[nysbirds-l] Montauk Peninsula/Lazy Point/Hook Pond, Sat. Feb. 18th
Hello Everyone,I led an Eastern Long Island Audubon walk today to the Montauk Peninsula. There was nothing unusual at the Lighthouse/Camp Hero,[only a single Razorbill, but it was very close in.. Our group found the following: 14 Purple Sandpiper and 100+ Bonaparte Gull at Ditch Plains, a Yellow Breasted Chat and 2 Hermit Thrush,[ all seen by James Clinton below the patio], a Great Cormorant at the Lake Montauk jetty, 3 Red Necked Grebe and numerous Horned Grebe at Fort Pond Bay, 5 Ruddy Turnstone at Lazy Point, 6 Pied Billed Grebe and 11 Common Merganser at Hook Pond. Good February Birding,Carl Starace -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Manhattan, 2/18
Saturday, 18 February, 2012 Manhattan sightings today included the lingering Rufous Hummingbird - this bird was again making a visit to the nearby area in Central Park, while coming back in to the flowering shrubs at the American Museum of Natural History's "Rose Center" / planetarium entrance, off West 81 Street, between Columbus Ave. & Central Park West. (The Central Park appearance was just south of Tanner's Spring near the Winterdale Arch which sits astride the "bridle" path (no longer really used by horses, but still cindered). The hummingbird was back to the museum entry as of mid-morning. Also in Central Park, he lingering Red-headed Woodpecker (with a little more red showing each week) was on one of its favored trees, just northwest of the NW corner of Hallett Sanctuary, where I watched it fend off a bevy of European Starlings as well as a few less-agressive Blue Jays. The Red-headed was occasionally a bit vocal as it chased the starlings away, time after time - an often-seen situation from these 2 species at least in this city, when a Red-headed is lingering. At Union Square Park, the Yellow-breasted Chat showed nicely around the southwest corner of the park (near 14th Street and Union Square West) with the statue of M.K. Gandhi in view - the chat moving about but generally within that smaller space. In the larger portion of Union Square park the lingering White-crowned Sparrow was seen. In Bryant Park, between 40th & 42nd Streets, and between Fifth & Sixth Ave's., a fairly extensive search lasting well over an hour found 3 Gray Catbirds, all nearest Sixth Ave. & all 3 seen briefly-simultaneously, but mainly a bit apart, and two together closer to 42nd, while a third seemed to like the 40th St. side a bit more during my perambulation there. No chat nor any warbler species was noted, nor any Lincoln's Sparrow, but an E. Towhee (male) in the area near the rink entry. Also, in Central Park there at least a few E. Towhees, as well as catbirds, and a couple of Brown Thrashers plus some Hermit Thrushes, "red" Fox Sparrows, Wood Ducks, & a variety of other over-wintering birds - many of the usual species have been in song, some for weeks already; American Robins in various locations included. An Eastern Phoebe also has lingered on, mainly wandering in the s. section of the Ramble, but has also been to Turtle Pond, where it had "first" been seen as a very late lingerer as winter came on (on the calendar that is...) - - - - A recent post of mine referred to a Virginia's Warbler being seen in Maryland, which it still was today; however it was pointed out to me that the first sighting of that Maryland rarity was not in late Dec. but late Jan. 2012, as reflected in a 'correction' on that state's list. In addition, the records for a different warbler named for a lady (Lucy's) do include a modest few eastern records & thus that is not at all the rarest of the 3 western-breeding wood-warbler species that have women's common names - Grace's is by far the rarest to stray so far east. Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Brooklyn Birds
Today I lead a Linnaean Society trip to Floyd Bennett Field and Dead Horse Bay. While many of the expected passerines were nearly non-existent, we did have several highlights that more than made up for it. At the start of the trip we tried for the Barrow's Goldeneye in the bay off of the boat ramp, but came up empty. In the water off the end of Archery Road we did get great, close looks at the EURASIAN WIGEON. In addition, we counted 5 RED-NECKED GREBE farther out in the bay from that location. I was unsuccessful on several previous attempts for the NORTHERN SHRIKE this month, but decided to try again anyway. This time I found the bird perched at the top of a birch tree near the back of Field "G". Over the course of about 20 minutes the bird dropped down to lower perches eventually disappearing into the underbrush. This was at around 11am. I spoke with Heydi Lopes this evening and she had relocated the shrike at 1pm in the trees closer to the Remote Control Airplane Field. For some unknown reason, we had trouble locating any Horned Lark flocks, having checked the usual spots numerous times. After a visit to Dead Horse Bay (where the scaup flock