Over on Randalls Island -also in N.Y. County- the shorebird and gull numbers
had dropped off by Tuesday, although some 10 or more Pectoral Sandpipers were
still being seen at some times of the day there, and a variety of other
migrants were still in fair to middling numbers in general there. It may be
added that at least a few Common Loons were showing in recent days, still not
very common however! More notes on N.Y. County sightings at a later date.
- -
Manhattan, N.Y. City, including many sightings from Central Park
Tuesday, Sept. 26th -
9 Forsters Terns, uncommon-to-rare in N.Y. County generally, were seen w/photos
taken also -A. Cunningham- along the Hudson River from near the West Village
-piers- and also noted in the same watch were 75 Laughing Gulls, as well as
various other spp. From the western end of Dyckman St. in northwest Manhattan,
the count of Laughing Gull was almost twice that number. A flight of
Broad-winged Hawks came along with the majority passing thru mid-afternoon; the
species was also seen in good numbers -given the rough weather in the morning,
esp. in the region- at some local hawkwatch locations with fulltime, paid
watchers. A couple of notes to add on that - it was clearing much more, and
earlier to the north, even just 5-6 miles difference was a large difference,
from lower Manhattan compared with the northern tip, where it nearly became
sunny very late in the day, with all rain ended earlier up that way. And the
areas northward, for example north of Westchester County may have cleared
relatively more in the afternoon hours, inspiring some birds to start to move
by then, particularly many raptors, vultures, and - as seen also in Manhattan,
Common Nighthawks. Up to 14 or more nighthawks came thru, with at least 8
passing thru Central Park late Tues.
With many warblers still about around Manhattan, and additionally still on the
outlying islands of the county, one species also quite numerous have been
Common Yellowthroat, as well as various others. There were at least 23 warbler
species noted on Manhattan, and of those at least 22 seen within Central Park
on Tuesday. Also in good to high numbers were such species as Rose-breasted
Grosbeak, with all of Central Park containing far more than 100, and some
smaller parts of the park having dozens - where fruiting trees were loaded.
Scarlet Tanagers were still in fair numbers as well, for both Central Park, and
around Manhattan more generally.
A strong migration occurred overnight from Tuesday night into Wed, 9/27 and
some or even many birds which had sat down for some days may have now moved-on.
While of course some new arrivals may begin to show, as a few did even thru the
storms passage.
Some of the species seen from, and in Manhattan on Tuesday 9/26 are listed
below. Those seen -also- within Central Park are marked as -CP-.
Canada Goose -CP-
Mute Swan - off Manhattan upper east side, East River.
Wood Duck -CP-
Northern Shoveler -CP-
Gadwall -CP-
Mallard -CP-
American Black Duck -CP-
Mallard x American Black Duck -hybrid types-. -CP-
Northern Pintail - Central Park, The Meer.
Green-winged Teal - ongoing for weeks at Central Park.
Scoter spp. - seen by several obs., high flyovers not ID to species, however.
Pied-billed Grebe -CP-
feral Rock Pigeon -CP-
Mourning Dove -CP-
Common Nighthawk -CP- and also seen elsewhere from Manhattan, p.m. hours.
Chimney Swift -CP- including some high numbers at times in flocks.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird -CP- Up to 20+ in Central Park alone, and many others
scattered around Manhattan island visiting flowers in multiple gardens /
greenspaces.
American Coot
Killdeer
Spotted Sandpiper -CP-
Solitary Sandpiper -CP- This species seen for many, many weeks at Central Park.
shorebird sp. - very distant flybys.
Laughing Gull - some high numbers continuing in various places, as well as
small nos. for some locations around Manhattan. -CP-
Ring-billed Gull -CP-
American Herring Gull -CP-
Great Black-backed Gull -CP-
Common Tern - reported.
Forsters Tern - as noted at top.
Common Loon - flyovers.
Double-crested Cormorant -CP-
Great Blue Heron -CP-
Great Egret -CP-
Snowy Egret - flybys.
Green Heron -CP-
Black-crowned Night-Heron -CP-
Black Vulture - moving in numbers esp. as seen from northern Manhattan.
Turkey Vulture -CP-
Osprey - modest nos. and at -CP-
Northern Harrier - small numbers, also -CP-
Sharp-shinned Hawk - same, and, -CP-
Coopers Hawk -CP-
Bald Eagle - many on the move down the rivers, also from -CP-
Broad-winged Hawk - surprising nos. for the weather, but clearly some needed to
get going, also seen at -CP- all later in day; few before about 2 pm.
Red-tailed Hawk -CP-
Eastern Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, and -Flaco-, the zoo-escaped Eurasian
Eagle-Owl, the latter only still in Central Park, the others resident in n.
Manhattan.
Belted Kingfisher -CP-
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker -CP-
Red-bellied Woodpecker -CP-
Downy Woodpecker -CP-
Hairy Woodpecker -CP-
Yellow-sh
