There continues to be at least modest evidence of a bit of a ‘wavelet’ of some migrants that would be considered early for their respective typical arrival-dates, in and around the wider region. One (and just one) example of this are House Wrens showing up - unless there is any theory that all of those which have been found quite recently were also overwintered locally (which I am assuming was not the case). Some other species perhaps showing up only recently (in this sort of category) may have been found only as singles. Just to be clear, there are not new reports of House Wren in N.Y. County, but there have been elsewhere in N.Y. City, and other locations. White-eyed Vireo is a species that has, very rarely sucessfully overwintered in N.Y. City, and that species has just turned up this week on Long Island, in both Nassau, and then Suffolk, County[s] of New York. … There are recent studies out of the Field Museum in Chicago indicating that some species of birds have been nesting (& egg-laying) up to several weeks earlier than they were 100 years earlier. It seems the earlier budding-leafing of plants and the earlier emegences of insects in the modern era may be helping to drive that, all of course tied in to climate change issues. It’s been noted with the Field Museum studies as well that the spring season has become more ‘volatile’, and those early-nesters can be at a higher risk - among a lot of other connected issues.
- - - New York County (in N.Y. City), including Manhattan, Randall’s Island, and Governors Island Monday, March 21st, through Thursday, March 24th: A Western Tanager was ongoing at Carl Schurz Park; most-regular (including on Thursday morning) at and near the feeder array (& some shrubs that are to the north) along the western edge of that park, near East End Ave., & just south of a main entrance at East 86th, with steps leading up to the area of the feeders (or, just west of the n.-w. gate of the Catbird Playground, a large playground within same park). This bird can take some patience. It’s presumed that the 2nd (other) W. Tanager could still be in the area of W. 47th-48th St. & near or east of Tenth Ave., including at or near the Clinton community garden (which can be viewed from the sidewalk), however we don’t seem to have any very-recent report or sightings from that neighborhood. An Iceland Gull was along the Hudson river, at the western terminus of Dyckman Street, on Wednesday, 3/23. Eastern Bluebirds have been on the move around the region, and several stopped in on their way north at Manhattan, with some in Central Park & at least several more sightings in northern Manhattan (parks - including Highbridge Park, and Inwood Hill Park). A very modest uptick in Winter Wrens has been noted in the county, those supplementing the many Carolina Wrens that were around, and have become rather more vocal with longer days. An Orange-crowned Warbler was continuing on at Randall’s Island, with multiple sightings in this report’s period, and seen to drizzly-Thursday there. Pine & [Myrtle] Yellow-rumped Warblers also have continued to be found around the county. Small numbers of Black Vultures and (more of) Turkey Vultures have been seen in the recent days which were not too drizzly or rained-out for much of their movements nor for much evidence of raptor movement. Bald Eagles and some other raptors have otherwise been found, including such birds on the move in recent days. A small increase of E. Phoebes, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, & a bit of additional movement of some other species, but at least among rather-obvious passerines around here, no species too 2nd place to American Robins which are appearing by the multi-hundreds, even some of that kind of number for 1 location-view at one time. Also on the move & fairly obvious at times are Blue Jays, & both American Crows and their less-widespread smaller cousins Fish Crow. The latter have in a few instances been found in groups of a few-dozen at a time, vocal & moving along, esp. along the rivers. Additional movements by Slate-colored Juncos have also been seen. Numbers of Cedar Waxwings were continuing in various locations. A drake Ring-necked Duck continued on Central Park's ‘Meer' through Thursday (seen at the n.-e. corner nearer to 110th St./Fifth Ave. at 6:50 a.m.) - and other ducks still around the county have included Wood Duck, N. Shoveler, Gadwall, American Black Duck, Greater Scaup, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck and others. [Atantic] Brant are still around in large numbers in select locations, & American Coot also. Mute Swan was present off Randall’s Island at least to Wed., 3/23, and a single Lesser Scaup was photographed off Governors Island on 3/21. Killdeer and American Woodcock have both continued to be seen in the county. Some Chipping Sparrows and Field Sparrow have continued on at Central Park; those were present for at least part of the winter, not recent arrivals. At least 90 species of birds were seen in the 4 days of this report’s period, in N.Y. County. Some species that had already had small ‘peaks’ for a while in moving in (and-or increasing) to the county have also moved along, such as most obviously some of the waterfowl, but also some other species, [Red] Fox Sparrow being among those (however, they are not all gone, and there may well be a fresh new arrival of more of that species; thus far it’s been such an up-down spring-weather season, and among a limited number of early-migrators (ahead of the huge pushes of birds in late April through May) tough to see what of those early-birds may yet come through in higher numbers. More & more trees (those which flower early) in the city are starting to show some colors, along with increasing blooms on many garden plants. At Central Park, the first of (planted, maintained) early native flowers have begun, such as Bloodroot and some others. Good - and ethical - birding 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/ --
