Since my post the other day mistakenly threw in evening grosbeak on an
othewise-standard bird list (for Central), it was interesting to see
that actual Evening Grosbeaks were reported as flying west past Jones
Beach-West End this morning, by several observers. Not only eyes-out,
but ears open for that species - and incidentally, it has occurred
into May -in NYC- in very good years - nope not too recently!
------------
Saturday, 4 March, 2017 -
Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City
Thanks up-front to the many birders today who were all ethically-
minded in their observing, not only for shy birds, but to and for all
of the many other park-users. There will be parks personnel and
uniformed police available to help, in case any assistance is required
in the coming days, and into the spring. This day was a delight in
part for finding such a diverse mix of birders and nature-observers in
the park, many of them happening to be women, and of everyone, a range
through at least 7 decades of ages; I was privileged to chat with a
few of our most-experienced, as well as a few of our brightest younger
birders, in passing thru one area in the park this afternoon.
(I may add some notes on raptors of various kinds in weeks ahead, not
just yet, as the migrations of many sorts are underway & will continue
well into next month.)
In many ways, the appearance was of a lot of the same species
lingering on; yet there has been & still was this day a sense of
movement, whether of water-birds or passerines - & perhaps of other
kinds. Each day a bit more sun, the nights shorten by a few minutes,
and some birds are on the way no matter a slowing by regional weather-
patterns. I had 2 scans of the CP reservoir & neither provided me any
Loon of any species, while one long-lingering Red-necked Grebe was
especially cooperative for photos near the north edge at one point
(this still the same rehabbed and released individual), and the 2 Pied-
billed Grebes were swimming along together at one point; otherwise,
the reservoir was not all that active; there were a few D.-c.
Cormorants and these have been in other park water-bodies at times
over the past few weeks. The Meer again held a pair of Hooded
Mergansers, a pair of Wood Ducks, American Coot, Gadwalls, Northern
Shovelers and Ruddy Ducks in addition to regulars, including the scene-
stealing Indian Runner Duck (that is a release or escapee). A
gorgeous drake N. Pintail remained at the Pond, in the park's SE
corner, & a good many other species have also lingered in that area to
today.
In the Ravine area of the north woods, among expected species, there
was at least one Golden-crowned Kinglet, & it may have been a migrant
or perhaps a locally-wintered bird. A first-winter Red-headed
Woodpecker continues in its favored areas, a bit west of East 68th
Street within the park, a bit more red on head each day.
Some blackbirds have continued to move, even on the cold nights; many
Common Grackles, and modest numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds; some of
the movements are, or seem to be, most apparent from the extreme north
edges of the park recently, the direction of flight[s] varying a bit
from headed due north, to more north-east.
- - - - - - - - -
"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what
you know for sure that just ain't so."
(Mark Twain)
good - and ethical - birding,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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