Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - Wednesday, 16 September -
The Lark Sparrow & 2 Clay-colored Sparrows at the north end of Central Park, both immediately s. of The Meer, near & at the Compost Area (which is west of Fifth Ave. near about E. 104-105th Streets), east of the East Drive/roadway of the park, were seen & photographed by many observers in the afternoon / early eve. hours. Interestingly, the particular areas for these 2 rarer sparrow species above have hosted these two species before, indeed in almost those exact locations. (Of those 2 species, Clay-colored has become the more regularly found, in both Manhattan, & in general - with that latter species breeding in a number of locations spread through the northeastern states, a relatively recent breeding-range expansion to the east, which may still be continuing.) The above brought to at least 9 species of native sparrow species seen in that park on the day, others including Lincoln’s, Field, Swamp, Savannah, etc. & also Dark-eyed Junco, as well as Eastern Towhee. However, the warblers are still ‘ahead’ in diversity, as at least 18 spp. of American warblers were seen, including multiples of such migrants as Tennessee, Cape May, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, & also Wilson’s, Canada, & more. There was also still fair diversity in migrant flycatchers. A haze from the wildfires in the far-west of N. America is continuing to affect the skies locally in the northeast, including in Manhattan, N.Y.C. - and, while not wishing to bear what looks like very bad news for many birds, this still-developing story is widely circulating now in many forums on birding, and conservation. The New York Times is only one of at least 100’s of new outlets now bringing this up in reporting - & there is sure to be much more, as more is learned - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/15/us/dead-birds-new-mexico-colorado.html …... The alternate / "breeding-adult” male plumaged YELLOW-HEADED Blackbird found & photo’d by Gigi Altarejos at Flushing Meadows/Corona Park, Queens County, N.Y. City, on Wed. 9/16 is notable. good birding & thanks to all who report sightings. 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/ --
