Date: Saturday, 20 February 2010 (7:15a-11:20a) Location: Central Park - reservoir to the Ramble / Lake Reported by: Ben Cacace
The *Brown Thrasher* and the 45+ *American Crows* were both surprises. The *thrasher* was on the east slope of Sparrow Ridge feeding with robins, white-throats & finches. This spot is west of the Great Lawn and east of Summit Rock at a latitude of approximately 83rd St. The huge group of *crows * were seen heading south then later heading north from the same spot in the Pinetum. A juvenile *Red-tailed Hawk* was coursing over the west side of the nesting pair's territory just east of Summit Rock. Approximately 25-30% of the reservoir is frozen. Weather for 20-Feb in Central Park (6:51a-10:51a) < http://tinyurl.com/ybad7et >: - Conditions: clear to partly cloudy - Temperature: 36.0 to 39.9 F (+2 to +4 C) - Wind direction: variable / W / WNW - Wind speed: 4-14 mph (gusts to 20 mph) ** Total species - 32 ** 'Rare' seen a few times each season [1 spp]: - Brown Thrasher - 1 feeding on the E slope of Sparrow Ridge @ the latitude of 83rd St. 'Scarce' seen in habitat, but not daily [1 spp]: - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 3 incl. 1 @ N end of reservoir & 2 W of the reservoir 'Uncommon' seen in small numbers; 1-3 per day in habitat [4 spp]: - Red-bellied Woodpecker - Several in the Ramble (3+) - American Robin - 50+ - Common Grackle - 3 along the W side of the park - American Goldfinch - 2 at the feeders in the Ramble 'Fairly Common' usually seen; 3-12 per day in habitat [8 spp]: - Gadwall - 1 male on the reservoir - Northern Shoveler - 45+ incl. 16 females on the lake - Hooded Merganser - 3 on the reservoir incl. 1 male & 2 females - Red-tailed Hawk - 1 juvenile W of Sparrow Ridge - Downy Woodpecker - Several (2+) - White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 in the Ramble incl. 1 male & 1 female - Northern Mockingbird - 1 at the entrance near 72nd St. & C.P.W. - Northern Cardinal - Several (10+) 'Common' seen easily; more than 12 per day in habitat [18 spp]: - Canada Goose - 230+ incl. 200+ on the reservoir & 30+ on the lake - American Black Duck - 5+ incl. the reservoir & the lake - Mallard - 125+ incl. 75+ on the reservoir & 50+ on the lake - Bufflehead - 15+ on the reservoir incl 11 male & 4 female - Ruddy Duck - 3 on the reservoir incl. 2 males & 1 female - Ring-billed Gull - 350+ mainly on the reservoir - Herring Gull - 125+ on the reservoir - Great Black-backed Gull - 25+ on the reservoir - Rock Pigeon - 24+ - Mourning Dove - 2+ - Blue Jay - 6+ - American Crow - 45+ over the Pinetum - European Starling - 1 - Song Sparrow - 2 @ N end of the reservoir - White-throated Sparrow - 50+ - Dark-eyed Junco - 2+ at Sparrow Ridge - House Finch - 10+ in the Ramble @ Maintenance Meadow & the feeders - House Sparrow - 50+ Abundance categories from 'The New York City Audubon Society Guide to Finding Birds in the Metropolitan Area' published 2001. Abundance season is 'Winter', December - February, and applies to all of New York City. Taxonomic order: - Canada Goose - 230+ incl. 200+ on the reservoir & 30+ on the lake - Gadwall - 1 male on the reservoir - American Black Duck - 5+ incl. the reservoir & the lake - Mallard - 125+ incl. 75+ on the reservoir & 50+ on the lake - Northern Shoveler - 45+ incl. 16 females on the lake - Bufflehead - 15+ on the reservoir incl 11 male & 4 female - Hooded Merganser - 3 on the reservoir incl. 1 male & 2 females - Ruddy Duck - 3 on the reservoir incl. 2 males & 1 female - Red-tailed Hawk - 1 juvenile W of Sparrow Ridge - Ring-billed Gull - 350+ mainly on the reservoir - Herring Gull - 125+ on the reservoir - Great Black-backed Gull - 25+ on the reservoir - Rock Pigeon - 24+ - Mourning Dove - 2+ - Red-bellied Woodpecker - Several in the Ramble (3+) - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 3 incl. 1 @ N end of reservoir & 2 W of the reservoir - Downy Woodpecker - Several (2+) - Blue Jay - 6+ - American Crow - 45+ over the Pinetum - White-breasted Nuthatch - 2 in the Ramble incl. 1 male & 1 female - American Robin - 50+ - Northern Mockingbird - 1 at the entrance near 72nd St. & C.P.W. - Brown Thrasher - 1 feeding on the E slope of Sparrow Ridge @ the latitude of 83rd St. - European Starling - 1 - Song Sparrow - 2 @ N end of the reservoir - White-throated Sparrow - 50+ - Dark-eyed Junco - 2+ at Sparrow Ridge - Northern Cardinal - Several (10+) - Common Grackle - 3 along the W side of the park - House Finch - 10+ in the Ramble @ Maintenance Meadow & the feeders - American Goldfinch - 2 at the feeders in the Ramble - House Sparrow - 50+ -- 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 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
