N.Y. County (including Manhattan, in N.Y. City) received a fair share of migrants as this report’s period started - it was even more so in some of the other 4 counties (a.k.a. boroughs) of N.Y. City, and many more species were found in those counties in total, including some regular-but-rare ‘fall’ arrivals. And while any southern point was a good bet on Wed., 8/26 with the strong northwesterlies, there were nice finds of migrants in a lot of different areas of the city, including around Manhattan & its 2 smaller ‘in-county’ isles (Randall’s & Governors Islands).
The find of a Lark Sparrow at Fort Tilden’s 'Battery Harris’ (in Queens County) by Linda Ewing of Brooklyn (Kings Co.) later in the day on 8/26 was a reminder that it’s not at all early to watch for that, & with others of same having been noted regionally as well (including a same-day report from Jones Beach S.P. in outer-coastal Nassau County, N.Y.) In addition to all the freshly-arrived migrants, there have been a good many birders out & about in many locations and finding a lot. And having mentioned the ‘Battery Harris’ watch site (for those not familiar, an old WWII bunker atop a dune, with large platform for observing the sky & local surrounds on the outer barrier-beach island a short way east of Breezy Point, part of the Rockaways outer shore of N.Y. City & westernmost Long Island), there was a great watch for nearly 4 hrs. of Wed. morning kept by C. Finger & joined by L. Scheppke later on, for some super sightings and tallies of migrants, including more than 1,600 day-flying E. Kingbirds, 5 hiurundine spp. including 2 Purple Martin, 3 Cliff, & 11 Bank Swallows, plus many Barn & Tree; and lots of other flight including a Dickcissel, nearly 1400 Red-winged Blackbirds, plus lots of warblers & other smaller birds, and a nice count of over 500 Chimney Swifts as well. Early flights were detected in all of N.Y. City, although as expected, there was variability and the higher numbers on such strong NW winds were unsurprisingly at some outer beach areas, but not all, & at least some areas may have seen far more modest variety or numbers of individual migrants. - - - N.Y. County, including Manhattan, Governors Island, and Randall’s Island - Wed., 8/26 - A very good showing of migrants, even with the bulk moving on past Manhattan or any of N.Y. County in the wee hours (or late Tuesday night) and getting somewhat farther south. One of the areas of the county that was a good site to be watching, Governors Island, is as far as I know not accessible to birders at first-light, yet was still a very productive site for migrants in the latter part of the morning & on thru the day. Thanks to (on 8/26) G. Willow, & C. Weiner, for 2 separate reports of sightings there, a.m. & p.m. Some areas that also were good, and fully-accessible at first-light, included portions of the East River waterfront, including in particular Corlears Hook Park & vicinity, on Manhattan’s lower east side. Just there, a tally of 18 warbler species in 2 & a half hours was very good for the date & the location, and that reflected the diversity (at least, if not sheer large numbers of drop-ins) of migrant species over all of the area. For all of N.Y. County, it looks like at least 25 warbler species were found. There were also a modest number of some other land birds & a decent showing of diurnal raptors in migration for the Aug. date (all rather expected) as well as at least a few of both vulture species, Black Vulture being photo’d at 2 locations, and a few Turkey Vultures also coming through. The evening brought some Common Nighthawk movement, with 22 or more passing in the last hour of daylight, as seen from n. of Grants Tomb, Riverside Drive near W. 122 Street & good views of northern, NW-NE sky. There also were some nighthawks reported elsewhere in Manhattan late in the day. The flight seen from near the river was trending along the river and then towards N.J., crossing to the west/SW. I was unable to see that any were passing above, or below the G.W. Bridge, & assume they’d come from just east of at least the high (e.) bridge-tower, perhaps following the line of height-of-land (& buildings) on the w. edges of Manhattan, but not into the west side below about W. 110-118 St. ‘latitude’. This was also a day of the Olive-sided Flycatcher, with sightings all around N.Y. City, & a number of those in Manhattan, even a few in smaller parks where less-commonly found. Additionally, the Empidonax genus was well-represented, and with more & more observers taking video-audio to boost the numbers of ID’s made, with a good showing of Yellow-bellied, and some of the others in migration now - as is expected for the date. There were also upticks in the other expected flycatchers, but above all, E. Kingbird vastly ruled in their southbound diurnal flights. A sign (among many) of the good migration was the warbler diversity in just smaller sites such as Stuyvesantown - and many other such small green-spaces with birders present. This also was the first day of more-widespread occurrence of Swainson’s Thrush - & even a very few (and very early) Hermit Thrush, one or