An American Avocet in good alternate plumage was a great sighting for Dorchester Park in *Broome County*, NY on April 17th; seen thru the day there and with many observers and photographers of that individual. This was given the status of a first known record for Broome County, and always a fine bird to see. (This corresponed with a regional arrival of some of the latter species.)
- - - - The Prothonotary Warbler at Brooklyn’s (Kings County, in N.Y. City) was seen by vastly more than 100 observers into its’ at least 3 days at Prospect Park, from at least 4/18 and 4/19, ongoing into Thursday 4/20, with many photos, videos, notes made of this bird. (That individual was seen moving about more within that park, by Thursday.) ** And the male EVENING Grosbeak also was in Prospect Park, as noted and photo’d. for 4/19 and also into Thursday 4/20, near the zoo (and not far from Dongan Oak, a landmark site) of Prospect Park, etc. -also with multiple observers- shout-outs to the venerable BBC (the Brooklyn Bird Club). ____ New York County (in N.Y. City), including Manhattan, Randall’s Island, and Governors Island into Thursday, April 20th: An excellent arrival (again) for the week, with good diversity including some species a week or more “early” as contrasted with more-typical arrrival-dates (at least, of seasons past when the bloom and leaf-out of trees in April was not so advanced at this year’s spring already is - lots of fresh arrivals of (some) neotropical-wintering migrants returning to this county and also into the broader region, with an especially good flight having occurrred all of Wed. night into Thursday morning. A fairly good push also of birds in the morning-hours, moving along as a morning flight kept going in some areas of the county, including migrants simply moving along through the foliage and almost all trending north. At least some locations in the northern parts of Manhattan may have benefited most from the Thursday migrant arrival-flights. Some arrivals (and for some species, further arrivals) this week (so far!) have included Eastern Whip-poor-will, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Chimney Swift, Spotted Sandpiper, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Broad-winged Hawk, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo (newly additional), Yellow-throated Vireo (additional), Red-eyed Vireo, Marsh Wren (additional), Wood Thrush, Pine Siskin (additional), Savannah Sparrow (many-additional), Orchard Oriole, Boat-tailed Grackle (scarce in county), Ovenbird, Worm-eating Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler (additional no’s.), Nashville Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Cape May Warbler (in the multiple including in their first day of known occurrence in the county), Northern Parula (some additional arrival), Yellow Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler (as had been well-reported to this list-serve), Prairie Warbler (additionals) - and likely some other warbler spp., given the wider arrival of others in that family, Scarlet Tanager, and Indigo Bunting - plus the rather-rare find of an additional bunting species. The finding of a Painted Bunting at Central Park’s north end gave many observers on the day (4/—) a chance to see the southern-breeding denizen, and also showed the best in our local birders with a number of the keenest of them assisting in getting some others in finding and staying ‘on’ the sometimes skulking, and sometimes quite arboreal bunting (not a male of spring breeding plumage, and the basically-all green color giving this bird the opportunity to blend well in much of the now almost “lush” foliage (in this spring when the leafing-out cycle of many trees, shrubs, and other plants is as advanced as perhaps had been seen in the memory of anyone; this has an affect in that 'leaf-out' is also times to all sorts of arthropod activity and many emergences - which are then available as food to a LOT of ariving birds (along with many overwintered and/or resident birds). This also makes possible an earlier chance at nesting (and breeding) cycles, with such rich and nutritious food now available to potentially feed to new hatchlings. Even a few days ‘earliness’ in that sense can have significant effects that may reverberate through an entire natural-system. 2 Boat-tailed Grackles were reported and are confirmed sightings from Governors Island as of Sunday, 4/16; this grackle species has been seen in N.Y. County previously and the specis ought to be observed for any signs of possible breeding-activity in the county. 