Wednesday, 21 October 2009 - Staten Island, N.Y. City
A couple of the rarities recently reported were still present today,
including a male Rufous (judging by prior photos showing tail spreads)
Hummingbird in the same location (at around 7:15 a.m.), and a
Cackling Goose also at a location as previously reported. The hummer
was visiting flowers when I saw it & I did not notice it going to a
feeder but did not stay long observing. Directions for this Rufous
Hummingbird were posted to this list over the past week, & to the
SINaturaList: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SINaturaList/message/
1310 There are still flowers available incidentally, although likely
fewer than on the day of discovery;
I do not see any other updates to this rare bird from later in the day
and now wonder... this would be the sort of weather day (& yesterday,
& tomorrow too) when a hummingbird might decide to move on & take off.
A Cackling Goose was with about 120+ Canada Geese, all feeding or
resting in the back field behind the K.-school at Mt. Loretto, off
Hylan Blvd. & a bit north of Page Ave. - the school's field is on the
west side of Hylan Blvd., & in the NW portion of the open areas of the
property. In both places one should act in a manner befitting a visit
to private property and be respectful of other people (most of whom
will not be birders).
Sparrows were common to abundant in many locations and it was not long
to compile a list of ten species, Chipping, Field, Savannah, Song,
Swamp, Lincoln's, White-crowned, White-throated, [red] Fox (at least
2), & a Vesper at Mt. Loretto - in the area near the bluff, where a
paved spur goes up towards the highest point. Incidentally Mount
Loretto (a NY DEC Unique Area Preserve) has good potential for all
sorts of birds, both the expected & also the totally unexpected - were
it visited twice a day by keen birders every day in Oct. & Nov. it
could become among the better-known NYC hot-spots. It is "known", yet
there's even more potential.
A White-eyed Vireo seen singing at Crooke's Point, Great Kills Park
was a tad on the late side (even if it's a species that winters
farther north than any of our other NY-breeding vireos). Crooke's
Point in particular, and Great Kills Park in general, had many
thousands of migrants & arrivals, with Yellow-rumped Warblers (all
presumed Myrtle types) in absolute abundance, and up to 300+ seen
coming in off the outer NY harbor even over an hour past sunrise.
These Yellow-rumped numbers were really uncountable, but certainly
were well into the high 6-figure range for all of the shore areas
south of the Narrows and north of Ward's Point. I also counted
(actual count) 62 Palm Warblers, many of which were of the "western"
type. Other warblers included an Orange-crowned and Magnolia at Mt.
Loretto, & a Pine Warbler in Snug Harbor Cultural Center botanical
gardens, later on. The American Robin flight while hardly comparable
to the Yellow-rumped movement & aggregations, was nonetheless numerous
with a thousand or more moving thru Great Kills Park. I looked for
and did not see any swallows/martins, anywhere.
I also looked carefully through a flock of 850+ Atlantic Brant on
Miller Field, with one recent report suggesting a possible 'Black'
Brant amongst a large flock there - I found no individual[s] that
looked really good in all, or even any, characters for 'Black '-
considered a potentially separate species from the 'Atlantic' form we
typically see hereabouts. As the Brant continue to increase this fall,
any observers interested in discerning a rarely-documented Black Brant
might wish to look at: http://www.oceanwanderers.com/BBrantNY.html
(thanks to Angus Wilson) - I would emphasize the marks that are noted
therein including great extent of black in the underparts well into
the lower belly for Black Brant. Many Atlantic Brant can look very
dusky below the upper breast.
A stop at Wolfe's Pond Park did not reveal anything of great note in
my visit. There are some sea duck such as Red-breasted Merganser
beginning to gather as well as at least a small number Red-throated
Loons.
Fairly common & expected were N. Flickers, Eastern Phoebes, Cedar
Waxwings. Not seemingly very common were blackbirds of any kind
although I did find a few flocks now & then, mainly Red-winged
Blackbird.
There were 48 American Crows together in two trees at Mt. Loretto in
the morning.
--- --- --- ---
Of 3 vagrant flycatchers now reported in the greater northeast none
are kingbirds. And there are likely a few kingbirds out there!
THREE Pink-footed Geese, continuing, in southern Maine:
http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/MAIN.html#1256160509
(prior reports give additional location info - check updates!)
- - -
SAGE Thrasher continued, Sandy Hook New Jersey, 10/21:
http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NJBC.html#1256132625
- - -
Scissor-tailed