two being photo’d & well-described in Manhattan. We’ve already been getting high numbers of Red-breasted Nuthatches, now there are a very few Purple Finch turning up (& this has been so regionally, including at the coast) so we’ll see if those trends mean anything for later on this fall. There are also more Cedar Waxwings on the move, in addition to local nesters just moving around in feeding-flocks. Thursday, 8/27 - Fairly fast changeover from the brisk NW winds and arriving cold front of Tuesday night into Wed., this day brought a return of some humidity, on light SW wind Wed. night & slightly stronger west winds during the day, with some storms in the area as well. There was a good amount of nocturnal migration Wed. night, many birds also moving along well south of N.Y. - it appeared that many of Wednesday’s drop-ins did not linger at the lower-Manhattan parks, esp. (perhaps) those not highly-enclosed by buildings. Also, the rapid change back to very warm & humid conditons may have inhibited some observers out in or past the mid-day hour. The day also brought less of a diurnal movement - far less - than the preceding day, and I opted out of a dusk-hour sky (nighthawk) watch with impending storm weather. Among the sightings for Wednesday (especially!) & Thurs., Aug. 26-27 - Canada Goose Wood Duck (minimum of 3 continuing in Central Park) Gadwall American Black Duck Mallard Double-crested Cormorant (some flight on 8/26, generally southbound) Great Blue Heron (few ongoing in several locations, & as local fly-bys) Great Egret (flyovers, & at Randall’s Island) Snowy Egret (flyovers on expected pathways, also at Randall’s Island) Green Heron (ongoing in a few locations) Black-crowned Night-Heron Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (ongoing at Randall’s Island) Black Vulture (several; this species most-readily found in the county n. of the G.W. Bridge for in-flight obs.) Turkey Vulture (at least several) Osprey (10+ on 8/26, including several seen before 7 a.m. along Hudson river) Bald Eagle (5++, with sightings from many locations, of varying age-plumages) Sharp-shinned Hawk (at least 1, not esp. early & w/such good cold-front winds) Cooper's Hawk (several,l but at least one of the sightings a lingering visitor) Broad-winged Hawk (few, at least one or more well-photographed in flight, 8/26) Red-tailed Hawk Killdeer (several locations) Lesser Yellowlegs (1 photo’d. on Inwood Hill Park lagoon mudflats, D.Karlson, 8/27) Solitary Sandpiper (several) Spotted Sandpiper Semipalmated Sandpiper (Governors Island) Least Sandpiper (multiple, esp. Governors Island) Laughing Gull (mostly along lower parts of rivers, harbor; also a few flyovers & 1 or more at C.P. reservoir) Ring-billed Gull [American] Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Common Tern (small no’s. ongoing on lower rivers, esp. lower East River & off Chelsea/Hudson river area) ['feral'] Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove American Kestrel (possible for a few migrants, but most seen are likely NYC breeders) Peregrine Falcon (multiple sightings of NYC residents) Black-billed Cuckoo (at least one reported, 8/27) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (multiple, including one poss. caught-up in a.m. flight, 8/26) Common Nighthawk (small but concentrated flight just before dusk, 8/26) Chimney Swift (fair no’s., & some into dusk-hour, 8/26) Ruby-throated Hummingbird (small no’s. including at least a few in diurnal flights) Belted Kingfisher Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker (1 or 2) Yellow-shafted Flicker (15-20 in a.m. flight, 8/26, others in various locations both days) Olive-sided Flycatcher (several, w/ at least 2 lingering in same sites as in recent days) Eastern Wood-Pewee (multiple, but not that many yet) Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (multiple, w/some. photo’d./ video’d,and latter w/some audio) [Alder / Willow Flycatcher] (a few reports w/ some photos, & v. few noting calls heard) Least Flycatcher (multiple, some reports w/photos, a few w/calls noted &/or audio-rec.) Great Crested Flycatcher (not many; a very few in same areas where they’d long been) Eastern Kingbird (modest flight on 8/26, 30+ in morning, a few coming thru later) Blue-headed Vireo (8/26, v. early, and not the only one showing in the city or area, away from breeding locations) Yellow-throated Vireo (several locations/parks) Warbling Vireo (multiple, but not that many of migrants, still lingering local nesters) Red-eyed Vireo (multiple, but not very many) Blue Jay (modest numbers & widespread) American Crow Fish Crow (few) Tree Swallow (very light flight, early: 8/26, & higher 8/27, during late-day) Barn Swallow (regular & more so in some locations, i.e.