December 22, 2025
Christmas 2025
Brooklyn Christmas Bird of the Year: Brown Pelican
Pelicans are rarely seen in Brooklyn. Only small numbers make their way this far north, and are most often seen from ocean beaches during summer. For reasons uncertain, this year multiple birds have been around during the holiday season; I saw a string of 14 passing over Gravesend Bay towards Coney Island on December 10th, followed by a single bird that passed directly over my head. An auspicious rarity to mark the Christmastide.
December 22, 2024
Christmas 2024
Brooklyn Christmas Bird of the Year: Red-Shouldered Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk is not common in the city but as a regular winter visitor may be encountered with the good fortune of the season, like this one perched on a south Brooklyn streetlamp.