A fading-plumaged LITTLE STINT has been noted from ***New Hampshire*** on Thursday, 7/28, with eventually multiple observers for that day, and was apparently present the day prior as well. That’s a quite rare species anywhere in the eastern states (or provinces). The (previously-reported and lingering) Suffolk County (Long Island), N.Y. BAR-TAILED GODWIT was again reported for Thursday, 7/28 by at least several observers at the same location as previously. At least one EUROPEAN Golden-Plover was photographed on Newfoundland (eastern Canada) on July 25th, the full report in eBird and other report-servers. For the New Hamphsire STINT, this link (N.H. state ebird rarity-alert) will bring some updates: https://ebird.org/alert/summary?sid=SN35642 <https://ebird.org/alert/summary?sid=SN35642>
- - On the subject of the “great white” heron as a species, or a form of Great Blue Heron (in reference to the recent [and ongoing-to 7/28] bird in Rockland County, N.Y.) here are some available writings: Jente Ottenburghs, an evolutionary biologist teaching at Wageningen University & Research, Netherlands (i.e., “Holland”) had this piece in his science-blog in 2019: https://avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2019/04/14/is-the-great-white-heron-a-distinct-species/ <https://avianhybrids.wordpress.com/2019/04/14/is-the-great-white-heron-a-distinct-species/> Quite a long while ago, David A. Sibley, the field guide author and bird-illustrator living in Massachusetts, had this blog entry with a lot of comments on that subject: https://www.sibleyguides.com/2007/11/great-white-heron-not-just-a-color-morph/ <https://www.sibleyguides.com/2007/11/great-white-heron-not-just-a-color-morph/> The following link is directly to an article on the Great White Heron from the (non-profit) Heron Conservation org.- https://www.heronconservation.org <https://www.heronconservation.org/> - this 2022 article claims the Great White to be a *species* [and this also has many references, with further links included]: https://www.heronconservation.org/JHBC/vol07/art01/ <https://www.heronconservation.org/JHBC/vol07/art01/> And the lingering Anhinga in Rockland County, N.Y. was also continuing to Thurs., 7/28 with multiple observers as well as for the above. _ James Lovelock, a British scientist of extraordinarily broad interests and ahead-of-his-time ideas and theories, among the best-known of which was termed the “Gaia” hypothesis in which he collaborated with biologist Lynn Margulis in particular, has died. Things he brought attention to as much as a half-century or more ago are in many instances being increasingly studied now. [July 26, 1919 - July 26, 2022, exactly 103 yrs., R.I.P.] - - - - - - - New York County (in N.Y. City), including Manhattan, Randall’s Island, & Governors Island July 23 - July 28 (Saturday-Thursday) - A Willow Flycatcher was detected at Inwood Hill Park by Sunday, 7/24, a species which has attempted nesting in the county in the past and perhaps still, with very limited detection. Other flycatcher species which nest and have done so successfully this summer in the county include E. Phoebe (in limited numbers), E. Wood-Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, and E. Kingbird, the latter almost-certainly the most-numerous of these breeding species in the county. There also are the possibly breediing Acadian Flycatchers, which have nested and do nest in N.Y. City. In particular, some migration was in progress over the nights of Monday & Tues. 25th-26th, and with sightings into Wed./27th, in the county. By Tues., pre-sunrise flight included at least several Louisiana Waterthrushes, and a higher number of Yellow Warblers, moving past n. Manhattan, with a few of each also seen in the first hour of daylight (others, later, in several parks in the county). Also found were at least 2 Northern Waterthrushes, by Tues., and perhaps more that have been missed in earlier days. Some observers this week have enjoyed the view of two waterthrush species in the same vicinity, and more ‘rarely’ even in the same view-field. A few American Redstarts were persisting and that species also may have been on the move, at least fairly-locally. By Wed. 7/27, at least 6 species of migrant southbound warblers were noted and some have also been seen both to the south, and north of N.Y. County in the last 2 days; these included Tennessee Warbler, Northern Parula, Worm-eating Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, and Yellow Warbler, the last in numbers into double-digits headed in a southerly direction (really more west-by-south, than 