2 Baltimore Orioles were seen at Union Square Park in lower Manhattan on Sunday 4/16, one the overwintered individual, still gaining its [male] spring colors, and the other a full spring plumaged male, a new or very-recent arrival in the area. And, at least 2 - perhaps more - Baltimore Orioles also in bright plumage occurred in Manhattan on Sunday. At least some additional of the species showed by 4/17, around the county. To at least Wed. 4/19, the overwintered Baltimore Oriole was still at Union Square Park. At least one Pine Siskin was found in Central Park on Mon., 4/17 along with some Purple Finches (the latter having been seen in modest numbers for some while now, at Central Park and on the two other large islands of the county besides Manhattan). Early arrivals, Red-eyed Vireo appeared in Central Park at least by 4/19, and at least one bright male Scarlet Tanager appeared in lower Manhattan by 4/19. At least 2 Indigo Buntings showed by 4/19, at least one at Central Park. Not extremely-early, Ruby-throated Hummingbird showed at Central Park as of Mon., 4/17, and the most-regular early-arriving caprimulgid came in to Manhattan by 4/16. Spotted Sandpiper showed at Central Park by Monday (and other newly-arriving shorebird species might be watched-for (in-county), as many species are on the move thru the region by now. Wood Thrush appeared by Thursday, 4/20, including at Central Park. Eastern Kingbird showed in at least 2 locations for Monday 4/17, including one at Central Park, another off Governors Island (headed into lower Manhattan or perhaps onward). Far more than *100* species of native birds were found in Central Park for Thursday, 4/20, including a modest number of fly-bys and fly-overs. Some migrant birds were singing from high perches in leafy trees as early as 5:30-6 a.m. at some sites., for various early mornings in Manhattan. Many more were simply giving various calls. Other birds arriving and/or ongoing recently were: American Oystercatcher (from Randall’s Island, with Governors Island perhaps the slightly-better site to try for this latter species), Green Heron (again seen in Central Park and in a few locations), Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (off the south end of Manhattan), Laughing Gull (very modest increases thru the weekend and more for 4/17, Monday), Snowy Egret (far more coming along), Green Heron, Osprey, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Barn Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush (arrivals all of this week), and above all, the American warblers or Parulidae (as a taxonomic family). With the other neotropical-wintering songbirds and other birds were also a larger new arrival of Savannah Sparrows; these showing in multiple locations by Sunday 4/16, with perhaps no (in-county) site having as many as reported from Randall’s Island by multiple regular observers there on the day. The same Vesper Sparrow was continuing at the north end of Central Park thru Sunday, 4/16, seen and again-photo’d., by multiple observers. At least 12 of the 19 warbler species to have shown in recent days were noted on the weekend, 4/15 and 4/16. That diversity of species arriving by this early in April is possibly unprecedented in the county, yet is also in line with a trend of many neotropical winterers to start to show up as early as mid-April, and more so well before the end of April, increasingly so in the most recent years. Worm-eating Warbler, Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, and Common Yellowthroat were all perhaps first-found on Monday, 4/17, with more sightings by 4/20. The warbler species already having been seen by, or before the weekend of 4/15-16 included: Ovenbird (several - and while at least slightly-possible that one or more were local overwinterers, these are as or more likely to all be fresh spring arrivals, Louisiana Waterthrush, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler (these 4 all appeared in areas -generally or specifically- where the species had overwintered (even if just one of the 4 was very-regularly checked-up for and often-found), Hooded Warbler, Cape May Warbler (multiple, with one at City Hall Park on Sunday, 4/17 and several or more in Central Park, 2 of which were visibly different individuals in same area of the Ramble, plus 2 more in different portions of the n. end of the park; all appeared males), Northern Parula (ongoing individual, at Central Park, as well as 1 presumed newly arrived in lower Manhattan), Yellow Warbler (2 or more in Central Park, by 4/16), Palm Warbler (although many had moved-on by Mon., there were still multiples), Pine Warbler (also with many having moved-on, this species already showing at some of the northern-most breeding areas known in N. America, but some still present into 4/17), Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warbler (steady-slow increases), Yellow-throated Warbler (as well-reported to this list-serve already), Prairie Warbler (present before, and still seen/heard in Central Park to 4/17). Some birds, including many of the insectiverous ones had been high in trees (many of the latter just leafed-out or unfurling and containing numerous insects or other arthropods) in early mornings, with some coming lower as many days warmed. The 3 most-regular swallow species of N.Y. County were all being found at both Central Park, and over Randall’s Island, by the weekend and to Monday 4/17 - N. Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow, and Tree Swallow; the latter two also seen in numbers, esp. Tree, over Governors Island. These latter 3 swallow species were also seen in some areas of northern Manhattan, such as the Sherman Creek and Swindler Cove Park area, and elsewhere. At least two Purple Martins passed Governors Island (a location where, potentially, they might try to nest, if encouraged and a little protection offered to any poss. nesting area) on Monday, 4/17. There has been a fairly pronounced movement of Tufted Titmouse, and to slightly less extent also Black-capped Chickadee, thru the county (and in the region) with some birds departing the county and observed moving along to Bronx County, NYC, from northern Manhattan. Both Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatches have been seen on the move, some in early a.m. flight at least for short distances in the county, thru Mon. 4/17 as well as on prior days. The same was so of both species of Kinglets, with Golden-crowned Kinglet having diminished as Ruby-crowned Kinglet has swelled a bit in numbers. Ten varieties of sparrow, taking in Slate-colored Junco as part of that group, were seen, with a few Lincoln’s Sparrows showing, those latter possibly overwintered more-locally, but just as possibly new or very-recent arrivals; all of the ten spp. plus E. Towhee, were seen within Central Park and many also appeared in multiple other locations, with a good mix on both Governors and Randall’s Island[s]. There have been modest to more-than-modest early a.m. flights of passerines and other birds on some recent mornings, some light fog obscuring a lot of the higher-flying, and sometimes muffling flight calls, as well as some song and standard chip-notes from ground and trees, etc., although the amount of fog has varied from modest to nearly-none at various county locations and this was not a factor on the mornings of 4/19 or 4/20 at least for Manhattan. Some of the species found in (or over) N.Y. County in recent days: [Atlantic] Brant (many, as expected into April in the county) Canada Goose Mute Swan (ongoing, mostly near Randall’s Island) Wood Duck (multiple, including within Central Park) Northern Shoveler Gadwall American Wigeon (fly-bys) Mallard American Black Duck Northern Pintail (lower Manhattan, along E. River) (*the recent Ring-necked Duck may have moved on from Central Park) Bufflehead Hooded Merganser (at least one on the Central Park Lake, Thursday, 4/20; also, multiple off Randall’s Island n. edges, and poss. continuing elsewhere) Red-breasted Merganser (few noted) Ruddy Duck Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Eastern Whip-poor-will (Manhattan...) Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Central Park) Chimney Swift (few, just arriving this week) American Coot (ongoing at Central Park) American Oystercatcher Killdeer American Woodcock Spotted Sandpiper (Central Park, and elsewhere) Laughing Gull (increased) Ring-billed Gull [American] Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Red-throated Loon Common Loon (fly-overs, some days in moderate numbers) Great Cormorant Double-crested Cormorant American Bittern (as noted for Central Park priorly, and as also noted seen by a not-for-profit guided bird walk group and then by many other observers also) Great Blue Heron Great Egret (ongoing) Snowy Egret (fly-overs, including at Central Park) Green Heron (multiple, including at Central Park) Black-crowned Night-Heron Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (lower Manhattan, in area where semi-regular over the years *in-season*) Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Osprey (multiple fly-bys) Sharp-shinned Hawk (increased sightings) Cooper's Hawk Bald Eagle (multiple fly-bys) Red-shouldered Hawk (seen and photographed by and with many observers, including members of the Linnaean Society of New York, as well as participants with the American Museum of Natural History’s [not-for-profit] guided and scheduled bird walks) Broad-winged Hawk (as of Thursday, 4/20, including fly-overs seen from Central Park and also from other locations) Red-tailed Hawk 5 owl species (w/ one being the long-staying escapee from vandalized zoo in Central Park) Belted Kingfisher (multiple locations; have increased) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (many locations) Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Yellow-shafted Flicker (many on migration, some already looking over nest places) American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Monk Parakeet Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher (Central Park) Eastern Kingbird (Central Park) White-eyed Vireo (Central Park) Yellow-throated Vireo (Central Park and elsewhere) Blue-headed Vireo (multiple locations) Red-eyed Vireo (Central Park, and a few reported elsewhere in the county) Blue Jay American Crow Fish Crow (in good numbers from some select sites and areas of the county) Common Raven (multiple sightings, including from Central