Some nice birds seen lately (and continuing recently) in eastern N.Y. state’s Hudson-valley region (or nearby) have included the Northern Shrike in Putnam County, N.Y. at the Glynwood farm area (multi. observers), also an ongoing Harlequin Duck in Port Ewen (just south of Kingston, in Ulster County, N.Y., and on/adjacent to the Hudson River), as well as an ongoing ‘gambelii’ form (“Gambel’s”) White-crowned Sparrow seen and photo’d. again to at least March 8th, at Kingston Point also in Ulster Co., N.Y.
- - - A good many N.Y. City birders are aware that a Northern Waterthrush had been *overwintering* at the Brooklyn Bridge Park in western-most Kings County (Brooklyn) in N.Y. City, reliably seen again at least thru Fri., 3/10 at that location. …... Also notable but as an early-arriver, a very-early (even for **southern New Jersey**) Louisiana Waterthrush, a presumed 'very-eager’ migrant, was seen and well-photographed at Cape May, New Jersey by March 7th, which is some weeks ahead of a *more-expected arrival-date* - even at that location or that section of that state. Much-more extra-limital to any part of New York, but always a remarkable bird for the “lower-48”, a gorgeous Ross’s GULL showed for multi-dozens of observers just off (and at) Rainbow Beach in Cooks County, **Chicago** (Illinois) on the southwestern parts of Lake Michigan, not v. far south from Hyde Park in Chicago, for Saturday, March 11th. - - - New York County (in N.Y. City) including Manhattan, Randall’s Island, and Governors Island (as well as the surrounding waters & skies above and nearby) - A sampler of some highlights were: Razorbill (one, and not seen-again), Black-headed Gull, Iceland Gull, Swainson’s Thrush (over-wintered!), Baltimore Oriole (ongoing, overwintered!), and arrivals including Am. Woodcocks, Killldeer, Eastern Phoebes, and etc. for past week, thru Saturday, 3/11: One quite notable bird seen, on one day only (March 5th) off Governor’s Island - a Razorbill, which is a species that while seen rather-regularly this winter-season in the region, of course mainly off ocean-facing shores & from barrier-beach islands for the most part (or from boats and/or jetties and the like) - this one being exceedingly-rare by virtue of having occurred within the “inner” New York Harbor, in sight of the Statue of Liberty there, and also (perhaps important to many sightings of mainly pelagic and off-shore species) to the north, or “inside of” - relative to the whole lay of the waterways, the Hudson River, the NYC harbor area, & Raritan Bay just south of that - north of the span of the Verrazano Bridge which is at the narrows of that same name, and which might be a typical cut-off of a lot of the species that can pass / cross / migrate thru / feed near the outer (south-of) part of that bridge, or outer area of the NY harbor region - and which can include for one example, N. Gannet, which is not-rare nor difficult at all in the proper seasons, from the headlands and shores of the portions of N.Y. City that have ocean-facing positions (Richmond County, Kings County, and Queens County) as well as the more-than-occasional finding of gannets or some other mainly pelagic and offshore birds, from the eastern parts of Bronx County, which face the western sector of Long Island Sound, but not the Atlantic ocean. There may be almost no precedents - with few exceptions - for Razorbill in New York County waters, or to be observed from a point within that county. However, this is what far-more observations can mean, over time - and all-importantly too, observations from keen, serious observers who give such reports in a straightfoward way. The Swainson’s Thrush (not the hawk of Kings County :-) has successfully made it thru all but the final ten days of (calendar) winter within Bryant Park, in midtown Manhattan - along with at least one (possibly more) Hermit Thrush there, and not all that often spied. The Swainson’s being very well-photographed (A. Simmons, others previously) on the most-recent close encounter, of Friday, 3/10. This is an extremely uncommon (or really, ‘rare' - even if that 4-letter word can be overused in a lot of 'birding-talk') occurrence of the species for an all-winter stay in the state of New York, or in the northeastern region. The only Catharus-genus thrush species which is regular (and even expected, in smallish numbers) in the northeast thru any winter is Hermit Thrush. On the reservoir of Central Park, an Iceland Gull (again) visited for a while as recently as Friday, and (at least briefly) again Sat. (3/10 & 3/11) - this may not be the same individual on each of its’ winter visitations, but there are some appearances in other locations that, potentially, were of the same individual on some occasions (all in New York County, that is). There was a (single-observer) sighting of a Black-headed Gull at the Central Park reservoir at end-of-daylight, and in rain-sleet etc. when