[nysbirds-l] Western Tanager, lower Manhattan NYC, 11/30
Wednesday, 30 November, 2016 - City Hall Park, lower Manhattan, New York City A Western Tanager continues at above park this Wednesday morning & seen thru a fresh rain at mid-day (start of more, which rain is very much needed region-wide). The tanager seems fond of the trees (may be high in taller trees much of time!) in the part of the park that is between the 2 biggest buildings with-IN the park, & just to the east of that area, seen from main east-west path IN the park. A Yellow-breasted Chat continues and was seen in late morning at the small (planted) traffic-island just barely across (a few yards) from the south edge of the above - it's being referred to as "millennium park" & that may be an official designation but is misleading only that, on-scene, this traffic-island of less than 15 yards width is in essence just a southern extension of City Hall park & is cut off from it by a few narrow curving traffic lanes (be very cautious going past this area!) A minimum of 3 additional warbler species are lingering at City Hall park, the most uncommon by this date being Black-throated Blue (but, if anyone is wondering there are CBC - December records of the species in the region), with male & female plumages for 2 individuals, and at least one remaining Ovenbird, as well as the 4th warbler species noted below, ongoing here. Other areas of same park are worth searching thru, especially the south sides, where even the tanager visited last Friday, at one point. The south area with the (warm-weather-only) fountain is now being re-planted & trimmed for upcoming holidays, and a bit of that 'disturbance' - with a dozen or more workers, & at least 1 leaf-blower in use, made for a modest dispersal of other native birds into nearby areas, with a few migrant species in adjacent much smaller green- spaces - such as 1 (ot at least 2) male Common Yellowthroats having gone over a road to the actual foot of the Brooklyn bridge (Manhattan side) ped & bike path, where there are many roses still in bloom, and a few other very common migrant / winter-visitor birds are also in these smaller areas, or may be at times. Saint Paul's Chapel grounds, 1 short city block SW of the south end of City Hall Park, and Trinity Church's cemetery grounds, open to public, and a few short city blocks south from same, on west side of Broadway, are each worth a look for more birds - on any day. A second Yellow- breasted Chat (or #1Chat if you prefer, as it was discovered well before the rare tanager-visitor) is ongoing in the Trinity Church cemetery, seen in the north parts at mid-day, with a bit of effort on my part. City Hall Park is located south of Chambers Street, lower Manhattan - to the east of Broadway - it is also at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, & a few yards from the main pedestrian path to that bridge. The area the Tanager seems to be favoring is between the 2 major buildings IN the park, on / near an east-west path, be looking-up and listen for the distinctive calls from the tanager. It may move about at times & it will be interesting to see what these birds do as colder weather starts to come on (which for now, has not been an issue, and many, many insects have been available, perhaps more so with the substantial rain now falling, which may generate more insect- emergence, even in December. There have been some Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in the park, and some other birds have shown interest in the sapsucker's activities, but these insect-eating species ARE finding insect prey to feed on, and so far, those sapsuckers were not directly providing principal feeding via sap-runs, in caloric terms, to the insectivores - what they may provide though is a source of some areas where insect-prey can congregate, & thus a focus of food-availabilty in the trees the birds are using - all subject to change if-when the weather changes to dramatically-colder (it is 55-60+ degrees [Fahrenheit] in Manhattan for this rainy day). Thanks to all who give updates on current status of these & other uncommon or rare species; a tip of the hat to some who have been expanding the circle a bit, out from City Hall & Trinity Church areas in that part of Manhattan. Other interesting birds may be visiting in the general area too! A Golden-crowned Kinglet, perhaps uncommon in downtown Manhattan, was photographed at City Hall park by Richard Aracil just recently, and there may be other uncommonly-seen migrants turning up. - - - - - - - - A citizen’s basic responsibility is to be aware of the consequences of his or her acts. "They tried to bury us. They didn't know we were seeds." - DeRay Mckesson, American activist & writer. good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES
