Registrar: Renée Lucier
Participants: 9
Weather: Pouring rain when we began at 7:30 am, then quite nice. Mid-50s.
Bird Species: 43
As expected, this walk with Tom was extremely popular, and the available slots (limited due to current COVID-19 restrictions) were filled a few minutes after registration opened on March 29.
We convened on the steps in front of the gorgeous Art Deco façade of the landmarked Brooklyn Public Library. There, Tom spent the first hour going over camera basics as well as specific ways we could adjust our settings—shutter speed, aperture, ISO—depending on conditions and desired effect. Because we were a small group, he was also able to help each of us with our individual equipment. Experience levels among the participants were wide ranging, but everyone came away with several new tips and tricks to try out.
Then we went birding. We spent almost four hours at it, and covered a large part of Prospect Park. Highlights among our sightings included a Cooper’s Hawk in its nest, a rare, close-ish encounter with a Red-throated Loon, and an even more rare leucistic squirrel!
A big thank you to Tom Stephenson for generously sharing his expertise!
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Mallard
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Mammals
Gray Squirrel (leucistic)
