Tuesday, 15 September 2009 -
Firstly, a note from the New Jersey RBA rarity updates list -
http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NJBC.html#1253068146
is it the very same Northern Wheatear that just left Stratford,
Connecticut? Also, on Martha's Vineyard (Massachusetts),
a Say's Phoebe was apparently photographed Sun. - Mon.
(but may have departed there as of today: Tues., 15 Sept.)
See this post to NJ Birds for a note on a Scissor-tailed Fly-
catcher reported at Sandy Hook NJ this Tuesday morning:
http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NJBD.html#1253059781
Delaware's Euro. Golden-Plover was NOT reported today.
To have the opportunity to view a Common Ringed Plover
& a few dozen jaegers, along with Worm-eating Warbler &
White-winged Dove & a few skuas & the odd ptarmigan or
puffin, just get to Newfoundland, Canada this fall season:
their bird list reports note all these & many other species.
The Brooklyn (NYC) report includes at least 21 species of
warblers just from Prospect Park's many very keen birders.
A good flight of ~ 200 baltimore orioles was part of today's
migration reported at Block Island (offshore) Rhode Island.
- - - -
At Hook Mountain, near Nyack Rockland County the hawk
watching was excellent, today. 1,411 (total) Broad-winged
Hawks were often flying right past the peak, & some below
for fantastic views. Other raptors included 6 (migrant) Bald
Eagles including 2 adults & 4 younger birds in various and
interesting stages of plumages. The last of these younger
eagles came thru at just about 5 p.m. as did a small group
of Broad-winged Hawks. The busiest times for hawks was
between about 1 & 3 p.m., but there was activity ("kettles")
from before noon to after 4. It was especially nice to view
so many of these birds at very low elevation and to see so
much of the full process of their migratory method. Other
birds noted included a modest showing of hummingbirds
going quickly thru, greater numbers of swifts & swallows -
most of the latter looking like Tree Swallows - with just a
few warblers braving the hawks by foraging near the top
of the mountain. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was seen well
by several of us. Non-bird observations included some
Monarchs & other butterflies such as hackberry emperor,
a fair showing of dragonflies including some Aeshna sp.
(perhaps more than one species) and others, and some
other bugs and such of the season. A special thank you
is due the counter for today at Hook - Mary Iorizzo, who
simply did a super job of finding, identifying & counting
the raptors with great care and precision - thanks also
to the birds for having been so "cooperative" at Hook -
today. There will be many more Broad-winged Hawks
to come sometime within the next week or less - could
be good for them (in this region) by Friday if not before
& obviously, for migrants in general on new cold fronts.
Today, it was quite warm most of the day at Hook Mtn.
Good birding,
Tom Fiore,
Manhattan
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