Birding Downtown November 16, 2006

On Thursday I went back to Ferry Park at Davis and Clay Streets to see if I could get a photo of the Black-and-white Warbler I had seen the day before. It was overcast and started to drizzle as I walked outside at lunch time. I could not find it but I did find a NASHVILLE WARBLER. As I was trying to film the NASHVILLE WARBLER flitting about in a tree a large noisy flock of our resident RED-MASKED PARAKEETS flew in causing a great stir and a lot of noise. In addition to the birds seen the day before there was also a flock of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, AMERICAN ROBINS, and BUSHTITS, a few AMERICAN CROWS and WESTERN GULLS. Across from Washington Street I saw a juvenile RED-TAILED HAWK nab a Rock Pigeon and land on the ground. I was going to film it enjoying its meal but an oblivious walker spooked it and it flew into a nearby tree. Then a gardener closely approached the tree and scared it even further causing it to drop the pigeon which unfortunatley was still alive and managed to fly away. Back in the office I continued to see the adult and juvenile RED-TAILED HAWKS soaring over the INS Building.