercatcher (2), FOS, male over female so probably mating.  Osprey couple.  Boat-tailed Grackle.  Willet.
Kissena: Amberwing.  Blue dragonfly, possibly Blue Dasher.  Damselfly, many pairs being busy with egg laying. All are FOS in NYC.

Next to look for:  Black Skimmer [great video] [seen on 7/11].  Piping Plover.  Sanderling.  Waxwing [seen on 6/20].

5/31/2015 (Sun) am
Kissena Park 

5/30/2015 (Sat) am
JBWR (Visitor Center -  Jan.—Feb.: Wed.—Sun., 8:30 a.m.—5 p.m.; Mon.—Tue., closed; Mar.—Dec.: daily, 8:30 a.m.—5 p.m.)

Ruddy Turnstone.  Wren, probably House Wren (fairly long tail and just a faint eyebrow; info-1).

Photo:
    Caterpillar (at the entrance to Big John's Pond) - <1> 
    Bumble Bee
    Black-crowned Night Heron - <1> (take off)
    Glossy Ibis - <1>
    Wren - <1> (at Blind Pond)
    Ruddy Turnstone

Video:
    Bumble Bee
    Catbird

5/16/2015 (Sat) am
JBWR & Broad Channel American Park

Little Blue Heron.  Brown Thrasher.  Catbird.  Mockingbird.  Glossy Ibis.  RWBB.  Starling.  Swan.  Wood Duck.  Gadwall.  Shorebirds.  Brant.  Robin.  Canada Geese.  Tree Swallow.  Yellow Warbler.  Common Yellowthroat.  Towhee.  Laughing and other Gulls.  Wren.  Osprey.  Double-crested Cormorant.  etc.  Horseshoe Crab.

5/10/2015 (Sun) pm
Kissena Park

Catbird (a few).   Frog (2); American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) or Green Frog?

5/9/2015 (Sat) am / pm
Idlewild Park & Brookville Park along Conselyea's Pond, Rosedale, NY / Cunningham Park

Idlewild : Killdeers.  Yellow-crowned Night Herons. 
Brookville : Beautiful male American Black Duck x Mallard hybrid.  Large Turtle.  Nesting Swan couple.
Uncertain Place: Catbirds (FOS in NYC).

Photo:
    Killdeer - <1>  <2> 

Video:
    Killdeer
    Mallard hybrid

Note:
 (1) Conselyea's Pond   Nice shot found on Web (taken 2014/11)
 (2) Friends of Idlewild Park Preserve fb

5/2/2015 (Sat) pm (morning is the NYSIF billing modernization migration)
Kissena (Corridor) Park

Photo:
    Robin
    Mourning Dove - <1>
    Grackle

4/25/2015 (Sat) am / pm, sunny
JBWR  / Kissena Park

Photo:
    Cowbird, female - <1>
    Tree Swallow -  <1> (singing, adult)  <2> (landing, female or immature or young adult female) 
    Robin - <1> (head-cocking)    <2> 
    Swan - <1>

4/15/2015 - 4/21/2015 (Wed - Tue)
Charleston, SC; Beaufort, SC; Savannah, GA

Note        
Highlight:
  (1) Tybee Island lighthouse and beach - great pictures of Terns and Pelicans
  (2) Savannah National Wildlife Refuge - American Alligator
  (3) Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge - nesting Herons and Egrets.  Really see all 7 herons there?
  (4) Cypress Garden, Angel Oak Park and Magnolia Plantation & Gardens (has a petting zoo)
  (5) Waterfront at Savannah River, around sunset
  (6) Cathedral of St. John The Baptist, inside and outside
  (7) Chimney Swifts outside our dwelling place, 705 Whitaker St., Forsyth Park, GA 31401.  Wood Storks at Savannah National Wildlife Refuge.  Catbirds, FOS.

