Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City Sunday, 16 October, 2016 Duckage is continuing to indicate movement, with now 133+ (probably slightly more) Ruddy Ducks in at least several rafts on the reservoir; Buffleheads also continuing there, & Wood Ducks in several locations with the brightest plumage found in the long-staying drake at The Pond (se corner of the park) - where an American Coot has likely taken up a long-term visitation as well (these birds all seen & photographed again this Sunday morning). On the reservoir, just one non-adult/ female-type Hooded Merganser was noticed watching from the east shore but a few others may be present again today. A rough (under-) count of the gulls on the reservoir found more than 350 present at 9 a.m. Sunday morning, this not including those stlll flying in to visit for part of the day. At least 4 species were present, with Laughing Gull (2 or perhaps more) and the other very-regular three species, Ring- billed, (American) Herring, & Great Black-backed Gulls - each in good numbers. (A very careful scan, with scope, might reveal even another gull species among the many on the reservoir.)
Even a relatively quick (less than 1 hour) look around the Pinetum areas (east & west) revealed multiple Cape May Warblers there again, as well as a minimum of 7 additional warbler species, obviously headed by Myrtle Warbler, now & just lately the (by far) most numerous warbler species in the park entire, as well as in the Pinetum area. Thanks, to Jordan Spindel for pointing out a (somewhat late-ish) Blue- gray Gnatcatcher observed today at the Upper Lobe area (northwestern- most part of the Lake & immediate vicinity), as well as other species of interest to many birders in the Ramble area - and for caring greatly about the welfare of every individual bird, as witnessed in person by many of us - a great example to all of us - as are so many of the newest generation of birders & naturalists that we are lucky to have amongst us in New York. - - - On Saturday (10/15), at the wildflower meadow & vicinity, some Warbler species closely observed included Magnolia (lingering there in the meadow & eastern borders), Northern Parula, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, Common Yellowthroat, Palm, Myrtle, and American Redstart and perhaps a few others; a Nashville Warbler was at the south side of the Meer on a slope, and in the north woods, an Ovenbird - these observations all in afternoon hours, and some with several other observers as well, including the first 5 and latter 2 species noted. The Black-capped Chickadee movements some observers are noting will be interesting to keep an eye on to see if the numbers get to a point where another chickadee species might be sought amongst the flow of Black-cappeds coming out of the northern realms; that other species has of course occurred in NYC, and in Central Park in this century & late in the prior one. - - - - - - - - - PINK is THE color of the day and this weekend in and around Central Park, & many other locations - a color indicating here & now the fight against, & seeking cures for, cancer including in particular breast cancer - and PINK also is significant in representing tolerance, equality, kindness, and by extension, an end to hateful and intolerant speech, and to NO tolerance of bullies, or bullying behavior. Give respect, get respect - and think on PINK. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts. ~ The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land. ~ A land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it. It implies respect for his-her fellow-members, and also respect for the community as such." - Aldo Leopold (1887–1948), U.S. wildlife biologist, conservationist, professor, author, best known for his book "A Sand County Almanac" (1949), which has sold more than two million copies. - - - - - - - - - good birding, Tom Fiore Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES 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://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
