Date: Friday, 7 August 2009 (3:05p-8:10p) Location: Central Park - reservoir, Ramble / lake, Cherry Hill & Cedar Hill Reported by: Ben Cacace
It was a *very* quiet afternoon in the park. The standout bird for me was the female plumaged *American Redstart* seen in the Oven in the Ramble around 6:20pm. Other sightings of note were *Gadwall* on the reservoir. The number was at least 23 with an additional 5 seen on the reservoir south of this group. *Cedar Waxwing* numbers climbed to at least 80 with a group of 50 and one of 13 flying over Cherry Hill around 7:30pm. *Chimney Swifts* numbered at least 45 with a group of 30 over the Model Boat Basin (Conservatory Water) around 8pm. I moved to a traditionally good site for looking at Chimney Swifts going to roost for the evening but none of these birds were seen then. Maybe the site for roosting has moved from a known site visible from Cedar Hill. Weather for 7-Aug in Central Park (time) < http://tinyurl.com/n7rk6a >: - Conditions: Clear (increasing cloud cover towards the evening) - Temperature: 68 to 66 F (20 to 10 C) - Wind direction: variable / calm - Wind speed: 4-7 mph ** Total species - 28 ** 'Fairly Common' usually seen; 3-12 per day in habitat [10 spp]: - Gadwall - 28 incl. 23 at the N end of the reservoir & 5 others seen S of these - Black-crowned Night-Heron - 2 around the lake incl. 1 juvenile & 1 adult - Red-tailed Hawk - 1 adult soaring N of the reservoir - Chimney Swift - 45+ incl. 30+ over Model Boat Pond at 8:00pm - Downy Woodpecker - 1 heard on the N end of the reservoir - Northern Flicker - 1 juvenile S of the Maintenance Meadow in the Ramble - Black-capped Chickadee - 2 seen flying S of Belvedere Castle - Northern Mockingbird - 1 around Cherry Hill - Cedar Waxwing - 80+ incl. flocks of 50+ and 13 over Cherry Hill - Northern Cardinal - Several (2+) 'Common' seen easily; more than 12 per day in habitat [18 spp]: - Canada Goose - 1 on the reservoir - Mallard - Several (24+) - Double-crested Cormorant - 15+ on the reservoir - Ring-billed Gull - 1 at the reservoir - Herring Gull - 36+ at the reservoir - Great Black-backed Gull - 20+ at the reservoir - Rock Pigeon - 24+ - Mourning Dove - 15+ - Blue Jay - Several heard (2+) - Barn Swallow - 9 incl. 4 over the reservoir & 5 over Turtle Pond - American Robin - 24+ - Gray Catbird - Several (4+) - European Starling - 24+ - American Redstart - 1 female type plumage in the Ramble in the Oven feeding low with tail fanned - Song Sparrow - 1 seen & heard around Cherry Hill - Red-winged Blackbird - 1 male around Turtle Pond - Common Grackle - 12+ - House Sparrow - 24+ Abundance categories from 'The New York City Audubon Society Guide to Finding Birds in the Metropolitan Area' published 2001. Abundance season is 'early Fall', mid July - mid September, and applies to all of New York City. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Temporary archive: http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
