Great Back Yard Bird Count

This was my first year participating in the event. It was fun. I counted for about 2 and one half hours today. I was hoping that the red-bellied woodpecker would make an appearance and indeed he made a brief visit to the suet feeder. In all I had 9 different species: 43 house sparrows, 1 white-throated sparrow, 10 mourning doves, 8 rock doves, 2 starlings, 2 northern cardinals, 1 red-bellied woodpecker, 4 house finches and1 herring gull flying over. These are my regulars. Not bad for a little Brooklyn, NY backyard.
This isn't the clearest picture of the woodpecker but this is the beauty that has been visiting my suet feeder all winter. Below him are my other regulars from another day - a snowy day

Red-bellied Woodpecker

White-throated sparrow

female Northern Cardinal

That's right I'm looking at you

male Northern Cardinal

Some Fall Birds

A friend and I went horse back riding last Saturday and then we took a walk around Jamaica Bay. It was a lovely Saturday with a light wind but pretty warm for this time of year. No snow geese yet, though I read they have been spotted. We did see American Coots and American Wigeons both life birds for me. Then we saw Kinglets and sparrows- White throateed, Song and Chipping. The White-Throated Sparrow was the white-striped form. Previously I had only seen the tan striped form.


American Coot and American Wigeon

 

Chipping Sparrow



Dark Eyed Junco



Northern Shoveler

Nice Fall Leaves



Northern Mockingbird



White-Throated Sparrow



Chipping Sparrow



Birding Floyd Bennett Airfield and Jamaica Bay

What a gorgeous day it was yesterday! Yes, maybe a little chilly but blue skies and sunshine. So I headed over to the first (now defunct) airfield in NYC - Floyd Bennett Airfield (FBA). I had been reading one of my favorite blogs http://birdingdude.blogspot.com/ last week and Andrew talked about the horned lark that hang out on the cricket field in the winter. I got there about 9:45 and was joined by two other birders who got there just ahead of me. As we talked and I listened to them talk I soon realized that this might be birding dude himself. Sure enough it was and his friend Pat who he often birds with and is herself very knowledgeable about birds. He remembered me from an email I sent him a few months ago and we laughed and introduced ourselves formally. They went off in search of the King Eider I saw at the other end of the airfield and I hung out with the larks for a few more minutes.

The larks were small and too far away to get an adequate picture but this is them after they were flushed by a dog and his friends.
Some bare trees against the blue sky on FBA
An American Wigeon (I believe) at FBA
Next I headed for Jamaica Bay. A couple of Brant as they fly above.

I also saw snow geese. They sure are beautiful when they fly.

Then there was this little guy. I believe he was a sparrow but I just can't ID it. If anyone has a better sense then I do please leave a comment. I searched my bird books but just wasn't sure. It may be an immature and that is why it is so hard to identify.

Lastly there was this little guy. He was moving among the brush so it was hard to try to get a picture. This was a lucky shot. This is a white-throated sparrow. He kept kicking and scratching through the leaves and if you look closely it looks as if he did find something to eat.

If you're ever in NYC both Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (Queens) and FBA (Brooklyn) offer excellent places to bird or just take a walk on a gorgeous day.