has swelled to approximately 10,000 birds), I decided to drag the group back to the Cricket Field for one last attempt at Horned Larks before calling it a day. Three times a charm. There was a flock of 15 birds feeding in the grass and, as an added bonus, so was a single LAPLAND LONGSPUR. Perhaps it was just the lighting, but this individual seemed extremely well marked and brightly colored for the time of year ... oh wait, what season it this again? If you go looking for the Northern Shrike, here's a Google Earth map marked with the field designations and other points of interest: http://g.co/maps/k9wjv Good birding, Rob ** Floyd Bennett Field Feb 18, 2012 33 species Brant Canada Goose Gadwall EURASIAN WIGEON (1, end of Archery Rd.) American Wigeon American Black Duck Mallard Northern Shoveler Greater Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Red-breasted Merganser Red-throated Loon Horned Grebe RED-NECKED GREBE (5, bay off of Archery Rd.) Double-crested Cormorant Great Cormorant American Kestrel Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Rock Pigeon Northern Flicker NORTHERN SHRIKE (In birch trees at back of Field "G".) American Crow Horned Lark (15, Cricket Field.) American Robin Northern Mockingbird European Starling LAPLAND LONGSPUR (1, within Horned Lark flock on Cricket Field.) Yellow-rumped Warbler Red-winged Blackbird House Sparrow * Dead Horse Bay Feb 18, 2012 11 species Brant Greater Scaup (approx. 10,000) Long-tailed Duck Red-breasted Merganser Red-throated Loon Horned Grebe Great Cormorant Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Rock Pigeon European Starling -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] The New York Botanical Garden
A BLACK VULTURE highlighted a very nice birding day at NYBG. Other sightings included; a second male Great Horned Owl, turkey vultures, a Kestrel, 7 red tailed hawks including Rose who may be building a nest on the Library Bldg again - thanks to Pat! Rusty blackbirds-13 Red winged blackbirds-2 Grackles-6 Red-bellied woodpeckers -3 Downy woodpeckers- 2 BlueJays-8 Cardinals -2 Tufted titmouse -9 White-breasted nuthatch -5 Mourning doves-6 White-throated Sparrows-15 Goldfinch -6 Hooded mergansers - 9 Mallards-26 Hybrid mallards-2 Canadian Geese-16 White farm duck-1 House finch-1 Turtles were basking on a log, beavers had taken down another tree and muskrats were swimming in Twin Lakes. Good birding, Debbie Becker -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] no ravens but peregrines very active
No ravens yesterday but the pair of Peregrine Falcons on the Trump Plaza in New Rochelle was giving a nice display flying around again. Quite spectacular. Also, had the Hermit Thrush back at the bath and a grackle at the feeders today. Spring is almost here!! Andrew Andrew v. F. Block Consulting Naturalist/Wildlife Biologist 37 Tanglewylde Avenue Bronxville, Westchester Co., New York 10708-3131 Phone: 914-337-1229; Cell: 914-319-9701; Fax: 914-771-8036 -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] NYC Area RBA: 17 February 2012 [Correction]
- RBA * New York * New York City, Long Island, Westchester County * Feb. 17, 2012 * NYNY1202.17 - Birds mentioned RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD+ (+ Details requested by NYSARC) Greater White-fronted Goose Harlequin Duck BARROW'S GOLDENEYE Rough-legged Hawk Piping Plover Semipalmated Sandpiper Wilson's Snipe BLACK-HEADED GULL Iceland Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Razorbill SNOWY OWL Red-headed Woodpecker Common Raven YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT - Transcript If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysa...@nybirds.org. If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to: Jeanne Skelly - Secretary NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) 420 Chili-Scottsville Rd. Churchville, NY 14428 Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert Number: (212) 979-3070 To report sightings call: Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays, during the day) Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 (Long Island) Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County Transcriber: Ben Cacace [Editor's note: I received a note correcting the location of the Long Island COMMON RAVENS. They are at Hampton Bays not West Hampton.] BEGIN TAPE Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February 17th 2012 at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, SNOWY OWL, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, BLACK-HEADED GULL and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. The RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD continues its extended visit today at the American Museum of Natural History at the entrance area to the planetarium and the RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen today at nearby Central Park at the northwest corner of the Hallett Sanctuary in the southeastern corner of the park. Two SNOWY OWLS