Another morning at Ridgewood Reservoir

May 19th

(my posts from this last week are a little out of order, but I've noted the actually dates in the subject)

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Steve Nanz)

I had a feeling it was going to be a productive morning at the Ridgewood Reservoir. As we crossed the street from the parking lot towards the reservoir I spotted a cuckoo in a Black Cherry tree. Cuckoos are solitary birds that I usually only locate either through their calls or, as in this case, by pure luck. The bird at the reservoir was a Yellow-billed Cuckoo and he just happened to fly through my field of view and land.

White-eyed Vireo (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Steve Nanz)

The songbird migration has slowed noticeably as the abundance and diversity of wood-warblers has declined. Replacing them is a greater variety of flycatchers. Today our group observed or heard Eastern Wood-Pewee, Willow Flycatcher, Great Crested Flycatcher and Eastern Kingbird. In addition, there were two or three White-eyed Vireo present in a location where we observed them last time. White-eyed Vireo have one of my favorite songs. I suspect that it might have something to do with the mnemonic that many birders use for this tiny bird’s vocalization - “Quick, bring me the beer check”.

Pink honeysuckle (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

The profusion of crabapple and sassafras flowers that adorned the edges of the trails and basins during our last visit have had their moment in the sun and been dispersed. Autumn Olives are the prevalent bloom of the current flowering cycle with black cherry and locust trees coming up quickly. I noticed a pink honeysuckle shrub near the reservoir that stuck out among the city’s ubiquitous pale-yellow and white varieties.

Autumn Olive (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

Jennifer and I climbed down into the “bog” enclosure to survey any breeding species in that habitat. American Robins seemed to be all over the place. In one location we found two active nests that were separated by approximately 40’. We were fortunate to see a feeding at both nests within seconds of each other; one nest had three hatchlings while the other had two. Apparently, robins are very tolerant of their neighbors. Every year, during the early spring, I witness ferocious attacks and aggression between competing males, such that, it’s hard to believe that they would ever coexist peacefully.

Jennifer and I quietly approached the nest cavity where, two weeks ago, Steve and I had witness a pair of Black-capped Chickadees hard at work. The hole is in a birch stump only a few feet above ground and, if there was a bird on a nest, I didn’t want to alarm. I peaked in from around the back of the stump, but couldn’t see anything. Jennifer, who is much shorter, looked in from the front. I saw her break into a smile and I motioned her to walk away from the stump. She told me that there was a chickadee sitting on a nest and, despite our attempt at stealth, was aware of our presence and was craning its neck to peer out at her.

Many of the warbler sounds from our visit on May 5th have subsided, but there were still plenty of birds to hear. With the arrival of Chimney Swifts, the early morning sky is now filled with their
cheerful, chattering calls. Chimney Swifts are one of the few birds who have benefitted from human development. They begin arriving during mid-May and take advantage of our building's various vents, shafts and chimneys for their colonial nests. Then, one day in the fall, I notice that they've vanished as suddenly as they appeared in the spring.

Warbling Vireo’s up-slurred song was heard everywhere within and around the reservoirs. From high perches surrounding the basins, several Baltimore Orioles produced their detached but rich whistles all morning (and probably the afternoon). I was very pleased to hear a Wood Thrush singing from within the reservoir’s yellow birch forest. It indicated the possibility of a breeding pair, but selfishly, I just love listening to their rich, self-harmonizing vocalizations. Donald Kroodsma, author of “The Singing Life of Birds”, describes the thrush’s singing ability during this excellent interview on Voice of America Radio.

As I noted in a previous posting, one of the morning’s highlights was sighting a juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk perched in the adjacent cemetery. At the time, we did not know its identity, but Steve’s photos help track down that info.

On Monday, Steve, Heidi and I will be going back to the reservoir before sunrise. We plan to listen for the calls of rails, nightjars and frogs. It’s easier to figure out which frogs are present by listening than it is to slog around in the lake ... as much as I enjoy tromping around in muck.