Photo:
    Tern - <1>
    Pelican
    Wood Stork
    American Alligator
    Cattle Egret
    Snowy Egret
    Great Blue Heron
    Little Blue Heron
    Boat-tailed Grackle
    Eastern Screech-Owl - <1>
    Peacock
    Black Vulture
    Anhinga
    Cowbird
    Wood Duck
    Finch
    Common Gallinule (formerly called Common Moorhen)
    American Coot
    Brown Thrasher
    Cypress Garden - Picasa_1   Google+_1

Note: 
(1) Goodbye Moorhen, Hello Gallinule: Common Moorhen has officially been split into two separate species. The bird found throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa is now known as the ‘Eurasian Moorhen’ (Gallinula chloropus) however the species found here in North America, as well as South America, is now called the ‘Common Gallinule’ (Gallinula galeata).

(2) 誰說香港不賞花？ (馮永基 26/03/2015): 太子道魚木盛放 | 南昌街公園的黃金風鈴木 | 青衣公園的落羽松 | 龍翔道上的宮粉羊蹄甲 | 黄大仙的白花羊蹄甲
    今天，市民會為南昌街公園的黃金風鈴木雀躍，潮湧到大棠賞楓香，排隊觀賞禮賓府的杜鵑花，讚美青衣公園難得一見的黃葉處處。試想在整條公路上，满種宮粉和白花羊蹄甲，不是很像櫻花盛放嗎？

(3) Tybee National Wildlife Refuge - info-1 : closed to all public use.

(4) Birding South Carolina: A Guide to 40 Premier Birding Sites   mirror

4/11/2015 (Sat) am to 4pm, sunny and warm but very windy
Forest Park / JBWR  / Kissena Park

F: Bee.  Butterfly, probably Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa). 
J: Great Horned Owl owlet at nest.  Laughing Gull (2).  Snow Goose (many).  Ross's Goose, dark morph (? id by a man; or dark morph Snow Goose X Ross's Goose hybrid.).  Butterfly (look like the same species, Mourning Cloak, as at Forest Park).  Green-winged Teal (a couple).  Northern Flicker (1).  Brant (a lot).  Ruddy Duck (3+).
K: Turtle (a lot).  No Gull. 

Photo:
    Robin (eating earthworm) -  <1>   <2>
    Robin - <1> 
    Great Horned Owl  -  <1> (cf. this fledgling Great Horned Owl left the nest two days before this picture was taken (around 23 APR 2013) at New York Botanical Gardens.
    Bee - Flower
    Mourning Cloak Butterfly - <1> 
    Green-winged Teal -
    Song Sparrow -

Note: 
(1) Why worms will crawl a wall?
Q. A reader once noticed that the south side of her was house covered with earthworms from the ground all the way up to the roof. She tried to convince her husband to come out for a look, but he refused, and when she went back outside a half hour later, the worms were gone. Nobody believes that story. What might explain the worm behavior? –C. Stuart
A. Once or twice each summer, earthworms of many species migrate not only across the surface of the soil but right up vertical surfaces such as moss-covered rocks, trees, even walls (as long as they're not too abrasive or slippery smooth), says Lee Frelich, Director of the University of Minnesota Center for Hardwood Ecology. The earthworms commonly move 10-15 feet, probably to find new habitat and to mate, since it is easier to find other members of the species on a two-dimensional surface than in the three-dimensional world of underground tunnels. Also, some earthworm species move away from soils that lack oxygen after heavy rain or that contain pesticides. Earthworms move at night or on cloudy, rainy days because otherwise they would be desiccated by the sun and perish within minutes. 

(2) six kinds of vocalizations made by robins

(3) Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa). 
      wiki  |  info-1 (Mourning cloaks can be found in all five of New York City’s boroughs)
      unlike most butterflies, the mourning cloak overwinters as an adult. It seeks refuge during late fall in wood piles, tree cavities and other secluded spots. Because it overwinters in this stage, it is the earliest butterfly to take wing in the spring, usually during March in southern parts of our state and April further north. There are two generations each year, which means it also is one of the last butterflies we see in the fall.  src

(4) Great Horned Owl (at Savannah, Georgia)
 Fledglings remain in close company for several weeks, thereafter they loose association. They often roost together in the same tree in the immediate vicinity. Adults generally roost away from the young, who react to the sight of the adults with begging calls and flights towards the adults. Fledged owls remain with parents throughout most of the summer and may be seen begging for food into October, four to five months after leaving the nest. The juveniles will start to capture insects over the summer and will move on to mammals and birds towards the fall. They may become independent of the adults by late fall, early winter.

