Thursday, 16 December 2010 - Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City The (non-adult male or female) VARIED THRUSH which has lingered in the same area of Central Park for some weeks is still present today, thus making it into the CBC (Christmas Bird Count) period for the count which includes Manhattan, the Lower Hudson (actually part of the New Jersey counts, oddly). I fiound the Varied Thrush at 2:10 p.m. this Thursday afternoon in the area of "Cleopatra's Needle" which is not more than a few hundred feet or so north, and by foot path slightly downhill, from the areas where the thrush had mostly been seen and/or sought 'til now. The presence of part or much of an associated flock of other wintering birds was a clue but the thrush itself may or may not be "loyal" to that or any flock, which included 2 male Eastern Towhees, a pair of N. Cardinals and most immediately obvious a good number (25+) of White-throated Sparrows. The Varied Thrush was more specifically around the west side of the large-ish yews that are astride the steps on the west edge of the enclosed area surrounding Cleopatra's Needle. All this is easily accessible from the paths entering the park at Fifth Ave. & E. 79 Street. If coming from that location, take the path in from the northwest corner of that interesection, that is on the Metropolitan Museum's "side" of the 79 Street transverse road in & out of the park, walk in straight past the playground and continue west thru an underpass-like arch on the park's footpath, then upon emerging turn right to reach the Cleopatra's Needle. There were essentially no birds whatsoever to be found in or on the borders of the "maintenance field" part of the ramble when I looked there, and indeed much of the ramble proper was very quiet other than for a modest assortment of "regulars" around the feeders.
Of course (and has I had assumed already) the Varied Thrush is likely to be roaming about a bit & may or may not be associating with the aforementioned loose flock. I had already been in the areas where the thrush had most often been seen, and had noticed that the little flock of other birds was "trending" north from the areas the thrush has enjoyed to now. Hopefully it will not wander all too far, or in any case be recorded again for Sunday's CBC. A number of other birds of interest may persist as well even if they haven't been reported on just lately, although the recent deep-freeze could have affected a few species or caused some to move. I'm going to seek out a few that I was tipped off on, although some are indefinite or not so recent "tips". Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
