The American Bittern seen by several observers in Central Parks -Manhattan, N.Y. City- Ramble section, shortly past 10 am Thursday, 11/2 -A. Simmons, et al - not far from the area known as captains bench, is now the first of fall sighting this year, so far, to be entered into and confirmed and archived in eBird for the county and for Central Park. This also appeared in eBird-alerts as a modestly rare sighting for N.Y. County.
A fairly-late House Wren was photographed in Central Park on Thursday -C. Wiener-; that species can occasionally show into December in minimal numbers, in this county and region. Several Blue-headed Vireos were seen on Thursday, and at Central Park on the day there were many observers of that species. Red-shouldered Hawk was again seen in / over Central Park on 11/2, however far more of that species and a variety of other raptors, as well as many Turkey Vultures and some Black Vultures were seen by those conducting skywatch sessions at northern Manhattans west shore area. Many observers keeping eyes on the Central Park reservoir have noted the increases lately of Buffleheads, with 20+ there at times, and Hooded Merganser in double-digits, along with longer-term ongoing waterfowl into 11/2. The American Coot numbers had been at minimum of 3 for a while by this week. A report of Laughing Gull came from the CP reservoir, and it is worth noting that a slightly-similar gull but far-rarer in the region has visited Central Park in -past winters- or the adjacent seasons, that being black-headed... always worth a 2nd and 3rd look at any gull that seems different to the usual-3 gulls of the colder weather here. About 60 species of birds, not including the 3 usual city / feral species were found in Central Park on 11/2, although many more species were found on just the day prior, the first of Nov., and as expected, far more species for all of the county on both days. ... A warbler that lingered a while at Battery Park in lower Manhattan and was still being seen to 11/1 was confirmed in eBird as a Mourning Warbler, an extremely late date in this region for that species, that bird possibly present skulking in that area for many days or more prior to the start of November. Thanks to the many keen observers out finding birds at all hours lately and reporting reliably in available fully-public fora. Good birding to all, Tom Fiore manhattan -- (copy & paste any URL below, then modify any text "_DOT_" to a period ".") NYSbirds-L List Info: NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsWELCOME_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsRULES_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave_DOT_htm ARCHIVES: 1) mail-archive_DOT_com/nysbirds-l@cornell_DOT_edu/maillist_DOT_html 2) surfbirds_DOT_com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) birding_DOT_aba_DOT_org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: ebird_DOT_org/content/ebird/ --