were reported last week: one at Lazy Point Napeague on Saturday and the other at Breezy Point on Wednesday. The BARROW'S GOLDENEYE continues to be seen through the week at the West Pond Jamaica Bay. A BLACK-HEADED GULL was found last Saturday at Veteran's Memorial Pier at 69th Street and Shore Road in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. Two YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were seen last week: one at Hempstead Lake State Park on Long Island Tuesday along Lakeside Drive north of the south pond and the other today at the southeast corner of Union Square Park Manhattan. Other interesting birds reported last week were a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx from Saturday through Monday and another at Hook Pond East Hampton also on Saturday Scattered groups of RAZORBILLS were seen. One group of 3 off Coney Island on Saturday, 2 at Pelham Bay Park on Sunday, 9 off a jetty at Shinnecock on Wednesday and another 9 at the Jones Beach Inlet on Wednesday. Also seen at the Jones Inlet were 3 HARLEQUIN DUCKS and the previously reported PIPING PLOVER and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER at the north end of the west jetty. Two GLAUCOUS GULLS were seen at the Bellport Bay Yacht Club at the end of Bellport Lane in Bellport on Saturday and an ICELAND GULL was seen at the first parking lot south of the Verrazzano Bridge on Saturday, another first year ICELAND GULL was seen at the Coast Guard island at Jones Beach West End on Sunday. The winter resident LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at Napeague on Saturday. Another LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at the Jones Beach Inlet east of field 2 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Two pairs of COMMON RAVENS were seen last week presumably in the nest building activity. One pair were at the water tower at 100 Elgar Place Co-op City in The Bronx and the other pair were at the water authority property in Hampton Bays where they were seen last year. Two WILSON'S SNIPE were south of the highway at the Forge River east of Mastic on Long Island on Sunday and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen near the Orchard Beach Bridge to City Island in The Bronx on Sunday. Tom Burke will be away this coming week. Please call in reports to Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126. This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling. - End transcript -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] NYC Area RBA: 17 February 2012
- RBA * New York * New York City, Long Island, Westchester County * Feb. 17, 2012 * NYNY1202.17 - Birds mentioned RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD+ (+ Details requested by NYSARC) Greater White-fronted Goose Harlequin Duck BARROW'S GOLDENEYE Rough-legged Hawk Piping Plover Semipalmated Sandpiper Wilson's Snipe BLACK-HEADED GULL Iceland Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Razorbill SNOWY OWL Red-headed Woodpecker Common Raven YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT - Transcript If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysa...@nybirds.org. If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to: Jeanne Skelly - Secretary NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) 420 Chili-Scottsville Rd. Churchville, NY 14428 Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert Number: (212) 979-3070 To report sightings call: Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays, during the day) Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 (Long Island) Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County Transcriber: Ben Cacace BEGIN TAPE Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February 17th 2012 at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, SNOWY OWL, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, BLACK-HEADED GULL and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. The RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD continues its extended visit today at the American Museum of Natural History at the entrance area to the planetarium and the RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen today at nearby Central Park at the northwest corner of the Hallett Sanctuary in the southeastern corner of the park. Two SNOWY OWLS were reported last week: one at Lazy Point Napeague on Saturday and the other at Breezy Point on Wednesday. The BARROW'S GOLDENEYE continues to be seen through the week at the West Pond Jamaica Bay. A BLACK-HEADED GULL was found last Saturday at Veteran's Memorial Pier at 69th Street and Shore Road in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. Two YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were seen last week: one at Hempstead Lake State Park on Long Island Tuesday along Lakeside Drive north of the south pond and the other today at the southeast corner of Union Square Park Manhattan. Other interesting birds reported last week