(5) Great Horned owls start nesting in January, raising their families in the dead of winter. The female will incubate the eggs while her mate brings her food. Within a month, up to five eggs will hatch and the owlets will be closely guarded by their parents. Six weeks after hatching, the owlets will leave the nest and walk around. In another three weeks, the young owls will already have learned to fly. The parents will continue to feed and care for their offspring for several months, often as late as October. It is wise to stay away from young owls and their nests as Great Horned Owls are not afraid to attack if they feel their family is threatened.   src

(6) Jamaica Bay has its first reported Great Horned Owl nest (2015) -
Bird photographer Francois Portmann (his 2015 owl pictures) first noticed and began documenting the nest on March 25, when the then-three-week-old owls were still white and downy. Situated just off a hiking trail and about 30 feet up in a tree, he believes the nest was originally built and left behind by a squirrel.

...

Indeed, Great Horned Owls have lived around New York City for years now, mainly keeping to bigger parks like Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. What do they get out of city life? Judging by the components in their poop, a great supply of New York City rats. “These owls are opportunistic,” says Don Riepe, director of American Littoral Society’s Jamaica Bay Office.

Riepe says both Great Horned Owls and Red Tail Hawks (the owl’s daytime equivalent) now nest in every borough of New York City, as well as other metropolises across the country. New York City hosts other wildlife, too, he says: There’s coyotes, a growing deer population on Staten Island, and a cluster of skunks along the Upper West Side of Manhattan. As these populations grow and human development expands, “These animals are gradually adapting to urban areas,” Riepe says.

(7) More-1   More-2

4/5/2015 (Sun) am / pm
JBWR & Broad Channel American Park  / Kissena (Corridior) Park

J: Brown Creeper.  Boat-tailed Grackle.  Northern Flicker.  Phoebe.  Tree Swallow 雙色樹燕  (many).  Brown-headed Cowbird (female).  Snow Geese (a lot).  Brant (many).  Gulls.  Ruddy Duck. Osprey couple.  Double-crested Cormorant.  Yellow-rumped Warbler (1).
B: Finch (many).
K: Ring-billed Gull (1).  Turtle (many, both Eastern Painted Turtle & Red-eared Slider).  Osprey (1).  Double-crested Cormorant.

Photo:
    Robin -  <1> (head-cocking)
    Tree Swallow -  <1>   <2>
    Brown-headed Cowbird -  <1>
    Northern Flicker
    Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
    Brown Creeper -  <1>
    Osprey
    Junco
    Eastern Painted Turtle - <1>  

Note:
Which Senses Do Robins Use to Find Worms?  - Dr. Heppner suspected sight was the most important sense robins use to find worms.
How robins find worms (1997) - ... suggesting that they could use auditory (聽覺) cues to locate the prey. They also had significantly reduced foraging success when auditory cues were obscured by white noise. These results conflict with the only other experimental study of foraging in American robins, which concluded that they foraged using visual clues alone  
Indiana University (September 25, 2008 By SUSAN LINVILLE) - ... concluded that robins could use either visual or auditory cues alone to find worms in the soil, but probably use both. So the next time you see a robin “head-cocking” you can be fairly sure it’s listening and looking for those mouthwatering treats!

4/4/2015 (Sat)
Westchester - 墓園墳場掃墓祭祖

Photo:
    Nice weather - Google+   fb   w1600

Note:
2015年公眾假期

耶穌受難節 4月3日 星期五

耶穌受難節翌日 4月4日 星期六

清明節 4月5日 星期日 - 30.6℃歷來最熱清明

清明節翌日 4月6日 星期一

復活節星期一翌日 4月7日 星期二

Note:

