Mokka mit Schlag » Birding

We’re seeing a lot of goods birds form the bus on this trip, including Crimson-fronted Parakeet and White-tailed Kite. The first one we pulled over for was a Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, that I missed. However I did get the subsequent Mountain Thrush in the same tree, #858:

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I arrived in Costa Rica yesterday after dark as planned, but too late to do any birding. This morning, however, Tommy and I were up even before the rest of the group and out in the gardens at 5:30AM, and we were not disappointed. The first bird up with us was #851, Rufous-naped Wren:

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In 2012 I saw:

• 335+ total species
• 204+ species in New York
• 58 Life Birds (mostly in Cuba, but a few in New York, one in Bermuda, and one in Florida; total now at 850)
• 12 new ABA area Birds (Total now in the vicinity of 500, though that may include a few like Muscovy Duck, Black Swan, Cockatiel, and Budgerigar that “don’t count”)
• 13 new New York State Birds (Total now at approximately 300)
• 7 new New Jersey State Birds (Total now at approximately 182)
• 15 new Louisiana State Birds (Total now at approximately 143)
• 40 new Florida State Birds (Total now at approximately 77)
• 35 new Plaquemines Parish Birds (Total now at approximately 85)
• 6 new Orleans Parish Birds (Total now at approximately 123)
• 2 new Jefferson Parish Birds (Total now at approximately 61)
• 9 new Kings County Birds (Total now at approximately 230)
• 3 new Queens County Birds (Total now at approximately 202)
• 8 new New York County Birds (Total now at approximately 112)
• 4 new Richmond County Birds (Total now at approximately 111)
• 12 new Nassau County Birds (Total now at approximately 138)
• 8 new Suffolk County Birds (Total now at approximately 132)

I didn’t go to the Bronx, and added no new birds in California.

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2012 is looking like an irruptive winter. Two days ago I had the best day I’ve had in Prospect Park in years with a life bird and city-first-of-season White-winged Crossbill and Common Redpoll. But the birds are still coming in. Yesterday a pair of Evening Grosbeaks were reported in Central Park near the Great Hill, so before work I took the A-train uptown to look for them. Fortuitously I ran into Lenore Swenson who took me right to the birds. #850! and it’s extra fun to get a life bird so near home instead of traveling far and wide.

I don’t have any trips planned for the remainder of the year, except for Louisiana at Christmas, so I won’t make 900 in 2012; but all I need is one good neotropics trip to cross 900 or even 1000 in 2013. My brother and I are going to Costa Rica with New York Audubon for a week in February, and I should be able to squeeze in at least one more international trip somewhere. I just haven’t decided where yet.

Wow! What a day! Best day in Prospect Park in years! After being cooped up for so long from Sandy and with all parks annoyingly closed, it was great to finally get out and there were birds everywhere! and great birds in great light! Perhaps I should have taken my camera, but I was just enjoying the pleasant weather and a relaxing walk through the woods.

It was an excellent fall day, but things really kicked up when I got to the Binnen Bridge near the Pagoda Swamp. A small bird, a House Finch? associating with a couple of American Goldfinches hopped down onto the falls, and then the bird popped up into a nearby sapling.
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My previously scheduled talk for tomorrow night, Thursday, November 1, on Birding Cuba for the Brooklyn Bird Club has been cancelled due to transit issues and the continuing closure of Prospect Park where we usually hold meetings. It will likely be rescheduled in early December.

Update: The new date is Thursday, December 6 at the Litchfield Villa in Prospect Park. See you there!