were a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx from Saturday through Monday and another at Hook Pond East Hampton also on Saturday Scattered groups of RAZORBILLS were seen. One group of 3 off Coney Island on Saturday, 2 at Pelham Bay Park on Sunday, 9 off a jetty at Shinnecock on Wednesday and another 9 at the Jones Beach Inlet on Wednesday. Also seen at the Jones Inlet were 3 HARLEQUIN DUCKS and the previously reported PIPING PLOVER and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER at the north end of the west jetty. Two GLAUCOUS GULLS were seen at the Bellport Bay Yacht Club at the end of Bellport Lane in Bellport on Saturday and an ICELAND GULL was seen at the first parking lot south of the Verrazzano Bridge on Saturday, another first year ICELAND GULL was seen at the Coast Guard island at Jones Beach West End on Sunday. The winter resident LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at Napeague on Saturday. Another LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at the Jones Beach Inlet east of field 2 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Two pairs of COMMON RAVENS were seen last week presumably in the nest building activity. One pair were at the water tower at 100 Elgar Place Co-op City in The Bronx and the other pair were at the water authority property in West Hampton where they were seen last year. Two WILSON'S SNIPE were south of the highway at the Forge River east of Mastic on Long Island on Sunday and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen near the Orchard Beach Bridge to City Island in The Bronx on Sunday. Tom Burke will be away this coming week. Please call in reports to Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126. This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling. - End transcript -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay Barrow's
Myself, Mike and Lynne Scheibel, along with others, are currently viewing the drake Barrow's Goldeneye in West Pond. American Woodcock were also of note prior to sunrise. -Derek Rogers Sayville -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay Barrow's
Myself, Mike and Lynne Scheibel, along with others, are currently viewing the drake Barrow's Goldeneye in West Pond. American Woodcock were also of note prior to sunrise. -Derek Rogers Sayville -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] NYC Area RBA: 17 February 2012 [Correction]
- RBA * New York * New York City, Long Island, Westchester County * Feb. 17, 2012 * NYNY1202.17 - Birds mentioned RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD+ (+ Details requested by NYSARC) Greater White-fronted Goose Harlequin Duck BARROW'S GOLDENEYE Rough-legged Hawk Piping Plover Semipalmated Sandpiper Wilson's Snipe BLACK-HEADED GULL Iceland Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Razorbill SNOWY OWL Red-headed Woodpecker Common Raven YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT - Transcript If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysa...@nybirds.org. If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to: Jeanne Skelly - Secretary NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) 420 Chili-Scottsville Rd. Churchville, NY 14428 Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert Number: (212) 979-3070 To report sightings call: Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays, during the day) Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 (Long Island) Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County Transcriber: Ben Cacace [Editor's note: I received a note correcting the location of the Long Island COMMON RAVENS. They are at Hampton Bays not West Hampton.] BEGIN TAPE Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February 17th 2012 at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, SNOWY OWL, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, BLACK-HEADED GULL and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. The RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD continues its extended visit today at the American Museum of Natural History at the entrance area to the planetarium and the RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen today at nearby Central Park at the northwest corner of the Hallett Sanctuary in the southeastern corner of the park. Two SNOWY OWLS were reported last week: one at Lazy Point Napeague on Saturday and the other at Breezy Point on Wednesday. The BARROW'S GOLDENEYE continues to be seen through the week at the West Pond Jamaica Bay. A BLACK-HEADED GULL was found last Saturday at Veteran's Memorial Pier at 69th Street and Shore Road in Bay Ridge Brooklyn. Two YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were seen last week: one at Hempstead Lake State Park on Long Island Tuesday along Lakeside Drive north of the south pond and the other today at the southeast corner of Union Square Park Manhattan. Other interesting birds reported last week were