All, Someone needs to ban Tom Fiore from posting here: being a repeat stringer. Especially in inclimate weather like this and a pandemic going on, reporting nonexistent rarities that get people to chase should not ever be be tolerated, but especially so now.
On Fri, Oct 30, 2020 at 7:20 AM Thomas Fiore <[email protected]> wrote: > Yep. Another great somewhat extra-limital bird: An *adult* Pacific > Golden-Plover was found by Frank Mantlik in Stratford, Connecticut on > Thursday, 10/29. Assists came from multiple other sharp birders, both on > the virtual bird-net, & then in person as well from a few, but in > particular by Julian Hough, who has written about the separation of > Pluvialis [genus] plovers in the field, and helped to further clarify some > of the fine points required for an ID with a number of the plovers in that > genus. Tip of the hat also to at least one NYC-based birder, and others in > CT, but above all to the finder of the bird. It is a species to be > considered, ‘on the radar’ - especially later in the season as is getting > to be. (watch the CT-Birds list-serve, in part, for updates if any, to that > plover in CT.) > > A very nice thank-you came in an eBirded report by Tom Warren, the > original finder of the Tropical Kingbird in Westchester Co., NY (for at > least 3 days), with tough conditions - and a possibly moving-on flycatcher > (via his last report) by 10/29; his thanks were extended to all who came to > see that rare, state-first-record bird, & who helped to get each other ‘on' > it when or as needed. > > Bucephala islandica (that’s Barrow’s Goldeneye) was seen & photographed in > Clinton County, NY - the northeasternmost county in the state, by the mouth > of the Saranac river - & that is a nice indicator of the many many spp. of > waterfowl just starting to appear in the state, with plenty more likely to > arrive very soon, in a lot of locations. (that drake was eBird-ed by S. > Robinson.) And as many will be aware, this is a time for Crane migration > from the northeast region… keep an eye to the sky. > > — — — — — — > New York County, including Manhattan, Randall’s Island, Governors Island, > & the skies & waters above & around - > .. > A real surprise for the observer was an E. Whip-poor-will seen in diurnal > flight on Sunday, 10/25 moving past the e. side of Manhattan and, as part > of the unexpectedness for late Oct., that caprimulgid was being attacked by > a Peregrine in the air… but apparently, maneuvered away… wow. Also noted > on the day by the same keen observer were some E. Bluebirds, 3 (more) E. > Meadowlarks on a day when that species was on the move along with so many > other migrants - & a very good count of Pine Siskins, which of course have > been moving by the tens of thousands (actually a lot lot more) in the past > month thru our area, and continue to be on the move, still. Additionally > from the same observer were a flock of 20 Rusty Blackbirds, a species > not-often seen in the county in quite those numbers, but is from various > places just next-door, both in migration as well as on-site in the colder > months. > > - - - > Tues, Oct. 27th through Thursday, Oct. 29th: > -- > Tues., Oct. 27 - A steady northwest wind blew all day, with clouds & some > sun, & drying out a bit as the day progressed. A day which raptors, > vultures, and a lot of other birds decided was very favorable to a lot of > migratory movement. The highlight beyond some birds on the ground were > those seen in flight on the day, with a possible record-high (at least for > our current era) of Eastern Bluebird in the county achieved; well over 50 > were seen altogether, including many over both Central & Riverside Parks & > also from a bit north, at Fort Tryon Park. Multiple separate flocks of 8 - > ten - twelve - fourteen were seen for separate hours all through the > morning; a few bluebirds were still moving later in the day as well. A > species for which there was rather grave concern even a short few decades > ago, and just slowly seeming to have recovered somewhat. (It’s plausible > the numbers moving past & thru Manhattan on the day were even greater (!), > but I won’t ‘push’ that notion… this is already a very high count, and it > may be tough to see a repeat.) > > A Nelson’s Sparrow (of one of the interior races, i.e. not the > northeastern-coastal and Maritime-Canada breeding subvirgatus form) was > found by D. Aronov in Central Park at the Pinetum (an uncommon find within > Manhattan itself, but not unprecedented) & later seen by many including a > Linnaean Society group bird-walk and with an assist by A. Burke, who also > helped out on an informal raptor-watch session, on a day when a lot was > happening (again) in the skies. In addition to sky-watchers at Central > Park, there were some observers in a few other locations, also witnessing > the large movements. More than 120 Turkey Vultures (likely a lot more) > passed over Manhattan or the adjacent rivers thru the day, as well as at > least 8 (& perhaps slightly more) Black Vultures, a possible high count of > the latter for the county, but one which may be surpassed as that species > is so vastly-more regular now (at this county, & region-wide with in > particular major increases to the north, far into NY state & New England) > than for example just a decade earlier. > > Many observers got to see a late-ish Broad-winged Hawk at Central Park > (hardly unprecedented and there have even been exceedingly-less-likely Dec. > records of the species in the region) and a great showing of other > migrating raptors (in addition to some other birds on the wing, and besides > the vulture migrations), with a minimum of ten diurnally-migrating birds of > prey species found, thru much of the day, these including good counts of N. > Harrier, a single (?) late-ish Osprey coming down along the Hudson river, > more than 15 Bald Eagles on the day (and frustratingly nearby Golden Eagle > was reliably reported the same day, moving down the Hudson, from a point > only about 5 miles