(1) 清明 wiki : 田鼠化為鴽 - 第二候「田鼠化为鴽」是指田鼠因烈阳之气渐盛而躲回洞穴避暑，取而代之的是喜爱阳气的鴽鸟，则开始出来活动。以田鼠为至阴之物，以鴽鸟为至阳之物；比喻阴气绝而阳气渐盛。参见http://wenku.baidu.com/view/ad421b6c58fafab069dc025b.html  src

(2) 二十四节气七十二候歌及解释

立春正月春气动，
东风能解凝寒冻；
土底蛰虫始振摇，
鱼陟负冰相戏泳；

半月交得雨水后，
獭祭鱼时随应候；
候雁时催归北乡，
那堪草木萌芽透。

惊蛰二月节气浮，
桃始开花放树头；
鸧鹧鸣动无休歇，
崔得胡鹰化作鸠；

春色平分纔一半，
向时玄鸟重相见；
雷乃发声天际头，
闪闪云开始见电。

芳菲三月报清明，
梧桐枝上始含英；
田鼠化鴽人不觉，
虹桥始见雨初晴；

...

ebird_20150403_Queens.htm

Killdeers (5) at Kissena Park, 3/27/2015.  Cesar Castillo reported at ebirdgadgets.

3/21/2015 (Sat) am sunny and warm (after snow storm Ultima yesterday when is also the day of Spring arrival; snow amount in Central Park: 4.5 in)
Kissena Park

Finally, Robin (5+) are here.  Mourning Dove.  Black-crowned Night Heron.  RWBBs and Cardinals are busy in calling.  A dead bird is seen in the pond.  Turtle.

Photo:
    Robin -  <1a>   <1b> (cropped w800)   <1c> (cropped w480)    <1d> (Apply aberration adjustment once but I see no difference)
    Mourning Dove
    Scene - <1a>   <1b> (Aberration corrected)

Note:

(1) Dead_American_robin so the dead bird does not look like Robin, House Sparrow & other sparrows, Rock Dove and other doves, Starling, Grackle, RWBB, Junco, Blue Jay, Mockingbird, warblers.  No idea!  Is it possible Starling?  No, it is female RWBB.

WEATHER ITEM   OBSERVED TIME   RECORD YEAR NORMAL DEPARTURE LAST     
                VALUE   (LST)  VALUE       VALUE  FROM      YEAR     
                                                  NORMAL             
..................................................................
SNOWFALL (IN)                                                        
  YESTERDAY        4.5           4.7  1958   0.1    4.4      0.0     
  MONTH TO DATE   18.6                       3.1   15.5      0.1     
  SINCE OCT 1     47.0                      24.4   22.6     57.4     
  SINCE JUL 1     47.0                      24.4   22.6     57.4     
  SNOW DEPTH       0                                                 

As of 7 pm EDT on March 15, the National Weather Service in Boston announced that Boston Logan Airport received108.6 inches of snow, officially making the 2014-2015 season the all time snowiest season for the city. In the last 21 years, Boston has now had 4 of its top 5 snowiest seasons. (These counts cover the period from July 1 through June 30, to include snow in the fall and spring months.)

1. 2014-2015: 108.6 inches
2. 1995-1996: 107.6 inches
3. 1993-1994: 96.3 inches
4. 1947-1948: 89.2 inches
5. 2004-2005: 86.6 inches
6. 1977-1978: 85.1 inches
7. 1992-1993: 83.9 inches
8. 2010-2011: 81.0 inches
9. 1915-1916: 79.2 inches
10. 1919-1920: 73.4 inches

Directions

Idlewild is located South of Brookville Park, off Brookville Blvd in the Brookville/Rosedale neighborhoods of southeastern Queens. 
Public Transit: Take the Long Island Railroad to the Rosedale. Cross Sunrise Highway and walk south on 243rd Street. Make a right on 147th Ave and a left on 235th St. The entrance to Idlewild is at the end of 235th St. where it meets 149th Ave. This is a little over a half mile walk.
By Car: Take 27 (Sunrise Highway) east toward Long Island. Turn right onto Brookville Blvd and travel south to 149th Ave. Make a right on 149th (or 147th?) Ave and the entrance to the park is on 235th Street. I think another entrance is 149th Ave and 230 St.
From the Belt Parkway going east, take exit 23 and merge onto Conduit Ave heading east. Turn right onto Brookville Boulevard and follow directions above from 27.

