Date: Saturday, 6 November 2010 (9:10a-1:50p) Location: Manhattan - Swindler Cove Park & Sherman Creek Reported by: Ben Cacace
This upper Manhattan park is situated along the Harlem River at the end of Dyckman St. & 10th Avenue across the island from Fort Tryon Park. Just before 11am a group of 4 *TURKEY VULTURES* were seen heading south with a *RED-SHOULDERED HAWK* tagging along. Two additional Turkey Vultures were seen at 11:35a & 1:35p. Locally, *COOPER'S HAWK* and 4 *RED-TAILED HAWKS*were spotted over the park & west of the Harlem River. Three of the 4 Red-taileds were juveniles and flying together along with at least 1 adult. Eleven new species were added to the park list<http://ebird.org/ebird/GuideMe?reportType=location&bMonth=01&bYear=2010&eMonth=12&eYear=2010&parentState=US-NY&countries=US&states=US-NY&getLocations=myLocs&myLocs=L1018912&continue.x=55&continue.y=15&continue=t>including a male *BELTED KINGFISHER* & 4 *BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERONS*. Three of the Night-herons were juveniles and were spotted perched in trees along Sherman Creek early on. The most common bird in the park was clearly *AMERICAN GOLDFINCH*. At least 75 were seen feeding well on apparently native plants. I don't know my plants, yet. One *FOX SPARROW* was feeding along the gravel path just west of the boathouse. Weather for 6-Nov for New York, NY (8:51a-1:51p) < http://tinyurl.com/29hwvxq >: - Conditions: Scattered Clouds to Mostly Cloudy - Temperature: 45.0 to 51.1 F (7.2 to 10.6 C) - Wind direction: N - NNW - Wind speed: 8 - 15 mph (gusts to 20 mph) ** Total species - 36 ** Abundance categories from 'The New York City Audubon Society Guide to Finding Birds in the Metropolitan Area' published 2001. Abundance season is 'late Fall', mid September - November, and applies to all of New York City. 'Scarce' seen in habitat, but not daily [2 spp]: - BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON - 4+ along Sherman Creek incl. 3 juveniles - Brown Creeper - 1 continues along path to bat house installation 'Uncommon' seen in small numbers; 1-3 per day in habitat [6 spp]: - TURKEY VULTURE - 6 flyovers heading S w/4 @ 10:55a, 1 @ 11:35a & 1 @ 1:35 - COOPER'S HAWK - 1+ local over park & E of Harlem River - RED-SHOULDERED HAWK - 1 with the 4 TVs @ 10:55a - BELTED KINGFISHER - 1 male active throughout the day & very vocal - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 2+ - FOX SPARROW - 1 along path W of the boat house 'Fairly Common' usually seen; 3-12 per day in habitat [6 spp]: - RED-TAILED HAWK - 4+ incl. 3 subadults & 1 adult E of the park - Downy Woodpecker - Pair (m/f) w/male creating a roost hole on a dead & angled branch - Black-capped Chickadee - 6+ - Northern Mockingbird - 2+ seen & heard - Northern Cardinal - 2+ - AMERICAN GOLDFINCH - 75+ 'Common' seen easily; more than 12 per day in habitat [22 spp]: - Canada Goose - 10+ on the Harlem River - American Black Duck - Pair (m/f) on Sherman Creek - Mallard - Pair (m/f) on Sherman Creek - Double-crested Cormorant - 2 subadults on the Harlem River - Ring-billed Gull - 24+ on the Harlem River - Herring Gull - 1 flyover - Great Black-backed Gull - 1 adult on piling over Harlem River - Rock Pigeon - 12+ - Mourning Dove - 1 - Blue Jay - 6+ seen & heard - American Crow - 7 flyovers - Golden-crowned Kinglet - 4+ - Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2+ - American Robin - 3+ - European Starling - 24+ - Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2+ - Song Sparrow - 4+ - Swamp Sparrow - 1 S of the bat house installation - White-throated Sparrow - 12+ - Dark-eyed Junco - 36+ - Red-winged Blackbird - 7 incl. 2 from Sherman Creek & 5 flyovers - House Sparrow - 48+ Taxonomic order: - Canada Goose - 10+ on the Harlem River - American Black Duck - Pair (m/f) on Sherman Creek - Mallard - Pair (m/f) on Sherman Creek - Double-crested Cormorant - 2 subadults on the Harlem River - Black-crowned Night-Heron - 4+ along Sherman Creek incl. 3 juveniles - Turkey Vulture - 6 flyovers heading S w/4 @ 10:55a, 1 @ 11:35a & 1 @ 1:35 - Cooper's Hawk - 1+ local over park & E of Harlem River - Red-shouldered Hawk - 1 with the 4 TVs @ 10:55a - Red-tailed Hawk - 4+ incl. 3 subadults & 1 adult E of the park - Ring-billed Gull - 24+ on the Harlem River - Herring Gull - 1 flyover - Great Black-backed Gull - 1 adult on piling over Harlem River - Rock Pigeon - 12+ - Mourning Dove - 1 - Belted Kingfisher - 1 male active throughout the day & very vocal - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 2+ - Downy Woodpecker - Pair (m/f) w/male creating a roost hole on a dead & angled branch - Blue Jay - 6+ seen & heard - American Crow - 7 flyovers - Black-capped Chickadee - 6+ - Brown Creeper - 1 continues along path to bat house installation - Golden-crowned Kinglet - 4+ - Ruby-crowned Kinglet - 2+ - American Robin - 3+ - Northern Mockingbird - 2+ seen & heard - European Starling - 24+ - Yellow-rumped Warbler - 2+ - Fox Sparrow - 1 along path W of the boat house - Song Sparrow - 4+ - Swamp Sparrow - 1 S of the bat house installation - White-throated Sparrow - 12+ - Dark-eyed Junco - 36+ - Northern Cardinal - 2+ - Red-winged Blackbird - 7 incl. 2 from Sherman Creek & 5 flyovers - American Goldfinch - 75+ - House Sparrow - 48+ -- 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/ --