- Randall’s Island) Black-capped Chickadee (scarce) Tufted Titmouse (relatively few) Red-breasted Nuthatch (ongoing numbers, possibly a few in a.m. flight, &/but within areas where may have lingered recently) White-breasted Nuthatch (no obvious uptick in this species) Carolina Wren (ongoing) House Wren (ongoing) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (one, perhaps lingering in same general area, Central Park n. end) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (20+ in a.m. flight, 8/26, also some in multiple locations on-site[s]) Veery (modest no’s., but some already present may have lingered on) Swainson's Thrush (obvious uptick & also some could be heard calling at night in flight, 8/25-26) Hermit Thrush (at least 2 or more, v. early arrivals here, & 2 were photo’d.) Wood Thrush (still in some locations, but no obvious uptick for this period) American Robin (common, & some v. light flight on 8/26) Gray Catbird (ongoing and common) Northern Mockingbird (common) Brown Thrasher (scarce, but a few continue, almost undetected/reported) European Starling House Sparrow Cedar Waxwing (modest no’s including some flight, but no large no’s. apparently moving in N.Y. County yet) Scarlet Tanager (few so far, but poss. a v. slight uptick for 8/26) Eastern Towhee (v. few, in a few locations, & ongoing) Chipping Sparrow (small no’s. in very scattered locations, uncommon nesters in N.Y. County) Song Sparrow (usual batch of breeding groups) Swamp Sparrow(early, unless a locally-summered individual; Corlears Hook Park, 8/26 a.m.) White-throated Sparrow (multiple locations, perhaps a few early-movers, but a fair number summered in Manhattan) Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak (several, including a few in 8/26 a.m. flight) Indigo Bunting (several in a.m. flight, 8/26, plus also 1 or 2 elsewhere / 'on ground') Bobolink (few, under ten noted in a.m. flight, 8/26; at least one IN Central Park, 8/27) Red-winged Blackbird (very modest flights) Common Grackle (no’s. appear similar to those that were here all summer) Brown-headed Cowbird (small no’s. but at least a few small groups at times) Baltimore Oriole (multiple, with at least very slight a.m. flights on 8/26 & 8/27) Purple Finch (a very few in a.m. flight on 8/26 - seen well & also heard calling) House Finch (NYC residents) American Goldfinch (very light movement, but also some likely local wanderers) - Blue-winged Warbler (ongoing f. modest to low numbers, multiple locations) Brewster’s-type Warbler (one in Central Park’s n. end, 8/26 - adult, female) Tennessee Warbler (multiple, but still not many, in multiple parks) Northern Parula (low no’s., in just a few locations) Yellow Warbler (25+ in all of Manhattan, 8/26, including at least a few in that early a.m. flight) Chestnut-sided Warbler (modest uptick, multiple locations) Magnolia Warbler (modest uptick, multiple locations, and one or 2 in early a.m. flights, 8/26-&-27) Cape May Warbler (at least several, including at Corlears Hook Park, & with a.m. flight on 8/26) Black-throated Blue Warbler (uptick in numbers, but still not that many, both sexes being found) Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Warbler (few in early a.m. flight, 8/26; 1 or 2 much later on in Manhattan) Black-throated Green Warbler (slight uptick in numbers, with a few in a.m. flight, 8/26) Blackburnian Warbler (v. slight uptick, and 1 or more in a.m. flight, 8/26) Pine Warbler (few, still slightly early, a few photo’d.) Prairie Warbler (relatively few so far) Bay-breasted Warbler (small no’s. but still an uptick, & a few in a.m. flight, 8/26) Blackpoll Warbler (a very few identified, 1 or more w/photo, &/or well-described) Black-and-white Warbler (75++ in first hour of day on 8/26, then still widely seen through Manhattan) American Redstart (250+ in first hour of 8/26 flight, & then still dozens around throughout Manhattan) Worm-eating Warbler (several; multiple locations) Ovenbird (multiple, but not that many yet) Northern Waterthrush (multiple, including at least a few in small or non green-space locations) Louisiana Waterthrush (possibly several, at least one photo’d. & seen by many in Central Park’s n. end) Mourning Warbler (at least several; including at Central Park, & Corlears Hook Park, also Battery Park later/a.m.) Common Yellowthroat (multiple, but still not that many, a few also may have summered in some locations in the county) Hooded Warbler (several adults, including one at Corlears Hook Park, also in Bryant Park all-day on 8/26) Wilson's Warbler (few, but a possible uptick on 8/26, from preceding days) Canada Warbler (at least a slight uptick on 8/26) Thanks to all who made reports, & also to those who took time to put a few details in on some of them. More migrants likely now, just ahead of the end of this month... … Some Monarch butterflies have been seen migrating, but far more not yet. Many plantings are doing well with a lot of watering done all summer, so insects are as usual drawn to lush flowers, where available, esp. in some of the larger parks & garden areas. Dragonfly migrations are underway & some being seen include Black Saddlebags, and high numbers of Wandering Gliders, in addition to many other ongoing dragon & some damsel species. - - - - - "This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.” - Teddy Roosevelt (26th president of the U.S.A.) "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." - Frederick Douglass (1818-1895; U.S. statesman, orater, writer) good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
