Some who follow the SI NaturaList sightings, coming from Richmond County, the southernmost in NY state, may have noticed the 11/5 report from Goethal’s Bridge ponds of very late lingering Semipalmated Sandpipers (into double-digits) there, as reported by Dr. Richard Veit; also out in Staten Island, a single of that species was reported from the Miller Field puddles on 11/4, by C. Barron. Others of that species have been lately reported from at least a few sites elsewhere in the state. Dr. Veit had previously remarked (to the SI NaturaList group) that the numbers & diversity of various waders (a.k.a. shorebirds, to most Americans) was quite surprising as we get well into later autumn, from prior sightings he had at Goethal’s Bridge Pond & elsewhere. This seems borne out as well in multiple locations around the northeast, with notably late dates, including scattered reports of Semipalm.Sand’s, &/or surprisingly high numbers of various shorebirds (a.k.a. waders, in most of the world) sticking around or passing thru, some of species not much expected into Nov. for the region or particular locations. (Neighboring states, such as Pennsylvania & others, have also been reporting a variety of late-seeming shorebirds & lots of other ‘late’ migrants that winter in the tropics or even in temperate far-southern S. America. Perhaps of a piece in some way with the very many late-lingering other birds around the northeast, Y.-b. Cuckoos, etc., etc. & also various passerines included, many of which winter in tropical or subtropical realms. What also seems especially striking of all that is how at the same time, we see the arrivals of various ‘winter’ species, including some of the latter that seem a bit ‘early’, as well as increasingly the strong irruptions having begun of many species that have the latter trait in some years: finches, owls, & so forth. Plenty going on in migration and bird movement, even now.
- - A Franklin’s Gull present at least since Nov. 3rd at Kingston Point, Ulster County, NY was still being seen on Tues., 11/6; 2 checklists from Nov. 3rd: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49645499 https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49655891 - - - Manhattan, N.Y. City - Sunday, Monday, & Tuesday, 4 - 5 - 6 November, 2018 - - - Sunday, 4 Nov. - Along with the happy occurence of a rare find, by Elizabeth Paredes, of a (first-year) HARRIS’S Sparrow at Central Park’s north end, west of the park’s “N. Meadow Rec. Center”, which was seen & photo’d by at least 3 dozen observers, likely more, all thru the afternoon, there had been a much-less-happy find (just outside of Central) of a first-year male VARIED THRUSH, which is now in the rehab. care of the Wild Bird Fund on Manhattan’s west side. That western-vagrant thrush was found near Eighth Ave. & W. 57th St., said to be injured by striking a window there. (Thanks to W.B.F. supporter Jordan Spindel for the 1st news of this.) Incidentally, a Varied Thrush was banded on Block Island, off Rhode Island on Oct. 31st, and it was also interesting that with a large no. of Hermit Thrushes was also 1 Swainson’s Thrush at same banding station; their checklist for that day is: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49720648 (There was also a Varied Thrush in the deep south at Dauphin Island - Mobile, Alabama found Nov. 2nd, also photo-documented. And a few in the Great Lakes region so far this autumn; as one looks farther west, the species is a little more regular, including now to s. Texas, as just reported from the National Butterfly Center.) Among the warblers seen on Sunday, a Magnolia Warbler at the wildflower meadow of Central Park’s n. end is perhaps the most notable for date (there are photo-documented Central Park records of the species into December, however). Other warblers also seen Sunday in the n. end of Central included Cape May, at the “Knoll” by the n.-e. edge of the N. Meadow ballfields (a species for which there are multiple late records in Central Park, even very rarely into early Jan.!), Nashville (at least 2 - a species which has been seen on a few CBC’s in Central Park & elsewhere on manhattan CBC’s), Common Yellowthroat (at least 2), & Palm (more than several), as well as the expected Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Warblers, for at least six warbler species in the n. end alone, seen by multiple observers on the day. Also in just the n. end of the park, defined by being north of the 96th-97th St. Transverse, at least 4 Blue-headed Vireos were found in separate areas. (There was also a Sunday report to eBird of an Orange-crowned Warbler in Central Park, lacking any notes on further location or observation; this is a time to be on the lookout for that species, & on into at least next month too, in s.