The Mountain Bluebird was ongoing through Tuesday, 1/25 at its now 15-days-stay (at least so far as first being sighted) at and near Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Park, and along River Rd. in eastern Ulster County, NY, often around with or near other birds, & with some Eastern Bluebirds in particular.
In the county immediately south -Orange Co., NY- a seasonally-rare Lark Sparrow was continuing at least through Monday, 1/24 and also continuing in that county (at Newburgh, NY) were at least 3 seasonally-rare warbler species: Yellow, Tennessee, and N. Parula. (Some of the past reports noted more than 1 individual of one or more of these.) - - - - With the Brambling that was seen for some days (into this week), in Quebec Canada (west of Quebec city), it’s a good idea for far-northern NY state birders to keep that species in mind, along with any other potential vagrants out of Europe/Eurasia. There are a number of Ohio-birders who’ve been giving a lot of attention to a Whooper Swan in that state this week, as well. . . . . . . Manhattan, N.Y. City - Tuesday, 1/25 - Six species of gull were noted from one site for the day - at the Central Park reservoir; in addition to the typical-three (much of the year there), being Ring-billed, [American] Herring, and Great Black-backed, there was at least one-each of the following: Lesser Black-backed, Iceland (of the ‘kumleini’ form, and this one in adult plumage), and Glaucous. All were (for a time) on the reservoir simultaneously. None of the species are ’new’ to Central Park, but only Iceland, of those latter 3 species, could be said to be fairly ‘regular’, in terms of any uncommon-in-general visitants. And that in a many-decades perspective of observing (far far longer than all of the moderne electronically-archived sightings). In all there were far more than 1,000 gulls visiting the C.P. reservoir on the day, with the majority being Ring-billed and somewhat less of Herring Gulls. The adult Bald Eagle (again) dropping in to say hello at and on the reservoir (ice shelves etc.) was an added bonus, so long as you were not among its’ prey-items to be considered for attack. (what’s a poor Peregrine to do… they also have been regular, at and near the same site, as are a few other raptor species, mainly Red-tailed Hawk and Cooper’s Hawk, the latter at least incidental to the area, with the species wintering in the county.) There was more than one pass and visits by Bald Eagle, & it’s not definite that these were all just 1 bird over a period of some hours. There were again a number of Bald Eagles over N.Y. County & also some Turkey Vultures, as well as some sightings of Common Ravens, in various locations. N.B., all of the gulls found there do not sit on nor stay at the C.P. reservoir all day & night, and there can be a lot of re-shuffling at times. In some instances some gull[s] might be present for just a short time, on a given day. The Long-tailed Duck (in female plumage) first found Saturday on the Central Park reservoir was still present there through Tuesday 1/25; that bird’s had many hundreds of observers; not a typical sighting for that park (although not unheard-of there); it’s a species not so easily-viewed, even when accessible for county-watchers and many N.Y. County observers will have seen the species far more from more-coastal locations in the city, or the region. Also still present has been a Snow Goose, & this was joined by a Mute Swan on the reservoir. Additional duckage had a Red-breasted Merganser (not that unusual as an occasional drop-in in the colder months at Central Park) and the onging good no’s. of Hooded Mergansers, along with a couple of drake Wood Ducks and all the rest on the reservoir; a hen Green-winged Teal & drake Lesser Scaup were again at “The Pool”, a bit to the north in the same park. 2 Snow Geese also were continuing on Randall’s Island (east of Manhattan but in N.Y. County), as well as various other waterfowl and waterbirds seen there. Two Western Tanagers both continued in their respective small ‘zones’ within 2 separate neighborhoods, one at Carl Schurz Park on Manhattan’s far eastern edge, just east of East End Ave. - that typically visiting a feeder array that’s south of the E. 86th St. main park entrance, thence up a flight of steps, or, just west of the n.w. gate to the Catbird Playground within same park; and the other W. Tanager remaining in the area of Clinton / Hell’s Kitchen at W. 47th-48th Sts., with 2 parks as areas to check for this sometimes-roaming bird: Clinton Community Garden - key-holders-only but one can view much of this garden peering thru the iron fence, located a bit east of Tenth Ave. on W. 48th, & also at Hell’s Kitchen Park on Tenth Ave. from 48th-47th Sts. and at times, this tanager also has been seen in street trees or adjacent buildings, 47th & perhaps more so 48th St., mainly east of Tenth Ave. - both of the 2 tanagers may require some effort or patience to see, with the Carl Schurz Park bird not right at the feeder array all of the time, and not visible easily much of the time even when nearby; the Clinton-neighborhood tanager simply having plenty of trees, buildings, perches to sit in & on. Please continue to be respectful of all neighborhod residents, both of these areas are often busy and have many walkers of all ages. At least 75 species of birds were in N.Y. County on Tuesday, 1/25, with various species that are lingering and appear to be wintering, some semi-regular and many regular even if scarce in winter. There were up to 65 species of birds in Central Park. Multiples of such species as (few) Winter Wrens, (more) Brown Creepers, Golden-crowned & Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Gray Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, Hermit Thrushes, and some lingering warblers (around the county) and uncommon-in-winter sparrows all seem to be making it through this winter, so far - with of course still yet more frigid weather and other weather to get through. good and peaceful birding to all, 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/ --