'straight-south’). In addition were ongoing Louisiana Waterthrush, and American Redstart, as well as the few lingering-all-summer Ovenbirds and also a few Common Yellowthroats. Incidentally, while a bit early for Tennessee Warbler on the move thru this area, this species is (more) expected in a few weeks (or less) as a migrant headed south; it is not known to nest anywhere near N.Y. City; also there have been at least a few other sightings of this species this week well out of the breeding-range in at least several states in the greater northeast. There were some reports of other (including 'more-northern’) nesters in the Parulidae tribe and some of those reports are probably correct, as also suggested by small no’s. of some [of same] species on the move, and seen where they definitely do not nest. The warblers were hardly the only ‘land’ birds on the move; at least a few Indigo Buntings also, with Icteridae represented by dozens of Red-winged Blackbirds, and a few each of Orchard Oriole and Bobolink, all expected to be moving (the R-w.B'b. movement being a typical early-to-midsummer push, which is not usually nearly as numerous or evident as are the later-in-autumn masses of blackbirds clearing out of many northeastern haunts to get to better feeding areas for their winters) by now, and some which already were by now. Some Indigo Buntings were already moving on as early as the Saturday/23rd if not even prior. Red-breasted Nuthatches continued in some locations and there also were a few more on the move thru this week. And there were aerialists such as a few (more) Purple Martins and (esp.) Barn Swallows and some Bank and N. Rough-winged Swallows, as well as fair no’s. of Chimney Swift, some of which seem to be doing more than massing or flock-feeding, but drifting on south[west]ward. The Cliff Swallows at Randall’s Island were still around that area, but some had fledged and the greater numbers (while more were in and always-near nests there) are a bit tough to come by; some also may have moved, in recent days. Tree Swallows are in small no’s, it seems in a few areas where they may gather for a while in midsummer and some are still in the areas where they nest in the county. Nice findings for the county are at least 3 Semipalmated Plovers, likely annual in the county but usually rather uncommonly-noted; these latest (showing on 7/28) south-bounders at Inwood Hill Park’s always-intriguing flats, at the north edge near W. 215th St., west of Broadway. Plus some more Solitary and Least Sandpipers (& a few unid. ‘peep’, perhaps more Leasts, poss. Semipalmated or even some other small calidrid-type sandpiper species) and quite a few more Spotted Sandpipers, these all in a variety of locations. Also picking-up ever-so-subtly were hummingbirds, all presumed Ruby-throated and likely so, as is expected for the first wavlets of them by now, but always a slim chance of another species [many western-breeding hummingbird species have been on the move south recently, and there are also v. rare odd spp. that wil show up in places far-north of known ranges, such as that Mexican Violetear ongoing for some while in Arkansas]. At least small no’s. of Osprey have been moving about, and it’s fairly likely some are more-than-local wanderers, some poss. even moving to more-southerly (or in other directions) locations. A very few Bald Eagle sightings this week so far, and a modest batch of vulture sightings, mainly of Turkey but also a few Black Vultures. Reappearing in a few locations where scarcely seen in recent weeks (or longer) were some Belted Kingfishers, and at one location in particular, Yellow-crowned Night Heron sightings continue, albeit more sporadic for the effort being put in the location where most-frequent in the county (Randall’s Island). Black-crowned Night-Herons are regular thru the summer in many locations. Great & Snowy Egrets also continue all summer, with some recently (of each) showing at times in locations where not always regular; Great Blue Herons as well as Green Herons also showing in various places, the latter including in areas where some were nesting. There’s been more evidence of migratory movement recently and still more occuring overnight of Thurs.-Friday (to today); all of the above just a sampler and including some but not all sightings of migrant species that have been noted in the report’s period. Thanks to the many observers out and about on all the recent days in N.Y. County - quite the week of weather. Peaceful birding to all at the end of July, 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/ --
