Wed.-Thurs.-Friday, 9-10-11 March, 2011 - Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City
The VARIED THRUSH continued to wander in the general areas where it has been. On Wed. it spent part of the afternoon around the maintenance field's south side, accompanied as it seems it often is by a flock containing a male E. Towhee & a variety of more commonly- wintering and resident songbirds, especially White-throated Sparrows. (The thrush had been seen Mon. & Tues. in an area south of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's south wall, near the north side of the East 79 Street transverse. It may well visit that area on a regular basis & recently.) On Thursday morning before any rains, the thrush was in it's most "typically" seen area, just east of the maintenance shed's men's restroom - it sat in a tree for 10+ minutes at 7 a.m., and later was feeding on the ground in a small patch of bare shrubbery about 35 feet east of there, again in company of the towhee and the rest of the roving flock, and it remained in that spot at least thru 8 a.m. Friday, before 10 a.m., the thrush was first found at Cedar Hill (east side of the park drive), but then it made its way across to the same area, and was feeding with that same flock again. All seeking this bird may need patience as it definitely wanders in the vicinity, and sometimes stays put in one place for some time. Reports by those finding it ought continue, as there continue to be birders seeking the thrush for the first time, including those for whom it would be a first-ever sighting. The first-year Red-headed Woodpecker has continued near the 66 Street transverse & south of Sheep Meadow, also wandering a bit, often within sight of the Carousel (merry-go-round) and always in trees to the west of the nearest park roadway. In the cool and/or inclement weather, it's been relatively quiet and not all that active, which could change with milder weather. including this species, six woodpecker spp. have been seen in the past week, with Hairy actually a less-common one many recent years than the red-headed. A smallish number of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers & even smaller no's. of N. [Yellow-shafted] Flickers overwintered, and the most common two, Downy & Red-bellied Woodpeckers, are resident. In the past week, when weather allowed, some migration movement was noted, mostly of waterfowl and blackbirds - Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles in modest flocks, with the majority of these passing thru on early mornings and smaller numbers of American Robins also moving in. The waterfowl included mainly expected species, with Ruddy Duck making a return to the reservoir & meer, but in low numbers so far. Also passing through were at least a few Wood Ducks in the past week. "Red" Fox Sparrows have been seen, although they may still be limited to scant numbers that overwintered. Of other sparrows, there seems to have been very little movement so far. Such species as Black- capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, and a few others have had modest build-ups in their numbers as late winter fades into early spring. Also noted this week, by calls in addition to sighting were Fish Crows, the most recent on Wed. by the Meer, in the park's north end. 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/ --
