1 From the Ground Up Volume 19 Issue 4 The Newsletter That Helps You Grow Winter 2014-15 Birders, Birders, Everywhere THE FLOYD BENNETT GARDENS ASSOCIATION Barbara Pearson And what a bird to see! A rare Cassin’s kingbird has been seen almost daily at FBGA since mid- November. The kingbird at FBGA is far afield of its natural range and this extended sighting of the kingbird at FBGA is only the second time on record that this species has been seen in New York State. Habitat Committee Chair Frank Gentile alerted me to the news on November 25 th after he saw the bird, which was identified for him by birder Richard Guthrie (whom I contacted and he generously gave me permission to use his photo of the kingbird). Mr. Guthrie wrote on his timesunion.com blog: Happily, I can post some fun news about birding in New York. A very rare bird and hard to identify flycatcher was found in Brooklyn, New York City, last week. Word got out late in the day, and nobody could get over to Floyd Bennett Field before dark. Next day, it had disappeared. Dozens of frustrated birders searched a wide area without any sign of the elusive wanderer. The bird was a CASSIN’S KINGBIRD, a prairie species which would normally [be] expected to be somewhere in Mexico by this time of year. Yesterday, the word went out – the kingbird had been found again, near where it was first seen right there in the community gardens of Floyd Bennett Field. A few phone calls last evening and we had a group of four up early and headed to the south shore of Brooklyn. When we arrived, there were about thirty birders already set with binoculars, spotting scopes and some of the longest camera lenses I’ve seen in a while. Finding the bird was as easy as following the converging vectors of eyes, lenses, and shutter clicks. It was not more than thirty yards away from the semi-circle of well behaved admirers. Local birding websites and blogs (American Birding Association, City Birder) have been reporting consistent sightings of the kingbird since it was first spotted. The kingbird is most often seen in the picnic area and the Habitat. According to info Mr. Guthrie gave on his blog, the kingbird is about the size of a robin, has a sulfur-yellow underside, and has distinctive white markings on its tail feathers. On a trip to the garden in mid-December, I talked with President Adriann Musson who saw me looking at a group of 6 or 8 birders with tripods and huge lenses who had gathered not far from the O&M containers (why did I not have my camera with me that day to get a photo of them?!). (cont’d on page 3) Contents Birders, Birders, Everywhere Renewal Reminder The Last of the Monarchs? “Tree-icide” Native Shrubs Wish List Workshop Schedule
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1
From the Ground Up
Volume 19 Issue 4 The Newsletter That Helps You Grow Winter 2014-15
Birders, Birders, Everywhere
THE FLOYD BENNETT GARDENS ASSOCIATION
Barbara Pearson
And what a bird to see! A rare Cassin’s kingbird
has been seen almost daily at FBGA since mid-
November. The kingbird at FBGA is far afield of its
natural range and this extended sighting of the
kingbird at FBGA is only the second time on record
that this species has been seen in New York State.
Habitat Committee Chair Frank Gentile alerted
me to the news on November 25th
after he saw the
bird, which was identified for him by birder Richard
Guthrie (whom I contacted and he generously gave
me permission to use his photo of the kingbird). Mr.
Guthrie wrote on his timesunion.com blog:
Happily, I can post some fun news about birding
in New York. A very rare bird and hard to identify
flycatcher was found in Brooklyn, New York City,
last week. Word got out late in the day, and nobody
could get over to Floyd Bennett Field before dark.
Next day, it had disappeared. Dozens of frustrated
birders searched a wide area without any sign of the
elusive wanderer.
The bird was a CASSIN’S KINGBIRD, a prairie
species which would normally [be] expected to be
somewhere in Mexico by this time of year.
Yesterday, the word went out – the kingbird had
been found again, near where it was first seen right
there in the community gardens of Floyd Bennett
Field. A few phone calls last evening and we had a
group of four up early and headed to the south shore
of Brooklyn.
When we arrived, there were about thirty
birders already set with binoculars, spotting scopes
and some of the longest camera lenses I’ve seen in a
while. Finding the bird was as easy as following the
converging vectors of eyes, lenses, and shutter clicks.
It was not more than thirty yards away from the
semi-circle of well behaved admirers.
Local birding websites and blogs (American
Birding Association, City Birder) have been
reporting consistent sightings of the kingbird since it
was first spotted. The kingbird is most often seen in
the picnic area and the Habitat. According to info
Mr. Guthrie gave on his blog, the kingbird is about
the size of a robin, has a sulfur-yellow underside, and
has distinctive white markings on its tail feathers.
On a trip to the garden in mid-December, I
talked with President Adriann Musson who saw me
looking at a group of 6 or 8 birders with tripods and
huge lenses who had gathered not far from the O&M
containers (why did I not have my camera with me
that day to get a photo of them?!). (cont’d on page 3)
Contents
Birders, Birders, Everywhere
Renewal Reminder
The Last of the Monarchs?
“Tree-icide”
Native Shrubs Wish List
Workshop Schedule
2
FBGA Contacts
Adriann Musson – President 917-446-3764 [email protected] Bob Halligan – Vice President & Education