Wednesday Aug. 12th thru Wednesday, Aug. 19th - New York County (in N.Y. City) including Manhattan:
Only a sampler of some sightings, with a number of nice recently-found species. Further reports in coming days with more complete listing of migrants for New York County (a county in N.Y. City) There have been Red-breasted Nuthatches continuing their (at least) eastern N. American dispersal south, and so far seen in at least 8+ states in increasing numbers, with many observers noting first-of-season, or first in some time, etc. - max. numbers so far seem to be in New England on into the coastal areas on Long Island (Sound & seashore sides & interior) plus coastal & near-coastal N.J. BUT this could still be reflective of many observers in-position to seek coastal birds. A high count of up to 14 in one day at Central Park is indicative of many more that may yet irrupt… we shall see. A nice brief piece on these movements was already placed in the Cornell Lab. of Ornithology’s Birdcast site - https://birdcast.info/scientific-discussion/migration-alert-red-breasted-nuthatch/ <https://birdcast.info/scientific-discussion/migration-alert-red-breasted-nuthatch/> A Yellow-breasted CHAT has appeared - “again” in the same area of the Ramble of Central Park that one was seen often in mid-late spring of this year, the “Tupelo Meadow” section, with multiple observers later on Wed., 8/19 & some photos also obtained - & thanks to J. Spindel for the find & getting word out. Ruby-throated Hummingbird - diurnal migrants moving, all August days but especially after 8/14. Of course many also now stopping off to feed & rest, in multiple flowered-locations all around. Common Nighthawk - migration flights have begun and some in New England at least have featured up to multi-hundreds. In Manhattan, at least 5 passed the eastern edge of Riverbank State Park, along the Hudson River near W. 145 Street, from 6:55 to 8:10 pm, Tuesday, 8/18. Red-shouldered Hawk, photo’d. flying low over Central Park on 8/15, is an interestingly-early date for the species at Manhattan, and given it being a non-adult, perhaps an indication of relatively-local breeding, even just-possibly from the same county or perhaps a somewhat adjacent county, which would thus include several states (CT & N.J. both being fairly nearby). Eastern Kingbird - diurnal migrants, up to 8 per hour in the 7-10 am periods on 8/18 & 8/19; these in addition to v. locally-breeding birds (some of which may still be in family-groupings). Baltimore Oriole - groups of over a dozen, including one group of 17; these most notably on 8/18, but also prior migrants; all these in addition to various locally-breeding birds in many places. Rose-breasted Grosbeak - just starting to appear in places where they do not breed, such as Central Park; some on 8/18 & also 8/19, in two parks, 4 locations. Also being seen in modest numbers have been Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, a very few Veery, & a very scant no. (as reported, at least) of ‘icterids' other than B. Orioles, with some Bobolinks, & occ. small early-day flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds & poss. some others of the blackbird tribe. There also have been some flycatchers besides E. Kingbird on the move, including some of Empidonax, & Contopus genus. American Warblers - a minimum of 22 species in the 8-day period of this report - with up to 18 spp. present on Monday, 8/17, and different species also on days before & after that. None of these especially early now, although it is far from any peak-period for several of the species found such as (esp.) Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Warbler. Blue-winged Warbler (modest to low numbers so far) Tennessee Warbler (very scant, as of 8/17) Northern Parula (2 sightings & rather early) Yellow Warbler (multiple and in many, many locations) Chestnut-sided Warbler (increasing but not that many) Magnolia Warbler (scant, if more than 1 individual seen) Black-throated Blue Warbler (several - in multiple areas) Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Warbler (one, poss. two individuals - v. early for sites in N.Y. County) Black-throated Green Warbler (rather early; at least 2 individuals - in 2 parks) Blackburnian Warbler (adult male in Central Park, n. woods, 8/17; possibly another next day) Prairie Warbler (few sightings, and about on-time for some) Black-and-white Warbler (increasing, and in multiple locations / parks) American Redstart (increasing, and in many areas, including an occ. street tree situation in early mornings) Worm-eating Warbler (several; and about on-time if not overdue, 3 locations, all found on Manhattan island) Ovenbird (multiple, but not that many yet) Northern Waterthrush (numerous and ongoing; in many areas including some well away from water) Louisiana Waterthrush (scant as expected, but at least a few, including some well-photographed individuals) Mourning Warbler (a nice Saturday sighting for many, with many photos also obtained - 8/15, in Central Park) Common Yellowthroat (multiple, but not that many so far, includes some which could have been local breeding-attempters) Hooded Warbler (male-plumaged, 8/17; Riverside Park, far-northern end) Wilson's Warbler (several sightings, multiple areas) Canada Warbler (multiple, various areas, in several parks so far) …….. Plenty of interesting insect sightings also. We could reasonably expect some further sightings of southern-affinity butterflies, and perhaps other more-southern insects, on the weather that’s predicted for the coming weekend and for some areas, after that also. Bats have been seen in several locations, especially the Eastern Red Bat - the most commonly noticed & regularly-seen bat species in most areas in New York County. - - - - - "This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.” - Teddy Roosevelt (26th president of the U.S.A.) "If there is no struggle, there is no progress." - Frederick Douglass (1818-1895; U.S. statesman, orater, writer) good birding, stay cool, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
