Notes (only) on Fork-tailed Flycatcher, and Painted Redstart (as seen in NY state).
I’d not ‘chased’ either of, but a few notes on the 2 rarities (for NYS, or the region) - ….. The Fork-tailed Flycatcher last seen at the location known as the “frying pan” off Ashokan reservoir in Ulster County, NY (on Sat. 10/17 - & early a.m. only of Sunday, 10/18) may well have been the (more-expected, such as this species can be called ‘expected’) austral-migrant (a bird that came north as a normal migration potentially originating in this species from S. America, &/or perhaps starting off from somewhere in Central America) might be identifiable as the nominate form, Tyrannus savana savana, which (of those able to be determined to sub-specific level) is the 'more-often’-found form amongst vagrants of this species to most of N. America north of Mexico. This species is common in much of tropical America & some winter in Argentina, for example, then fly north to breeding areas still in the neotropical region. (It’s now spring everywhere south of the equator.) This species has been recorded north to as far as Nunavut, the most-northerly of Canada’s territories - obviously, quite unexpected & ‘accidental’ there! The Fork-tailed Fly. at Ashokan reservoir, in Ulster Co. NY was seen by numerous early-arrivers to the location, on Sunday, but comments included in eBird checklists included these - both shown are by observers who were on-scene on 10/18 - early: "Seen at 9am. It was perched on the guard rail for a short time not too far from the parking lot. It then flew away and very high over the water towards Reservoir Rd., out of sight.” (B.M.) And another comment also from another observer: "It would land on the guard rail and take off (and flew right by us) before flying off westward, not to be seen again after ~ 9 am.” (G.B.) The above species is somewhat known to occur as a vagrant at rather unexpected times & be one of those so-called “one-hour-wonders” (or 1-day wonders) and so even to have the individual in a location that was reached by seekers on Sunday from many NY counties at a distance from the discovery, was luck for all who arrived early enough. As with others in its’ genus, Fork-tailed Flycatchers (and E. & W. Kingbirds, etc.) will migrate in daylight hours, as a matter of normal behavior of the species. And where (& when) they are common, they will form flocks or loose groups in migration, or simply be on the move for long periods as they move along in daylight hours. Some who’ve been to Central &/or South America at particular times & places may have witnessed the migration movements of F.-t. Flycatchers, sometimes in great numbers & quite often in mixed flocks with some other diurnally-moving migrants. …….. Many observers of a first-county record (Kings County, NY) and 2nd state-record, the Painted Redstart first found in mid-afternoon at the location in south Brooklyn (Kings Co.), N.Y. City, after word was put out on Sunday 10/18. Note the precaution by Rob Bate as already posted to this list-serve, the area the redstart was seen is technically off-limits, but at least with some restraint, birders were being tolerated there & being well-behaved. The location is a federal property (part of the interstate Gateway National Recreation Area). Incidentally, the first (and photo-documented) NY State record of Painted Redstart dates from January 6, 1980 (until at least Jan. 20 of that year) at Dansville, Livinsgton County, NY. Details of that 1980 sighting are in The Kingbird archives Vol. 30, pg. 65-66. As with Fork-tailed Flycatcher, there are scattered records of ‘vagrants’ of this warbler including elsewhere in the eastern U.S. but these are far-fewer than for the noted flycatcher. The breeding-range of Painted Redstart includes highlands of southern Arizona & some of New Mexico as well as more-scantly far-west Texas (in limited areas) and then on through much of Mexico and Central America -in the appropriate habitat- where it can be a commonly-encountered species. This American warbler species is among the most-unmistakeable in the large diversity of ‘new world’ warblers of all of the Americas, and as a vagrant to far from its’ usual range, Painted Redstart has been documented as far out as British Columbia & Ontario in Canada, as well as to a number of Great Lakes region U.S. states, and New England, as well as elsewhere in the U.S. well away from (& also closer to) its known & expected range. (We may never know but it would be interesting to be able, for the geographic origin of this Brooklyn / Kings Co. discovery, as well as the paths it may have used in arriving there in south Brooklyn N.Y.) Congrat’s to the finders, and re-finders, of the above rarities & thanks to those sharing the news also to this list-serve. good October & onward 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/ --
