As an [extra-limital] addendum-corrigendum, the flock of White Ibis in the state of *Maine* (at Wells, southern-coast area) had grown to more than thirty (31 of that species may have been a highest count on the day) on Aug. 11th, and many of the same flock were seen again in that state and area, on Friday 8/12. Additionally in **New Jersey**, multiple kind readers (and my own further read-thru’s of reports) showed that *phenomenal* numbers of White Ibis were *just-lately* well-observed and reported for in-particular, Cape May County in southern New Jersey. High tallies there have come to **more than one-thousand of White Ibis**, with also very impressive numbers of various other wading-type/colonial birds.
- - - - New York County (in N.Y. City), including Manhattan, Randall’s Island and Governors Island and skies & waters adjacent. Friday, August 12th: Some of the migrants found Friday in a big push (some definitely earlier than is ‘expected’, although many not, and some just very-slightly-so) of warblers, in particular, which are listed below. Those with one asterisk below had multiple locations / observations, those with 2 asterisks had many observations, while those left with no star may have been singletons or, in any event, were not so widely-seen / reported, all of which may be amended w/ some additions as with other various other groups of migrants. Ovenbird*, Worm-eating Warbler*, Louisiana Waterthrush*, Northern Waterthrush**, Blue-winged Warbler*, Golden-wingedxBlue-winged Warbler (hybrid - “Brewster’s" type), Black-and-white Warbler**, Tennessee Warbler*, Nashville Warbler*, Mourning Warbler, Common Yellowthroat**, Hooded Warbler, American Redstart**, Northern Parula*, Yellow Warbler**, Chestnut-sided Warbler*, Black-throated Blue Warbler, [“Myrtle"]/Yellow-rumped Warbler, Prairie Warbler*, Canada Warbler**, Wilson's Warbler. There may be some additional species - a very large-diverse push of these warblers, although preceded by a day or two of fairly good new arrivals and passage-movements. A fair to high number also going on past the county, and almost certainly well-beyond the city and thus on to state[s] to the south of N.Y. The “Myrtle”/Yellow-rumped Warbler is definitely early, yet a few others of that species which does not nest in N.Y. City have been coming through the city, & at least a few also have been recorded to the south of the state (in areas where not breeding). The big uptick in species-diversity was possibly a bit overshadowed by the sheer numbers of the most-numerous newly-arrived ‘additionals', such as (more of) Ovenbird, N. Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, and Yellow Warbler as well as a modest but substantial uptick of Canada Warbler, just from Thursday into Friday. A good migration day for all of the county. Amongst other migrants on the day: Bobolinks, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds… Indigo Buntings, Scarlet Tanagers… Swainson’s Thrush (latter rather early), Veery… Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.s.. Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow (at least some on local-movement), Bank Swallow, and especially, Barn Swallows… OLIVE-SIDED Flycatcher (not really early, always an anticipated boreal-breeding migrant), Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (one), Alder/Willow Flycatcher (often-lumped for a sighting-report, when ID is not clinched to the particular species in this closely related ‘pair’ & often noted as Traill's Flycatcher - the older common name before that became 2 species, whch we now know as Alder and Willow in their individual designations), plus species in the genus-Empidonax, possibly including Acadian, and Great Crested Flycatcher, plus Eastern Kingbirds (latter including a moderate diurnal flight, the first somewhat larger flight of this summer’s southbound-season here) … Ospreys (at least a few migrating as well as locally-active birds continuing), Bald Eagle (same as with ospreys) … Black Vultures, Turkey Vulture (these both mentioned as either might be poss. migrants even now, in mid-August, but also may be of local-movements only for now) … there also were sightings of Common Ravens in higher-than-average for the county numbers, and *perhaps* beyond-local-movement … Great Blue Heron (some movement, although not clear that this species was / is ‘southbound’ at all, now) … Common Terns, Ring-billed Gulls… Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (& hummingbird-species, even if by-default generally considered all the 1 named species for now; these moving diurnally, as well as stop-overs in flower-feeding areas) … Chimney Swifts (in numbers at times and some areas) … Yellow-billed Cuckoo … & some shorebirds, with Spotted Sandipers the more-evident of those in the county for the day. LIKELY some additional species of migrants were on the move in & over the county. There may have been an uptick in Red-eyed Vireo numbers, however that species nests annually in a number of the larger parks in the county so young birds have added to their numbers. There also appear to be more House Wrens lately - & that despite the multiple nesters and their fledges. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, still in the area they favor at Randall’s Island; a few observers there *lately* have not re-found any Cliff Swallows so it is plausible that those which had nested there may have moved on -or at least away- from those nest-sites. Among the last to report them at that area were on Aug. 6th (Bielksas and Ng) as well as that same day, the original finder-reporter for nesting definitively occuring there (A. Cunningham); all observers are thanked for the observations made at nest-locations of these formerly-very-scarce and still very uncommon swallow species in this county. (Next year, perhaps some P.Martin-houses -?) Apologies for a slightly-abbreviated report, and thanks to many quiet observers out & about in nicer / cooler weather. good birding to all, Tom Fiore N.Y. City, & points-north. -- 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/ --
