Sad news, previously noted to this list, of the death of the Eurasian Eagle-Owl that had been seen variously around Central Park and adjacent parts of Manhattan, since its Central Park Zoo enclosure was vandalized and the owl flew out, and then the owl made its life in Central Park, primarily, for many months since last years incident. The owl had been brought from the rehab that received it, pronounced already dead and then brought on to the WCS - Bronx Zoo in N.Y. City, where a necropsy was performed. The zoo has already stated they will make the results of that necropsy available, and they did, however there will be further tests, which might determine what really caused the blunt-trauma death, presumed the result of a crash into a building on the west side of Manhattan, outside of Central Park. One of the questions raised is whether the eagle-owl was consuming rodents, or birds, or anything else which may have had some form of poisons, such as for example, a rodenticide. This owl was hatched in an aviary in the U.S., not taken from the wild. The death of this owl is surely an emotion-filled event and is noted as a part of the bird activity - and birder-activity, of New York County. This owl also has been mentioned in news and other sources all around the planet and news of its demise is out on at least 6 continents. An impromptu memorial site has appeared in Central Park, cards, flowers and so forth being left. More news may come out, some of which may or may not be fully appropriate to this list-serve. Thanks to Manhattan birder Alan Drogin for the initial, but sad report, with sympathy for all involved, and above all for the innocent not-entirely-wild owl who had a year of living outdoors in Central Park, and further tried to make it living outside of that park over much of this winter. --- New York County, in N.Y. City, including Manhattan, Randalls Island and Governors Island into the last week of February -
Pier 26 - on the Manhattan west side, along the Hudson River - has continued at least, for many weeks now, to host a few Purple Sandpipers, some days having 4 or more in-view, often fewer, and the birds sometimes out at the very end of the pier structure, thus a bit of work may be needed to find and view. Its been a while since the same species were being reported off Governors Island, but that islands rocky shore can be a good site to check too. A flight of Snow Geese moving past northern Manhattan was noted on Wed. morning, 2/28, with up to 400 in a group, estimate and some of these well photographed. For Thursday, last day of this Feb., the 29th, a drake Lesser Scaup came back to the Central Park reservoir, with multiple observers to view it and the good variety of other, and ongoing duckage. A modest number of American Woodcock have been showing, part of the arrivals of this month, and some as often has happened in the past, have come to parts of Manhattan where conditions can be tough, such as into midtown. Some also have shown in larger parks, including in Central Park and Riverside Park, as well, and more of the species are likely to arrive fairly soon. A modest no. of Killdeer have been seen in some of their typical sites in the county, and some slight increases noted in the past week or more. A presumed-probable Sandhill Crane moving by Manhattan on Tues, 2/27 would be about when some of the species could be on the move, esp in mild bouts of end-of-winter weather, as that period had. And on that same day, seven Sandhill Cranes were seen and photographed, by multiple observers, the cranes moving north past part of western Brooklyn / Kings County, NYC. Also arriving, and many passing-by the county have been Red-winged Blackbirds, with some fairly good flights in -some- early mornings. These flights also accompanied with some other birds on the move. Cedar Waxwings are also being found, some of those have been around much of this winter, while more were infiltrating the area in the past 2 weeks or so, although these somewhat irruptive-in-winter seasonal-frugivores may be wandering in almost any compass-direction in this time of year. American Robins are in fairly good numbers all around - some of them singing at times, not quite regularly, and the same of a good many other songbirds, locally-wintering Song Sparrows, as just one other example. Two species of loons were ongoing at the Central Park reservoir as they had for many days, Red-throated and Common Loon. In recent days there also were nice numbers of Red-throated Loon, in particular around the N.Y. harbor with viewing possible from Governors Island. A Long-tailed Duck was photo'd on the East River, a bit east of Manhattan nearest to E. 23rd St., on 2/22, this species not showing all that much in some of its typical wintering areas, but often a bit challenging for county-watchers within this county. Some Common Goldeneyes have continued to show recently off Governors Islands, and Great Cormorants also have been viewed from there lately. Some of the other waterfowl that has lingered in the county includes a fair variety at Central Park, including Wood Ducks, both Common and Red-breasted Mergansers, Green-winged Teals, and other even more-typical species such as Hooded Mergansers, N. Shovelers, Ruddy Ducks, Buffleheads and so forth. In N.Y. Harbor have been some Greater Scaup, and just very occasional finds of Lesser Scaup, visible in county waters or from sites on land within the county. Light movements of some raptors have been seen, mostly Bald Eagles and a few Red-shouldered Hawks, as well as both Black and Turkey Vultures, with some sightings of all of these from Central Park, and more-so from northern Manhattan. Pied-billed Grebe and American Coot also were ongoing in Central Park at the reservoir. A few Black-crowned Night-Herons have been seen occasionally, including in Central Park, in the last 2 weeks. Owls of at least 3 species, all native in the region, and 2 of those also potentially breeding in the county, were still present, one lingering on at Central Park although definitely not a breeding bird of the county. That one had been reported, as here, in past reports for Central Park. A rather-few warbler sightings for the period include Orange-crowned hanging on in a few locations, and also Myrtle Warbler in very few places in the county. It is possible that some other warbler spp. may have survived thru the winter in this county. A Field Sparrow in Central Park recently may have possibly overwintered, and at least one Lincolns Sparrow in mid-lower Manhattan seems to be doing so, thru this month. Thanks to all the quiet and courteous observers respecting the needs of wildlife, and each other in turn, for many sightings and reports for the county. Good birding to all, 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/ --