a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE at Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx from Saturday through Monday and another at Hook Pond East Hampton also on Saturday Scattered groups of RAZORBILLS were seen. One group of 3 off Coney Island on Saturday, 2 at Pelham Bay Park on Sunday, 9 off a jetty at Shinnecock on Wednesday and another 9 at the Jones Beach Inlet on Wednesday. Also seen at the Jones Inlet were 3 HARLEQUIN DUCKS and the previously reported PIPING PLOVER and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER at the north end of the west jetty. Two GLAUCOUS GULLS were seen at the Bellport Bay Yacht Club at the end of Bellport Lane in Bellport on Saturday and an ICELAND GULL was seen at the first parking lot south of the Verrazzano Bridge on Saturday, another first year ICELAND GULL was seen at the Coast Guard island at Jones Beach West End on Sunday. The winter resident LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen at Napeague on Saturday. Another LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at the Jones Beach Inlet east of field 2 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Two pairs of COMMON RAVENS were seen last week presumably in the nest building activity. One pair were at the water tower at 100 Elgar Place Co-op City in The Bronx and the other pair were at the water authority property in Hampton Bays where they were seen last year. Two WILSON'S SNIPE were south of the highway at the Forge River east of Mastic on Long Island on Sunday and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen near the Orchard Beach Bridge to City Island in The Bronx on Sunday. Tom Burke will be away this coming week. Please call in reports to Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126. This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling. - End transcript -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] no ravens but peregrines very active
No ravens yesterday but the pair of Peregrine Falcons on the Trump Plaza in New Rochelle was giving a nice display flying around again. Quite spectacular. Also, had the Hermit Thrush back at the bath and a grackle at the feeders today. Spring is almost here!! Andrew Andrew v. F. Block Consulting Naturalist/Wildlife Biologist 37 Tanglewylde Avenue Bronxville, Westchester Co., New York 10708-3131 Phone: 914-337-1229; Cell: 914-319-9701; Fax: 914-771-8036 -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] The New York Botanical Garden
A BLACK VULTURE highlighted a very nice birding day at NYBG. Other sightings included; a second male Great Horned Owl, turkey vultures, a Kestrel, 7 red tailed hawks including Rose who may be building a nest on the Library Bldg again - thanks to Pat! Rusty blackbirds-13 Red winged blackbirds-2 Grackles-6 Red-bellied woodpeckers -3 Downy woodpeckers- 2 BlueJays-8 Cardinals -2 Tufted titmouse -9 White-breasted nuthatch -5 Mourning doves-6 White-throated Sparrows-15 Goldfinch -6 Hooded mergansers - 9 Mallards-26 Hybrid mallards-2 Canadian Geese-16 White farm duck-1 House finch-1 Turtles were basking on a log, beavers had taken down another tree and muskrats were swimming in Twin Lakes. Good birding, Debbie Becker -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Brooklyn Birds
Today I lead a Linnaean Society trip to Floyd Bennett Field and Dead Horse Bay. While many of the expected passerines were nearly non-existent, we did have several highlights that more than made up for it. At the start of the trip we tried for the Barrow's Goldeneye in the bay off of the boat ramp, but came up empty. In the water off the end of Archery Road we did get great, close looks at the EURASIAN WIGEON. In addition, we counted 5 RED-NECKED GREBE farther out in the bay from that location. I was unsuccessful on several previous attempts for the NORTHERN SHRIKE this month, but decided to try again anyway. This time I found the bird perched at the top of a birch tree near the back of Field G. Over the course of about 20 minutes the bird dropped down to lower perches eventually disappearing into the underbrush. This was at around 11am. I spoke with Heydi Lopes this evening and she had relocated the shrike at 1pm in the trees closer to the Remote Control Airplane Field. For some unknown reason, we had trouble locating any Horned Lark flocks, having checked the usual spots numerous times. After a visit to Dead Horse Bay (where the scaup flock has swelled to approximately 10,000 birds), I decided to drag the group back to the Cricket Field for one last attempt at Horned Larks before calling it a day. Three times a charm. There was a flock of 15 birds feeding in the grass and, as an added bonus, so was a single LAPLAND LONGSPUR. Perhaps it was just the lighting, but this individual seemed extremely well marked and brightly colored for the time of year ... oh wait, what season it this again? If you go looking for the Northern Shrike, here's a Google Earth map marked with the field designations and other