The Great Backyard Bird Count 2023

    Last Friday through today was the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) and I always get excited for it every year. It's the time of year where the birds are starting to feel more or less the same as they have been for the last few weeks, so a little community science event always reinvigorates me. It's a good excuse to lead an outing or just look at your local birds.

    I did a little bit of it all, I co-led a bird walk with the Feminist bird club, did a quick visit and chowder run at Sheepshead Bay, and did a quick work break down at Marine Park.

On Saturday I co-led a bird outing to celebrate the bird count. Around 20 or so people walked around Prospect Park with us where we saw 40 different types of birds.
Canada geese greeted us at our meeting location at the Dog Beach.

At the feeders, some of the most common birds dazzled us, like this common grackle.

When the light hits them just right, they are like those cool oil stickers you had in the 90's.

On the Peninsula, a pair of downy woodpecker came down to the reeds, at a very comfortable viewing level, they posed unobstructed so we could observe them while they did their thing.

While the walk ended at 11, a few hung about and thanks to the other lead, they caught us a great look at this female purple finch! Isn't she gorgeous?

We went back to the feeders which were still plenty busy. This black-capped chickadee was working open a seed right next to us.

Also, very very VERY happy to see fox sparrows at the feeders. They are my favorite sparrow and I love a great unobstructed look at these gorgeous, ginger, chonks.

Nearing where we began our birding adventure a beacon of bright shined from the tree, closer inspection revealed a merlin all floofed up.
And it then revealed, it was not alone.

There were not one... not two... but three merlin right in the same area, all perched yard apart from each other along the neathermead.

Love me a floofy little murder bird.

Yesterday I was really tired. Mostly because every weekend is more of less the same. Saturday we all have energy and can take on the world. Then our child refuses to nap, becomes over tired and also.... yes. over annoying. By Sunday morning our over tired kid still wakes up at 5am. Wriggles around in our bed for an hour and a half.... and is continuing her overtiredness. Then she finally gives in for a 5pm nap. So yeah, I found it hard to do anything more than make birding an excuse to get us some lunch too.

So it was a Sheepshead Bay and Chowder Afternoon.
This Ring-billed gull got none of my lunch.

Fish crows littered the piers, contrasting the gulls they were mixing it up with.

This fish crow perched itself close to me, and gave it's funny little caws as it sat. I enjoyed getting some pictures of them in the lighting that works best for them, overcast.

While I didn't get to see the iceland gull or razorbills, I enjoyed the regulars, like this female red-breasted merganser who gave a close pass.

 

A lesser scaup sitting right below the walkway, getting ready to do a little preening and scritching.
Soon I got cold and more and more hungry. Gave in, got our chowder, and headed home.

A quick break out in the sun today was local, at Marine Park. Spied a few sneaky swamp sparrows.

A very cute white breasted nuthatch caught my eye with its movement, as it was a pretty quiet one.

This young red-tail was doing its best impression of a kestrel, attempting to hover and stall in the wing, kiting over the fields.

When it had no luck, it would soar around to reposition.

And kite again.

Unfortunately there wasn't much here on the menu for the red tail, so they headed off in due time to the north, which is where there is the part of the park that is simply put, a squirrel buffet.

Closed out the visit with some dabbling ducks, like this American wigeon.
Over the last 3 days, I managed to add 9 year birds to my year list. I am so far at 99! Looking forward to more!