Recent Updates and Interesting Sightings
March 18 and 22, 2009
Two long days in New York City, erecting nesting towers for
Chimney Swifts at three urban State Parks. A cooperative project
between Audubon and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation to help a declining species, the towers were
built as a memorial for Geoff Ryan, a gentleman, friend and
conservationist who died in 2007. After pre-construction at
Constitution Marsh, the towers were finally put in place at
Clay Pit Ponds State Park in Staten Island, Roberto Clemente
State Park in the Bronx and East River State Park in Brooklyn.
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| Eric Lind framing the tower at
Roberto Clemente State Park in the Bronx. |
Rich Anderson puts the finishing
touches on the swift nesting tower at East River State
Park. |
March 12, 2009
During a walk out to the boardwalk this afternoon, Mary observed
one adult Bald Eagle; three crows; a pair of American Black
Ducks; at least 5 Red-tailed Hawks (2 pairs and one single);
and a pair of Wood Ducks, which flushed from right under the
boardwalk. These are the first Wood Ducks we've seen at the
Marsh in 2009 (Eric reports that Rich mentioned he had also
seen Wood Ducks near Route 403 on March 11th).
March 7, 2009
Today was extremely warm--almost 70 degrees!--so, typically,
we did not have as many birds visiting the feeders as we do
when it is colder. For example, we didn't have any woodpeckers
yesterday or today, and the number of White-throated Sparrows
is down significantly. However, the Swamp Sparrow that we
first sighted in early January is still here (we have reported
the Swamp Sparrow during every Project FeederWatch period
since first discovering it, except for two count periods in
February).
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