This year I participated, along with my friend, Molly in the Brooklyn Birdathon. Our Team, Celebirdy Sightings sighted and heard 72 species of bird. I did have to peel out at around 3pm to rest, have a few drinks, then go to Green-Wood Cemetery for a night time program.
It was a really fun day, I think next year, I would make a plan and schedule out a few places to tackle, as we birded Prospect park from 6:30am till 1pm. Then went to Green-Wood after a quick lunch break. I cut out after Green-Wood and the remainder of the team went to Drier-Offerman. I was hoping that a nocturnal walk in Green-Wood might help our team, but alas, there were no night time birds to amp up our list.
My favorite sight and life bird, was seeing a Kentucky Warbler. Due to overcast skies, photos were really hard to take so I got some okay glimpses of mostly still or well lit birds.
On Tuesday, 5/23 I am presenting some of my photos at photo night for the Brooklyn Bird Club Meeting at the Brooklyn Public Library. I admit I have never attended a meeting and this sounded like a good chance to meet more members and get a bit more involved in this community. I am terrified, haha!
Anyway, this birdathon benefitted the
Wild Bird Fund- so really the point of this was not just to be competitive and fun, but to also raise some $$$ for the WBF. I donated- you should too!
Anyway- some sights from the Birdathon:
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Some were getting a little frisky, and we creepily watched... because I've never seen squirrels do it-- have you?! |
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The face you make when you realize you're being watched during private time... |
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Glad we watched those squirrels getting randy, because this guy came in and landed right above them- a ruby-throated hummingbird! |
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The way the birdathon worked is that to count a bird at least 2 people from the team need to see/hear the bird-- so there was a lot of "DID YOU SEE IT?!" "No! Where is it!?" and then ensued the task of trying to explain where a bird is in a fully leaved tree.... |
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Noticed a lot of house wren, out in the open, calling, displaying. Sighted more house wrens than we heard house wrens! |
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When you realize.... you've been spotted. |
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A green heron, vocalizing along the lullwater with their odd throaty call. |
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Where we met additional members of our team- at the dog beach. Where some red-wing blackbirds joined us too, helping us to spy wood ducks and spotted sandpiper. |
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After walking to the vale, midwood, and ravine-- we went to Green-Wood Cemetery. At the Dell Water there was a bit of ruffled feathers among these two male Baltimore Orioles. |
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Pinning his opponent down... |
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Lots of kicking and flapping... seemed like it was a struggle of who could pin down the other. |
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A karate-like kick and grab of the beak... once it was over, one ran off, while the other flew up-- perhaps to whoever was watching. Maybe a female? Who knows! |
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Double vision |
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A pair of great egrets-- perhaps wooing one another at the Dell Water. |
To fellow birders of Brooklyn and visitors to Prospect Park- I will share the one not so good story of the day, being a fellow birder and friend was robbed of their phone when threatened with a knife in the Midwood. A reminder to never let your guard down-- and account and description can be found on
Peter's Blog for Prospect Park. If you see him, call 911!
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