Monday, 10 November, 2014
The Ash-throated Flycatcher found, photo'd & ID'd by Dave Eib late on
Sunday was seen nicely again today, Mon. a.m. thanks this mid-morning
to Isaac Grant, who was on-scene as two of us arrived at the same
site: Mt. Loretto Unique Area, along southern Hylan Blvd. in the s.
part of Staten Island/Richmond Co. (part of N.Y. City) with the
flycatcher having been up the road in from the parking, then back
towards Hylan somewhat, & settling in at least for an hour+ along the
road only about ~75 yards or so east of the parking lot, mostly seen
in brushy berry and bramble areas a bit west of where it clears out
(the so-called sparrow-bowl), after the movement that Isaac & maybe a
few others, including D.E.'s Sunday sighting, had noted... It was seen
right by the road on the n. side, but easily disappeared from view a
number of times only to pop back up at eye level to maybe 10 ft. off
the ground. Many photo-ops as well as skulking lengths of time. The
bird was actually "easy" for 2 of us only because of Isaac's just
being on the bird as we happened to show up, so that was not
representative of what work it could be to spot & follow it. The bird
was occasionally vocalizing at least with calls, and was actively
feeding & clearly mobile... when we saw it, it was not hanging out
with any other birds.
Elsewhere on the south shore of Staten Island, we saw a modest variety
of seaduck, off Great Kills park for the most part, with Red-throated
Loons, a few Common Loons, a lot of Horned Grebes, & some 500+++ N.
Gannets all out in the lower harbor & bay, a nice sight on a rather
mild day. There was a flight of passerines & at least a few typical
raptors & vultures, but much of that was earlier than what we
witnessed in mid-a.m. thru late p.m. - one sort of bird not seen at
all, not even at Crooke's Pt. (outermost part of the shore at Great
Kills) were swallows, and they, perhaps including Cave, ought be
looked out for in coming days, esp. on the cold fronts that are
expected.
There were decent numbers of sparrows & Myrtle Warblers, etc. to sort
thru but we didn't do all that much; I.G. had seen a few nice things
ahead of our arrival at Mt. Loretto including an Orange-crowned
Warbler a bit nearer the shore bluffs.
Thanks to Dave Eib for this find, and to Isaac for just being on
point, and all who offer reports...
good birding,
Tom Fiore & Kristine Wallstrom
Manhattan / Bronx
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