New York County, including Manhattan, Governors Island, & Randall’s Island
Thursday, May 6 -
At least one dozen Evening Grosbeaks visited Central Park in Manhattan on Thursday, with flocks of up to eight at once in the areas of the Pinetum and nearby, while at least four more were in other more far-flung areas of the park as well (and many seen concurrently), with multiple observers. There were at least a few additional reports from other areas of Manhattan (lower and upper), mainly involving singles of this species. (We still have not come close however to historic numbers observed in the county, including in Central Park, over past decades in big years for this species. A big difference now is that many hundreds of observers have been able to watch this species here, an area where the species is decidedly unexpected in most years!) The larger flocks of ‘Eve-beaks’ in Central Park were present all thru the day, first-light thru sunset. It will be interesting to see if any greater numbers are yet seen this month in the county.
A nice flock of Bobolinks was continuing on Governors Island on Thursday (C. Weiner), that island once again open to public access, with reservations currently required for the ferries. Plenty of other migrants and some resident birds are also being found on Governors Island, and the same can be said of Randall’s Island too.
An excellent showing of warblers and other birds was made at Carl Schurz Park on Manhattan’s east side on Thursday, in a popular walk (guided by G. Willow). Many other parks all across Manhattan were producing a wide variety of migrants. One such, a smaller park on West 22nd St., Clement Moore park and playground, had an Orange-crowned Warbler reported, with details (P. Shure), the latter species also reported again from Central Park. It can also be noted that Tennessee Warblers are passing through now, including some Thursday & at least a few seen & heard in Central Park.
Central Park alone had at least 25 warbler species on Thursday, as seen by many, many observers spread throughout the park all through the day. Other parks also fared well for warbler diversity as well as other migrants & residents. One example of a much watched individual warbler was the Worm-eating putting on a show, with a Solitary Sandpiper also in the same area in the park’s n. end. Some of us managed to find 24 warbler species in Central Park’s north end, without getting south of 103rd Street, & with quiet patience the key. Also found at the same time were 5 vireo species: White-eyed, Yellow-throated, Blue-headed, Red-eyed, and Warbling Vireos. A ‘bonus-bird’ was a perched Common Nighthawk (‘lump on a limb’).
Some migrants in Central Park may be seen on days of high diversity migration by walking the miles of the bridle paths which extend far beyond the Central Park reservoir; as a reminder, that was how the park’s one-and-only Kirtland’s Warbler was discovered not so long ago, one of the city’s many great rarities (seen by multi-hundreds during its few days stay in the month of May). A LOT of birds can be found near & along those bridle paths at times & much of those are not that well-covered by birders despite so many in that park during peak migration times. We are thankful to Debbie Becker & others for reporting sightings from the s. end of Central Park, which deserves to be watched in most any season, and to all reporting from diverse parts of Manhattan & other places in the county.
Excellent migration occurred overnight Thursday to Friday (May 7) all up & down the eastern U.S. and into Canada, & this was possibly the strongest night of migration so far this spring for much of that huge region.
... a few of us birding the north end of Central Park enjoyed the ‘one-day-after’ performance by an authentic mariachi band, at the Conservatory Garden (with ‘VIP’ guests, and happily open to all of the public, within that formal garden setting, around the noon hour). In addition to the music and dancing were the two tanager species, Summer & Scarlet, as well as 2 oriole species, Orchard & Baltimore to enjoy in that setting.
...A migration arrival of Ladys were observed as well on Thursday - butterflies, that is, both Painted and American Lady in numbers, some moving steadily north, some stopping off. That was interesting given the predominant NW winds locally, which however diminished as the day went on.
good listening-with-patience birding,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
Thursday, May 6 -
At least one dozen Evening Grosbeaks visited Central Park in Manhattan on Thursday, with flocks of up to eight at once in the areas of the Pinetum and nearby, while at least four more were in other more far-flung areas of the park as well (and many seen concurrently), with multiple observers. There were at least a few additional reports from other areas of Manhattan (lower and upper), mainly involving singles of this species. (We still have not come close however to historic numbers observed in the county, including in Central Park, over past decades in big years for this species. A big difference now is that many hundreds of observers have been able to watch this species here, an area where the species is decidedly unexpected in most years!) The larger flocks of ‘Eve-beaks’ in Central Park were present all thru the day, first-light thru sunset. It will be interesting to see if any greater numbers are yet seen this month in the county.
A nice flock of Bobolinks was continuing on Governors Island on Thursday (C. Weiner), that island once again open to public access, with reservations currently required for the ferries. Plenty of other migrants and some resident birds are also being found on Governors Island, and the same can be said of Randall’s Island too.
An excellent showing of warblers and other birds was made at Carl Schurz Park on Manhattan’s east side on Thursday, in a popular walk (guided by G. Willow). Many other parks all across Manhattan were producing a wide variety of migrants. One such, a smaller park on West 22nd St., Clement Moore park and playground, had an Orange-crowned Warbler reported, with details (P. Shure), the latter species also reported again from Central Park. It can also be noted that Tennessee Warblers are passing through now, including some Thursday & at least a few seen & heard in Central Park.
Central Park alone had at least 25 warbler species on Thursday, as seen by many, many observers spread throughout the park all through the day. Other parks also fared well for warbler diversity as well as other migrants & residents. One example of a much watched individual warbler was the Worm-eating putting on a show, with a Solitary Sandpiper also in the same area in the park’s n. end. Some of us managed to find 24 warbler species in Central Park’s north end, without getting south of 103rd Street, & with quiet patience the key. Also found at the same time were 5 vireo species: White-eyed, Yellow-throated, Blue-headed, Red-eyed, and Warbling Vireos. A ‘bonus-bird’ was a perched Common Nighthawk (‘lump on a limb’).
Some migrants in Central Park may be seen on days of high diversity migration by walking the miles of the bridle paths which extend far beyond the Central Park reservoir; as a reminder, that was how the park’s one-and-only Kirtland’s Warbler was discovered not so long ago, one of the city’s many great rarities (seen by multi-hundreds during its few days stay in the month of May). A LOT of birds can be found near & along those bridle paths at times & much of those are not that well-covered by birders despite so many in that park during peak migration times. We are thankful to Debbie Becker & others for reporting sightings from the s. end of Central Park, which deserves to be watched in most any season, and to all reporting from diverse parts of Manhattan & other places in the county.
Excellent migration occurred overnight Thursday to Friday (May 7) all up & down the eastern U.S. and into Canada, & this was possibly the strongest night of migration so far this spring for much of that huge region.
... a few of us birding the north end of Central Park enjoyed the ‘one-day-after’ performance by an authentic mariachi band, at the Conservatory Garden (with ‘VIP’ guests, and happily open to all of the public, within that formal garden setting, around the noon hour). In addition to the music and dancing were the two tanager species, Summer & Scarlet, as well as 2 oriole species, Orchard & Baltimore to enjoy in that setting.
...A migration arrival of Ladys were observed as well on Thursday - butterflies, that is, both Painted and American Lady in numbers, some moving steadily north, some stopping off. That was interesting given the predominant NW winds locally, which however diminished as the day went on.
good listening-with-patience birding,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
--
NYSbirds-L List Info:
Archives:
Please submit your observations to eBird!
--
