Friday, 9 October 2009 - Manhattan & points north - Central, Riverside (n. sections), and Ft. Tryon Parks
A good showing of freshly arrived migrants overnight, with common/ expected early October species dominant, such as Eastern Phoebe, Blue- headed Vireo, House Wren, Blue Jay, both Kinglets (mainly Ruby- crowned), Brown Thrashers, Gray Catbirds galore, Thrushes including Wood, Swainson's, Gray-cheeked & a few more Hermit than previously, warblers of at least 12 species by far dominated by Myrtle/Yellow- rumped, plus Palm in numbers, and also Common Yellowthroat, then Tennessee, Nashville, Blackpoll, Pine, Magnolia, American Redstart, Black-and-white, & Wilson's Warbler (all my sightings in the n. end, although I had a quick peek at a few more southerly spots) & also a good number of sparrows led by Chipping, Swamp, & especially White- throated, plus White-crowned, Lincoln's, Savannah & Field as well as Eastern Towhee, Indigo Bunting (several) and Baltimore Oriole. I saw at least 3 Scarlet Tanagers and a couple of Red-eyed Vireos; an Empidonax with no ID made, but perhaps Alder (or?) and Eastern Wood- Pewee & Great Crested Flycatcher also, getting modestly late now, plus a new batch of ducks, new numbers that is with N. Shovelers, Ruddys, & more Gadwall, plus a Pied-billed Grebe. There were 6 Wood Ducks early in the morning that I couldn't come up with in the late afternoon. A slightly late (for Central) Great Egret also flew by in the early a.m.
A visit to Rockland County for a few hours provided some of the same (the more common spp.) & also a flurry of hawk activity, most surprising of the less than 2 dozen raptors a juvenile-plumaged Red- shouldered Hawk gliding effortlessly on what currents could be found, into a contrary S. wind. The others: a N. Harrier, American Kestrels and Merlins, were less of a damp-day surprise. Raven & Turkey Vulture played tag a few times, as the wet weather closed in.
Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan _________ -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES Archives: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
