Manhattan -in New York County-, N.Y. City Thursday, May 16 and Friday, May 17 -
A Western Tanager was seen, and as noted in a prior report also photographed, by a small number of observers after the initial report of this rarity, by R. Jacobs, on Manhattans Chelsea neighborhood waterfront on the Hudson River, later on May 15, and was then reported -only early- in rainy weather on May 16, but not again later that second day. A number of observers were able to get to see this visitor, which is rarer in late spring in this county, than for late fall or even winter by all known past records of this species, but thus far no additional sightings have come in from later on the 16th nor any at all from the 17th. Summer Tanagers continued their strong showing this month in this county, with a sighting from Inwood Hill Park for Friday, May 17th. A Summer Tanager was seen and also photographed again in Central Park on May 16, this latter species not-quite as rare esp this spring, and not as rare as the Western Tanager in overall occurrences for the local area. The spring is moving along with more of Bicknells Thrush at Central Park, as at least the lingering individual was seen, heard, photod and videod by many independent observers in the Ramble area of that park. This assumes a lingering individual, but may have also been a fresh passage migrant, additional to prior arrivals from the same park, this month. - - It can be added that many Gray-cheeked Thrushes are passing through and a good many will be, and have been singing or calling in this coming week as well as in recent days. A singing male Kentucky Warbler was found at the Cabrini Woods which is just southwest of the southwest entrance to Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan, with D. Hannay and also others getting looks, and especially, hearing songs and calls within that wooded area, on May 17th. Lingering unusually long for this county was a Marsh Wren at Inwood Hill Park -also in northern Manhattan- by now seen by many birders. Purple Finch was still showing in a few locations thru May 17th. Also now appearing in Manhattan are all 5 of the expected species of Empidonax genus Flycatchers, as Yellow-belled have been found, and Alder Flycatcher has arrived based on calls, not on any plumage characters for that later migrant. Also showing up in slightly increased numbers are Olive-sided Flycatchers, just as E. Wood-Pewee have increased. Increased numbers of Blackpoll Warbler also add to the sense of the second half of May having arrived. Many more migrants continue to pass, and some birds which breed in the county on territories, or even on nests already in the county. Please do nothing whatsoever which could jeopardize the success of native nesting birds wherever they may be found or known-of. The nesting season is critical to the success of a species within any given place. Thanks to many keen, quiet observers who have been out and about, in all types of weather, and reported many sightings. Good birding to all, Tom Fiore manhattan -- (copy & paste any URL below, then modify any text "_DOT_" to a period ".") NYSbirds-L List Info: NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsWELCOME_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsRULES_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave_DOT_htm ARCHIVES: 1) mail-archive_DOT_com/nysbirds-l@cornell_DOT_edu/maillist_DOT_html 2) surfbirds_DOT_com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) birding_DOT_aba_DOT_org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: ebird_DOT_org/content/ebird/ --