viewed, on Friday (3/10) from the reservoir’s n. side. A Lesser Black-backed Gull was seen off Governors Island on March 6th, a day when modest (100’s) numbers of the usual species of gulls were also noted around here. (Also noted in that day’s visit had been numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds, which comports well with numbers that pushed thru in a number of places of N.Y. County on that, and the following three days, or longer (with one visit in Central Park having had over 40 R.W.B.B. that were not by the waterbodies, but high in bare trees, on the move and just-briefly stopping off on March 7th, those seen near the mid-park area, and a small additional, other flock, north of the C.P. rservoir prior to those in mid-park.) Otherwise, many species were ongoing as in prior (first week of) March sightings, but there has been a bit of migratory arrival and passage, even if seeming a bit minimal. The American Woodcocks and Killdeer which increased again and that is a partial sign of activity that is sure to increase as March moves on towards the first days of (calendar) spring. Also moving, albeit in still-modest no’s. as found for this county, were more Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and some sparrows, mostly including Song Sparrows increasing a bit. American Woodcock have been in multiple locations and there were further arrivals and passages of that species in the last week; at some locations there had briefly been a number of them - most often quickly either inadvertently flushed by humans (and-or their canine friends, some off-leash) or by the regular, and typical machinery and activities in a variety of locations, whether larger parks or less-visited spaces with some bits of brushy habitat. The Killdeer were mainly noted from the 2 most-regular sites for that species in the county, Randall’s and Governors Island[s] where at limited times, over one-dozen occurred, and some days, slightly-larger flights moved past. A few more E. Phoebes came in with at least one showing in Central Park (n. end) and others, again at Governors Island (eastern side) and at Corlears Hook on the E. River by Sat., 3/11. A Baltimore Oriole was continuing in and around Union Square Park, having overwintered there. A rather-few warblers were continuing to be found, and the Pine Warbler having seemingly moved on thru Central Park (but could easily still be in that park, and with more destined to return soon enough); several Orange-crowned Warblers continued, the most-observed (regularly) one of them at Randall’s Island, where more than one made it thru the winter; also lingering in a few areas have been Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warblers, which like Orange-crowned are hardy enough to make it thru NYC winters on a regular-annual basis, in some sectors of the city’s habitats. Also ongoing: Ovenbird, seen over the past week in at least 1 lower Manhattan small green-space; it is possible that a few others of that species made it thru winter so far. (In many years, it can be that March becomes the ‘cruelest month’ for some birds, especially those that are atypical-winterers so far north, in that March can deliver multiple bouts of really harsh weather, even if contrasted by bouts of any milder, early-spring weather, and at a time of late winter season when birds ‘just hanging on’ will have to make it thru such late bouts of freezing or other harsh weather, as food supplies can be tough to come by. (In some circumstances, the birds of the urban-winter may have taken advantage of a multitude of choice in the vast quantity of food-scraps left on the ground by humans - this is observable directly in many instances, if one takes time; even such past rarities as some of the Varied Thrush vagrants to N.Y. City have for example carb-and-protein loaded on left-out take-away foods. Chats of the Yelow-breasted type that have overwintered in the north have sometimes, and even regularly, had their share of left-overs from human feastings (and of all sorts of foods). And so on… There also are often at least some naturally-occuring foods for the birds, including insects even in a cold or snowy winter, which might be in the form of adults or as larvae, etc., all good food-sources for all sorts of birds; there also are often small and larger leaf-littered sites and lawns in which to probe some of which may stay fairly snow-free (if there has even been snow-cover to speak of; vanishingly little had been seen so far this winter in some of N.Y. City, compared to any historic averages). Two White-crowned Sparrows have remained, both of which overwintered in the county, an adult-plumaged individual at Randall’s Island, and a 'non-adult' in Central Park just south of the 72 St. cross-drive and sometimes nearer to the n. side of Sheep Meadow (this latter bird often with a ‘surplus' of other sparrow-species). [Red] Fox Sparrows continue in a