New York County (in N.Y. City), including Manhattan, Randall’s, and Governors Islands There was an obvious fresh influx of birds even after many recently strong migration-nights and days, with Wednesday 9/15 providing likely firsts of the season of some species in N.Y. County, including Ring-necked Duck, American Bittern, Winter Wren, Brown Creeper, Slate-colored Junco, and perhaps a few additional migrants, & more obviously, a great increase of many migrant species in the county with at least a few of those species increasing by five or even ten times overnight, and near-fallout conditions in some locations, for at least some (common and expected) species. Just one very evident example of those are Common Yellowthroat, which in some county-locations had increased tenfold overnight. The fallout situation was almost certainly compounded thanks to storms that had passed the area overnight with strong migration again already in progress. In light of that, a recent find of Least Bittern at the Stuyvesant-town and Peter Cooper village area of Manhattan, which is regularly birded by at least several keen birders, may have been a storm-dropped bird, hopefully now on its way again and not in a rehab, since that’s not quite the typical habitat for the species; details are still a bit hazy on that find, but a photo had been posted on the tenant association website for that particular residential community; there appear to have been NO further reports. Perhaps some other / additional details will be forthcoming, on a species that is just occasional in the county, with few well-documented recent records. Thanks to the individuals who privately communicated more on that recent occurrence, with a bit of sleuthing required as well. (Any further information would be great for the record.) I am A Blue Grosbeak was found & photographed (G. Willow) on Governors Island on Wed., 9/15; one of a batch of those photos is linked-to here, in the Macaulay Library archives: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/369755291 A Yellow-breasted Chat was found at the area of Central Park just west of Gapstow bridge in the s-e. quadrant of the park (adjacent to and including the Hallett Sanctuary, which opens to the public at 10 a.m. daily) on Wed., 9/15. The sighting is confirmed in eBird; that Chat might well linger in that vicinity for some time, as some of that species are wont to do (as well as those which do not!), with the species sometimes re-appearing days, weeks, or less-commonly even months later at a given location (including an occasional chat which attempts to over-winter). Red-headed Woodpecker sightings increased at least slightly in recent days, with another from Central Park (again, a first-fall plumaged bird lacking red hood) on Tues., 9/14; there were also others of the species reported both in the county, and nearby region, in recent days, many being fly-by sightings in potential or in obvious migration-mode. This species certainly may linger for some time at locations in N.Y. County. A Monk Parakeet was noted around Inwood Hill Park on 9/15; that neighborhood had been hosting at least one, perhaps more of the species this year, and recent sightings from around there at least suggest the possibility some had been present as breeding birds as well. (The species has nested in the county before.) An American Bittern was found at Corlears Hook on the East River very early on 9/15, not re-located later (that park and area are on Manhattan’s lower far east side.) A more complete list of recent sightings and the many species involved for the county, perhaps in a few days. It’s been a busy period! Thanks to all who reported sightings. A recent Connecticut Warbler was seen by many others eventually (in lower Manhattan) - thanks to early alerts by one of the regulars to some particular parks, and as always a bit of good luck with the bird staying relatively visible-viewable for later arriving watchers. Patience and quiet observing also contributed, as is frequently the case. Good 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/ --
