Over on Randalls Island -also in N.Y. County- the shorebird and gull numbers had dropped off by Tuesday, although some 10 or more Pectoral Sandpipers were still being seen at some times of the day there, and a variety of other migrants were still in fair to middling numbers in general there. It may be added that at least a few Common Loons were showing in recent days, still not very common however! More notes on N.Y. County sightings at a later date.
- - Manhattan, N.Y. City, including many sightings from Central Park Tuesday, Sept. 26th - 9 Forsters Terns, uncommon-to-rare in N.Y. County generally, were seen w/photos taken also -A. Cunningham- along the Hudson River from near the West Village -piers- and also noted in the same watch were 75 Laughing Gulls, as well as various other spp. From the western end of Dyckman St. in northwest Manhattan, the count of Laughing Gull was almost twice that number. A flight of Broad-winged Hawks came along with the majority passing thru mid-afternoon; the species was also seen in good numbers -given the rough weather in the morning, esp. in the region- at some local hawkwatch locations with fulltime, paid watchers. A couple of notes to add on that - it was clearing much more, and earlier to the north, even just 5-6 miles difference was a large difference, from lower Manhattan compared with the northern tip, where it nearly became sunny very late in the day, with all rain ended earlier up that way. And the areas northward, for example north of Westchester County may have cleared relatively more in the afternoon hours, inspiring some birds to start to move by then, particularly many raptors, vultures, and - as seen also in Manhattan, Common Nighthawks. Up to 14 or more nighthawks came thru, with at least 8 passing thru Central Park late Tues. With many warblers still about around Manhattan, and additionally still on the outlying islands of the county, one species also quite numerous have been Common Yellowthroat, as well as various others. There were at least 23 warbler species noted on Manhattan, and of those at least 22 seen within Central Park on Tuesday. Also in good to high numbers were such species as Rose-breasted Grosbeak, with all of Central Park containing far more than 100, and some smaller parts of the park having dozens - where fruiting trees were loaded. Scarlet Tanagers were still in fair numbers as well, for both Central Park, and around Manhattan more generally. A strong migration occurred overnight from Tuesday night into Wed, 9/27 and some or even many birds which had sat down for some days may have now moved-on. While of course some new arrivals may begin to show, as a few did even thru the storms passage. Some of the species seen from, and in Manhattan on Tuesday 9/26 are listed below. Those seen -also- within Central Park are marked as -CP-. Canada Goose -CP- Mute Swan - off Manhattan upper east side, East River. Wood Duck -CP- Northern Shoveler -CP- Gadwall -CP- Mallard -CP- American Black Duck -CP- Mallard x American Black Duck -hybrid types-. -CP- Northern Pintail - Central Park, The Meer. Green-winged Teal - ongoing for weeks at Central Park. Scoter spp. - seen by several obs., high flyovers not ID to species, however. Pied-billed Grebe -CP- feral Rock Pigeon -CP- Mourning Dove -CP- Common Nighthawk -CP- and also seen elsewhere from Manhattan, p.m. hours. Chimney Swift -CP- including some high numbers at times in flocks. Ruby-throated Hummingbird -CP- Up to 20+ in Central Park alone, and many others scattered around Manhattan island visiting flowers in multiple gardens / greenspaces. American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper -CP- Solitary Sandpiper -CP- This species seen for many, many weeks at Central Park. shorebird sp. - very distant flybys. Laughing Gull - some high numbers continuing in various places, as well as