[nysbirds-l] [Mass.] Eur. Hobby, etc. & C.P., NYC 5/18
Wednesday, 18 May, 2011 - In Massachusetts, a European HOBBY has been reported; on the same list are reports of a lingering Cassin's Sparrow which has been in the same area for a while (many photos). http://groups.google.com/group/massbird/browse_thread/thread/2a8844b1d3ff4b32# http://groups.google.com/group/massbird/topics (reports) http://massbird.org/sightings/index.htm (rarities & photos) - - - - - - - - Phalaropes of at least 2 species were seen in Pennsylvania: Red (Chester County, and later, also in Bucks County, PA), as well as 2 together in Hampton, New Hampshire (noted in RBA) http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind1105c=birdeast=916 - these all on 5/18; & Red-necked (multiple PA counties) Phalaropes, while Red-necked Phalarope has been reported as well in several NY counties & several New England states, so far in the region. Pix of the Chester Co., PA Red Phalarope 5/18, by J. Davis: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/5734793273/in/photostream (NB: that Pennsylvania Red Phalarope was found by Larry Lewis) See: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/PENN.html for further updates on the PA sightings. - - - - - - - - Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - An American Bittern was found on the Point & later moved a short way west along the lake (a bit closer towards Bow bridge) where it remained at least through 6:15 p.m. in the evening (in between the now- regular rains) - found and first reported by Ardith Bondi, & seen by multiple observers. (This is a fairly late date for the species at this location (NYC) but in spring 2006, an American Bittern was found in Central Park on May 26th.) In addition to an evening "bittern-watch", I went round the entire park checking out all the water-bodies (yep, even the small "sailboat pond", or Conservatory Water as it's officially known) with the understanding that these storm systems we're experiencing have the capability to "drop" an odd bird in to almost any possible location... the multiple phalaropes found elsewhere partly an example, although some of those were seen in well-known shorebird hotspots. (No C.P. phalaropes were found) The park held a fair number of migrant species and in breaks of almost- sunny weather, and even when less so, a goodly number of songbirds were singing, in the case of males... and the females active as well, when insect life was, in some areas - it was interesting to see that in a few areas, Chimney Swifts were nearly swarming (50-80+ at a time) just above places where there were also fair concentrations of warblers and some other arboreal-feeding birds. I saw &/or heard 15 species of warblers and heard about at least 2 additional species seen today, with Bay-breasted, Blackburnian and Wilson's represented by males and a Cape May female in the north woods fairly early on. In the evening after my rounds of the entire park (looking at all the water), I heard several Gray-cheeked Thrushes singing rather softly, as light rain began again, & also heard (more regular) Wood & Swainson's Thrushes, & Veery. There's also at least one male Indigo Bunting that's been singing every day in the same location for over a week, but that's happened other years in C.P. & no breeding took place. Still, it will be worth checking. A pair of Chipping Sparrows apparently are nesting again. Other birds are as well, of course - and all of us should be cautious about any potential disturbances to our native birds, even the more common species. In a place like an urban park, these birds are sometimes in as precarious a situation as can be, particularly those that nest below or at (human) eye-level. The European Starlings and House Sparrows also take their toll; unfortunately those two species are abundant in a place like Central Park. The Boat-tailed Grackle I photographed late in the day on Tuesday was not found again this day, to my knowledge - but i would not be surprised if it reappears. I would familiarize one's ears with the song & calls, which are distinctive from the "common" Common Grackle as a way of clinching the identity of this, at least in this park. That grackle was quite raucous (I'm assuming it's the same) when found 11 days after the original find (by Jane F. Ross) and observed for much of the day. That 2nd find was by Jacob Drucker, & I was possibly the last to see & hear the displaying Boat-tailed that April 20, even up to the sunset hour. if it does frequent the Meer, it will be a little easier to locate rather than seeking a single bird throughout all of Central Park. If there are more than one, then there may be a slight trend developing. Oh, I may as well add that in all my searching of the waters in Central, just one bird of minor interest was a drab Ruddy Duck, feeding vigorously at the Reservoir, quite late in the day. It's not the absolute latest I've seen
