The ongoing Mountain Bluebird has been seen by many, including by birders from across N.Y. state, through Saturday, Jan. 22 at Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Park in eastern Ulster County; sightings as before have come from along River Road & nearby, and, also as previously, there are also at least several E. Bluebirds also ongoing in the same area, along with various other regular and wintering species. As noted by many, the Mtn. Bluebird is mobile and may forage up & down the road and closer to the river at times; watching the junipers (or ‘cedars’) is one way of seeking this as those can have berries it will want to feed on, as are other fruit-loving species such as the E. Bluebirds, Amer. Robins, and Cedar Waxwings, etc., even a few hardy Yellow-rumped Warblers also lingering.
On the subject of western-breeding birds, it’s worth a note that a Gambel’s (form of) White-crowned Sparrow was photographed in Orange Co., NY on Jan. 18th; photos are on the Macaulay Library archive: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/408135361 <https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/408135361> - with thanks to L. Scrima for that and many other good sightings. - - - - New York County (in N.Y. City) including Manhattan, Randall’s Island, & Governors Island Friday, Jan. 21st & Sat., Jan. 22nd - Two Western Tanagers continue through Saturday, 1/22 - on 2 sides of Manhattan island; the one which far more viewers have been to see at Carl Schurz Park, where somewhat regular (daily) at the feeder array just east of East End Ave. and a bit south of the main entrance at E. 86th St. (or, just west of the n.w. gate to the Catbird Playground within that park) - and the other W. Tanager also continuing at West 47th-48th Streets, immediately east of and along Tenth Ave., where seen early Saturday - in & near Hells Kitchen Park, while this tanager also appears semi-regularly on 48th Street, both in the Clinton Community Garden (views possible from the sidewalk to this key-holders-only space) and on the street in nearby trees as well as some of the buildings nearby. Both tanagers sometimes require a bit of patience to see; the Carl Schurz Park tanager may be in the vicinity of the noted feeders, but in shrubs or occasionally found up high in bare trees, and it also does visit other areas nearby. Please be courteous and considerate of all local residents in these two residential areas. Thanks as always to A. Burke, the finder of the Hells Kitchen/Clinton neighborhood W. Tanager, for ongoing updates on that 'slightly-flighty' but ongoing western-rarity. (It has been interesting to note that W. Tanagers have been showing in a number of locations around the northeast, including some still just being (first) reported in the past week or so. This species had been considered quite rare in the northeast through all of the 20th century; it’s probably not just the increase in observer numbers and efforts all year to have given the recent evidence of increases, although that may well be a factor.) A ‘late’ report of Iceland Gull, this from the ‘Baker Bay” or mud-flat & small bay-like area near Muscota Marsh, off the northern end of Manhattan and at the extreme north-east edge of Inwood Hill Park, next to West 215th St. - thanks to D. Karlson, and all others of that area. (With the potenial influx or increase of some gulls, & perhaps of some waterfowl & such, it’s worth scrutinizing flocks of such birds, as well as having 2nd looks at any bird that seems just a bit ‘different’, or obviously-so.) It was a pleasure to see another highly successful bird-walk (for the non-profit NYC Audubon) made on Friday (with G. Willow; previous walks for NYC Audubon have also been led by J. Giunta, such as Central Park walks to start off the New Year, etc.) in Central Park, with at least 14 hearty participants and an excellent count of nearly 3 dozen species seen for the walk. Some highlights for Central include ongoing Snow Goose, as well as Lesser Scaup, along with Wood Ducks, N. Shovelers, Buffleheads, Hooded Mergansers, many Ruddy Ducks, American Coots and other waterfowl. The bird-walk noted above also found a drake Common Merganser on the C.P. reservoir, and saw 2 Bald Eagles. Bald Eagles also have continued to be seen from multiple sites at various times, in and around the county; this included a Bald Eagle perching for a bit in a tree at Riverside Park (north) on Friday. Common Ravens have appeared at intervals in a number of parts of the county, including around / over Manhattan. It’s been noted already that a Snow Goose at Central Park has been seen at times, variously from Sheep Meadow to the Great Lawn, as well as on the Lake, & for at least some, also at the w. side of that park near W. 100th St. on 1/22. Multiple Common Ravens have appeared in various sites, with up to a dozen seen (in a few nearby locations) on 1/22, from the western part of Manhattan. Also around as usual are American Crows, occasionally also seen in high numbers (dozens) and there are a few reports of Fish Crow, almost all at or around Governors Island in recent days. A few species of the county are un-reported here so as to allow them the winter rest they may need. On Randall’s Island, ongoing species (at least found more regularly than not) include at least 2 Snow Geese, along with other waterfowl often including Common Goldeneye (which may be variously far or not-as-far, mostly off the n.-e. shore, and with scope best for better viewing), & again with a Glaucous Gull, along with up to 3 different Iceland Gulls (sometimes at least 2 of these being seen simultaneously), these gulls all showing at times, & also sometimes not available for viewing from Randall’s. An Orange-crowned Warbler was also continung to hold on, as has an adult Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Randall’s Island, and a variety of other birds which are so far managing to winter-over, such as Belted kingfisher. The Thursday, 1/20 sighting of a Black-headed Gull (E. Leonardi) has not occurred yet again, but it is very possible that species may show this winter in the county. Some of the birds still being seen around Manhattan, including some in Central Park, include: Turkey Vulture, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin, American Kestrel (in multiple locations as local residents), Peregrine (& same for this falcon species), Double-crested Cormorant (with Great Cormorants seen from Randall’s Island & Governors Island, in particular), [Atlantic] Brant (from various points all around the county’s salt-and-brackish waters), Great Blue Herons, Gadwall, American Black Duck, Red-breasted Merganser (as for Brant), 5 species of woodpeckers including (few) Yellow-shafted Flickers and (many) Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (the others, as usual being Red-bellied, Downy, & (a bit more scarce) Hairy Woodpeckers), Winter Wren, Brown Creeper, both Kinglets (each spp. ongoing in Central Park & in some other parks & green-spaces), Hermit Thrushes (in multiple locations), Gray Catbirds (some in slightly-surprising smaller greenspaces in midtown, etc. as well as a few still in Central Park), Brown Thrashers (also still lingering in a few locations including in Central Park, where the species often manages to over-winter), N. Mockingbirds, American Robins (diminished no’s. from about 2 weeks ago, but still around in moderate no’s. scattered through the county), Cedar Waxwings (similar as for robins), and sparrows including [Red] Fox Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, Song Sparrows and the most-numerous wintering sparrow (every winter) in the county, White-throated Sparrow, plus Slate-colored Junco, and also a few ongoing E. Towhees in some ‘select’ sites; blackbirds lately mostly consisting of smallish groups or singles of Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles, & also modest no’s. of American Goldfinch. These are not all of the recent birds of the county, and there also are a few additional warbler species still hanging in through the ups and downs of winter’s cold, including (at least) some Common Yellowthroats, Ovenbirds, and the more-typical (for the coastal region) Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warblers, the last hanging in with bayberry thickets especially on Governors Island, where “The Hills” are the area to find them most readily. There have been a very few Red-throated & Common Loons seen from around the county’s waters, but quite scant still, for this winter (thus far). Thanks to all of the quiet, patient, and courteous birders so many of whom have been out & about in all weather and finding many great birds, all around N.Y. County. 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/ --