points of interest: http://g.co/maps/k9wjv Good birding, Rob ** Floyd Bennett Field Feb 18, 2012 33 species Brant Canada Goose Gadwall EURASIAN WIGEON (1, end of Archery Rd.) American Wigeon American Black Duck Mallard Northern Shoveler Greater Scaup Bufflehead Common Goldeneye Red-breasted Merganser Red-throated Loon Horned Grebe RED-NECKED GREBE (5, bay off of Archery Rd.) Double-crested Cormorant Great Cormorant American Kestrel Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Rock Pigeon Northern Flicker NORTHERN SHRIKE (In birch trees at back of Field G.) American Crow Horned Lark (15, Cricket Field.) American Robin Northern Mockingbird European Starling LAPLAND LONGSPUR (1, within Horned Lark flock on Cricket Field.) Yellow-rumped Warbler Red-winged Blackbird House Sparrow * Dead Horse Bay Feb 18, 2012 11 species Brant Greater Scaup (approx. 10,000) Long-tailed Duck Red-breasted Merganser Red-throated Loon Horned Grebe Great Cormorant Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Rock Pigeon European Starling -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Manhattan, 2/18
Saturday, 18 February, 2012 Manhattan sightings today included the lingering Rufous Hummingbird - this bird was again making a visit to the nearby area in Central Park, while coming back in to the flowering shrubs at the American Museum of Natural History's Rose Center / planetarium entrance, off West 81 Street, between Columbus Ave. Central Park West. (The Central Park appearance was just south of Tanner's Spring near the Winterdale Arch which sits astride the bridle path (no longer really used by horses, but still cindered). The hummingbird was back to the museum entry as of mid-morning. Also in Central Park, he lingering Red-headed Woodpecker (with a little more red showing each week) was on one of its favored trees, just northwest of the NW corner of Hallett Sanctuary, where I watched it fend off a bevy of European Starlings as well as a few less-agressive Blue Jays. The Red-headed was occasionally a bit vocal as it chased the starlings away, time after time - an often-seen situation from these 2 species at least in this city, when a Red-headed is lingering. At Union Square Park, the Yellow-breasted Chat showed nicely around the southwest corner of the park (near 14th Street and Union Square West) with the statue of M.K. Gandhi in view - the chat moving about but generally within that smaller space. In the larger portion of Union Square park the lingering White-crowned Sparrow was seen. In Bryant Park, between 40th 42nd Streets, and between Fifth Sixth Ave's., a fairly extensive search lasting well over an hour found 3 Gray Catbirds, all nearest Sixth Ave. all 3 seen briefly-simultaneously, but mainly a bit apart, and two together closer to 42nd, while a third seemed to like the 40th St. side a bit more during my perambulation there. No chat nor any warbler species was noted, nor any Lincoln's Sparrow, but an E. Towhee (male) in the area near the rink entry. Also, in Central Park there at least a few E. Towhees, as well as catbirds, and a couple of Brown Thrashers plus some Hermit Thrushes, red Fox Sparrows, Wood Ducks, a variety of other over-wintering birds - many of the usual species have been in song, some for weeks already; American Robins in various locations included. An Eastern Phoebe also has lingered on, mainly wandering in the s. section of the Ramble, but has also been to Turtle Pond, where it had first been seen as a very late lingerer as winter came on (on the calendar that is...) - - - - A recent post of mine referred to a Virginia's Warbler being seen in Maryland, which it still was today; however it was pointed out to me that the first sighting of that Maryland rarity was not in late Dec. but late Jan. 2012, as reflected in a 'correction' on that state's list. In addition, the records for a different warbler named for a lady (Lucy's) do include a modest few eastern records thus that is not at all the rarest of the 3 western-breeding wood-warbler species that have women's common names - Grace's is by far the rarest to stray so far east. Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- 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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Montauk Peninsula/Lazy Point/Hook Pond, Sat. Feb. 18th
Hello Everyone,I led an Eastern Long Island Audubon walk today to the Montauk Peninsula. There was nothing unusual at the Lighthouse/Camp Hero,[only a single Razorbill, but it was very close in.. Our group found the following: 14 Purple Sandpiper and 100+ Bonaparte Gull at Ditch Plains, a Yellow Breasted Chat and 2 Hermit Thrush,[ all seen by James Clinton below the patio], a Great Cormorant at the Lake Montauk jetty, 3 Red Necked Grebe and numerous Horned Grebe at Fort Pond Bay, 5 Ruddy Turnstone at Lazy Point, 6 Pied Billed Grebe and 11 Common Merganser at Hook Pond. Good February Birding,Carl Starace -- 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/ --
