On the island today I spotted a female type plumaged *Blue Grosbeak* on a hill just north of the Urban Farm and just east of Hammock Grove. I spotted a similar bird, possibly the same one, on 31-Jul and named the hill at the time Blue Grosbeak Hill as shorthand. I definitely didn't expect to see one today. The bird was making the pink/tink call note.
Other birds seen: 2 male *American Kestrels* interacting briefly on the northeast section of Fort Jay. The markings are noticeably different, one has a tiger stripe look on a white chest and the other is spotted more like a Dalmatian with a buffy ground. A *Peregrine Falcon* from the 55 Water St. nest was spotted circling over One New York Plaza then headed north past One World Trade Center over a 5 minute period. The *Yellow-crowned Night Heron* nestling in the second nest continues. -- Ben Cacace Manhattan, NYC Wiki for NYS eBird Hotspots <http://ebirding-nys.wikispaces.com/Birding+in+New+York> Wiki for Governors Island eBird Hotspot <http://ebirding-nys.wikispaces.com/Governors+Island> -- 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/ --
