New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Randalls Island, Governors Island, Roosevelt Island, and the adjacent waters and skies above - thru Monday, Feb. 17th -
A Wild Turkey was ongoing at Roosevelt Island, where this individual has been for a very long time by now, and is called Astoria by some observers. A wintering House Wren was still on Randalls Island, and of typical-wintering wrens, Winter Wren and especially Carolina Wren are regular in a number of sites in this county. The long-lingering Snow Goose was ongoing at Central Park thru this weekend, sometimes on the lawns such as recently, the Great Lawn and also at the n. end of the park, as well as on waterbodies of that park. A Surf Scoter seen on Feb. 13 was confirmed via eBird for 2 observers, seen from Randalls Island on that day. Some other waterfowl still being seen were 2 American Wigeon on Governors Island, with Greater Scaups, Common Goldeneyes, and other waterfowl again being seen there. From Randalls Island were more Common Goldeneyes and Lesser Scaup, the latter also having been noted off Inwood Hill Park, but the Randalls find of numbers of Lesser Scaups was a bit impressive for this county, where that last species is generally not at all regular in the modern era. Other waterfowl are ongoing in the county such as Atlantic Brant, of course many Canada Geese, Green-winged Teal, Hooded, Red-breasted, and scarcer Common Mergansers, Wood Ducks, Ruddy Ducks, N. Shovelers, Buffleheads, Gadwalls, American Black Ducks and the usual motley assortments of Mallards. Some loons, including a fair number of Common Loons, showed in the county over recent days. Warblers noted again in the county were several Pine - both at Central Park where one is occasional at least, and continuing thru Monday 1-17, in the Ramble sometimes at suet feeders and also in that general vicinity of that park, as well as ongoing at Randalls Island, plus several Orange-crowned Warblers also on Randalls Island and at Carl Schurz Park in Manhattans upper-east, with likely some additional Orange-crowned still lurking in a few more areas of the county, and at least a couple of lingering-wintering Myrtle-form Yellow-rumped Warblers, among recent finds of the latter being at the Hudson River shore in lower Manhattan. There are perhaps a few more surviving warbler species that managed to make it this far into winter in the county. Any warblers seen here in these coming several weeks are highly-likely to have wintered very, very locally. Sparrows lingering on thru this winter again include Chipping, American Tree, Field, Swamp, Red Fox, Song, at least a few Savannah, and many White-throated Sparrows, as well as Slate-colored form of Dark-eyed Junco and E. Towhee in multiple locations. There are some Brown Thrashers and Gray Catbirds hanging in at some locations in Manhattan, in particular, while N. Mockingbirds are slightly more widespread. Hermit Thrush are in multiple locations, esp. in Manhattan which is rather typical for the species in winter here. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers also are continuing to winter in fairly good numbers, not unusual in the modern era. We also continue to have some blackbirds, in numbers most represented by Common Grackles, and American Robins have been numerous all thru recent months, with Cedar Waxwings only occasional and in limited locations for the midwinter. In a further signal as to the change in status of Black Vulture in New York over recent decades, 3 individuals of that species seen and photographed moving over Manhattan near Central Park on 2-14 are indicative - this species was exceedingly rare in this area just 30 years ago, and may still be increasing and spreading north. Thanks to all out in the weather of recent and observing and photographing, for sightings and reports to non-x alerts and as always via eBird with the Macaulay Library for media. 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/ --
