Emending the report I gave on this list, for Tues., 8/16 as per below: A bird initially reported as a Little Blue Heron in Manhattan on Tues., 8/16 [and passed along to this list by me, afterwards] has had its’ observer change the designation (via eBird in that same checklist) to “white egret species”, which is a choice that can be made in this county on a checklist for eBird. And the ever-hardworking eBird-review team have also made the change, **which removes Little Blue Heron from the ‘weekly’ county-level-only R.B.A., which eBird also features.** (I’m not affiliated with eBird’s team, nor do I affect any operations which they perform.) As an added note, the observer referred to, offering the original report is *always, by choice* listed in reports as -Mickey- for a first name, rather than “Michael”. Thanks again to M. Ryan for the regular bird reports, often with additional documentations. In addition there were further visits to Sherman Creek [n. of Swindler Cove Park, which is beyond the eastern terminus of Dykman St. in n. Manhattan] on Wed., 8/17, and the observers there found just Great Blue Heron & Black-crowned Night-Herons, amongst any Ardeidae species noted. Also present there were Least and Spotted Sandipers in the multiple, and above-typical no’s. of Northern Waterthrush, of which the latter was also found in good no’s. at other sites around the county.
- - - - Concerning various recent notes from some sources, the most recent eBird-ed (and confirmed) report for Sora (in all of New York County) was just-under two years ago, in early September of 2020, the rather-well-noted odd one (in an odd location, to be sure) at Bryant Park in the thick of midtown Manhattan. And the last (most-recent) confirmed and documented report in eBird for a Sora within Central Park also in Manhattan, N.Y. City) was that which was photographed & seen by many, many observers - having been known to be in a particular area of that park, thru May 4th of 2018. - - - - - - - - Up to 7 White Ibis were again noted at the same site in *northern Suffolk County (Long Island)*, NY on Wed. 8/17, as reported by at least several early-day observers; others arriving later may have seen fewer of that Ibis - And n.b., there were no reports in eBird or other fora on White Ibis at the shore of Staten Island (Richmond County, N.Y. City) as had been for some days, the last definite reports seem to be for that latter [Richmond County] site from Tues. 8/16, unless some come thru a bit belatedly. - - - - New York County (in N.Y. City), including Manhattan, Randall’s Island, and Governors Island Wed., August 17th - At least 4 Wood Ducks were around Central Park, a clear uptick in their numbers (the species was noted elsewhere in the larger region as migrators pushing on as well). There was at-least modest Chimney Swift activity and early movement again, although lighter than the day prior or earlier few days movements. Also noted in modestly greater numbers were Swallows, with Barn as is typical here the most frequently noted and also the most-numerous. Red-breasted Nuthatches have continued on in a number of locations, with some presumed re-shuffling over recent days. Some other migrant species which showed in modestly-high numbers (not especially newly-higher on the day) included: Ring-billed Gull, Common Tern (some departures), E. Kingbird (yes, even on a day with only modest movement), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Goldfinch (which is somewhat interesting, and has been a slight movement of this species already this month), Bobolink (in early a.m. flight), Red-winged Blackbird (not all that many in a.m. flight), and - also, listed individually below, these 17 American warbler species were noted in N.Y. County on Wednesday, 8/17 (some certainly lingering on) - Ovenbird, Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Waterthrush, Blue-winged Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Cape May Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Canada Warbler [all of these warbler species were found within Central Park on 8/17, however also many were seen elsewhere, and at least ten of the above were seen in the multiple, with as had been previously some of the more-numerous &/or widespread being: N. Waterthrush, Black-and-White Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, and - still, as is expected - Yellow Warbler. Of these last 5 warblers, Northern Waterthrush may have come near to outnumbering American Redstart on the day, and in some specific locations, the former species did overtake the quite widely-seen Am. Redstarts. There may have been some other warbler spp. in addition which were being seen on Wed., 8/17. Early morning-flight in the southern half of the county may have been rather obscured if there was much at all passing there; there can be occasions when one sector of small N.Y. County is ‘active’ and another is less; part of the delights in being on the Hudson River and other estuaries and of course so relatively-near to all of the Atlantic; variables in flights / migrations are likely more-complex than they may be commonly held to be. … A Blue-winged Teal at Central Park thru Tuesday, 8/16 was also confirmed in the eBird report for that date. It’s possible that teal is ongoing there, at least within the same park, if not at the same location as seen on prior days. The virtually-year-round G.H. Owl in Central Park was photo’d. on a high roost-perch as it slept on Tues., 8/16, that photo now in the Macaulay Library. Laughing Gull has been on the wander recently with again some fairly high numbers; that species has wandered well up the Hudson River as well, even to at least Orange County, NY lately. - - - - - backing-up by a few days or more, among a good many butterfly species noted recently in the county have been Fiery Skippers, in at least low-multiples in a number of locations, these typical of many late-summer to early-fall seasons, and varying a bit in numbers one year to the next. They are a far-more common species in the southern U.S. & elsewhere. A good variety of other butterfly (and many other insect) species, have been found in recent days in the county. peaceful birding to all, Tom Fiore [N.Y. City] -- 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/ --
