I wandered around Bryant Park and Central Park yesterday with Derek Lovitch, who was visiting from Maine to give a lecture for NYC Audubon about his book "How To Be A Better Birder".
He had never birded in Bryant Park and was amazed by the diversity of species there, and how close they allowed us to approach. The highlight for Bryant was a late Wood Thrush, as well as at least 65 White-throated Sparrows, a Swamp Sparrow, 9 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (mostly in the locusts in front of the library), and Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a female BTB Warbler feeding from the sap-wells. Central Park was pretty sweet too. We found a total of 59 species. Within five minutes of entering the park, the excited screams of a group of Blue Jays led us to a sleepy Long-eared Owl (apparently later found by additional birders, although of course I don't want to say where this was to confirm if it was the same bird). Scattered sapsucker feathers under its tree indicated the jays were justified in their alarm. Central Park was full of more Tufted Titmice and Winter Wrens than I think I've ever seen... we spotted at least a dozen Winter Wrens, and countless Titmice, in just about every tree and hopping on the ground with the sparrows. Other highlights were a pair of Pied-billed Grebes and some Ruddy Ducks on the Reservoir; five Blue-headed Vireos; the Mourning Warbler; at least a half-dozen Brown Creepers; a lingering Rose-breasted Grosbeak (young male) eating jewelweed seeds by the Oven; a Field Sparrow nibbling mugwort seeds on the West side of the Reservoir; and several fly-over Purple Finches and Pine Siskins. Here's the list; birds seen only in Bryant Park have an asterisk next to them. Pied-billed GrebeDouble-crested CormorantCanada GooseWood DuckMallardGadwallRuddy DuckCooper's HawkRed-tailed HawkRing-billed GullHerring GullGreat Black-backed GullMourning DoveRock PigeonLong-eared OwlBelted KingfisherRed-bellied WoodpeckerYellow-bellied SapsuckerDowny WoodpeckerNorthern FlickerEastern PhoebeBlue-headed VireoBlue JayAmerican CrowTufted TitmouseBlack-capped ChickadeeRed-breasted NuthatchWhite-breasted NuthatchBrown CreeperWinter WrenGolden-crowned KingletRuby-crowned KingletAmerican RobinHermit ThrushWood Thrush*Gray CatbirdNorthern MockingbirdEuropean StarlingCedar WaxwingBlack-throated Blue WarblerPalm WarblerBlackpoll WarblerOvenbird*Mourning WarblerCommon YellowthroatNorthern CardinalRose-breasted GrosbeakEastern TowheeField SparrowChipping SparrowWhite-throated SparrowWhite-crowned SparrowSong SparrowSwamp SparrowLincoln's SparrowDark-eyed JuncoCommon GracklePurple FinchPine SiskinAmerican GoldfinchHouse Sparrow I love Fall! 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/ --
