An Even Colder Day in Prospect Park
I got to the Audubon Center about a quarter till 10 this morning when the mercury was still several degrees short of zero for the monthly Audubon walk. It was extremely cold. We were only out for about an hour and a half before calling it a day. Mostly it was the same story as yesterday, relatively bird free except for a few hotspots around the feeders and the Upper Lullwater. Nevertheless we managed a respectable 26 species including six new year birds: Rusty Blackbird, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Fox Sparrow, Northern Mockingbird, Red-tailed Hawk, and Wood Duck.
Rusty Blackbird was a particularly good find, because they’re not common in the park. The only place they’re reliably found in new York City is van Cortland Park in the Bronx. However, 1 to 4 have been hanging out in Prospect at least since the Christmas Bird Count on the 19th.
- Canada Goose
- Wood Duck
- American Black Duck
- Mallard
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Ring-billed Gull
- Rock Pigeon
- Mourning Dove
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Blue Jay
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- American Robin
- Northern Mockingbird
- Fox Sparrow
- White-throated Sparrow
- Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)
- Northern Cardinal
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Rusty Blackbird
- House Finch
- American Goldfinch
- House Sparrow