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Ridgewood Reservoir, 5/19/2007
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Black-crowned Night-Heron
Red-shouldered Hawk (Juvenile)
Red-tailed Hawk
Laughing Gull
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (2)
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Fish Crow
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee (In nest cavity)
House Wren
Wood Thrush (Singing in south-most basin)
Gray Catbird
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Canada Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Swamp Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch

Common species seen (or heard):
Mallard, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Song Sparrow, House Sparrow

Ridgewood Reservoir

Saturday, May 5th

Japanese Crabapple

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

I went back to Ridgewood Reservoir with Steve, Heidi and Janet. We spent several hours surveying nesting and migrating birds.

Much has changed since our visit two weeks ago. The first, most obvious change we noticed was a large flock of Chimney Swifts twittering back and forth above the three basins. They are now present all over the city. The previously rowdy flocks of Common Grackles have quieted down and settled in to raising their young. Their screeching sounds have been replace by a sublime mix of songbird chips, warbles, trills and tweets.

The pale-green blooms of maples and elms have been scattered to the wind and been supplanted by an explosion of both subtle and grand colors. Japanese Crabapples crowed the two paths that bisect the reservoir. Bright yellow Sassafras flowers have opened around the borders of the basins. In the "New York City Tree Guide" the author writes of Sassafras, "It colonizes untended, disturbed land with other fast growing species such as sumac, black cherry and ailanthus, preparing they way for forest climax species such as oaks, hickories and sweetgums." It is a perfect description for the transition occurring within the once water-filled enclosures.

Sassafras sapling (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

Sassafras bloom

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

Steve and I went down into the southern-most basin to look for nesting birds. Unlike the northern basin, which is a Yellow Bird bog, this one is dryer. The birches have been replaced by Black Locusts. A swamp at the south end of the impoundment attracted a nice mix of songbirds. Nearby we heard the rich, ringing song of a Hooded Warbler.

Black Locust forest in south basin (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

Reservoir south basin swamp (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

There were plenty of robins nesting in the area but one pair of birds that we stumbled on was a nice surprise. Steve was shooting a photograph when I comment on a pair of chickadees perched above his head. When we began to walk away from that area, the chickadees returned to hollowing out a cavity in a tree stump that we had been standing near. They were carrying away small pieces of wood in their tiny bills.

Chickadee at nest cavity (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Steve Nanz)

On our way out we took a route that was thick with underbrush and difficult to navigate. As I pushed my way through a tangle of knotweed, tree branches and honeysuckle shrubs an woodcock burst from the ground beside me. There was no easy path through the thicket for the bird and he struggled in an odd, nearly vertical helicopter-like flight pattern. He dropped back down a few yards away.

I’ll be back in two weeks and can’t wait to see the next set of changes in the cycle.

- - - - -

Ridgewood Reservoir, 5/5/2007
-
Double-crested Cormorant (4)
Ruddy Duck (1)
American Woodcock (1)
Chimney Swift (30)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (1, heard only)
Northern Flicker (3 were there more?)
Eastern Kingbird (1)
White-eyed Vireo (2)
Yellow-throated Vireo (1)
Blue-headed Vireo (2)
Warbling Vireo (6)
Black-capped Chickadee (4, one pair PR B (probable breeding, excavation of nest hole)
House Wren (2, PR P --pair observed in suitable habitat)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (8)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2)
Hermit Thrush (3)
Wood Thrush (1)
Gray Catbird (25 plus)
Brown Thrasher (2)
Cedar Waxwing (2)
Northern Parula (4)
Yellow Warbler (20)
Magnolia Warbler (4)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (2)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (7)
Blackburnian Warbler (1, heard)
Prairie Warbler (1)
Palm Warbler (4)
Black-and-white Warbler (20)
American Redstart (8)
Ovenbird (4)
Northern Waterthrush (2)
Common Yellowthroat (8)
Hooded Warbler (1)
Indigo Bunting (1)
Eastern Towhee (6)
Swamp Sparrow (6)
White-throated Sparrow (30)
Common Grackle (10, PR one carrying nesting material)
Brown-headed Cowbird (2)
Baltimore Oriole (5)

Other common species seen (or heard):
Mallard (5), Mourning Dove (6, one pair PRD - probable breeding--copulation), Blue Jay (4), American Robin (35 plus, Confirmed Breeding CO NE, bird on nest), European Starling (1), Northern Cardinal (5), Song Sparrow (1), Red-winged Blackbird (50--probably more), American Goldfinch (20), House Sparrow (1)

