On this morning's NYC Audubon Bryant Park Bird Walk (Wed. 10/26 from 8-9 AM) we had some wonderful sightings and a daring attempted rescue! We started in the NW corner of the park, where we saw Ovenbirds, Catbirds, a Hermit Thrush, and White-throated Sparrows. We then worked our way along the hedgerow at the Northern edge of the emerging skating rink. There's a lot of ongoing construction, so it can be hard to get around, but this path should be open. We spotted a couple of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, lots more White-throated Sparrows, a Brown Thrasher, a late Black-and-white Warbler, several Common Yellowthroats, and I caught a brief glimpse of a larger bird with a yellow throat pecking at a bagel with several sparrows... could it be, a Yellow-breasted Chat? My gut said yes, but it was gone before I could get my binoculars on it. Just then, I spotted what appeared to be a small bird in one of the London plane trees, hanging from one foot and struggling. It was a female Blackpoll Warbler, with her foot somehow tangled in the twigs. I went to find help, some way to get her down. With the assistance of Bryant Park staff, we got a tall ladder and an arborist with a very long pruning clippers, and some workmen held a blanket as a net to catch the unfortunate warbler as we snipped the twig. The plan was a success, we caught the bird and disentangled her foot (I couldn't see exactly how it got caught). We warmed her up and placed her in a paper bag, to take to a rehabilitator, but unfortunately she died en route, from shock or exhaustion. Who knows how long she had been hanging there? Meanwhile, the Yellow-breasted Chat reappeared, and my instincts proved correct! It was seen by several observers and was last seen hopping on the blue astro-turf at the north edge of the rink. About an hour ago in Prospect Park, I encountered a Vesper Sparrow with a flock of Chipping Sparrows and Juncos at the Eastern edge of the Long Meadow near the Upper Pool.I also sighted a Swainson's Thrush in the Ravine. Quite a day! Gabriel WillowNYC Audubon --
NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
