New York County, including Manhattan, Randalls Island, and Governors Island, and adjacent waters and sky; thru Sunday, Oct. 29th -
An adult-plumaged Dickcissel was well-photographed -E. Schumann- at Highbridge Park in northern Manhattan on Sunday, with the photos archived now in the Macaulay library - photos are from a rain-soaked day, thus less than clear-day crystal. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/610536081 Probably a first-fully-documented of that species for that fairly-large park; also seen there were a good variety of sparrows, both Kinglet species and the 2 most-likely warbler spp. of this date in this area, Palm and Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warblers, and other migrants or part-resident birds. 3 Dunlin were noted on passage at Randalls Island on Sunday - just before sunrise -by some of the very regular watchers of Randalls- and those Dunlin presumed not landing in the area, a rare sighting for this county. More American Woodcock also were seen on Randalls and that latter species has been showing around the county, including multiples at Central Park. There were a lot of arrivals and flky-0bys from Randalls Island on Sunday morning, with 2-dozen Green-winged Teal, slightly more of Wood Duck, and at least 1 N. Pintail in the fly-by mix,, which also included many Atlantic Brant and some Red-breasted Mergansers. Other birds passing by there included Great Egret, and at least 6 Common Loons, which latter have been showing occasionally overhead in the county in the past week. A N. Harrier, a species also being seen elsewhere on passage this past week, was among a modest selection of raptors in the rains, and a variety of land-birds also were seen, including an American Pipit. Numbers of Laughing Gull, passing along the edges of Randalls most days in the mornings, have stayed somewhat steady in the past week, with some still-higher numbers reported this past week there; that gull species also showing here and there around the county, mainly by the rivers, harbor, and s. end of Manhattan in river or harbor watches. A Lesser Black-backed Gull was photographed -A. Cunningham- off the East River Park in lower Manhattan on Thursday, 10/26, and the same observer found a fly-by Lesser Scaup to grab a photo of at Randalls Island on Friday. A Vesper Sparrow had been lingering a while at Randalls Island, as well. A flock of 7 American Pipits was a very nice find -D.J. Ringer- at least briefly on the ground at Central Parks North Meadow on Saturday, 10/28. Looked for by some later that day, the flock likely had moved on; an uncommon sight for Central Park even as fly-bys, and rarer to see grounded at all there - in the modern era, that is. Eastern Meadowlarks have continued in numbers at Governors Island to at least Sunday, 10/29, these presumed to be lingering there, near Fort Jay, for some many days. A single E. Meadowlark at Central Park's Great Lawn was seen by many, and many observers thanked K. Sisco, a regular leader of bird walks, among many other keen leaders for the Linnaean Society of New York, for reporting via the groupme local bird-alerts, which are preferred by many, as well as the alerts in eBird, which are updated twice-per-hour. Chimney Swifts were still present in the county thru Sunday, 10/29, including small numbers seen over Central Park; also ongoing at Central to the same date was at least one Ruby-throated Hummingbird, the latter very likely an individual released in that area after a session in a local rehab. facility. It hopefully will have the sense, and strength to move south very soon. Sightings of Monk Parakeets are ongoing in the sector of Manhattan along and near the Harlem River, which is alongside the east shores of northern Manhattan. That parrot species is well-known in parts of N.Y. City and some of the broader coastal region as a long-established breeder, and some breeding has also occurred in N.Y. County at times over recent decades. More Pine Siskins, and somewhat fewer of Purple Finches, have been pushing thru, with some lingering where the feeding has been good. Most recently, several dozen or more were in Central Park into Sunday, and the majority of these were Siskins. Other flocks and singletons of both species have been showing in a variety of places. The most-recent sighting of a Yellow-breasted Chat, also confirmed in eBird, was from Central Park thru Saturday, 10/28, and that individual may be moving about, as is fairly typical of a lingering bird of that species, seeking good feeding in various locations. There were still fair numbers and a modest diversity of warblers around the county, and some of those as well as other late-lingering passerines and other birds may be detailed as November soon arrives. None of the recently-seen warblers were at all near record-late in this county - many species have been documented even to December; some even further into winter season, although of course more scarcely. This is still a time - "November! - for the possibility of rarer / vagrant birds and there may have been at least several passing thru the county this month. Some of these such sightings are documented in eBird, with photos archived in the Macaulay Library, for example the 1-day wonder Western Kingbird that came to Governors Island, N.Y. County, on Oct. 11th. No other rare or vagrant flycatchers are thusly documented in this county for this fall season, so far. Thanks to the many tireless and keen observers, some out recently in less-than-lovely weather, as well as a few summer-like days, for many good sightings and 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/ --
