Forest Park Bird Warbler Watch Walk.Birding Dude

Forest Park Bird Warbler Watch Walk.

Today, I went on a birding walk at Forest Park with the Urban Rangers.  I met up with Rangers Jeff Billak and Howard Kreft at the Ranger Station on the Woodhaven Blvd side of the park and together we headed out to Stracker Pond.  Entering the trail to Stracker Pond is a sign that gives a brief history on how the pond got its name.  This used to be a meadow that honored Private First Class Lawrence George E. Strack (1948-1967), the first Woodhaven resident to die serving in the Vietnam War. Strack, was born on June 15, 1948 and attended P.S. 171, J.H.S. 64, and Franklin K. Lane High School in Woodhaven.

As we got nearer to the pond we immediately noticed a number of white throated and song sparrows, we were also joined by a Belgian couple who had just moved to the area.  Once we got to the pond we saw a number of Yellow Rumpeds, Flycatchers, Kinglets, Parulas and also picked up flying into the nearby trees, Northern Flickers, Blue Jays and Cardinals.  The group walked around the pond and saw additional birds such as, goldfinches, Eastern Phoebe and Hermit thrush...we even saw painted turtles.   We also saw a mystery warbler that will have to be documented as a miss because there was not enough to make a sure ID.  The Warbler had a yellow face and white breast with prominent black streaks along the sides.  Jeff contemplated between a Hermit and Golden Cheeked Warbler, but we did not have solid looks to confirm and since I did not get to photograph the bird, there was nothing to conduct further studies on what might have been.

Sadly, we also came across a bird trap that was set by unlawful park visitors.  It appears that person or persons had setup a cage with an already captured Goldfinch, which was being used in an effort to lure additional goldfinches into being trapped.  The Rangers took the cage for evidence and freed the goldfinch.  I hope that the perpetrators were driven off and they never return to engage in this act, which I found to be reprehensible.  All in all, it was a decent day and I compliment Jeff Billak, Howard Kreft and Melissa Puz whom I met later at the station on the wonderful job they are doing.  So if you have the time, drop by the Ranger station on the Woodhaven Blvd side; the Rangers there are a friendly bunch and I am sure they would be delighted to share some history and their perspectives on the park.  P.S. ask to see the Madagascar cockroaches display…it is very cool.  I plan on visiting again soon.

Here is a list of the birds sighted.