*Extra-limitals*: being reported again for Sunday - one, at same location out in **Connecticut** was a Say’s Phoebe. And also very notable in that state, a freshly-reported (first by A. Kiley) Short-billed Gull. Reports of both - including some photos, are in eBird; one link to the RBA for the county of both of these rare species in CT is here: https://ebird.org/alert/rba/US-CT-001 <https://ebird.org/alert/rba/US-CT-001>
. . . . New York County (in N.Y. City) including Manhattan, Randall’s Island, and Governors Island Sunday, March 20th: The Carl Schurz Park WESTERN Tanager was observed again, at various times and in the ‘usual’ area just west of the n.w. gate to the Catbird Playground, which is inside that park and a bit east of East End Ave., not too far from E. 85th Street. A few migrants are beginning to trickle in even at that park as well. The start of spring was just before noon-hour with some evidence of birds on the move for the day and the pre-overnight. Perhaps noted most-broadly, if not in any great no’s. in any one given location, were Golden-crowned Kinglets, in as many as 25 locations around the county - on all 3 of the larger islands (as per above in N.Y. County). And an uptick as well for Brown Creeper, which will often be found in-company (on passage) when that kinglet species is moving, at least in these parts. Also moving as expected, fair no’s. of American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, & some other blackbird spp. most of which were Common Grackles, as well as additions of more Song Sparrows, and a few of other sparrow species too. WILSON'S SNIPE showed nicely on Randall’s Island in particular, also at Governors Island and perhaps passing less-noticed in a few more locations of the county. There also are still American Woodcock & some Killdeer also lingering in the more-expected sites. Thanks to the terrific-trio of observers who noted the 'snipe-trio' earlier, at Randall’s Isl. on Sunday, & all additional observers for the start-of-spring day. Cedar Waxwings have continued and by now have been enjoyed by many hundreds of observers at the many locations where they are showing around the county, including thru Sunday. Warblers noted (again) included Orange-crowned in 2 locations, at Randall’s Island (and perhaps getting a bit restless there after having wintered seemingly in mostly one quad of habitat) & at The Battery (area) where the warbler has wandered (a little) as well over its’ long stay. Pine Warblers were found, albeit still minimally, and are hanging out in (not too surprisingly) some pine trees, at times. [Myrtle] Yellow-rumped Warblers have also continued in a few locations in the county, as previously, & at least one of the Ovenbirds was still around to Sunday / spring’s start. The Central Park drake Ring-necked Duck tried out ‘the Meer’ for the day, & was seen by many there as the day went along. Thanks to all of so many ethically-minded birders who offered reports and have been out all around the county on the start-of-spring. Of owls, they are known to be wise. Many more species all around, with some of those found for Sunday, 3/20 (in addition to above) including (but not limited to): Canada Goose (multiple) [Atlantic] Brant (multiple) Mute Swan Wood Duck Gadwall (multiple) American Black Duck (multiple) Mallard (plenty) Northern Shoveler (multiple) Northern Pintail (pair) Greater Scaup (multiple) Bufflehead (multiple) Common Goldeneye (multiple) Hooded Merganser (multiple) Red-breasted Merganser (multiple) Ruddy Duck (multiple) Red-throated Loon (multiple) Common Loon Great Cormorant (multiple; not many) Double-crested Cormorant (multiple) Great Blue Heron (multiple) Great Egret (multiple) Black-crowned Night-Heron Black Vulture (multiple) Turkey Vulture (multiple) Osprey (multiple) Bald Eagle (multiple) Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk (multiple) Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk (many) American Coot (multiple) Ring-billed Gull (many) [American] Herring Gull (many) Great Black-backed Gull (multiple) American Kestrel (multiple) Merlin Peregrine Falcon (multiple) ['feral'] Rock Pigeon (many) Mourning Dove (many) Belted Kingfisher (multiple) Red-bellied Woodpecker (multiple) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (bit of increase) Downy Woodpecker (multiple) Hairy Woodpecker (multiple) Yellow-shafted Flicker (multiple) Eastern Phoebe (a slight, fresh, increase) Blue Jay (multiple) Common Raven (multiple) American Crow (multiple) Fish Crow (multiple) Tree Swallow (multiple) Black-capped Chickadee (not that many) Tufted Titmouse (multiple) White-breasted Nuthatch (multiple) Brown Creeper (multiple) Carolina Wren (multiple) Winter Wren (not many) Golden-crowned Kinglet (multiple, definite increase) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (multiple, but not so many yet - all seen are likely locally-wintered still) Hermit Thrush (multiple) American Robin (many) Gray Catbird (multiple - these are ALL locally-wintered) Northern Mockingbird (multiple) Brown Thrasher (modest numbers that had all wintered) European Starling (many) House Sparrow (overly ubiquitous) Cedar Waxwing (good ongoing numbers, poss. a slight uptick for Sunday) Eastern Towhee (few, and all of these more likely still just the overwintered ones) Chipping Sparrow (few, and still - all have been around for some weeks or more) Field Sparrow (few) Savannah Sparrow (few) [Red] Fox Sparrow (multiple) Song Sparrow (many, and a further increase in the county) Swamp Sparrow (multiple, but not all that many yet) White-throated Sparrow (many, which is typical here for wintering and into-April lingering birds) Slate-colored Junco (multiple) Northern Cardinal (multiple) Red-winged Blackbird (multiple including some passage migrants) Rusty Blackbird (few) Common Grackle (multiple) Brown-headed Cowbird (multiple, but not all that many yet) Purple Finch (very few) House Finch (multiple) American Goldfinch (multiple, but still on the low side of ’normal’) Still more flowers showing as well as buds on various trees, shrubs, and other plants, and with those also some active insect-life. 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/ --