Springfield Gardens, NY 11413
- Interstate 678 S/Van Wyck Expressway/Kennedy Airport
- Take exit 1 on the left to merge onto NY-878 E/Nassau Expy
- Continue onto Rockaway Blvd

3/15/2015 (Sun) am before church, cloudy
Kissena Park, its lake starts melting

Still no sight of Robin.  RWBB (2) calling.  Hooded Merganser couple.  Beautiful Ring-billed Gulls after the spring molt (info-1).

Photo:
    Hooded Merganser
    The Lake in the Last Winter Clothing - <1>

Note:
 - How Lake Ice Melts
 - Robin
    - Report (learner): First seen at Forest Hills on 3/16 (Mon).
    - Report (ebirdgadgets):
         - Feb 25 - Mar 18 at Manhattan: Peter Detmold Park (Feb 26) ... Inwood Hill Park (Mar 1) ... Central Park (Mar 7 and later, many of them) ...
         - Feb 25 - Mar 18 at Queens: many of them:

3/14/2015 (Sat) pm rainy
Kissena Corridor Park

Still no sight of Robin; last year I saw it FOS much earlier (2/22/2014); 3/9/2013 I recorded many of them; waiting for a sunny day with 50+ F to meet them again.  Last year, according to learner.org record, Robin was first seen in NYC on 2/2/2014.
Pheasant (2).

Photo:
    Pheasant

When is FOS this year:

Robin - 3/21 am
Common Grackle - 3/21 pm after Dim Sum on the way to my car
Boat-tailed Grackle - 4/5 Sun am
Mourning Dove - 3/13 Fri morning
Phoebe (or possibly other flycatchers) - 3/28 Sat am
Tree Swallow - 4/5 Sun am
Brown-headed Cowbird (others saw them from Mar15, Fort Tilden; Mar 28, Kissena Park; Mar 29, Cunningham Park & Alley Pond Park) - 4/5 Sun am (female)
Catbird -

In New York, New England, and southern Canada the catbirds may be expected the first week of May. 

In general the great bulk of migrants arrive about a week after the first birds of the season are seen. The migratory wave of catbirds requires about a month in traveling from the southern part of the United States to the northern and western section of their nesting range.

The spring migration northward is regular, and the date of arrival varies but little from year to year. Even during times of unseasonably cold weather the catbird does not seem to halt its movements to await for warmer days but usually proceeds on schedule.   src [Published in 1948]

Robin Migration News: March 10, 2015

Earthworms and Robins Return: "When spring comes and frost leaves the soil, the earthworms become migrants, tunneling upward. They appear at the surface, leaving the first castings of the new season, as soon as the average temperatures of the ground reaches about 36 degrees. At the same time, the robins return from the south." (From North With the Spring by Edwin Way Teale.)

Winter Birds Myths and Facts :
Winter Birds Myth: Birds always migrate in flocks.
Winter Birds Fact: Though many birds migrate in flocks-common nighthawks, American robins, swallows and European starlings, for example-other species migrate alone. The most amazing example of this is a juvenile hummingbird that has never migrated before, yet knows when to fly, where to fly, how far to fly and when to stop. And it does this all alone.

Convert Lat and Long to Address 

Where do New York Robins Go for the Winter? 

3/8/2015 (Sun) am before church service
Kissena Park

處處聞啼鳥:  Blue Jays mobbing hawk (probably Red-tailed Hawk).  RWBB (FOS) calling.
Last year, first record of RWBB is also 3/8.  And First of Season Grackles (good picture).  Both years, International Women's Day is lucky birding day.
2013, first record of RWBB is also 3/9 (Sat).  Also Red-tailed Hawk nesting at IS237.

Photo:
    Cardinal -  <1>   <2> (head close-up)
    Hawk

Video: 
    Blue Jays mob a hawk  (and stabilized version)

Note: 
 (1) from wiki - Blue jays will use these calls to band together to mob potential predators such as hawks and drive them away from the jays' nests.
 (2) RWBBs usually arrive back in Southwestern Ontario in late February and early March. Females arrive several weeks later and then build nests.  src

For birders in the know, the return of the red-winged blackbird is an exciting pre-spring marker.