number of places, very often mixing it up in loose feeding-groups with White-throated Sparrow, the latter being found by the many many hundreds all thru almost any winter in N.Y. County, esp. concentrated in certain places, even in some of the smaller greenspaces. Other sparrows that also overwinter regularly include Song and rather-limited no’s. of Swamp Sparrow, while still others besides the preceding are rarer to truly overwinter; the occasional Chipping, and not-usually-common American Tree or Savannah, being among others. Slate-colored Juncos are ongoing in a number of locations, and any recent (from mid-Feb. on to the present) movements of the latter may have been simply small flocks going from one section of the county to another, as any minimal snow-cover changed food-avaialbility however briefly. There are also a somewhat typical-overwintering few Eastern Towhees in the county, at least a couple of which were observed rather regularly. With waterfowl and other water-birds, if anything there’s been departure as much as any arrival, with the likely exception of Wood Duck, which have been moving a bit. Most of those movers kept on moving, with the (scant) majority of the species that are ongoing being individuals that had wintered in the county. Central Park being where that species is most-observed, while they also have been occurring, and can be looked-for, elsewhere (and on active migration also could show almost anywhere). Virtually all of the rest of waterfowl that has been found are birds -or at least, species - that were wintering locally, such as Common Goldeneye, Long-tailed Duck, any of 3 Merganser species, etc. (although Red-breasted Merganser had a bit of an uptick, and are continuing to be noted in various locations, on occasion one or more dropping in at Central Park’s reservoir, where not that unexpected as visitants). Hooded Mergansers continue on in modest numbers, mostly found [observed in] Central Park lately, as is typical. The Green-winged Teal that I’d noted in my last report to this list was ongoing at the Meer where it requires a bit of scrutiny to find on some days. And, the drake Redhead which hundreds upon hundreds have seen (and e-Birded) over the winter is still at the Pool in Central Park’s n.w. sector, where it almost-always has been thru its’ lengthy and popularly-observed stay. Mute Swan was ongoing at the n. edge of Randall’s Island with at least 1 still present. Loons have been in quite short-supply so far, with a rather scant number of either of the regularly noted 2 species (Common or Red-throated Loon) although a few days (very-few migration mornings) had some of the former loon sp. on the move in low apparent no’s. and a couple of the latter species are found in some of the waters off Manhattan. American Coots were still on the reservoir in Central Park, and very scantly noted anywhere else all winter. The only really regular heron species thus far this late-winter has been Great Blue Heron, with a few in various places including at Central Park as well as around Inwood Hill Park, & some elsewhere at times. Belted Kingfishers have been ongoing but in low no’s. overall, with one, sometimes 2 in Central Park, and a bit more-regularly at or near the n. tip of Manhattan, also seeming ‘irregular' so far at Randall’s Island, or (even less regular) for Governors Island thus far in March. Some Turkey Vultures have been moving, even on days with seemingly contrary winds to head north and there have been sightings of all 3 of the regular falcon species, including (scarce still) Merlin in several locations, also the city-resident American Kestrels and Peregrines. Bald Eagle, Cooper’s Hawk, and a very-few Sharp-shinned Hawks also have been noted, and in the past week just a very few Red-shouldered Hawks, while Red-tailed Hawks are watched building nests or on such nests already, in multiple places of N.Y. County. Modest (by comparison with what will be coming in soon as spring arrives) numbers of American Robin have moved in and past the county, and with those have been a very few Eastern Bluebirds as well, most or all apparently just passing thru, which is their usual wont in this county, much more scarcely lingering much, if at all. An almost equally scant no. of Cedar Waxwings, which may be ones actually traveling in a south-bound, or simply wandering-about way, in the past week, scarcely registering at all in any reports recently. There also were very slight, or light movements of some other passerine species, including some which may have shifted ever-so-slightly within the region, not any long-distance travelers just yet. Brown Creepers and (some) Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers may fall into such a category. While the N.Y. City area had mostly been seeing cool to cold weather, at least south as far as the Washington D.C. region and on a few occasions, to as “close” by as the Philadelphia, PA