small nos. for some locations around Manhattan. -CP- Ring-billed Gull -CP- American Herring Gull -CP- Great Black-backed Gull -CP- Common Tern - reported. Forsters Tern - as noted at top. Common Loon - flyovers. Double-crested Cormorant -CP- Great Blue Heron -CP- Great Egret -CP- Snowy Egret - flybys. Green Heron -CP- Black-crowned Night-Heron -CP- Black Vulture - moving in numbers esp. as seen from northern Manhattan. Turkey Vulture -CP- Osprey - modest nos. and at -CP- Northern Harrier - small numbers, also -CP- Sharp-shinned Hawk - same, and, -CP- Coopers Hawk -CP- Bald Eagle - many on the move down the rivers, also from -CP- Broad-winged Hawk - surprising nos. for the weather, but clearly some needed to get going, also seen at -CP- all later in day; few before about 2 pm. Red-tailed Hawk -CP- Eastern Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, and -Flaco-, the zoo-escaped Eurasian Eagle-Owl, the latter only still in Central Park, the others resident in n. Manhattan. Belted Kingfisher -CP- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker -CP- Red-bellied Woodpecker -CP- Downy Woodpecker -CP- Hairy Woodpecker -CP- Yellow-shafted Flicker -CP- American Kestrel -CP- Merlin - migrants in nos. and also seen at -CP- Peregrine Falcon - residents, also noted from -CP- Eastern Wood-Pewee -CP- Empidonax species - various -CP- Eastern Phoebe -CP- Great Crested Flycatcher - getting a little late, and lingering at -CP- Blue-headed Vireo -CP- Philadelphia Vireo -CP- and some reports of this sp. elsewhere on Manhattan. Warbling Vireo -CP- Red-eyed Vireo -CP- Blue Jay -CP- American Crow -CP- Common Raven - various locations including from -CP- Black-capped Chickadee -CP- Tufted Titmouse -CP- Tree Swallow - migrating - and some also over -CP- Barn Swallow -CP- Ruby-crowned Kinglet -CP- Red-breasted Nuthatch -CP- White-breasted Nuthatch -CP- Brown Creeper -CP- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher -CP- House Wren -CP- Winter Wren -CP- Marsh Wren -CP- Carolina Wren -CP- European Starling -CP- Gray Catbird -CP- Brown Thrasher - multiple Manhattan locations and in -CP- Northern Mockingbird Veery - getting rather late, still small nos, including in -CP- Gray-cheeked Thrush -CP- Swainsons Thrush - many including ongoing at -CP- Hermit Thrush -CP- Wood Thrush -CP- American Robin -CP- Cedar Waxwing -CP- House Sparrow -CP- House Finch -CP- Purple Finch - few, -CP- American Goldfinch -CP- Chipping Sparrow -CP- Field Sparrow -CP- White-crowned Sparrow - NOT the first of the season -CP- White-throated Sparrow - light increases in recent days, also in -CP- Savannah Sparrow -CP- Song Sparrow -CP- Lincolns Sparrow - fair nos. around Manhattan including in -CP- Swamp Sparrow -CP- Eastern Towhee -CP- Baltimore Oriole -CP- Red-winged Blackbird -CP- Brown-headed Cowbird -CP- Common Grackle -CP- - Ovenbird -CP- Northern Waterthrush -CP- Blue-winged Warbler Tennessee Warbler -CP- Nashville Warbler -CP- Mourning Warbler -CP- Common Yellowthroat -CP- American Redstart -CP- Cape May Warbler -CP- Northern Parula -CP- Magnolia Warbler -CP- Bay-breasted Warbler -CP- Yellow Warbler -CP- Chestnut-sided Warbler -CP- Blackpoll Warbler -CP- Black-throated Blue Warbler -CP- Palm Warbler - good numbers, incl. for -CP- Pine Warbler -CP- Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warbler -CP- Prairie Warbler -CP- Black-throated Green Warbler -CP- Canada Warbler - getting a bit late now -CP- Wilsons Warbler -CP- - Scarlet Tanager -CP- Northern Cardinal -CP- Rose-breasted Grosbeak good nos. including at -CP- Indigo Bunting -CP- ... and likely some additional spp. for Manhattan island, or the adjacent skies or waters. Thanks to the many out in wet and windy weather lately, finding a lot of interesting birds and offering good reports and also photos. Good 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/ --
