It might be noted that the Black-throated GRAY Warbler seen in Nassau County NY’s Oceanside Marine Nature Study Area, found on 11/15 and by M. Farina, and then again re-found *Wed. 11/16* by P. Palladino there, and seen by at least several others subsequently (and photos made) *was also* still seen into the afternoon, although fairly clear (by reports offered) it had become tough to see in the conditions and the habitat the bird’s been moving in. Hopefully some further -and positive- sightings & reports will be made.
— The (now two) Brown Boobies have been continuing to be found off the north shore of Staten Island (Richmond County, N.Y. City), thru 11/16, while also being seen from New Jersey as well. The most regular watch-point in Staten Island sightings continued to be from Richmond Terrace and Northfield Ave. at the waterfront, staring at the Marker #22. When a C.B.C. might get this species on the upcoming count[s], 'not-to-worry' as the count-circle for that area can include both states (and does :-) - a not-that-rare situation in U.S. CBC’s, although somewhat more so for dual or more counties within just 1 state. Of course, as with other birds of mainly-tropical or subtropical origins, the Boobies may choose to move south, as our weather goes towards winter. - - - - New York County (in N.Y. City), including Manhattan, Randall’s Island, and Governors Island recent days, into Wed., November 16th - A Lesser Black-backed Gull was again found at the kayak-dock of Pier 32 on the Hudson River (A. Evans) in lower Manhattan, on Tues., 11/15, thus a possible lingerer, or at least a ‘returnee’ to that location. At least 3 Long-tailed Ducks seen along the Hudson Riverfrom the Dyckman Street pier and nearby Dyckman fields part of Inwood Hill Park on Sun., 11/13 followed the sighting of at least 4 Common Mergansers seen there on Sat., 11/12 by multiple observers. N. Pintails (2, drake and hen) have appeared at the reservoir in Central Park, adding to the waterfowl assortment that has been gathering there & elsewhere in that park. A few Wood Ducks have continued in Central as have Hooded Mergansers along with other ‘usuals’ there. A Mute Swan was again seen off Inwood Hill Park’s n. edge, to 11/14, and 2 of that swan species were still around Randall’s Isalnd to 11/16. American Woodcocks were still being found in a number of areas (and locations) in the county, thru 11/16. A minimum of 50 (& - likely more) Bonaparte’s Gulls were again found on the Hudson River to the north of the G.W. Bridge (seen off n. Manhattan) on Sun., 11/13 - and some of (or poss, still even that many) these gulls also seen from some points in Bergen Co., New Jersey and from southwest Westchester Co., NY (along the same stretches of the Hudson river, feeding / loafing / and in-flight at times). There were still at least a flock of ‘dozens’ of Bonaparte’s Gull on the river off the west Bronx, on 11/16 later in the day there. It will be very interesting to see if this species continues on at all in that area, not unprecedented for the Hudson, of course, but unusual in the modern era as lingering birds, in those numbers, on that stretch of the great river-estuary. (Many Ring-billed Gulls as well as some of the other typical gulls here have been found in numbers as well, lately around there.) Elsewhere (mostly) there have been ongoing Laughing Gulls with at least a few still showing up at the Central Park reservoir, intermittently (which is not at all unprecedented into Nov. in the modern era). More of the ‘Laughers’ are being found in and nearer to N.Y. Harbor, including within some NY County waters. An Osprey has been most-unusually lingering IN Central Park recently, often at 'The Lake’ shores. That species has also been seen elsewhere, and however sightings into November are no longer extremely-unusual in the region (southeast N.Y. state & beyond), while any December sighting would be a bit more unusual, & thus more-notable. Also by Tues., a Bald Eagle was out in the Central Park reservoir’s central ‘divider-dike’, where that species has shown other years. (Plenty of other Bald Eagle sightings have occurred in the county lately, most -as usual- being fly-overs, however.) At least a few Red-shouldered Hawks continue to be seen in the county, and that species is increasingly possible as a wintering bird in the region, and certainly can and will occur as a migrant as well even into December. There’ve been excellent migration-movements of that buteo species in the region in recent weeks (and for all of the actual-fall season, really.) This month and even Dec. can feature good movements of Red-tailed Hawks, including moving past N.Y. County, varying in their numbers one year to another on late-fall movements. Of multiple recent Lincoln’s Sparrow reports, a recent photo’d. sighting included one at Bryant Park, midtown Manhattan to at least 11/16. [Red] Fox Sparrows have been seen in multiple locations, including the odd sightings from various small green-spaces, as well as in the larger parks, often mixed in or near some of the many White-throated Sparrows. Also ongoing now are quite impressive numbers of Slate-colored Juncos, with numbers (over the county) easily into quadruple-digits; the numbers of these being reported on some individual-basis walks of late are often vastly under-representing the true high numbers, as has been so with Tufted Titmice in N.Y. County for many weeks now (they are now in Central Park alone in the very high triple-digits if not quadruple-digits, just in that one park, which is obviously a lot for that (currently-irrupting in this county) species. Black-capped Chickadees at last were beginning to show, in **some** (more) sites in the county, in numbers equal-to or greater than Tufted Titmice. However, the overall no’s. of Tufted Titmice still vastly outnumber the chickadees in this county. Multiple E. Bluebirds were again passing (and some lingering) thru the county into Sunday, 11/13, with one or two widely-seen by many observers at one location in Central Park then; others in other areas have been less highly-observed (or reported in the social-apps!) In Central Park, as many as 4 (likely more) E. Bluebirds have lingered in the park-entire, with one or two being regularly re-found still more-recently. Also lingering plus some (few) passing through still, are Rusty Blackbirds. And there are the (few) Baltimore Orioles, with a couple of those also photo’d. from various locations in the county, including Union Square Park, just recently. Orange-crowned Warbler (one was at the area of many watchers-of-E. Bluebird & other birds, but not widely-noticed, thru 11/13 at Central Park, while another was separately-seen, and nicely-photo’d as well at “The Dene” in Central, which is planted with native grasses and wildflowers, and has attratcted that warbler species on multiple previous autumns as well - this noted individual found & reported by C. Khoo and seen subsequently by some other observers. Additional Orange-crowneds have occurred in the county within the past 1 week.) Pine Warbler (of several passing through recently, one was seen by many at Central Park at least into Sunday, 11/13). Black-and-white Warbler (ongoing individual in Central Park plus other sightings in lower Manhattan; at least 2 birds were still present to [at-least] 11/15. Nashville Warbler (one photo’d. -N. Lynch- by South St. Seaport area, in lower Manhattan, to at least Tues., 11/15.) Palm Warbler (multiple, but not that many sightings or individuals recently, for the county.) Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, [Myrtle] Yellow-rumped Warbler (all in multiple locations in the county, into Tues., 11/15) There could well be some additional warbler spp. in the county, still… and of course, any sighting of a bird, of any sort, which looks just a bit “different” ought if possible, be photo’d and-or video’d. along with good descriptive notes being made. Thanks for the many sightings and reports in recent days, by so many quietly-observant finders in the 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/ --