[nysbirds-l] Western Tanager, lower Manhattan NYC, 11/30
Wednesday, 30 November, 2016 - City Hall Park, lower Manhattan, New York City A Western Tanager continues at above park this Wednesday morning & seen thru a fresh rain at mid-day (start of more, which rain is very much needed region-wide). The tanager seems fond of the trees (may be high in taller trees much of time!) in the part of the park that is between the 2 biggest buildings with-IN the park, & just to the east of that area, seen from main east-west path IN the park. A Yellow-breasted Chat continues and was seen in late morning at the small (planted) traffic-island just barely across (a few yards) from the south edge of the above - it's being referred to as "millennium park" & that may be an official designation but is misleading only that, on-scene, this traffic-island of less than 15 yards width is in essence just a southern extension of City Hall park & is cut off from it by a few narrow curving traffic lanes (be very cautious going past this area!) A minimum of 3 additional warbler species are lingering at City Hall park, the most uncommon by this date being Black-throated Blue (but, if anyone is wondering there are CBC - December records of the species in the region), with male & female plumages for 2 individuals, and at least one remaining Ovenbird, as well as the 4th warbler species noted below, ongoing here. Other areas of same park are worth searching thru, especially the south sides, where even the tanager visited last Friday, at one point. The south area with the (warm-weather-only) fountain is now being re-planted & trimmed for upcoming holidays, and a bit of that 'disturbance' - with a dozen or more workers, & at least 1 leaf-blower in use, made for a modest dispersal of other native birds into nearby areas, with a few migrant species in adjacent much smaller green- spaces - such as 1 (ot at least 2) male Common Yellowthroats having gone over a road to the actual foot of the Brooklyn bridge (Manhattan side) ped & bike path, where there are many roses still in bloom, and a few other very common migrant / winter-visitor birds are also in these smaller areas, or may be at times. Saint Paul's Chapel grounds, 1 short city block SW of the south end of City Hall Park, and Trinity Church's cemetery grounds, open to public, and a few short city blocks south from same, on west side of Broadway, are each worth a look for more birds - on any day. A second Yellow- breasted Chat (or #1Chat if you prefer, as it was discovered well before the rare tanager-visitor) is ongoing in the Trinity Church cemetery, seen in the north parts at mid-day, with a bit of effort on my part. City Hall Park is located south of Chambers Street, lower Manhattan - to the east of Broadway - it is also at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, & a few yards from the main pedestrian path to that bridge. The area the Tanager seems to be favoring is between the 2 major buildings IN the park, on / near an east-west path, be looking-up and listen for the distinctive calls from the tanager. It may move about at times & it will be interesting to see what these birds do as colder weather starts to come on (which for now, has not been an issue, and many, many insects have been available, perhaps more so with the substantial rain now falling, which may generate more insect- emergence, even in December. There have been some Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in the park, and some other birds have shown interest in the sapsucker's activities, but these insect-eating species ARE finding insect prey to feed on, and so far, those sapsuckers were not directly providing principal feeding via sap-runs, in caloric terms, to the insectivores - what they may provide though is a source of some areas where insect-prey can congregate, & thus a focus of food-availabilty in the trees the birds are using - all subject to change if-when the weather changes to dramatically-colder (it is 55-60+ degrees [Fahrenheit] in Manhattan for this rainy day). Thanks to all who give updates on current status of these & other uncommon or rare species; a tip of the hat to some who have been expanding the circle a bit, out from City Hall & Trinity Church areas in that part of Manhattan. Other interesting birds may be visiting in the general area too! A Golden-crowned Kinglet, perhaps uncommon in downtown Manhattan, was photographed at City Hall park by Richard Aracil just recently, and there may be other uncommonly-seen migrants turning up. - - - - - - - - A citizen’s basic responsibility is to be aware of the consequences of his or her acts. "They tried to bury us. They didn't know we were seeds." - DeRay Mckesson, American activist & writer. good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES
