With appearances in mid-Atlantic as well as states neighboring NY, it is time to give a bit of attention, & cameras at the ready, for ‘stray’ hummingbirds of various species, now about as likely if not more so in the east, as our breeding, summer Ruby-throateds, most of which have departed at this point in the year.
-- Regarding a juvenile-plumaged N. Goshawk at Pelham Bay Park in Bronx County, NY, I was sent full-frame photos of this species, taken by Steven Sachs (a long-time raptor & general wildlife photographer who’s been featured in a number of photo exhibitions); that Goshawk photo taken by Steve at Pelham Bay Park on Wednesday, 11/14. This is very likely the same individual bird that had been lingering at that location. I might not normally post about this, but the info. is now on this list in any event as very recently noted. A very impressive list of birds seen by another keen observer at Pelham Bay Park on Wed., 11/14, over a period of most of that day, is here: https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49944575 (Goshawk was not in that list, yet the photo taken by S. Sachs shows, without doubt that the species was present, on that day - as well as previous to then, by prior photos taken by others.) It is also quite possible that more than 1 of this species have been present there, as this is clearly a strong fall for the species, being seen much more than the average in a number of areas where they would typically be ‘rare’, not found annually. -- And, seems worthy of a note, at least at this point in the start of a season that may see more of them moving well-south (if that does happen) & found the same day as another (photographed) sighting in outer-coastal Queens County (NYC) by multiple observers, a N. Shrike at Heckscher State Park, Suffolk County on Long Island, NY - photographed in the checklist from J. Gluth - https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S49855134 — — There are plainly a lot of “ winter irruptive” species on the move now, including through much of NY state & beyond. In Manhattan, we are still awaiting some Evening Grosbeaks that should be seen by a bunch of eager observers, and - hopefully - also to be photographed (there is no fall 2018 record of that species in eBird’s maps yet, from Manhattan - as of Nov. 16th.) The ‘winter finches’ that many have been seeing lately in Manhattan include a modest number of Pine Siskins (with more than small no’s. in some flight days), & Purple Finches (which have continued to show fairly well in a lot of parks & occasionally in odd areas not covered by many birders, as well as still moving thru on some flight-days) & of course, American Goldfinches, which are expected in some numbers in November & onward in this area. There’ve been some Manhattan observers calling a few Catharus thrush they have seen as species other than Hermit Thrush (mainly, Swainson’s Thrush, in the last week or more), and any of such thrushes, if believed to be of any species other than Hermit Thrush, ought best be photographed by this date (and on through the winter & well into early spring), if such other species are even suspected. Chances are very high that the thrushes being seen now are Hermits. There are still issues, to this day, with Catharus thrush ID, a lot of birders not realizing the subtleties and in particular, the variabliity possible in plumage, including what may seem a certain feature, in particular light, in certain attitudes when viewed, & etc. - a series of photos, if possible, might clear up the ID question and could lead to seeing some of these migrants & (at least for Hermit Thrush) NYC winter visitors. There are very scant documented records for Swainson’s Thrush in this county into even a bit later in the year, but those are rare occurrences; the one other thrush besides Hermit amongst the genus Catharus, for which there are a (small) number of documented records even into winter in this area is Wood Thrush, which ought to be more-readily distinguishable from any of the other species of Catharus. -- Manhattan & N.Y. County, Saturday Nov. 10th to Friday, Nov. 16th - Sat., Nov. 10 - A Bonaparte’s Gull was found, by Nadir Souirgi, on the Hudson river off Inwood Hill Park; seen also by N. O’Reilly at same area of the Hudson. Black Vultures have been most-regular (for Manhattan) at, & were again seen from, Inwood & there were also a few observations elsewhere in Manhattan. Warblers included Cape May Warbler, City Hall Park (R. Zucker), Black-and-white Warbler, female, at The Dene in Central Park (not too far from where a female of same species was seen west of Hallett Sanctuary on Nov. 8th & 9th, but perhaps still a different individual. A small spate of this species had been moving -late- thru the city, & the region.) Black-throated Blue Warbler (bright male, Pier 17 by the South St. Seaport (photo’d. by P. Zahurones), & also another male, almost simultaneous w/ the male at South St.’s Pier 17, at City Hall Park (observer R. Zucker). - - - Sun., Nov. 11 - Chimney Swift was still being seen in Manhattan (most observations from Central Park), obviously quite late now. A closely-observed Lincoln’s Sparrow was seen in Central Park. A modestly-late Blue-headed Vireo was seen at Randall’s Island, which is in New York County, as is Manhattan island. - - - Mon., Nov. 12 - 4 Warbler species - ORANGE-CROWNED Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, and Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Warbler were all found at Inwood Hill Park (N. O’Reilly); E. Bluebirds continued in a few locations (or were newly passing thru on a further front). - - - Tues., Nov. 13 - Rusty Blackbird, 4 Pine Siskins, and Purple Finch were among the many species tallied by the AMNH (American Museum of Natural HIstory) bird-walk group & leader, as rain wound down from the overnight & early morning. Plenty of other somewhat more-regular species also were found on the day. - - - Wed., Nov. 14 - A very few E. Phoebes were still lingering, or perhaps, pushing thru on the latest cold front of this NW-winds day. Thurs., Nov. 15 - A Cape May Warbler was at the small hill (with a rustic wooden shelter covered in wisteria atop) moving rapidly in both deciduous & coniferous trees there; this was a rather drab individual, thus not the same bird I photographed there on Nov. 8th, but this also may have been present at that time, in the same area. While obviously quite “late”, there are multiple years when later, & even much later - into January 1st! - Cape Mays have been found in Central Park, including being recorded on a CBC; many of these seem to subsist in part by thieving on sapsucker’s sap-wells, but clearly have to able to glean other foods as well. Also seen in warblers in Manhattan today: Ovenbirds (3), Common Yellowthroats (2), Palm Warblers (2), and very low numbers of Yellow-rumped Warblers. All these in the morning hours thru 1 p.m., ahead of the arrival of more a wee bit more snow than most (including city planners, & plowers) expected. The numbers of [Red] Fox Sparrows are rather impressive in Manhattan just now; at least one, more often 2 or more, were in almost all smaller parks & various greenspaces in mid & lower Manhattan (I did not stop at Bryant Park, however) from The Battery up thru both East River & Hudson River greenway paths and adjacent greenspaces north to near 23rd St., east & west; & in 9 different parks, including Riverside & Central, the latter as snow was starting and well after that time. In Central Park alone, including many parts of the park from s. end thru n. end, there were at least 35 [Red] Fox Sparrows, a good number although not entirely out-of-ordinary as their peak movements are later than most other migrant sparrows; some, but almost certainly not nearly all, of these birds may spend a part of, or even all of winter, & would be most-likely found amongst & around flocks of White-throated Sparrows. Another species, similarly a late-moving fall migrant that is hardy & some of which will overwinter here, Hermit Thrush are in many small parks, greenspaces, and as with the noted sparrow sp., have been in good numbers lately, perhaps more being ‘pushed’ south as successive cold fronts have moved through; in Central Park, at least 16 were counted, including many areas of the park; the overall number for the southern half of Manhattan is more like 40+, with some other parks, such as Riverside, having a good number now as well. It’s also been mentioned but again, Tufted Titmouse is having a rather good irruption into this county that includes Manhattan; numbers seem to be higher now than they were even just a week or two earlier, and there are some in many, many smaller parks or other odd-spots of greenery, around Manhattan, also including northern Manhattan areas, in the prior few days… By contrast, Black-capped Chickadee numbers are not esp. notable, although better than some other recent autumn seasons in this county. Still lingering in a number of parks here have been both species of Kinglet, with local spots where Golden-crowned can still seem prevalent, but, as is usual in Manhattan, Ruby-crowned now the more-numerous, being more widely-found, some of them in