area the temp’s had briefly risen to true springtime levels (only to return to wintry levels, if not conditions in many of same areas). - - - - Birds seen within or flying thru Central Park (in Manhattan) in the past 7 days - Canada Goose (many) Wood Duck (multiple) Northern Shoveler Gadwall Mallard American Black Duck Mallard x American Black Duck (hybrid) Green-winged Teal (ongoing, "the Meer") Redhead (drake, ongoing, at “the Pool") Ring-necked Duck Bufflehead Hooded Merganser (multiple) Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck (v. scant for now) - Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove American Coot (multiple) Killdeer American Woodcock (multiple, on some days) Ring-billed Gull [American] Herring Gull Black-headed Gull (one obs., brief sighting on Friday, at C.P. reservoir, late-day only as far as is known/reported) Iceland Gull (photographed on some days, not present all days or all-times) Great Black-backed Gull - also a gull/species that was reported-as potential Black-headed. Double-crested Cormorant (scarce so far) Great Blue Heron (regular) Turkey Vulture (multiple over past week) Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl - and others. Belted Kingfisher (regular; ‘easily’ missed on the Meer, including being nicely hidden) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (rather scant so far, in Central Park, for this month) Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Yellow-shafted Flicker American Kestrel (daily) Merlin (few sightings of this species, thus far) Peregrine Falcon (daily) Eastern Phoebe (n. end, at the “ridge" opposite w. side of Meer) Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse (many as have been all winter and last autumn) Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Red-breasted Nuthatch (scant, lately) White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Winter Wren Carolina Wren European Starling Gray Catbird (overwintered) Brown Thrasher (wintered as is usual for at least a few in Central Park) Northern Mockingbird Eastern Bluebird (few) Hermit Thrush (small numbers) American Robin (increased a bit this past week; hundreds over the park on some days) House Sparrow House Finch Purple Finch (scant) American Goldfinch [Red] Fox Sparrow (multiple, in various areas) Slate-colored Junco (multiple) White-crowned Sparrow (ongoing: overwintered, at the areas s. of 72 St. cross-drive; multi. observers / photos, all thru winter) White-throated Sparrow (common and widespread - all of these being overwintered birds) Song Sparrow (modest increases in past week in Central) Swamp Sparrow (ongoing small no’s. that overwintered as is now expected annually here) Eastern Towhee (overwintered, as is typical for a few in Central Park) Red-winged Blackbird (multiple with small increases, some mornings featured 40++ on the move, thru the park) Brown-headed Cowbird (few) Rusty Blackbird (scant, lately) Common Grackle (increases, with some also moving on multiple days) Northern Cardinal and almost certainly at least a few more wild and native birds around… —— We now have some full displays of daffodils, narcissus, and multiple other early types of garden-flowers, as well as much-increased bright-yellow blooms of the small Cornus mas shrub-like ornamental trees, along with many of the earliest-blooming ornamental cherries (still not the famed and more full-flowered ‘Yoshino’ variety that were brought largely from Japan to this area) fully in bloom, along with the first of the magnolia trees to bloom already showing blossoms (most especially the ’stellata’ types, of which one example grows in Central Park just inside the perimeter near W. 89th St., as well as more of same in the mid and southern sector of the same park, and elsewhere in the city, and in N.Y. county), plus increases of buds and blooms on many - *many other* - trees, a wide variety of species that showed some less-conspicuous flowers even as March was starting off, now in full bloom, even if inconspicuous to those not looking closely at tree buds and twigs; or (other species) in full or swelling bud; many willows have increased in their greening-up (all-thru whatever weather has been up to), and a wide variety of shrubs and forbs as well as grasses all are further-greened than had been just one week prior. Even some of the ornamental crabapple trees have begun unfulrling small leaves, as have multiple other plants which are all pointing-to the coming arrival of spring. Thanks to the many observers out and about, some in all types of weather, for recent days and great notes and also photos in eBird and in the most-used bird-reporting systems which are primarily group-me / whatsapp types, as well as the former and as ever, good old-old word-of-mouth communication. Tom Fiore manhattan - - - - "Men are nothing, principles are everything.” - Benito Juarez. -- 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/ --
