Birders from multiple states have joined in the observations of the most-interesting-martin (Progne species), perhaps a Gray-breasted Martin, at Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Lake; great thanks to D. Gochfeld for finding and elucidating this very intriguing bird to this list and in eBird reports, as well as to many others offering updates, further photos, and observation.
... Manhattan, N.Y. City including Central Park & other parks - Saturday, April 3rd - At Carl Schurz Park in Manhattan, the female Western Tanager was ongoing, as was the Orange-crowned Warbler there, both of those having overwintered at that site. Both of thse birds can take time to find, & the tanager is not always by the one set of feeders (there are now several separate areas with hanging suet, as well, within this modestly sized city park). Also outside of Central Park and noteworthy, a Purple Martin was reported as a fly-by at Inwood Hill Park, northern Manhattan, as were at least 2 Black Vultures seen from Swindler & Sherman Creek Park. (Turkey Vultures also on the move, & some of the latter were seen as flyovers from multiple parks, including Central.) Killdeer was also found at Sherman Creek (B. Cacace). ... Central Park - Many cherry trees are in bloom now, as well as some of the many Magnolia (the first of those were the white-blossomed Magnolia stellata), the numerous Cornus mas, and plenty more, along with numerous shrubs, & some native (albeit planted, in Central) & far more non-native ornamental flowers showing well. A few flowers, such as the aforementioned magnolia, are showing the touch of frost that jas affected buds and esp. blooms all through our region, after the extremely early surge of warmth brought so many plants into spring activity. At least 2 N. Parulas were being seen simultaneously at Central Park, more than 1/2-mile apart; still very early for the species in N.Y. Also at least 2 N. Rough-winged Swallows, possibly more, in Central. A Lincoln’s Sparrow was continuing on at the compost area of Central Park, & a relatively few [Red] Fox Sparrows; Field Sparrow in the multiple, although modest numbers. Pine & Palm Warblers were each continuing in various locations in Central. At least one singing male Purple Finch was seen again in a location one had been lingering (not where birds are fed). At least 3 Hooded Mergansers were still on the C.P. reservoir, along with other waterfowl, and some American Coots. Eastern Phoebes were up slightly in numbers throughout the park, as were Yellow-shafted Flickers, thinly but widely distributed now. Some of the above & other birds seen in (and as fly-overs) just from Central Park on 4/3: Canada Goose Wood Duck Gadwall American Black Duck Mallard Northern Shoveler Bufflehead Hooded Merganser (reservoir) Ruddy Duck Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Great Egret Black-crowned Night-Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk American Coot (reservoir) Ring-billed Gull [American] Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull ['feral'] Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove American Kestrel Peregrine Falcon [the ongoing owl] Red-bellied Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (multiple) Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Yellow-shafted Flicker (multiple) Eastern Phoebe (multiple) Blue Jay American Crow Fish Crow Northern Rough-winged Swallow (at least 2, poss. more) Black-capped Chickadee (multiple) Tufted Titmouse Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Carolina Wren Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet (multiple) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (multiple) Hermit Thrush (multiple but in low no’s.) American Robin Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher (in multiple locations) European Starling House Sparrow Eastern Towhee Slate-colored Junco (multiple) Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow (multiple) [Red] Fox Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow (compost area; an overwintered bird) Swamp Sparrow (multiple) White-throated Sparrow (common) Northern Cardinal Northern Parula (minimum of 2, both males, singing at times) Pine Warbler (multiple) Palm Warbler (multiple) Red-winged Blackbird Rusty Blackbird (at least one) Common Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird Purple Finch (1 male) House Finch American Goldfinch (multiple) … and likely some additional species, with some also being seen all around N.Y. County. good 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/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/ --
