Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City Saturday, 8 May 2010 A (non-singing) Kentucky Warbler was found by Tom Perlman at the Loch in the north end of Central, shortly before 1 p.m. & at least 8 observers were lucky enough to see it, including myself. Barrie Raik was able to get some photos without putting herself in a position of disturbing the bird, unlike another photographer (using a similar or larger hand-held long lens) who was quite inconsiderate of the bird (mainly) as well as of the gathering birders hoping for further (or first, for those arriving later) views of the warbler. The offending photographer was politely told that he was interfering, but he did not really back off & out of the habitat (he was well off the path, in the Loch itself, and advanced on the shy warbler multiple times. After his furthest advance the bird was no longer being seen. His wife or lady friend was present as well, holding a leashed dog and not intruding on the bird to such extent.) Anyhow, we can hope that all others will behave in a better manner, especially in simply allowing a ground- feeding bird some space in which to feed & move about unharrased. Shame!)
There was plenty of migrant activity thru the morning, including some nice flocks seen during the arrival of mid-a.m. showers (& some thunder rolling off to the park's north), seemingly less activity later (as could be expected, also with winds howling by late afternoon)... It was very apparent that a lot of new migrants had come in from Friday night. Chimney Swifts were a slightly more evident than previously. Other birds today included sightings of Olive-sided Flycatcher in the north end, each time atop tall bare snags, and unfortunately not heard giving the characteristic "pip-pip-pip" calls or the mnemonic "quick, three beers" song. The other flycatchers seen included a number of singing E. Wood-Pewees, E. Kingbird, Great Crested Flycatchers, and Empidonax species, perhaps of more than one species but not heard nor seen well enough to make positive ID beyond genus. Among the at least 5 thrush species, Ken Chaya & I found a Gray-cheeked Thrush in the far north woods north of the Blockhouse which allowed a few good views. It did not vocalize for us. More commonly seen were Wood & Swainson's Thrushes (also heard) as well as Veery, & a Hermit Thrush or 2 still around. In the vireo category, all 5 regularly-occurring and more usual species were seen, with a 1st-year White-eyed Vireo singing at the Great Hill (Rebekah Creshkoff noting the dark iris, sign of a 1st- year bird) along with a couple of Yellow-throated Vireos and the more- common 3, Blue-headed (still a number in the park), Warbling, & (a noticeable increase of) Red-eyed, Vireos. The sparrow numbers & diversity were not great but at least a few White-crowned & skulking Lincoln's were found, with Chipping, Swamp, & White-throated also still there, plus breeding Song Sparrow. For tanagers, it looked like as many or more female Scarlet Tanagers were about, and also in a majority were female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (over the males). There were a fair number of Indigo Buntings and a very good number of Baltimore Orioles in various age & sex plumages... along with reported Orchard Orioles. Cedar Waxwing flocks are increasing in their number. Also more than a couple of Ruby-crowned Kinglets were seen in the north end by several of us there. At least these warblers (list below) were seen collectively in the park, virtually all in the north end as well as many in the Ramble & elsewhere. I birded at times with Tom Perlman, Malcolm Morris, Ken Chaya, and others. There were far more birders in the southern half of the park, & perhaps more birds sighted in that area - I heard that the Common Moorhen was again seen in the Lake's eastern end. A further story on that bird was that it had been found in the street near Central Park on Friday, brought into Central to be released at the lake that day & perhaps looked over by a licensed bird rehabilitator. Nashville Warbler (several) Northern Parula (common) Yellow Warbler (multiple) Chestnut-sided Warbler (increased somewhat) Magnolia Warbler (more than before; still more to come) Cape May Warbler (Ramble & elsewhere) Black-throated Blue Warbler (common) Yellow-rumped Warbler (not all that many; females) Black-throated Green Warbler (multiple) Blackburnian Warbler (multiple) Prairie Warbler (Great Hill, B. Raik & E. Rockmuller) Bay-breasted Warbler (several sightings) Blackpoll Warbler (males & a few females) Black-and-white Warbler (common) American Redstart (slightly increased) Worm-eating Warbler (north woods, a.m.) Ovenbird (common) Northern Waterthrush (multiple) Common Yellowthroat (multiple) Hooded Warbler (male & female in Blockouse area and to east, in the north end, a.m.) Wilson's Warbler (more than a few) Canada Warbler (more than a few) Kentucky Warbler (Loch, 1-2 p.m., 8+ observers, photo. by B. Raik) Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
