For those with interest, this is a quick-take on that Steller’s Sea-Eagle that’s lately being seen in Nova Scotia Canada - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/05/science/stellers-sea-eagle.html <https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/05/science/stellers-sea-eagle.html>
- - It’s been notable how many -and, some in a number of ‘odd’ locations- Black-legged Kittiwakes are turning up around the region recently; that species has also seen a near-irruption in some parts of the country and around parts of the Great Lakes region, in particular. . . . . New York County (in N.Y. City), including Manhattan, Randall’s, and Governors Island[s] - Friday, Nov. 5th - As part of more broad movement of waterfowl & other waterbirds, a number of ducks new for the season (but not for the year here) in N.Y. County were observed, with some corresponding increases of more typical species for the county. These new arrivals included a Common Goldeneye first noted at sunrise on the Central Park reservoir, and a trio of Long-tailed Ducks moving south along the Hudson river, seen from n. Manhattan, also in early-hours. Several-dozens or more (!) birders came out to see the Goldeneye, as it’s not at all regular for that location, although there have been sightings & occasionally in the past long-lingerers there. (for Central-Parkers, eBird records do not have most of the sightings of the past decades of occurences, including some of more than one individual, as well as multi-day stayers there.) There are also the lingering P.-b. Grebe, multiple Am. Coots, at least seven or more Hooded Mergansers, & a lot more of N. Shovelers (in recent days) & Buffleheads, as well as no’s. of Ruddy Ducks, & more-regular duckage on the Central Park reservoir. Wood Ducks also were persisting, as has at least 1 Green-winged Teal, in Central Park. (A Green-winged Teal was also noted at Randall’s Island from Nov. 4th.) Duckage in Central Park is *not* limited to the reservoir there. Easily the best description (on eBird) for the Goldeneye-of-the-day in Central was this: "Cabeza oscura, pecho gris, marcas blancas en las alas. Ojo amarillo, poco mas grande q Bufflehead”, so thanks for that observer’s closer look, well-put. With Indigo Buntings as the autumn progesses, it’s worth trying to observe & if possible to photo/video well, since there is a chance of at least 1 western-counterpart species occuring in the east, even if that counterpart is *not at all regularly documented into the northeast*. An Indigo in drab-bish plumage, seen on Randall’s Island late in the day Friday may be presumed just that species, with a photo to give some sense of one of the plumages often seen on fall-winter buntings of this species - https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/385564541 <https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/385564541> - any photo can sometimes show aspects of a bird that may be more-difficult to describe - and conversely, some descriptions can add more to a sighting than only a photo or even a video might. For some possibly unaware, Indigo Bunting has overwintered locally, including fully-through a winter at Central Park, NYC. In lower Manhattan, a Blue-headed Vireo was seen south of W. Houston St., along the Hudson River waterfront, and another was also detected at Central Park for the day. Some American Pipits were found on both Randall’s Island & near the north end of Manhattan. Modest numbers of E. Bluebirds were again seen, esp. from Governors Island, but scattered about in other county locations as well, on the day. Orange-crowned Warbler was also found at Governors Island (with G. Willow, and T. Plowman), as well as a late-ish House Wren there, and among the many Sparrows there, at least one White-crowned. There were also many reports & sightings of Winter Wren all around the county, in a further passage of that species. Both Kinglet species, and some E. Phoebes were still being seen in any number of locations in the county. An Osprey was seen & photo’d. moving along the Hudson from near Chelsea in mid-lower Manhattan, and it was a nice day for the passage of Red-shouldered Hawk, at a time of year when multiples of that species are fully-expected around the region. Other raptor species also were on the move today (and many were hoping for the possibility of a less-regular eagle species for the county, in these days with numbers of Golden Eagle having been seen at a number of regional locations, in several states as well as nearby counties of N.Y.S.) A Monk Parakeet was noted (again) from northern Manhattan, which in general seems to be the part of Manhattan that has been most productive, if scantily, for the species - this day, from just north of the western end of Dyckman Street - (it’s also worth knowing the calls of that species, if not familiar and visiting or birding in N.Y. City & vicinity, with some sections of the city having well-known ongoing populations). Various other birds were found around the county, including some moving in fairly good no’s. for a part of the morning, included blackbird species (especially, Common Grackle, with other icterids as well, perhaps mostly Red-winged Blackbirds and some B.-h. Cowbirds), and American Robin, plus some other passerine migrators. A few Rusty Blackbirds have also been seen in the 2 days of this report. The planet’s largest passerine species, Common Ravens were seen from multiple sites in the county, & a group of nine was noted as seen from Manhattan’s northwest edges. (actually, the possibly-larger is a Raven species that’s not in this part of the world, but the Common Raven can come close in some of its regional populations- N.B., the Thick-billed Raven of eastern-most Africa in the “Horn of Africa”- may take the prize as the world’s heaviest corvid & also heaviest of all passerine birds, but some 'Greenland-region' Common Ravens can rival at least the average Thick-billed.) Some Black Vultures were among the very high no’s. of Turkey Vultures stlll passing over Manhattan and the county - for Black Vulture in particular, the most-regular view-point has long been the northwest tip of Manhattan, & often with scans to the west, however there are also passages of both of our vulture species that may be viewed on other directional view-angles, and from many other sites around the county. Up to 8 Killdeer were noted at Randall’s Island, & the species was also present on Governors Island. Laughing Gull has continued in any number of places around the county, although most are seen on & along the two river-estuaries and also and especially from near the New York harbor. Some other sightings included a further report of Black-and-white Warbler at Central Park, possibly the individual that was photographed in that park on the prior day. Ovenbirds are also still lurking, as they will do, in various locations in Manhattan, and some may well attempt (& possibly, succeed at) overwintering there; similarly with Common Yellowthroats which are continuing to be detected in the multiple, and county-wide. Some Palm & Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warblers also are ongoing. - - Thursday, Nov. 4th - An Eastern Meadowlark was reported at Washington Square Park in Manhattan, in early morning (only) on Thursday, Nov. 4th. A rather-late Black-and-white Warbler was found & photographed (J. Suzuki) at Central Park, in the eastern part of the Ramble on Thursday, Nov. 4th. A White-crowned Sparrow was among the species found (C. Weiner) at The Dene, in Central Park. - - - - Note: Lapland Longspur is among species recently on the move, & has been found south to the barrier-beach Atlantic shores in at least Suffolk Co., NY. This species can and has occurred in New York County, as well. - - - Also and as of Thursday, seen by its’ (at least) "twelve-thousandth human", the Yellow-breasted Chat of midtown Manhattan *was* still pulling in the crowds & the paparazzi. It’s a long way from (almost there) Times Square, to where the species most-often wants to spend its’ winters. And, if not reported again from around it’s recent haunts, it is possible that that individual decided it was time to pack up and head onward… the latest reports for that bird appear to have come from almost the end-of-day on Nov. 4th. However, that species can also have a way of disappearing & then re-appearing at some later date, even as days are shortening - and other signals may suggest that migratory birds would migrate... good birding to all, and thanks to all offering up reports on many, many fine bird observations. 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/ --
