With a focus on Manhattan & in particular, the many observations in Central
Park (in N.Y. City) as well as other sectors of the county: N.Y. County.
Wed.-Thursday May 11th & 12th - and a few updates to May 13th, as well as notes
on all of this week.
A likely-female (or younger male in similar plumage) SUMMER Tanager was found
in Central Park on Thurs., May 12th (E. Leonardi, poss. others as well), also
confirmed in eBird (where the sighting was listed under the heading - “Central
Park, The Ramble”).
A sometimes singing or calling BICKNELL’S THRUSH was ongoing to Friday, May
13th, as seen & audio / video recorded by any number of quiet observers for the
same location / area in the northwestern ‘corner’ of Central Park. (This an
uncommonly lengthy stay of that species in one location on a 'stop-over’.) We
are all thankful to Christian Cooper for the initial reporting and all the
follow-up by other dedicated listeners & lovers of birdsong for the multiple
efforts on documenting this, and to the bird itself which has been ongoing for
at least 4 days in a row now.
The ongoing Yellow-breasted CHAT was seen to at least Thursday, May 12th in the
north end of Central Park on the SW-sector of the Great Hill (as in prior days)
with multi.-observers.
A rather rarely-recorded sighting for N.Y. County, even if a likely annual
passage migrant (and probably not at all rare as such there), a Virginia RAIL
was observed in the late-day hours of May 11th at Central Park by a team of
highly-experienced observers. One (of same group) had reported 2 (fem./male)
very-late (for the county) and very uncommon-there Long-tailed Ducks on the
Hudson river off Manhattan’s lower Riverside Park on the same afternoon (as
fly-bys headed south).
A Marsh Wren was again present in Central Park’s north end on May 11th, seen
singing by multiple observers that day (T. Winston, m.obs.) A Greater
Yellowlegs was photographed, and 2 Least Sandpipers also seen at Inwood Hill
Park in n. Manhattan, on same date (by D. Schenker). Greater Yellowlegs also
had been seen with multiple obs. at Sherman Creek (part of the Swindler Cove
Park protected area on the Harlem river near and n. of the eastern end of
Dyckman St., northern Manhattan) on the same date.
A Bank Swallow was among the far-more-regular swallow species noted from
Randall’s Island on May 11th (A. Farnsworth, C. Wood); this latter species is
likely a bit underdetected in N.Y. County and has in recent decades
occasionally been found to be “not rare” in spring passage, but often requires
scrutiny of lots of swallows on the move, or when seen in feeding groups, which
can sometimes be rather temporary in any given location in the county. (much
the same comment might apply also to Cliff Swallow in the county as well)
Some excellent counts of Chimney Swifts have been made for the county in the
past few days, some of many-hundreds swarming ahead of entering roost-sites.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo has been seen with some reports suggesting increases by
the middle of this week, and sightings are coming from multiple sites in the
county.
Some individual observers or groups of observers were finding as many as 20+
spp. of American Warblers in the county, per walk or outing, somtimes with a
strong effort and much meandering in any given location[s], to Thursday &
Friday, May 12 & 13. Such now-late (here) migrant warblers as Louisiana
Waterthrush and Palm Warbler were still being reported to at least May 12th, by
multiple observers. 18-20+ Warbler spp. were found at Inwood Hill and Ft.
Tryon Park (combined) in recent days, a nice indication of the diversity in
Parulidae moving through, not just being found in ultra-densely-birded Central
Park. Rather similar results have been achieved at Riverside Park, and have
been at least possible in a few other single-park localities of the county, and
this number was again achieved or exceeded on May 13th.
A fair number of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were lingering on to this week, in
N.Y. County. Also lingering were a very few Winter Wrens, Golden-crowned
Kinglet, and Brown Creeper, as well as some sightings of Red-throated Loons, in
several locations to May 12th & some (or even all) into May 13th. At least a
few Purple Finch have been seen thru this week in a number of locations,
including in Central Park - knowing the songs and calls is useful as for some
many species. At least 2 Wood Ducks were continuing on at Central Park thru
Friday, May 13th.
- -
Not too-much noted here (in N.Y. County) so far, Common Nighthawks completed
the trio of caprimulgids which have passed thru by now, and some of the latter
having made it to 100+++ miles beyond N.Y. City in their migrations-north, this
past week. More of the latter species should be on the way.
It appears that there are no reports *after* May 11th for an adult-plumaged
(gender not determined) Red-headed Woodpecker which many hundreds of observers
had enjoyed for some days in its’ stay in the n. end of Central Park (this was
seen by many, & photo’d. again on 5/11.) A stay of more than even one day of
this species (after a mid-spring arrival) is always a nice event, and this
individual in particular was much enjoyed by so many during its’ visit to
Central.
Nearly 150 species of birds (and possibly more) have been found in this week in
New York County (which is not close to a record no. for a week’s sightings in
the county, for those wondering - indeed, some of us “old-timers” have
recorded, in a major and serious group-effort, more than 150 species of birds
in *one day* in Central Park -including documented fly-overs- in the month of
May - that occasion was a highly-unusual situation for weather having held back
huge numbers of migrants all through the eastern parts of N. America for the
first half or more of May in that year. The effort made was more than that put
into many CBC efforts for the entire county, all directed to 1 day in Central,
and that effort (level) has never quite been repeated by so many all working in
that sense and for such a collective - and surprising! - tally from just 1
local park - also, as a p.s., no one individual in that effort saw/heard all of
those 150+ species, again that was a collective effort by a large group of
experienced observers).
At least 85 ("and counting!”) species of birds were seen by many in Central
Park (Manhattan) alone for Friday morning, the 13th of May, and far more
species for all of N.Y. County on the day.
good mid-May birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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