or less to the n. of northern Manhattan (where I spent > about 7 hours on a sky-watch) by obsevers at a regular hawk-watch site on > the NY/N.J. border, that bird clearly having come through New York skies > (perhaps either/both Rockland &/or Westchester Co’s. and potentially down > into western Bronx Co., & then there were of course other Golden sightings > in the wider region on the day), and (back in Manhattan) also a very good > count of Red-shouldered Hawk (32 tallied from my location, at least 28 & > possibly more from a bit farther south, and multiple individuals seen over > various other locations on the day), accipiters of at least the 2 > most-regular species here (with Cooper’s seemingly outnumbering > Sharp-shinned, at least 30+ of the former, but nearly as many wind-sheared > ‘Sharpies’ in the mix as well - no accipiters were suspected of being a > third, larger species, not for lack of trying and trying!), and a component > of Red-tailed Hawks that, in addition to the many - MANY - that reside in > Manhattan & all of N.Y. City these days, a likely few that were on the move > for real, as were also seen from many regional hawk-watch locations. Plus > all 3 falcon species we typically see, including at least several Merlin, > with Peregrine and American Kestrel both city-resident birds, & the chance > that a few of the latter were also migrators. > > There were diurnal movements, including nearly all-morning flights, of > such species as Black-capped Chickadee (100+++ from the edges of the Hudson > river; also seen in numbers moving treetop-to-treetop hopping style, later > in the day, with 99% of that movement being north-to-south) and Tufted > Titmouse (lesser no’s. from where I visited and stood; and in my opinion > overall the lighter movements by the latter species, but as always - > location, location, location; both of these parid species have been having > big influxes & those movements have been ongoing recently - some observers > on the day may have seen far-higher no’s. of titmice than of chickadee, by > comparison with my counts), American Robin (2,000+, possibly a bit too > low), and more-modest no’s. of Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, > and Common Grackle. Finches also were moving to some extent, with American > Goldfinch & Pine Siskin the ones evident to me, from my perches at Ft. > Tryon Park. Some of the latter 2 species also stopped in to feed at times, > and some may have lingered all day there. At least 1 (possibly 2 as plumage > seemed to differ in two separated sightings) Baltimore Oriole (young male) > was by the w. edges of the heather garden area in Fort Tryon Park (& this > has been a slightly-favored spot within that park, for late, & even > attempting-to-winter, Baltimore Orioles in the past). > > There were American Warblers of at least these 18 species found on the day > in N.Y. County, with some of these, or maybe most, having been lingering a > while in respective locations where seen, but also some that were > freshly-appearing in some sites: Northern Waterthrush, Ovenbird, > Tennessee Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Northern > Parula, Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Cape May Warbler, > Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Warbler, > Black-throated Green Warbler, Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler, Blackpoll > Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, & Common > Yellowthroat - this is an impressive tally of species to be found this far > into the fall season…. but, not unprecedented, and especially not this > particular year with so many (including every one of these species) having > been found in the region to about this date or very-nearly-so (within a day > or two if not simultaneously, including elsewhere in N.Y. City). > > Some, indeed many, of these late/lingering warblers were also photographed > by their observers &/or well-described. The locations ranged all through > the county, but overall, as is not surprising, Central Park came in with a > high percentage, although for some species, the sightings were from smaller > greenspaces scattered in many locations, esp. in mid to lower Manhattan, > which is also where a set of many small sites can hold any sort of (avian) > surprises, particularly for ‘late’ seeming migrants in the fall and even, > potentially, to winter. (In that light, & very mid-Manhattan-specific, it > can be added that well-known Bryant Park, 1 block east of Times Square, has > been undergoing the annual prep. for installation of its seasonal ice-rink, > as well as the many small shops which are put in, atop where some birds > might have wandered until all of this recent human-commercial activity, and > thus, that park may be a bit less easy in which to find a variety of > species, yet somehow, birds do continue to be found there, with warblers, > sparrows, & others all a possibility into the winter. This week seems not > to have produced all that many species there, & the hubbub of the ongoing > work, most days lately, may have contributed to that. (but, even so, at > least Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Gray Catbird, Hermit Thrush, & some > native sparrows all could be seen in the midst of all the pre-holiday human > activities there, this week - & other species could well have been lurking, > or will be at any date upcoming there.) > > -- > Wed., Oct. 28 - Some drizzles & low clouds for the morning, with some rain > having fallen overnight, & not a great deal of fresh overnight influx, but > at least some semi-local exodus of migrants. The day brightened a bit as > afternoon came along, and some birds were moving a bit in diurnal > migration, albeit in rather lower numbers than the fabulous day prior. > > There’ve been ongoing walks by leaders for the NY Audubon (NYCAS), a > non-profit org. as is the Linnean Society and as is the American Museum of > Natural History, all of whom give walks at various times including > regularly in Central