-e. NY.) A N. Saw-whet Owl was photographed, at a respectful distance, by 1 observer in Central very early on Sunday; sadly, several of this species have been brought in to rehab., found just a short way outside of Central from rather recently, with varying extent of injuries. (Other owl species have been turning up in Manhattan, both ‘resident’ and migrant but not all been found regularly; blue jays, crows & so forth have mobbed some, leading to some sightings by birders.) Good reports from the Hudson river walk, including good sparrow diversity from south of W. 12th St., such as late-ish Lincoln’s, also [Red] Fox Sparrow, & more common & expected migrants, with still fair numbers of E. Phoebe. A very, very late “Great Crested” Flycatcher was reported from Governors Island; while there are some prior later records for this species, other flycatchers in the genus Myiarchus (esp. Ash-throated) become as likely, or more so, by around this date. The same is so of a variety of neotropical-wintering eastern-breeding migrants which typically are south of this region by now; western vagrants in same genera may be the more-likely so late in the autumn, or in early winter. Any late-seeming, or “odd” bird seen now ought to be scrutinized closely, & photographed if possible, as well as notes made on-site. (It may or may not have made this list that a W. Kingbird was seen & photo’d, at R. Moses State Park, Suffolk Co. on 11/4, as well as the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher again being found at Deep Hollow Ranch near Montauk also in Suffolk Co. on 11/4.) Interestingly as a sort of follow-up to a sighting of E. Wood-Pewee at Governors Island (which is just south of Manhattan island & near the w. shore of Kings Co., a.k.a. Brooklyn) from Oct. 31st, a well-photographed E. Wood-Pewee was found at Greenwood Cemetary on 11/4, with calls also being reported from the late migrant; a checklist with some good photos of that latter bird is here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49666786 - - Monday, 5 Nov. - More than 25 birders searched mainly in the immediate area where a Harris’s Sparrow was seen by many on 11/4, but there was no re-find of that rarity. Flocks of sparrows including White-throated (which like Harris’s Sparrow, are in the genus Zonotrichia), as well as Chipping & Song Sparrows & Slate-colored Juncos, were seen. A few of us also explored around the wider area of the Harris’s find, up to 1/2 mile or so beyond; in one flock of mainly White-throated Sparrows, close by the park’s West Drive, & nearer to W. 96 St., I found & photo’d. a 1st-year White-crowned Sparrow. Also seen in the vicinity of the park’s tennis courts, around which are various lawn & shrubby-weedy patches, a number of sparrow-junco flocks, interspersed with Tufted Titmice & some other species, a mix that may be similar to the birds the Harris’s was with when seen on Sunday. It is possible the Harris’s is still in Central Park, & my guess would be, if it is, would be moving & feeding with its congeners, White-throated Sparrows which of course are widespread, rather common, all winter in that park. I’d also guess that for near-term looking, the areas on the park’s west side, within 1/2-mile or more might be among the likeliest search sectors for the rarity - but really, anywhere at all, including even green patches outside of Central, could have this bird, lingering (White-throated Sparrows can & do occur widely in all sorts of scattered & sometimes small patches of habitat in Manhattan). A number of E. Bluebirds were again found by various observers Monday, esp. on the park’s western side; at least 3 but as likely 5 or more birds were seen; several locations included areas near & around the Great Hill, N. Meadow ballfield area, tennis courts, and a bit farther afield, & through the day even with some showers or, perhaps thanks to showers (on very clear days, diurnal migrants such as bluebirds can be, may move on, not lingering long, while wet or windy weather may cause that type of migrant to slow down or linger for a bit - which is one reason why rainy-day birding can be esp. interesting at times, the more so in months when there is some migration, which is actually most months in the year, in the SE Ny region…!) A Cape May Warbler (apparent adult female) was again seen near the N. Meadow “Knoll”; this is likely the same individual present around there for a week or more. A Yellow-breasted Chat was re-found at Madison Square Park, by that (presumably same) bird’s prior finder. - Tuesday, 6 Nov. - At the least the intrepid bird-walk group of the AMNH (American Museum of Natural History) had their usual a.m. walk in Central Park, and I know that some other birders were also afoot, as I saw them, including a very few who also came back to the area of Sunday’s Harris’s Sparrow sighting, as I did twice, again on Tues. - no luck