Park) Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Northern Rough-winged Swallow (regular now in Central Park, also occurring elsewhere in the county) Purple Martin Tree Swallow (regular now in Central Park and seen widely in some other locations all thru the county) Barn Swallow (regular now in Central Park and seen in modest numbers at multiple other county sites) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (very numerous by Thursday, 4/20) Golden-crowned Kinglet Red-breasted Nuthatch (multiple; including at Central Park) White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (multiple; including at Central Park) House Wren Winter Wren Marsh Wren (Central Park, etc.) Carolina Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Northern Mockingbird Hermit Thrush (many; lots of further arrivals) Wood Thrush (seen at least by 4/19 - and multiple, by 4/20 including in Central Park) American Robin Cedar Waxwing (modest numbers, some very small flocks) House Sparrow House Finch Purple Finch (still occurring into Thursday, 4/20 with multiples in Central Park, including in and around the C.P. Ramble and elsewhere in that park and around the county) Pine Siskin American Goldfinch (increased) ** SMITH'S Longspur! (as seen by well over 100 observers on 1-day-ONLY at Randall’s Island) Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow [Red] Fox Sparrow (decreased) Slate-colored Junco White-throated Sparrow (increased with fresh arrivals added to many overwintered individuals) Vesper Sparrow Savannah Sparrow (increased over this week) Song Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow (few reports, some with photos) Swamp Sparrow (many locations) Eastern Towhee (many all around the county) Orchard Oriole (in an area where very often seen on spring migration at Central Park) Baltimore Oriole (as noted above) Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Rusty Blackbird (multiples lingering thru and poss. a few freshly-arrived at Central Park) Common Grackle Boat-tailed Grackle (Governors Island only in this past week) - Ovenbird (Central Park, and elsewhere) Worm-eating Warbler (Central Park) Louisiana Waterthrush (multiple) Northern Waterthrush (multiple but not common… yet) Black-throated Green Warbler (multiple now in the county, with several or more in Central Park) Black-and-white Warbler (multiple, including mult. for Central Park, etc. etc.) Orange-crowned Warbler (known over-wintered individuals continued this week in at least 3 locations in the county) Nashville Warbler (Central Park) Common Yellowthroat (at least several, Central Park, etc.) Hooded Warbler American Redstart (at least several, from lower Manhattan into Central Park by Thursday, 4/20) Cape May Warbler (multiple for some days already, including their first-arrival day into the county and same-day multiples at Central Park) Northern Parula (slight uptick, a few newer arrivals) Yellow Warbler (multiples in county, and for Central Park) Palm Warbler (ongoing but slight decreases in this week) Pine Warbler (decreased) Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warbler (increased just moderately) Yellow-throated Warbler (as had been well-reported priorly to this list-serve) Prairie Warbler (including *at least* one in the Ramble area of Central Park) - Scarlet Tanager (Central Park, and elsewhere now) Northern Cardinal ** reported as ‘heard’ - Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Central Park, 4/20. Indigo Bunting (including at Central Park) Painted Bunting (The Central Park [north end] sighting reported thru the GroupMe alerts that a vast majority of keen birders are using to inform other people of rare, uncommon, and interesting bird sightings, and with all sorts of help offered by some of the many very sharp birders on-scene for this rare sighting, an apparent “one-day-wonder” of 4/18, although it is *possible* that it remains somewhere in the county.) *** and - given the very-recent ‘vagrant' Smith’s Longspur as a top example, there were likely some other species moving along or arriving, as well. —— The trees, plants of all kinds, and also some insects are all ahead-of-expected-schedules for emergences (leaf-out of many trees is excessively early; some birds are probably / possibly responding to all the regional leaf-out and bloom, and thus insect-arthropod emergences, by moving on to the north in timely fashion but at a more-rapid pace than is “typical”, depending on what can be defined as typical in the holocene —> anthropocene environment we find ourselves in, as do all of the life-forms of the planet.) Among butterflies, Orange Sulphurs started to appear in this past week, those being migrants which were arriving. Many other butterfly species were showing, some of which had been seen over recent warm days and some also for weeks by now. Thanks to the many hundreds of active observers out on all days (and many varying hours) finding great birds and offering hundreds and hundreds of reports. Good 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/ --
