Extra-Limital but not by a lot - “pelagic addicts” will likely already have seen the awesome bird list compiled by observers at Race Point on Cape Cod, Massachusetts on Saturday, 9/23 in a nearly-ten-hours-long seawatch there. Note that there have been some updates suggesting that a Short-tailed Shearwater may also have been photographed in the mix, from this crew: the photographer of that last species was Steve N.G. Howell, very well-known birder-author-tour guide, etc. A [pre-S.-t. Shearw.] preliminary checklist with many photos is: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S39356467
—————— At Rockland County, NY’s Hook Mountain hawkwatch (near the Hudson river north of Nyack, NY, reached by foot trails only, to the summit) on Friday, Sept. 22nd, a surprisingly good Broad-winged Hawk flight was observed (by six watchers with a combined century-plus of raptor-watching and counting experience, and by some additonal watchers and interested visitors). The surprises included not just that the flight was of multiple thousands of these hawks, but that, for many hours of the morning, the B.-w. Hawks were seen at extremely low elevations, many coming across the Hudson, NE to SW direction, at below eye level of the summit’s observation point - this despite a sunny & increasingly warm day, with modest wind from the north, very light high-level cirrus-type clouds, not covering all of the sky. Even by mid-day, when the greatest no’s. of these migrants were passing, they were not very high, and some large groups were still quite low, even below our level at the summit. (At this site, it is often possible that raptors will “dip” in elevation a bit as they cross the wide Hudson nearby, but to see such a prolonged period, of many hours of this, was surprising. It seems (to at least this observer) that perhaps many of the B.-w. Hawks had spent an overnight not that far away, perhaps in parts of Westchester Co., NY (just across the river from Rockland Co.) or in western Fairfield Co. in Connecticut (not far away), or perhaps in Putnam Co. NY (also not far away a bit to the north-NE of Hook Mt.) - this theory also poss. supported by the fact that many hundreds of the B.-w. Hawks were seen in the first hour of daylight on that day. The official tally for that day is archived at: http://hawkcount.org/day_summary.php?rsite=368&ryear=2017&rmonth=09&rday=22 and it will be seen that the Broad-winged Hawk numbers were 3,164 on the day, with also 200 Sharp-shinned Hawks, and even 2 Red-shouldered and 1 Red-tailed Hawk as migrants in the day’s count at Hook Mtn. - many were superbly photographed by one of Hook’s long-time counters-observers, Steven Sachs, who is an accomplished raptor photographer. Others present were the day’s experienced counter, Danielle Gustafson, and 3 additional superb observers and long-time Hook Mt. counters/observers/supporters at the raptor-watch, Frank Bonnano, Vince Plogar, & Steve Bauer, as well as myself. Further, in addition to the excellent showing of all those raptors, we had views of a higher-than-typical variety of other birds at & right near the summit, esp. in early morning, but with some, such as a White-crowned Sparrow, lingering on all day (& was seen by multiple other obs. there even the following day on the summit) and various warblers, R.-c. Kinglet, Blue-headed Vireos, E. Towhee, Swainson’s Thrush, & many more - with the local-resident Pileated Woodpecker (mainly heard, below the summit’s bare top) and local-resident Ravens & Peregrines to add to the fun. In addition, at least 80 Monarchs were carefully counted and added to the official tally by the counter, as well as sightings of at least 1 dozen additional butterfly species which are either resident or partial-migrants at that site. It was a “classic” Hook Mtn. experience… unfortunately not seen that day at most other regional watch-sites, which just reinforces how unpredictable (even with predictions often correct) the Broad-winged Hawk movement can be, and perhaps esp. so when affected by remnant tropical-storm systems & odd weather situations, as have been almost the rule in recent weeks all around the east. And, also not seen in days since, albeit with winds not as favorable overall in days since Friday 9/22. The typical peak dates for big Broad-winged numbers are about past now, however it will be interesting to see if a last-gasp flight appears, as a cooler weather pattern finally reappears (possibly!) later in this week. It can also be added that the overall compiler & organizer for