To further support the over-wintering hypothesis, we would predict that if this were a migrant, there would currently be a spate of records along the Gulf Coast. Checking e-bird, there are exactly two March 2015 records for the species, with none in the Caribbean.
Hugh On Sat, Mar 14, 2015 at 12:41 AM, Joe DiCostanzo <[email protected]> wrote: > As Gabriel Willow and Tom Fiore have already pointed out, given the > proximity of the New York Botanical Garden to the Bronx Zoo where a female > Rose-breasted Grosbeak was reported on December 28 and February 17, this is > far more likely to be that same individual than an early arrival from the > species’ Neotropical wintering area. Though extremely rare in winter > locally, the species is not unprecedented at that season. I found an > immature male Rose-breasted in the southern part of the Botanical Garden, > across the road from the Bronx Zoo on the CBC 32 years ago on December 26, > 1982. In the species account in *Bull’s Birds of New York State* (1998), > Bob McKinney reports : “… there are many CBC reports and many other records > of individuals persisting for several weeks or longer with food available > at feeders.” In his earlier *Birds of New York State* (1974), John Bull > says the species has been recorded during the winter months, but that he > wondered about the possibility of confusion with Black-headed Grosbeak. > However, he does cite two mid-winter undoubted occurrences: 1) a bird at a > feeder in Dunkirk, December 1965 to late January 1966, seen by many, and 2) > a male filmed at a feeder in Poughkeepsie December 25, 1966 to January 12, > 1967. In some neighboring states, Dick Veit and Wayne Peterson in Birds of > Massachusetts (1993) record a handful of winter records and a few early > March records [also likely to be over-wintering birds]; and Joan Walsh, et > al. in *Birds of New Jersey* (1999) after reporting four CBC records > state: “There are also a few mid-winter reports, mainly of birds appearing > at feeders.” > > > > While the above records show that the species has overwintered in the > Northeast on rare occasions, it is truly remarkable that this individual > apparently managed the feat in the at times brutally cold and snowy winter > we have just gone through! > > > > Joe DiCostanzo > > www.greatgullisland.org > > www.inwoodbirder.blogspot.com > > > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Sharron Crocker > *Sent:* Friday, March 13, 2015 6:37 PM > *To:* Birds - [email protected] > *Subject:* [nysbirds-l] Female Rose Breasted Grosbeak > > > > > I've been told that this is an early sighting. New York Botanical Garden, > Bronx, NY, Thursday 3/12/15 around 2:00 at the swamp (Mitsubishi Wetlands) > ... > > Sharron Crocker > > NYC > > -- > > Sharron Lee Crocker > > *Visit my website a*t: UntamedNewYork.com > > -- > > *NYSbirds-L List Info:* > > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME> > > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES> > > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > > *Archives:* > > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> > > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> > > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html> > > *Please submit your observations to **eBird* > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>*!* > > -- > -- > *NYSbirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html> > *Please submit your observations to **eBird* > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>*!* > -- > -- Hugh McGuinness Washington, D.C. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
