Thurs. 10 April, Wed. 9 April, & Tues., 8 April, & prior, 2014
Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City
Thurs. 10 April -
A *Wilson's Snipe* appeared at the Point, seen by M.OBS. (M.any
OBS.ervers), a part of the Ramble along the lake - it was first found
fairly early in the morning. (m.o.b.'s can also be interpreted as Many
Other BirderS, or in various other ways according to the 'severity' of
the situation. ;-) This snipe stayed around a while, today.
Clearly it was a day for *Blue-gray Gnatcatcher* to arrive locally and,
whereas some have referred to this week's dates - today & just recently
- as "early", that is so mostly in terms of the general arrival, which
is later. There are now numerous records for the species in the first
week in April, and many more for the first ten days in this month, from
both more relatively-recent electronic data, as well as in print in the
still very-useful accounts of "Bull's Birds of New York State" (1998,
edited by Emanuel "Manny" Levine [d. 2014], pub. by Comstock/Cornell U.
Press.) as well as various other sources. In Central Park there were at
least 4 individuals found today that I am aware of, 2 in the south half
of the park, 2 in the north end. (the south half of the park can be
realistically seen as all the park south the 86th Street crosstown
Transverse Rd. which is very near the s. end of the reservoir -do the
street-math if you wish. However most reports in C.P. indicating "north
end" mean the areas very roughly bounded by E. & W. 100 Sts. as a
practical matter even if the reservoir & N. Meadow ballfields, & more
areas, are all full of potential, and have shown that overt the years.
Incidentally all of the large "lawns", meadows, & ballfields are now
open for the season, and this can mean much-lowered potential of chances
at "meadow" sorts of species, exceptions being getting out at first
light, & maybe more so on rainy days. *Barn Swallow*[s] (f.o.s.?) were
reported today, just slightly unusual to have that swallow species
appear ahead of N. Rough-winged, & of course usually the first, by far,
to arrive locally are Tree Swallows.
Overall I thought it a bit slow compared with the last few days, but
others may have a different impression... overall numbers of migrants
&/or wintering birds seemed to have dropped off. This should be remedied
very soon,next few days, if the winds & other weather cooperate a
little. It was possible today to find such species as Palm,
Yellow-rumped & perhaps Pine Warblers, along with lingering L.
Waterthrush, as well as Field, Chipping, Swamp, "red" Fox, and more
common sparrows, but most of these were in low single-digits; the same
for Winter Wrens. A slightly greater no. of Yellow-shafted Flickers and
Hermit Thrushes were still moving through. A few spp. such as E. Phoebe
were having a lull in their migration; many more of them are anticipated
to pass through very soon.
Checking the reservoir twice, it seems the most recent [of 3 individual]
Red-necked Grebe[s] /may/ have moved on, however there was at least one
/report/ of this species at the CP reservoir today, so perhaps it was
still there. The waters were actually choppy on the increasingly stiff
sea-breeze of the later afternoon. Plenty of N. Shovelers remain, & a
fair no. of Buffleheads, along with a very few Ruddy Ducks. It also
seemed the long-lingering Red-breasted Merganser pair have moved on.
There are more & more Double-crested Cormorants showing up & also
passing overhead. Great Egrets likewise, although numbers in the park
are rarely high, but the flyway long-established over the n. end of
Central Park (as well as the southern portion of Harlem) continue to
provide sightings of egrets, occasional herons, and the possibility of a
flyby Glossy Ibis, as these birds wend east or west through many of the
warmer months. The phenomenon could date far back into pre-history,
assuming meadowlands in New Jersey & various sites in western Long
Island (which take in both Brooklyn & Queens, N.Y. City, as well as all
the waters off the east Bronx within the city). At least a few Wood
Ducks were still around, at reservoir, lake, & meer.
........
Wed., 9 April - still some of the lingering overwintered birds, and
earliest spring migrants, in comparison to today when as a few new
arrivals came in, there appeared to have been a bit of an exodus out
overnight. It was still possible to find such species as "red" Fox
Sparrow, Slate-colored Junco, and various others, yet the overall
numbers felt fewer to my eyes by Thursday. Many of the regular 'CP'
migrants of early April were present.
........
Tues., 8 April - To me, this was a quieter day, but it did start out
quite damp & very overcast, and birds may have livened up in the later
part of the day.
........
On 7 April, 2 days after a day of many Turkey Vultures on the move, a
flyby *Black Vulture* was also reported, by someone at the Great Lawn.
There may have been a good vulture migration on several days at about
that time. Not quite in Central but not far at all, an earlier *Black
Vulture* was noted the day before, 6 April, in the vicinity of East 52nd
St., on Manhattan's East Side. And what may have been the year's first
*Belted Kingfisher* was found at the Loch in the n. end, on Sat., 5
April. A Ring-necked Duck was ogled by many at the lake, following on
the several appearances at the reservoir of this annual-in-Central species.
good birding,
Tom Fiore
Manhattan
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