New York County -in N.Y. City- including Governors and Randalls and Manhattan island as well as Roosevelt Island, and some of the adjacent waters such as in N.Y. Harbor, and other waters, and also some of the skies above and adjacent-to the county - Cinco de Mayo - Sunday, May 5 -
While a bit drizzly later in the day, and modestly cooler than a typical Cinco-de-Mayo will be in this area, it was still a very bird-y day all around, with many lingering migrants and uncommon species - and at least a few surprises, for some exploring birders. The lingering American White Pelican was again seen from a variety of vantage points as it moved around the New York harbor area, often being spotted from Governors Island in N.Y. County, even if the pelican itself may have been off in a few other counties waters, or even in New Jersey waters at times on Sunday, just as with prior days of this unusual visitors stay in the harbor area. There are also sightings from ferries and other boats from a variety of locations in the harbor, as well as by some, with luck or perseverance, from Manhattan, with a scope generally best for most of the observing, or using high-powered optics of some sort. Over at Randalls Island for Sunday morning, a group of 4 keen watchers and devotees of that islands birds, found among many migratory and semi-resident species, a Prothonotary Warbler, this one in female plumage with her olive-y upper back etc., thus not the individual male Prothonotary which had been seen by many in Central Park, Manhattan but some days prior. This female Prothonotary was still in the area of the Waters Edge gardens at Randalls Island later in the day in drizzly weather too, a garden section which overlooks East Harlem across the western part of the East River or lower Harlem river estuaries. That garden area, and an adjacent very small light woods, can sometimes be attractive to and productive for migrants, especially passerine types, at some times in migration seasons and even well-outside of the peak-weeks of the year. These areas on the far-west edges of Randalls are more or less across from E. 106th to E. 112th Sts. of Manhattan island, and are south of the Little Hell Gate saltmarsh site in the western part of Randalls Island, while north of the foot-bridge connecting Randalls with Manhattan island. A quartet of Glossy Ibis were also seen flying past Randalls Island Sunday morning, a very-uncommonly seen species for the county, and yet this not the first sighting of this year in N.Y. County, as it turned out that a visiting Brazilian birder -and a few others- had noted a single Glossy Ibis pass by Central Park, on May 2nd. This species is likely at-least slightly more regular in passage by the county than is generally seen, reported, or widely-realized, and will be most-likely spotted by those with keen eyes-to-the-skies wherever one may be, and especially in the mid-spring. There are some non-ancient records for Glossy Ibis -IN- Central Park, which at the times of those occurrences drew many to seek, however those were as-nothing for observer-numbers in comparison to today with todays insta-alerts and simply the availability of fast communications of this modern era. Ibis of other species also have been reported from N.Y. County, and that has included even White, which in breeding plumage is a tough bird not to see and ID correctly if seen at any close range. The month of May is a good time to watch for nearly any types of birds, as the possibilities widen for most of the month. Fly-overs of many sorts can and do occur - the well-prepared and quick thinking observer may be likeliest to have some luck in this category of watching... being out at any and all hours, and sometimes in what seem odd locations, may also give some impetus. It also can be a matter of luck, but an old adage says - for birders, too - we can help to make good luck more-likely. Eyes, or at least an eye, to the skies. Sundays Glossy Ibis group were perhaps the first of the year to be -photo-documented- in N.Y. County... the species overall, as expected around here, has had widespread arrival in the wider region in recent days. A very good variety of other birds were also found on and around Randalls Island on Sunday, many lingering all thru that day there. Also showing some nice lingering species was Governors Island, in addition to White Pelican watching, with still very good numbers of Purple Sandpipers there at the rocky shores and with a bit of close watching by seekers there, up to 18 individuals seen at times in one group -and perhaps even more- of the Purples seen on Sunday on Governors Island. This is still the one best location in the county, over time, for observation of that rock-loving long-staying winter to spring visiting migrant. The amount of habitat on Governors Island is greater than that for Purple SP at other N.Y. County locations, and the location on the harbor is also a factor. There were somewhat fewer migrants of all kinds from Governors by Sunday as compared with sightings on some earlier days of this month and at the end of April there. The more-northerly parts of the county have tended to be seeing a bit more, as the month of May continues, for migrant species and some of the returning breeding species. Of various many birds on Governors Island, lingering or late American Woodcock deserves some watching, in case of any ongoing stay. Killdeer are also regulars there, as are the usual Tree Swallows. Any reports of Purple Martin at Governors Island ought to be accompanied by photo or video documentation. At Randalls Island, it seems so far no Cliff Swallow has lingered in search of potential return-nesting for 2024, but it will be watched-for in coming weeks. Even on a damper, cooler day on Sunday 5-5, with large numbers of observers, Central Park in Manhattan managed to tally at least 24 species of migratory American warblers, and as previously, the most numerous again were Myrtle - a.k.a. Yellow-rumped - Warblers, easily double-or-more the number of any other species of warbler in that park, or in almost any larger site of the county. There are increased numbers of female Myrtle Warblers passing lately, and this can account for some lower counts of the Myrtles by some observers. Of the Myrtle Warbler alone, far more than 100 individuals were present in early morning at Central Park on Sunday. Other warbler species varied in numbers from scores-of, to as few as very few individuals noted, park-wide, and by multiple observers - primarily in morning hours, when the weather was slightly less-damp. Central Park once-again managed a total of more than 100 species of wild, native birds on May 5th, as seen by collective great numbers of observers. A few late-lingering birds are of interest, the more so should any still be found into late May. Typically most of such species of wintering or lingering-migrant species will be moving-on in this month. There was -no- reported re-find for Sunday of a male Cerulean Warbler for Manhattan, as seen in the Fort Tryon Park area on Saturday, May 4th. It was apparent that at least some migrants had moved-on, overnight for Sunday morning watchers, and-however, that some new arrivals had also shown for Sunday. Plenty of other migrants have been observed in many parts of northern Manhattan, including in a few larger parks there, with some devoted observers in most, the more-so in the month of May. Thanks greatly to the many quiet keen observers of many birds of Sunday all around N.Y. County, and beyond, for a lot of good finds and for so many excellent reports. 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/ --
