Date: 2/1/25 10:41 am
From: Gyekis, Joseph Peter <jpg186...>
Subject: East College Heights robins and blackbirds

Hi Everyone,

There has been a remarkable congregation of robins and blackbirds in the neighborhood near Sunset Park this winter (like last winter).

Recently this included a flock of at least 21 Rusty Blackbirds mixed with the grackles (top count in the 70-80 range), cowbirds (a few hundred), starlings (probably a thousand or so), and robins (usually count about a thousand, one morning counted 3k). It's very exciting to see the Cooper's Hawks working the flocks, this week I was able to see 3 and hear one more in the distance at the same moment, and Merlins also attack sometimes as well. https://ebird.org/tripreport/325958<https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Febird.org%2Ftripreport%2F325958&data=05%7C02%<7CSCBIRDCL...>%7C33ac5fd3d6054a1e45f108dd42d26139%7C7cf48d453ddb4389a9c1c115526eb52e%7C0%7C0%7C638740193508448150%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Q7dAgNQcJhKlFGJqTpHY2K7rwfJ8AocGlqcW3EbXhQE%3D&reserved=0>

In past years, the number of rusties has peaked in March and April, and I'll be keeping an eye on the roost this spring as migration gets into gear. This early they are hit or miss. See dates below.

If anyone is interested in helping me count robins and blackbirds some evening (currently the best time is about 5:00 to 5:30 but as spring progresses and the sun sets later that will shift), send me an email and we could make arrangements to meet at Sunset Park to survey the chaos for a half hour or so, most evenings will work.

Joe


Date Number of Rusty Blackbirds Counted
[cid:628f9a73-2aa2-4c2e-9ff2-863b4a813960]

 
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