Ridgewood Reservoir

Lately, I’ve been having trouble getting my postings up on time. Usually, the first thing that I do when I get home is to upload my photos and enter my day list into my computer. I’ll also enter a basic list of notes into my journal software. In the past it took about a day to piece together the words, images and some links for a blog. Suddenly, I feel like I’m regressing to my grade school days of “my dog ate it-I was absent that day-I left it at home” line of lame excuses. I promise, it won’t happen again ;-)

On Saturday I participated in the second survey of the Ridgewood Reservoir, in Queens. There were six of us and we divided up into two teams to cover different areas. We were looking for signs of current or past breeding birds. All six of us are interested in other areas of nature, so we would be making some other observations, as well. I was the only person to remember to bring a pair of Wellies, so my team would cover the impoundment we call “The Bog”. There had been a lot of recent rain storms so I expected the bog to be very wet.

A lot has changed since our first visit on March 3rd. The most notable was the constant noise and activity by flocks of Common Grackles. They nest in communal roosts, so they usually do everything in distinct, boisterous extended families. There are a lot of conifers in the surrounding cemeteries, just what the grackles prefer. The phragmites that ring the center, “lake” impoundment were ringing with the “konk-a-reee” of Red-winged Blackbirds.

Swarm of midges (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

As we walked around the top edge of the reservoir, Gerry and I noticed that there were scattered swarms of tiny insects hovering in place. We guessed that they were midges and they were emerging just in time for migrating songbirds to eat. I checked my photos when I got home and they did appear to be midges.

At the center of the reservoir we spotted a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk perched high above the three manmade craters. The blackbirds did their best to chase him off, but he seemed unfazed and continued to hunt within the area.

Young Red-tailed Hawk (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

Gerry, Heidi and I rappelled down into the bog using an old cable somebody had conveniently placed along the edge of the retaining wall. Once inside I was glad to have my boots, in fact, a kayak was nearly necessary. Last month we found very little bird life inside. Today we found a fairly good number of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Palm Warblers, White-throated Sparrows and other land birds feeding among the birch trees. We didn’t see a lot of flowering plants in the submerged birch forest. There were several pussywillow shrubs blooming near an open area at the center of the bog and the Norway Maples were just beginning to nudge their pale-green flowers out into the world.

Norway Maple flowers opening

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

Pussywillow species (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

Along the top edge of the reservoir were several very large Eastern Cottonwoods. I don’t remember ever noticing their hefty, raspberry colored catkins on any trees around Brooklyn. Later in the morning we climbed a dirt trail to a high plateau above the reservoir. The top was ringed with cottonwoods, their branches laden with the striking flowers. When we scanned southeast from the summit we were pleasantly surprised by an expansive view of Jamaica Bay. I don’t know if the “mountain” is man-made or natural. It appears to be the highest point in Queens. Perhaps it was created by the fill excavated from the reservoirs.

Eastern Cottonwood (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

As we hiked down from the hill Steve called on his cellphone. He was at the edge of the lake watching a Horned Grebe in nearly complete breeding plumage swimming in the lake. Horned Grebes are very common over-wintering seabirds along the coast of New York. Unfortunately, they all usually head off to their breeding ground before morphing from their dull gray basic plumage to their beautiful red and gold courtship attire. We hurried off to meet Steve and the rest of his team.

The grebe had the namesake golden horns flaring off the sides of his head. He would frequently dive under water searching for fish and, when he returned to the surface, the tufts would be slicked back like a bad ‘50s hairstyle. He was pretty far away but I managed to digi-scope a few photos.

Horned Grebe

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

On our way out we stopped along a grassy rise between the reservoir and the road. Several Cabbage White Butterflies and bees were feeding slowly along the tops of the grass and scattered dandelions. I remember getting excited at the sight of a Mourning Cloak Butterfly during our last visit. As we get closer to mid-May, the activity and energy within the wildlife of New York City will increase exponentially. I can’t wait.

View the inside of the bog


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Ridgewood Reservoir, Queens, 4/21/2007
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Horned Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Wood Duck
Ring-necked Duck
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Laughing Gull
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
Tree Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Red-winged Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch

Other common species seen (or heard):
Canada Goose, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, American Robin, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, Song Sparrow, House Sparrow

Ridgewood Reservoir

Like Andy Goldsworthy (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

About a month ago I was contacted, through my blog, by an artist named Jennifer Monson. At the same time she also wrote to the Brooklyn Bird Club looking for volunteers to assist with a breeding bird census at the RIdgewood Reservoir. Jennifer is the president of an interesting organization named "iLand". She is working on a collaborative project about the reservoir known as “iMap”.