Park, with leaders of vast combined experience. Only > the Linnaean walks in Central (& some other day-trip walks) are free of > charge, and any & all fees paid otherwise are to support non-profit > conservation and scientific organizations well-established in the city &, > in the case of the American Museum, an institution of world reknown. These > organizations & other non-profits that give back to the scientific and > conservation communities are of course well worth support, whether one > takes a walk or trip with them or not. And on rather rainy days, or > mornings, it’s impressive to see some of these leaders and their groups > getting out - and finding plenty of migrants here in town! > > The (interior-race) Nelson’s Sparrow found the day prior was still in > place at Central Park’s Pinetum area, with many observers again. A Marsh > Wren was still being found at Inwood Hill Park. A fairly good diversity of > migrants and winter resident type species were seen in the county, and this > included a selection of warblers, but not quite the diversity of species as > found the day before. Some Rusty Blackbirds have lingered on, and more may > be anticipated as November comes along. As is expected by now, diversity > in neotropical-wintering species is dropping, and such birds as the migrant > thrushes are (amongst those with ‘brown backs’) dominated by the > still-expected Hermit Thrush, with a very scant no. of others including > Swainson’s, Wood, and possibly Gray-cheeked just clearing out & headed > south by southwest. > > -- > Thursday, Oct. 29 - Remnant rain and some wind from the very large > weather-system that was ‘Hurricane Zeta’ came northeastwards into the > region, affecting not just N.Y. City but all of the area, with increasing > rain, and mostly moderate winds. The rain which started in (for example) > Central Park after daybreak, lasted all day & well on into the night - as > well as the following (Friday) morning - a substantial 'drought-breaker', > at the least! Temp’s. were in the 50’s (F.) - but dropping off a lot, > overnight. (puddles for plovers, perhaps?) > > A Nelson’s Sparrow (‘interior' form) did indeed linger into this day, at > the Pinetum of Central Park, as noted by some other observers who came inl > later, enduring the weather. This is a great sparrow to have linger that > length of time for Central. > > Having detailed some of the sightings I had in Central Park on the day, to > this list already, I’ll just add that the 9 Lesser Scaup photographed were > determined as that species based on several features still visible at the > time I was observing, when visibility was actually quite good under light > rain, but did deteriorate fairly quickly later. I did have a triple-check > of these scaup just on the outside chance of some other species of Aythya > (genus] but mainly to positively eliminate Greater as a possibility, rather > than Lesser. The ‘peaked’ look of esp. the 3 males, & the size in direct, > side-by-side views of all of the nine scaup, to some Ruddy Ducks, were > helpful in adding to other aspects slightly more visible in photos, on such > a rain-filled day. All waters are worth checking on as the storm passes, > away. Puddles... & lawns, & etc.! > > The 1 male Evening Grosbeak in Central Park, which I too-briefly saw at > close range (in the Shakespeare Garden) may possibly still be around, and > further, more of that species could well be on the way or already present, > as so many of them have been on the move, with sightings in the > many-multiple far into the mid-south by now, and becoming somewhat regular > in some parts of N.Y. state, New England & also far, far beyond where they > do not breed. The species is also irrupting to some extent even in the far > west, although there, a different set of mechanisms may be taking place to > ‘push’ some irruptive, as well as mountain-dwelling, birds from > more-typical patterns into unexpected locations & in unusual numbers. It’s > worth learning the calls of that grosbeak as well as of most other (of all > of the birds), as that knowledge will help many to more-readily find a lot > of much-desired species, whether on migration, or in breeding areas, or > other situations; this of course very much applies to the locating of > bluebirds (of any species), as well. > > There were again Pine Siskins in various areas, & a few Purple Finch, > along with plenty of American Goldfinch in some areas. Just a whole lot of > birds all throughout, on a not-too-nice weather day - and, it seems that as > many as 11 warbler species were found on the day, amongst those who had > ventured out, as a total for the county… & it is possible some would have > been ‘missed’ with so relatively few observers -understandably- out in the > wet, & later on, the wind, as well as falling temperatures. > > There could be more to detail of just the past 3 days in one county... > but, another report for another time, and likely a lot of migration to be > seen on the upcoming weekend - good luck to all. > > - - - - - > "This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we > make it a good place for all of us to live in.” - Teddy Roosevelt (26th > president of the U.S.A.) > "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." - Frederick Douglass > (1818-1895; U.S. statesman, orator, writer) > > Good (cold-weather) birding to all - and thanks to the many who also keep > the birds’ best interests at heart when out in the field - and limit any > possible disturbances to the birds’ requirements for food, shelter, & > safety, including for the many migrants a safe passage on their often long > journeys. > > Tom Fiore, > manhattan > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > *NYSbirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> > ABA <http://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01> > *Please submit your observations to **eBird* > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>*!* > -- > -- 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/ --