[nysbirds-l] [Mass.] Eur. Hobby, etc. C.P., NYC 5/18
Wednesday, 18 May, 2011 - In Massachusetts, a European HOBBY has been reported; on the same list are reports of a lingering Cassin's Sparrow which has been in the same area for a while (many photos). http://groups.google.com/group/massbird/browse_thread/thread/2a8844b1d3ff4b32# http://groups.google.com/group/massbird/topics (reports) http://massbird.org/sightings/index.htm (rarities photos) - - - - - - - - Phalaropes of at least 2 species were seen in Pennsylvania: Red (Chester County, and later, also in Bucks County, PA), as well as 2 together in Hampton, New Hampshire (noted in RBA) http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind1105cL=birdeastP=916 - these all on 5/18; Red-necked (multiple PA counties) Phalaropes, while Red-necked Phalarope has been reported as well in several NY counties several New England states, so far in the region. Pix of the Chester Co., PA Red Phalarope 5/18, by J. Davis: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffamy/5734793273/in/photostream (NB: that Pennsylvania Red Phalarope was found by Larry Lewis) See: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/PENN.html for further updates on the PA sightings. - - - - - - - - Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - An American Bittern was found on the Point later moved a short way west along the lake (a bit closer towards Bow bridge) where it remained at least through 6:15 p.m. in the evening (in between the now- regular rains) - found and first reported by Ardith Bondi, seen by multiple observers. (This is a fairly late date for the species at this location (NYC) but in spring 2006, an American Bittern was found in Central Park on May 26th.) In addition to an evening bittern-watch, I went round the entire park checking out all the water-bodies (yep, even the small sailboat pond, or Conservatory Water as it's officially known) with the understanding that these storm systems we're experiencing have the capability to drop an odd bird in to almost any possible location... the multiple phalaropes found elsewhere partly an example, although some of those were seen in well-known shorebird hotspots. (No C.P. phalaropes were found) The park held a fair number of migrant species and in breaks of almost- sunny weather, and even when less so, a goodly number of songbirds were singing, in the case of males... and the females active as well, when insect life was, in some areas - it was interesting to see that in a few areas, Chimney Swifts were nearly swarming (50-80+ at a time) just above places where there were also fair concentrations of warblers and some other arboreal-feeding birds. I saw /or heard 15 species of warblers and heard about at least 2 additional species seen today, with Bay-breasted, Blackburnian and Wilson's represented by males and a Cape May female in the north woods fairly early on. In the evening after my rounds of the entire park (looking at all the water), I heard several Gray-cheeked Thrushes singing rather softly, as light rain began again, also heard (more regular) Wood Swainson's Thrushes, Veery. There's also at least one male Indigo Bunting that's been singing every day in the same location for over a week, but that's happened other years in C.P. no breeding took place. Still, it will be worth checking. A pair of Chipping Sparrows apparently are nesting again. Other birds are as well, of course - and all of us should be cautious about any potential disturbances to our native birds, even the more common species. In a place like an urban park, these birds are sometimes in as precarious a situation as can be, particularly those that nest below or at (human) eye-level. The European Starlings and House Sparrows also take their toll; unfortunately those two species are abundant in a place like Central Park. The Boat-tailed Grackle I photographed late in the day on Tuesday was not found again this day, to my knowledge - but i would not be surprised if it reappears. I would familiarize one's ears with the song calls, which are distinctive from the common Common Grackle as a way of clinching the identity of this, at least in this park. That grackle was quite raucous (I'm assuming it's the same) when found 11 days after the original find (by Jane F. Ross) and observed for much of the day. That 2nd find was by Jacob Drucker, I was possibly the last to see hear the displaying Boat-tailed that April 20, even up to the sunset hour. if it does frequent the Meer, it will be a little easier to locate rather than seeking a single bird throughout all of Central Park. If there are more than one, then there may be a slight trend developing. Oh, I may as well add that in all my searching of the waters in Central, just one bird of minor interest was a drab Ruddy Duck, feeding vigorously at the Reservoir, quite late in the day. It's not the absolute latest I've seen them in spring at