-Click here for more info about iLand projects-

I had never heard of the Ridgewood Reservoir and immediately went online to research the location. The reservoir is located at the south end of a 4 mile stretch of green in the borough of Queens. Starting at the east end, the various habitats consist of Forest Park, Victory Field, Forest Park Golf Course, about a dozen cemeteries, Highland Park and the reservoir. I grew up about 2 miles from Ridgewood and have driven passed the area on the Jackie Robinson Parkway thousands of times but never knew that the reservoir existed. When I looked at the satellite image of the reservoir I was intrigued by the habitat’s potential.

I agreed to help out so Heidi scheduled a time when she, Steve and I could meet with Jennifer and her associates at the Ridgewood Reservoir. I really didn’t know what to expect as the maps and satellite images lack detail. “Forgotten NY“ has a page on the area’s history here.

-Click here for more info on Highland Park-

Before the others arrived Steve, Heidi and I took a short, cursory walk down one of the paths. On the way back I spotted a Mourning Cloak butterfly flitting about, reminding me that spring wasn’t too far off. Back at the parking lot we observed a pair of courting Red-tailed Hawks diving and circling each other, another sure sign that spring is approaching. I’ve made a note of the location and will look for their nest in the cemeteries and Forest Park.

Ridgewood Reservoir overview map (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Google Earth)

Ridgewood Reservoir historic outline (click to enlarge)

The reservoir was built on one of the highest points in the borough. Decommissioned in 1990, it was left to be reclaimed by nature. There is a one mile running and cycling path that borders an 8 foot chain-link fence surrounding the old structures. A pair of parallel paths bisect the reservoir, dividing it into three distinct basins. The walls built to retain the water are constructed of stone blocks and are pitched at about a 60 degree angle.

Before we went behind the fence I was astonished to see that a birch forest was growing up from the bottom of the southern-most reservoir. I was expecting to see a lake habitat. The path around the basins is approximately 20 feet above the new forest’s floor, giving one somewhat of a birds-eye perspective of the trees. Walking north, we entered the old facility at a path between the subterranean forest and a pond. The center reservoir is partially filled with water and ringed with phragmites. A pair of Ring-necked Ducks and a few Mallards were the only birds that we observed in the water.

Reservoir bog (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

There are remaining stretches of the original, wrought-iron fence at the edges of the path. Like much of the habitat, however, it is slowly being swallowed up by bittersweet, multi-flora rose and other vines. Climbing down into the southern basin was difficult and we used a rope that had been affixed to a tree but some neighborhood kids. I felt like I was entering a lost world. The habitat was reminiscent of a bog with a damp, spongy ground and patches of small, grassy hummocks. Most of the city’s constant background sounds were blocked out by the high, enclosing berm. Species of mosses and lichens were abundant on decaying logs. Heidi pointed out some British Soldier lichen. Turkey tail mushrooms ringed tree stumps. The majority of the trees were yellow birch but we found one cluster of about 10 to 12 Winged Sweetgums, trees that I have only seen as single plantings around the city. The density of the woodlands, a lack of trails and stretches of ankle deep water made navigating difficult, but fun. We had started off relatively late in the afternoon so we didn’t have much time to explore. The third basin seemed to be the driest habitat but exploring it would have to wait for another time.

Fences surrendering to vines (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

British Soldier lichen

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

We scanned the center lake for waterfowl one more time then continued back towards the cars. As we passed two guys on dirt bikes tearing up a stretch of parkland outside of the reservoir I worried about the fate of this unique habitat. Would the city try to ”improve“ it? I think that it would be an ideal location for an outdoor laboratory. Watching and exploring an evolving patch of urban landscape that has escaped development for decades would be an invaluable educational tool. I have been told that, a few decades back the area was regularly birded. In the late 70’s the crime in that area made it dangerous, though, and it was ultimately forgotten about by the New York City birding community.

Slug eggs?

(Photo credit - Rob Jett)

-Click here for more info on lichens-