All of these birds leave Southwestern Ontario for the winter, so seeing your first can legitimately make us think of balmy days to come.

The American robin is considered a classic harbinger of spring, however many bird watchers in our region know that some robins can be found through the winter, huddling in thickets and surviving on berries.

Through much of the year, because red-winged blackbirds are so numerous along highways, in marshes, or by rivers, this species doesn’t get much attention. It is an interesting bird however.

By late February and March each year, we see the males return from the Southern U.S. where they have overwintered. Some arrivals in Southern Ontario have already been reported.

Male red-winged blackbirds arrive early to scout and claim nesting territory. Once they have staked a claim, they will fiercely defend their area against humans, other birds, or any other perceived threat. I’ve found myself suddenly under attack without even realizing I had encroached on a blackbird’s turf.

It has been estimated that during their breeding season males will spend 25% of their waking hours patrolling and actively defending their territory. They sing boldly. Although the females can also attack, they quietly collect food and generally lie low.

snowfall_2015March.htm

3/1/2015 (Sun)

February’s cold weather prompted the National Weather Service to revise its historical records for the month, a meteorologist with the agency said Sunday.

The review didn’t alter the all-time coldest February on record: 1934, which had an average daily temperature in Central Park of 19.9 degrees.

But the second-coldest February, in 1885, turned out to be fractionally colder that thought: 22.6 degrees, not the 22.7 the weather service had announced earlier in February.

And the year 1875 is now the third-coldest February (23.8 degrees); 1875 moved up two positions on the list of cold Februarys released last month.

February 2015, with an average daily temperature of 23.9 degrees, is now the fourth coldest ever recorded. The records date to 1869.   src  or this

2/28/2015 (Sat)

... February will not be missed. With the average temperature for the month lingering around 24 degrees, some 11 degrees shy of normal by the National Weather Service’s calculation, this insult of a month looks as though it will clock in as the coldest recorded February in New York City since 1934.

That year [1934], February averaged 19.9 degrees and included the lowest daily reading ever registered for New York: On Feb. 9 the mercury sank to a ridiculous 15 degrees below zero. ... Aside from 1934, he said the only other chillier February on record than the present one was in 1885, when the temperature averaged 22.7 degrees and when people did not yet have hand warmers.

There is positive news. It appears that alternate-side-of-the-street parking regulations have been abolished.  src

Google: rent a car sharing economy

Seattle, WA, United States 7/22-28

https://relayrides.com/car-rental/seattle/honda-civic/41827  

$34 per day,
$175 per week,
$590 per month

Honda Civic 2008

Very low price with 57 good reviews. 

一百年前, " 第一次世界大戰初期，美國保持中立，同時向交戰雙方出售武器，1917年參加協約國陣營，由於在一戰中遭受了巨大傷亡，美國政府在1920年代開始重新奉行孤立主義(Isolationism)，決心不再參與任何在歐洲發生的軍事衝突。當時的孤立主義趨勢還導致了嚴格的關稅制度的引入，這被認為是後來大蕭條的一個重要誘因。" wiki

一百年後, 美國另一個樣. In fact, not only USA and Japan, nearly all countries today do not practice isolationism anymore.

Two distinct and unrelated concepts that are occasionally erroneously categorized as Isolationism are:

1. Non-interventionism – is the belief that political rulers should avoid military alliances with other nations and to avoid interfering in wars bearing no direct impact on their nation. However, most non-interventionists are supporters of free trade, travel, and support certain international agreements, unlike isolationists.
2. Protectionism – Relates more often to economics, its proponents believe that there should be legal barriers in order to control trade and cultural exchange with people in other states.

日本鎖國(海禁)

What Sparked Japan's Aggression During World War II?    mirror

2/8/2015 (Sun) am before church service
Kissena Corridor Park / Kissena Park

Response to request, go to take pictures of snow scene and ice landscape.

