Manhattan, N.Y. City on Sunday, May 2nd Thus far and it was still early when this started to be discovered, there is a near 'mini-fallout' of Cerulean Warbler (even two of this species, in one park here in migration, is nowadays a good number, and more than that is unusual) - in Manhattan with a ***minimum (so far)*** of 4 singing males in 4 separate locations & in at least 3 parks - Central, Riverside, & yet one other local park. This follows the find of a (apparenty 1st-spring) female of the species at Prospect Park Brooklyn (Kings Co., NYC) as seen by many on 5/1 (& found there by R. Paine), an uncommon plumage to spot and to identify in the migration north. There was a fairly good migration overnight in the region, Sat. night into Sunday 5/2. There are also “possible" female Cerulean[s] in Manhattan on 5/2, big-tree-high & in-foliage-foraging.
One (of the several male) Cerulean Warblers on 5/2 was just south of the Met. Museum of Art’s south edge, *in* Central Park, near E. 79th St. - a pedestrian entry at the n.w. side of the Fifth Ave. crossing, & a sometimes busy one. It’s possible this bird wlll stay in that general area, and the trees just south of the museum - & both sides of walkway. (There had already been 30-50+ observers coming to that area as of ~ 10 a.m.). Use care in distinguishing the Cerulean from other warblers such as female (or less-brightly plumaged) Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warblers (also in all areas) just now. Song also will help, & so far all of these discoveries were of singing male birds! Look for the birders and photographers, in that area. Thanks to a woman with a good ear for song on the “Three Bears” early find of Cerulean near Fifth. (there is a bronze statue of 3 bears in the vicinity of the latter location-sighting.) and yep, that made for warbler-species no. 32 (at least) now for N.Y. County, for the year - & for the spring of 2021. There are also still Evening Grosbeaks in Manhattan, including at Central Park, on Sunday, 5/2 as well as elsewhere in the county, and elsewhere in N.Y. City as of May 2nd. Again, listening for calls may be helpful for finding them. … NYC (& other) observers also might be *on-watch* for Prothonotary Warblers, as there have been more showing in a number of places including more as of Saturday 5/1, within N.Y. City. And Kentucky-kapers can continue too, by songs but female birds only by calls or sightings. At least several more have been detected in southeast NY in recent days, and to 5/2 in some locations. Those who are persistent and have the time & energy may be able to locate a whole lot of migrant warblers in the county (N.Y. County), as such early-moving spp. as Pine & Palm, and even Louisiana Waterthrush were still present to Sunday, while a lot of mid-May (typically) species have also been found, and some further early-birds just might yet be. More than 75 species of birds in 3 parks in Manhattan as of 11 a.m. - and far more migrants will be revealed. At least 25 warbler species for Central Park alone by noon-hour Sunday, with more being sought out. An excellent early-morning migration movement of Loons, perhaps all Common, starting as early as the light allowed. There was also a good a.m. flight of passerines that (as is expected) included many Yellow-rumped Warblers continuing onward, along with plenty of other songbird species. Swallow-movement also not too shabby. Some early flight was observed along the Hudson river (from Manhattan). Indigo Buntings in a lot of locations - also a good indicator for other neotropical-wintering migrants having been moving & arriving. As a further note, there were a **lot** of migrants singing & active in many street-trees in Manhattan as early as 4:45 a.m. and onward, & much singing in a lot of the parks all morning as well. It’s also possible that ‘hatch-outs’ (of flying & crawling insects) will occur which can attract a lot of migrants & in which instances the birds may be briefly-brave about taking advantage of the feast, and somewhat ignore their human admirers. The warm & slightly more humid weather is a part of that phenomenon, which we see each spring to some extent. Some 'hatch-outs' were already seen locally in late April & on Sat. May 1st in Manhattan parks. Late-day hours (&/or warmth) may produce the phenomena, but days that start off with humidity & warmth can see this happen at almost any hours. good real-bird-sounds-listening to all, Tom Fiore manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
