Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - Thursday, March 20th - Vernal Equinox The 2 Black-headed Gulls were again found on the dividing-dike of the C.P. reservoir at midday Thursday, with the adult in near-alternate -breeding-type- plumage the farther to the north of the two separated gulls, that adult about-even with roughly E. or W. 91 Street, and the younger Black-headed Gull closer to the south side, but not really near the South Pumping station building at the reservoirs SE edge. The adult-plumaged Black-headed was again seen by multiple observers, and I as well as others also photographed that bird, while the younger Black-headed was tough to do nice photos of, at least in mid-morning. A scope -or powerful lens for camera- or both are much recommended for the best chance of good views of the gulls if they are again present at the C.P. reservoir, but keen eyes with binoculars may work as well. N.B. - it can be that gull numbers are reduced on some days by later in the day, this varies. On Thursday there were at least 800 plus gulls at about 11-noon, but fewer than that later on.
There also were up to 4 Red-breasted Mergansers in the reservoir for Thursday, a species that has been found in good numbers lately around Manhattans brackish-salt waters. The Green-winged Teal continue on at Central Park as do some Wood Ducks, N. Shovelers, Gadwalls, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads, Ruddy Ducks and multiple American Coots. Black-crowned Night-Heron and Great Blue Heron have both been occasional to regular in Central Park - and elsewhere in Manhattan - lately and the Great Egrets have continued in Manhattan thru Thursday. Common Raven and Fish Crow as well as the regular American Crows have all been in and over Central Park in recent days. Elsewhere in Central Park, multiple Eastern Phoebes continued - also appearing throughout Manhattan in very-modest numbers by Thursday - as do at least 2 Pine Warblers, one or perhaps both Pines being birds that overwintered, the Ramble-area Pine Warbler as well as a less-brilliant but also male-plumaged individual at the n. end of the park, on Thursday morn just south of the Meer. Yellow-rumped Warblers of the Myrtle form have been seen in Central again, and also elsewhere in Manhattan, although very few and these are all certainly birds that wintered somewhat-locally in the area and not longer-distance arrivals. Rusty Blackbirds also continued in Central, with the most obliging, at times, one at the Loch and another by the Lake, farther south in the park. Eastern Towhee was again seen. Recently, both Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets have been found in several areas, including in and around the Ramble, these perhaps all just wintering individuals, although a chance that the Golden-crowned were wandering more in the past week or more. Red Fox Sparrows continued on in a few areas of the park, along with many of the overwintered White-throated Sparrows, and smaller numbers of Song Sparrows and at least a few Swamp Sparrows. Slate-colored Juncos have been coming in, as well as the modest numbers that were around for much of winter. Some Yellow-shafted Flickers recently may be birds that had been moving or shifting around, recently, while most of the Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are likely to have been wintering very locally, in the park or around Manhattan or not that much farther. Many many more species of birds are occurring in Central Park, and yet more in Manhattan and still-more in all of the county, which is New York County, in this week. ... Many signs of spring were evident by Thursday in Central Park, with blooming early-variety Cherry and Magnolia trees starting to show some colors, and the Cornus mas trees, sometimes called Cornelian Cherry, in full yellow brilliance already, as well as non-native bright Forsythia and other planted trees, shrubs and flowers of the park - along with greening-up of willow trees, and the many other deciduous trees which have been in bloom and bud, such as red maples and many more. Many of the budding and flowering trees and shrubs may start to host some arriving migrant birds as spring flows on. Good spring-birding to all, with thanks to the many observers and photographers offering reports via non-x alerts and as-always in eBird with the Macaulay Library media archive. 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/ --