Photo:
    Football field (Kosmos Soccer Field), stitched by ICE - (fb)
    Others -  <1> (Geese on the water in the frozen lake)
    White-throated Sparrow -  <1>
    Song Sparrow -  <1> (1/160 sec)   <2a> (1/250 sec; w1600)   <2b> (1/250 sec; w1920)
    Mockingbird -  <1> 

Note:
     (1) The "Old World" sparrows belong to the Passeridae family. They look similar to the "New World" sparrows which belong to the Emberizidae family.  src
     (2) Sparrow, Spanish (Passer hispaniolensis) - Found: Mediterranean Region and Asia.  The closest relative to Spanish Sparrow is the House Sparrow. They interbreed and it can be difficult to determine if a Spanish Sparrow is really a hybrid.  src
     (3) 1+1=3 - HYBRID SPECIATION IN SPARROWS -
          ... the Italian sparrow is shown to be a hybrid species formed by interbreeding between the house sparrow and Spanish sparrow. ...
          Only very rarely does a new and distinct third species arise through the crossing of two extant ones. Therefore, the case of the Italian sparrow provides groundbreaking insight into how new species arise.  
          The studies have been published in the current issue of Molecular Ecology along with a perspective article highlighting the findings:   http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.2011.20.issue-18/issuetoc or here

2/7/2015 (Sat) am, cloudy then start snowing
Kissena Corridor Park / Kissena Park

今日踏雪尋雀.  一路上在星期一的積雪(成冰)印上深深的足印, 也迎上意料以外片片之飄雪. 舊冰新雪, 和新羽舊鳥: Wren (好似第一次在 Kissena Corridor Park 見).  Northern Shoveler, one male, first of this winter at Kissena Park .  Rusty Blackbird.  Cardinal (both m & f).  Woodpecker.  Blue Jay.  etc.
Probably Carolina Wren, according to hotspotbirding.com.

Photo:
    White-throated Sparrow
    Cardinal -  <1>   fb (冰雪連天射紅雀  臉書神筆寫對聯)  [  飛雪連天射白鹿，笑書神俠倚碧鴛  ]
    Ring-billed Gull, 1st winter -  <1> (少少水花少少雪, fb) 
    Rusty Blackbird -  <1> (fb)

Note:

出自盛唐詩人張謂的《早梅》:
	一樹寒梅白玉條，迥臨村路傍溪橋。
	不知近水花先發，疑是經冬雪未銷。

1/26/2015 (Mon)  Winter Storm Juno: Blizzard Warnings for New York City
Potentially Historic Northeast Snowstorm Ahead

Note:
(1) http://www.decodedscience.com/winter-storm-garbanzo-bean-juno-will-blockbuster/52269

On Friday (1/23), Decoded Science warned that an Alberta Clipper coming through the Great Lakes could develop into a big storm off the Atlantic Coast. And so it will.

The Weather Channel (TWC) has named the storm Juno, but Decoded Science has chosen Garbanzo Bean. Readers can decide whether the queen of the Roman gods or a nutritious legume is a more appropriate name for a nor’easter that could be a historic storm.

...

All models of climate change predict an increase in extreme weather. If Garbanzo Bean drops more than 20 inches of snow in New York, it will be the sixth time on record. Four of the snowfalls will have been within the last 20 years.

Does this storm ‘prove’ global warming is real? No. But it would be foolish to ignore the totality of evidence that screams that the burning of fossil fuels is raising the temperature of the earth at an alarming rate.

1/17/2015 (Sat) pm after Dim Sum, sunny
Kissena Park

Double-crested Cormorant.  Cardinal.  Woodpecker.  Blue Jay.  etc.

Photo:
    Double-crested Cormorant -  <1>   <2>  

1/3/2015 (Sat) late morning, cloudy
Kissena Park

Many birds search for food (nut?) in the grass:  Rusty Blackbird (1); Titmouse (2+); Cardinal (one couple); White-throated Sparrow (a lot).  Red-bellied Woodpecker.  Blue Jay.

Photo:
    Rusty Blackbird -  <1a>  <1b> (w640)