odd small areas of habitat. A species somewhat too-often found in less-than-ideal “habitat”, right in mid-Manhattan, American Woodcock continue to be seen, & although a few have been noticed in the larger parks, including Central, there’ve been some found at-risk on city sidewalks or very tiny patches of ground. - - - Friday, Nov. 16th - A perhaps-modest flight took place as the rain was ending (& started the process of snow-melting, which was slightly furthered by some sun & more so by above-freezing temp’s. later in the day) and there were a number of species that seemed to show small increases, as noted in Central Park. My walk there today took in a route from Central Park West & to Fifth Ave. & from 110 Street to Central Park South, with zigs & zags covering a lot of the ground in the park, excepting the w. side of the N. Meadow ballfields; this in a period of 7 & a half hours. Among the birds on the move were a few hundred blackbirds, including Red-winged Blackbird, and with at least 4 Rusty Blackbirds seen in areas where not noted by me yesterday in that number - one was along the bridle path w. of the reservoir; two at the Loch, & a 4th in an odd site near the southernmost ballfields in the park (Heckscher softball field). There were also some Common Grackles but these have been present in modest no’s. for a long while, wandering about the park. A nice find at the C.P. reservoir was a female-plumaged Greater Scaup, a species once fairly regular in Manhattan waters, but not so in the last 25 years or so. Other duckage (native, wild species, that is!) includes most of what’s been about in Central, such as Wood Ducks in multiple waterbodies, the same of N. Shoveler, Hooded Merganser, & Ruddy Duck, with not a lot of change in numbers of any of these yet. Buffleheads, American Black Ducks, & other waterbirds: Am. Coots rounding out the “usual suspects” in Central. A Belted Kingfisher was around the Lake’s western parts, in the afternoon. A modest fresh movement of American Goldfinch was seen, with at least 150 passing in the first 2 hrs. of the day; and in 1 location at the n. end of Central Park, immediately west of the Meer (at & under Sweet Gum trees) were also at least 4 Pine Siskins along with 30+ American Goldfinches. I was unable to find more siskins later, but there were a lot of goldfinch flocks here & there, esp. in & near Sweet Gum trees & as is usual by this date, at the feeder array in the Ramble, which had a fair number coming in. A single 1st-year White-crowned Sparrow is still feeding regularly there, either on the ground below, or right up on the feeders. The numbers of [Red] Fox Sparrows in Central continued, with an actual count of 37 today, in various areas, but esp. in 3 discrete places, the most seen in the n. woods & later also in the Ramble, but some in many, many other areas, as singles or duos, & always mixing or very near groups of White-throated Sparrows. At the n. end, fair numbers of Chipping Sparrows were also found, and Slate-colored Juncos were still widespread. A very modest movement of American Robin, & their numbers have also diminished in the last few days, relative to just a week or so earlier. The same seems so for Cedar Waxwing, although here & there, a few small flocks were at lingering fruit in some trees. It was tough to find more than a few kinglets, although some of each species were seen, while numbers of Hermit Thrush found all thru the park were still in modest double-digits. An American Woodcock was seen flushed by some kids playing (unintentionally flushing the bird, to be sure) in the Ramble’s Tupelo meadow area, in the mid-a.m., & there was a report of a Wilson’s Snipe being found in downtown Manhattan, hopefully one which will have found a quieter place to rest & feed. There are still a very few Gray Catbirds & Brown Thrashers in Central - one of the latter startled me, in a slightly less-busy area of the Ramble, by calling loudly & then moving to deeper cover. - - - - "Have we fallen into a mesmerized state that makes us accept as inevitable that which is inferior or detrimental, as though having lost the will or the vision to demand that which is good?” - Rachel Carson (1907-1964; marine biologist, conservationist, author whose books include ‘Silent Spring’. Sir David Attenborough has remarked that that book may have had an effect on science second only to Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species”.) good - & ethical - birding to all, 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/[email protected]/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/ --
