Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City
Saturday, 20 March - Low numbers of E. Phoebes, Yellow-bellied
Sapsuckers, N. [Yellow-shafted] Flicker, Brown Creepers, Golden-
crowned Kinglets, Fox Sparrows, Chipping Sparrow (1) - this last along
with some of the other birds seen, with Mike Freeman. At the Pool, I
found a single wintry-plumaged Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Warbler, which
I'm just guessing is one that wintered not too far from here, on the
local shore, perhaps... There were some fly-over birds including
robins and red-winged blackbirds; overall it was a fairly quiet
morning for migrants...
Sunday, 21 March, first full day of spring - not the very best early
morning to find a quiet respite in Central Park with a major running
event and its attendant crowds and requisite helicopter following
overhead, yet there was a little more bird movement in evidence before
all that commotion - most obvious being the tripling of American Robin
numbers (over 300 in Sheep Meadow alone, a modest influx of N. [Yellow-
shafted] Flickers (25 or more moving past one spot at first light and
others elsewhere, mainly moving thru...) On Cherry Hill just south of
the Ramble, 2 Chipping Sparrows along with 40+ Dark-eyed [Slate-
colored] Juncos - and there were many more juncos all thru the park
than had been before, with Song Sparrows also increased again.
Further spring sightings Sunday included a couple of Belted Kingfisher
sightings, E. Phoebes in about 10+ locations (more "southward" than
north, in the park), a few Hermit Thrush (in areas where they had not
wintered), Eastern Towhees (in at least 3 locations), and later in the
day, a Turkey Vulture movement with up to 8 seen from the n. end, all
moving north. Also noted were an Osprey, & (perhaps local) Red-tailed
Hawks & American Kestrel. Generally at the park's north end it seemed
a bit less active, even though a few pockets of activity - and all
thru the park, much more in bloom or bud each day with all the above-
average warmth. Some Magnolia and Cherry trees bloomed (early
varieties, that is), along with more expected Cornelian Dogwood,
Spring Witch-hazel and a few early Azaleas, of the many, many
plantings of horticultural varieties found in Central Park. All of
the willows now have fine green leaves. Importantly for insectivorous
birds, there have been many emergences of small insects, along with
the more noticeable bees and a few butterfly species as well as moths.
Good birding,
Tom Fiore,
Manhattan
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