Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City On Thursday, 5 Sept. there were a fair number of migrants yet it seemed to this observer that many had departed, with diversity lower and overall numbers at least no higher from the preceding day (Wed. 4 Sept.). Also, some of the uncommon birds of the day before seemed to have moved on with that initial push; Thursday did bring an influx of some of the more common early "fall" songbirds, & once again, the Red- eyed as well as Warbling Vireo migrants were well-represented in the flocks. Yes, the ongoing passage of a number of the hybrid crosses of Blue-wingedxGolden-winged Warbler spp. is also the sad reminder of the latter species getting scarcer & scarcer in it's former NE U.S. breeding areas - maybe better up near & in Canada; they still winter in truly discrete regions, also, so there is that separation and it's a species-pair that must have been (is) close thru these evolutionary times.
----------------- Friday, 9/6 - Another (last night, &) day of migratory movement, with as many birds (more, really) passing overnight than stopped in, and then a modest flight of raptors going by in the mid-day hours. The day started off a little busier (at least in the park's north end) & then quieted by later on, but activity was discerned, in select sites, thru the day. There were a few cuckoo sightings, seemingly both Black- and Yellow-billed being seen; a good number of flycatchers & at least some of the Empidonax recognizably Least-ish, with others in that genus likely still passing as well, & a modest movement of Eastern Kingbird, including some noted going by with the raptor flight. The more obvious migrants, by overall numbers, included at least 24 warbler species, these including (& likely not limited to): Northern Parula Blue-winged Tennessee Nashville Yellow Chestnut-sided Magnolia Cape May (Great Hill) Black-throated Blue Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Black-throated Green Blackburnian Pine Prairie (several) Bay-breasted Blackpoll Worm-eating (Gill area, in ramble, p.m.) Black-and-white American Redstart (many) Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Common Yellowthroat (multiple) Wilson's Canada and there were again some sparrow sightings, including the lingering Vesper (Great Hill, s. upper slope), as well as Field, Chipping, Song, & White-throated (few). Among these sparrows were several oddly seeming still in almost juvenile plumage, as though quite recently 'fledged and flown'. A decent number of Scarlet Tanagers and Rose- breasted Grosbeaks, as well as Baltimore Orioles, and at the reservoir, a scattering of N. Shovelers, perhaps not the first of fall, but new to me in Central this season. Thanks to others in the park today for some tips & sightings. The modest raptor flight included Bald Eagle, Osprey (5+), Northern Harrier (late in day), Cooper's Hawk (maybe a relatively local bird), American Kestrel, and a few very high and not-in-a-kettle Broad-winged Hawks (but really tough viewing in almost clear skies). Some Chimney Swifts, Barn Swallows, and a couole of unid. swallow sp. also went by, as did a few hummingbirds, all presumed to be of the Ruby-throated variety. One note, non-bird but migrant-related is that Monarch butterflies seem to be doing rather poorly in the eastern parts of N. America and it may show as their fall migration towards Mexico is getting underway - I did see one go past, & will keep an eye out for more... with expectations rather lowered for this autumn. We won't know just how they're doing on migration until a couple more months pass but signs are their numbers have plummeted this year. Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES 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://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
