Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City Saturday, 15 October, 2016 - Freshly &/or very recent migrant arrivals include more ducks, particularly at the reservoir, but as well on some of the other waterbodies in the park - however, a lone American Coot at The Pond (SE sector of the park) which has been present daily for a week, & was present Friday, was again found in the wide portion of the pond easily seen from Gapstow bridge or the path south of that; a drake Wood Duck is a daily presence (seen for over a month) & was also there Friday, & again this day; it can sometimes be skulking in shadier areas.
At least 2 Hooded Merganser (non-adult) were present on the reservoir as of 8 am this Saturday morning. A minimum of 4 Buffleheads (perhaps more) were among some of the rafts of Ruddy Duck at the reservoir, & elsewhere there were at least 3 additional Buffleheads. Ruddy Duck numbers have increased just slightly from the 65+ present at the reservoir (as of Friday) to 80+ (or more) today, with rafts scattered on all sectors of the water there. Few were on other waterbodies early in the morning. Wood Ducks are also present on at least 5 of the park's principal water-bodies, with a few at the lake, & others at Pool, Meer, & reservoir in addition to the long-staying one at the Pond. American Black Ducks have been increased slightly & were present on multiple waterbodies. At least one female-looking Green-winged Teal continues at the Meer, seen each day thru today there; an American Wigeon seems not to have been 'definitively' seen since Thursday (at the Meer), but may well continue in the park - checking all rafts of Northern Shovelers, which are ongoing in the park, may lead to noticing a wigeon as it is possible they move in concert. Among "hot-spots" for numbers of migrants, the Siberian Elms & other trees at & near the Pinetums (both east & particularly, west) have & continue to produce multiple Warbler species, Cape May prominent in interest among those, with up to 9 additional warbler species present there both Friday & again this day - this including all of the plantings & shrubby areas, not just the elm and pine circuits & circle. A variety of sparrows are also being seen daily in these areas, with both species of kinglets, both species of nuthatch, Brown Creeper, & some additional migrants in the area. Additional Cape May Warblers were present again at Shakespeare Garden and in elms at the most-eastern edges of the Mall (but that area was becoming extremely busy with an event taking place close by today), as well as locations otherwise mentioned in this post. A wide variety of other migrants are present, with some change-over in these days & nights of northerly winds (due to change around to southerlies, by later Saturday). On Friday 10/14, Cape May Warblers were brought to the attention of many in the north end of the park by Gabriel Willow, leading a bird- walk with & for the NY City Audubon chapter (NYCAS) across the Great Hill & elsewhere in the north end. - - - - - - - - - - - - - "All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts. ~ The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land. ~ A land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his-her fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such." - Aldo Leopold (1887–1948), U.S. wildlife biologist, conservationist, professor, author, best known for his book "A Sand County Almanac" (1949), which has sold more than two million copies. good -and ethical- (quiet and respectful of wildlife & of all beings) birding, Tom Fiore Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