on the rare sparrow, but there are still many White-throated Sparrows in the general area & that vicinity, as well as some other species (E. Towhee, Winter Wren, some kinglets of both species, mainly Ruby-crowned, & a lot of Tufted Titmice & Slate-colored Juncos, as well as Hermit Thrush & other more common ‘winter’ birds). The numbers of Slate-colored Junco through much more of Central Park likely rose to the 4-digits level, with flocks of several hundred each in 2 large areas: the entire Great Hill, & the N. Meadow ballfields area. (More than 150 juncos were in the eastern fields at one point, during a light morning spritz of rain). Another species that, also not that unusually at all for the date, were very common on Tues. were American Robin, which definitely were well into quadruple-digits, all through the park. A few flocks of Common Grackles added up to more than 800, which is not at all high for that park, this time of year. A few Rusty Blackbirds, and rather slim numbers of Red-winged Blackbird also were noted in the 6+ hours walk I took, from 110 St. to near Sheep Meadow & back north again. A modest number of Palm Warblers were still about (10+) and also Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Warbler, with the only additional warbler sp. I came up with a single female Common Yellowthroat in the area on the w. side of the Met. Museum of Art, nearer to E. 84 St. side, the “NE” corner area of the museum. I found the Great Lawn and Sheep Meadow far less ‘birdy’ on the actual lawns than in the more northerly sections of the park, at least for the first part of the day. More generally, typical later-fall species such as Y.-s. Flicker, E. Phoebe, Brown Creeper, & a few others were all seen in lesser numbers than a week prior, which is to be expected. Raptor & falcon sightings were slim in the drizzles, mist & showers, with a couple of soggy Red-tailed Hawks & a couple of feisty Am. Kestrels seen. Sparrow sightings continued to include a few White-crowned in several locations and also a few [Red] Fox, plus Field, Swamp, Chipping, Song & the aforementioned members of their tribe. Not much change was seen in duckage, that is of wild/unreleased or non-escaped birds in Central; I did check waterbodies in hopes of potential drop-ins of any unexpected water-birds, but nonesuch were found. It’ll be worth further watching for; also it may start to get worthwhile to check the gulls that gather in Central, & anywhere else, with rarer ones a possibility, as autumn goes along into winter. Chimney Swifts had continued thru the period of the above reports at least to Monday 11/5, with many observers, generally seeing from just one to several in these recent days. Reports of this species were being noted from a vast number of locations in the region, far later than typical for so many observers or locations. In a more ‘typical' fall, one might now question if these are “Chimney” and not any other, vagrant species of Swift, but all reports indicate Chimney for now, part of a very broad trend of many neotropical-wintering migrants having lingered or straggled to fairly late dates in our region. In various areas in Central Park, numbers of Purple Finch have been found, some on crabapples & other trees & shrubs with lingering fruits; also seeming to have increased nicely have been Cedar Waxwings. Further incursions of American Goldfinch have been noted, and in a few areas, at least a few Pine Siskins also noted, some with goldfinches, & some not. Learning-knowing the calls will be helpful at times in locating any uncommon finches if-when present, or if flying by. Waterbirds in Central Park have included at least 3 American Coots, & ongoing Wood Ducks & Ruddy Ducks in modest numbers, as well as Buffleheads, & Hooded Mergansers; the N. Shoveler flocks have slightly increased, spread thru at least 4 of the water-bodies in Central, over recent days, along with usual modest no’s. of American Black Duck & Gadwall. All of the parks & greenspaces of N.Y. County will continue to see some migration; November often brings unexpected birds, as we have already seen to start the month off, and ongoing checking of any favorite ‘patches' as well as those less or little known may bring a new and unexpected avian visitor to light. - - - - “Something we think is impossible now is not impossible in another decade.” - Constance Baker Motley (1921 - 2005; American jurist & lawmaker; first woman to be elected Manhattan borough president, first African-American woman to argue a case at the Supreme Court; first African-American woman in the federal judiciary; the writer of the original complaint for the 'Brown v. Board of Ed.' case in the U.S. Supreme Court, and a victor in every case she argued before the highest U.S. court.) good birding, 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/ --
