Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City Saturday, April 22nd - "Earth Day”!
Veery were noted again, and photos documenting these have begun to surface; from The Battery north up *thru Central Park*, and on into the north-most park in Manhattan (Inwood Hill) this species was seen (in very minimal numbers overall), by Saturday 4/22. It’s possible this species was present in Central some days prior, as well. (At least) the following 21 Warbler species were in Central Park , and with one possible exception, were also all found in the Ramble or within 100+ yards of that section of the park on Saturday, 4/22. Many of the same species *also* were present in the north sections of Central Park on Saturday. Reports included 100’s of independent observers; many -not all- of these species were photographed. Many males of their species were also singing at times. By far, the most numerous species, esp. for any observer[s] closely listening and watching from first-light and thru the morning for a morning-flight, with birds passing through treetops and just skimming above, were Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warblers, with some in high spring plumage, and some rather less-so. Ovenbird (Central Park, including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Worm-eating Warbler (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Louisiana Waterthrush (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Northern Waterthrush (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Blue-winged Warbler (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Black-and-white Warbler (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Nashville Warbler (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Common Yellowthroat (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Hooded Warbler (including [male plumage] in the Ramble area - with others of the species additionally. American Redstart (including [male plumage] in the Ramble area) Cape May Warbler (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Northern Parula (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Magnolia Warbler (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Blackburnian Warbler (north of CP reservoir) Yellow Warbler (- including in the Ramble area and/or close vicinity) Black-throated Blue Warbler(including [male plumage] in the Ramble area) Palm Warbler (including in the Ramble area) Pine Warbler (including in the Ramble area) Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warbler (multiples all around, with decent ‘morning-flight' as well) Prairie Warbler (including [male plumage] in the Ramble area) Black-throated Green Warbler (including [male plumage] in the Ramble area) There may well have been some other, additional warbler spp. found in the county, and perhaps in Central Park, with so much in arrival-activity over the past few days & nights. Some, esp. the more expected-now and the earliest of the warblers in spring, were seen in many other locations besides Central Park, where (in the latter site) birder-effort is so highly-represented with multiple non-profit bird-walks being led by multi. organizations in spring, as well as the hundreds and hundreds of independent observers and small groups of friends offering sightings-reports. Both the southern parts of Manhattan, as well as the more northern, have had many excellent sightings this spring. The outlying islands - Randall’s and Governors have had a lot of strong birder-effort all this year, and have seen a nice mix of expected arrivals, with of course some rarities and a super-rarity on occasion. We also have some coverage at times of Roosevelt Island, albeit more-rarely reported-from in any regular ways; and by a few observers at times, for N.Y. Harbor boats, such as those that ferry to the Statue of Liberty, or to Staten Island, which boats take in areas of water that are within N.Y. County on their routes. At least several Rusty Blackbirds were ongoing in Central Park into Saturday, 4/21. Also still found (albeit much-diminished in numbers) were such species as Golden-crowned Kinglet (with Ruby-crowned increased yet even more than on prior days), Brown Creeper, Slate-colored Junco, [Red] Fox Sparrow, and certainly various waterfowl, with some of the latter still hanging-in. Orchard Orioles have arrived (prior to Saturday) and some in both adult-male and 1st-year male plumages have been photographed at Central Park, and elsewhere in the county. The initial movement north of Baltimore Oriole has resulted in some (limited) sightings well north of N.Y. City, and the main arrivals of those are yet to be seen in N.Y. County (where the latter is a regular breeder). Although understandably, a lot of focus and interest in buntings has been with the Painted Bunting ongoing at the Loch in Central Park’s northern sector, there have been at least several Indigo Buntings, including all-blue males, partial-spring-plumage males, and at least one (or more) females in the last few days, and in more parks (besides Central) in addition. Eastern Whip-poor-will was confirmed in Central Park and was present into Sat. (early a.m.) in at least one area. With the arrival of some of the first Great Crested Flycatchers and E. Kingbird (to the county and within Central Park), the numbers of E. Phoebes appeared to be diminished, as so many have moved on. (Great Crested Flycatcher, and -especially- Eastern Kingbird, are much more regular and expected breeders in N.Y. County as compared with E. Phoebe, at least in recent decades.) Chimney Swifts were seen in moderate numbers, perhaps the first time for definite double-digit numbers in the county, by at least Sat., 4/21, and some also have been observed using some known roost-sites in the county, with thanks to some keen observers in those efforts. —— One note for Riverside Park (in Manhattan) - late-day, 4/22: Although it was tough to sort thru the multiple Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warblers there, high in somewhat leafed-out oaks and other tall trees, at Riverside Park north of W. 83rd St. to as far as Grant’s Tomb area (W. 120-124th Sts.) on Manhattan’s west side, there was at least one (seen singing) Cape May Warbler, and a Red-eyed Vireo (which was lower and easier to observe) in that park, both of those species near W. 109th St. and not far into the park from the Riverside Drive walk-way, the park’s eastern edges. Oddly, the area of the Forever Wild (a.k.a. “Ladies Grove”, for women who protected this woods patch a long time ago) sanctuary section was rather quiet in the late-day walk I also had there. I was certainly also listening/looking out for any grosbeak sounds or sights, since Riverside’s sanctuary area had been the site of one of (or,) the longest-lingering Evening Grosbeak visitants one winter and beyond, not all that many years back. But no luck in that, on Saturday, for myself. Good birds, 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/ --