the Hook Mountain hawkwatch is Trudy Battaly, of Westchester Co., NY. Photos of a number of the raptors seen were obtained -including stunning views of one of the first-year Red-shouldered Hawks to pass the watch, taken by Steve Sachs. The White-crowned Sparrow at the summit was also photographed, just for a record-shot, by me. All migrant-raptor enthusiasts & students of the northeast are curious if there may be any further big push of Broad-winged Hawks this week, but it is now historically-late for any truly large flights through New England or past the NYC area. By next Saturday at the latest we ought to have an answer to that question. - - - - - - Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City Friday-Saturday-Sunday-Monday, 22 to 25 Sept., 2017 - Migrants of about all kinds in Central Park were in best variety & numbers on Friday & Saturday, with diminished variety by Sunday, & also fewer overall numbers esp. by Monday (9/25). It was also interesting to see, despite very good overnight flights of migrants each night, including to Sat. night, that many of those migrants took advantage of fine-enough conditions at night to continue on. Of much more ‘local’ interest was that a rather pronounced good arrival of migrants was seen in the north end of the park on Friday as well as Saturday, while by Sunday (in particular) the arrival appeared far stronger into the southern-most areas of the park… not all that unusual, just differing by a bit more than a mile or two in where more migrants chose to sit down ahead of first-light. The migration in the 2 hours pre-sunrise was quite good each night, lessening a bit by Sunday night & the ‘wee’ hours of Monday. Very early Friday (as I was out pre-dawn to around 1/2-hr. after sunrise) and thru the first hour of Saturday, from various points in the park, a fair amount of flight & arrival-activity and excitement (on the migrants part) could be observed. On Sunday morning, there was a pronounced switch to the migrants being in highest no’s., as observed, in the southern 1/4 of the park which is typuically far-less birded, esp. at earliest hours in the day, than other more-frequenly-birded sections (i.e., The Ramble, and the north end of the park). Several “good” sparrows were found on Friday, as well as Saturday: a Clay-colored Sparrow found by Matthew Rymkiewicz at the “Grassy Knoll” area on the rise just north of the North Meadow ball-field area’s NE corner, & immediately west of the park’s East Drive roadway. This sparrow was sought a bit later but had been flushed up by (all-too-typically in Central) an unleashed dog & its walker, however the Clay-colored was re-found much later on Friday, by quiet and bird-courteous seekers, who were persistent in the quest (in the same location as it was found in early morning). And on Saturday, a Vesper Sparrow was turned up by north-end regular Tom Perlman, near the upper SE portion of the Great Hill, also in the park’s north end; this sparrow, although seen by a few others, could apparently not be re-found later in the day. (with these 2 special sparrow finds, we had 12 sparrow-tribe species in the park on the 2-day period, Fri.-Sat., with others including: Field, Chipping, Savannah, Song, Swamp, White-crowned (in the multiple), & White-throated Sparrows, plus Dark-eyed [Slate-colored] Juncos, and also if added to that “tribe”, good no’s. of E. Towhees. After all, Autumn did officially begin at about 4 p.m. E.D.T. on Friday! (even if it’s felt like mid-summer with this warmth). Some, or even many, of migrants seen these past several days in Central have been visiting water-features: small streams, flows, puddles, & shore-lines, as well as (in some locations) where there’ve been sprinklers operating, of which many have thanks to the warmth & a continuing drought, as well as the propensity of C.P. staff to water a lot, whether of plantings of delicate woodland plants, trees, or just wide swaths of empty turf. (Even those turf-lawns & sports-fields may receive some migrants at times, as there can be outbreaks of arthropod life for feeding-on, at times, & some of the waterings may help in that process.) The list for 4 days, & from scores & scores of quiet & ethical observers in all sections of the park - as always, in the migration seasons, this includes walk-leaders who work with such non-profit org’s. that give guided walks in the park as: The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), The NYC Audubon organization (NYCAS), The Linneaen Society of New York, a newer non-profit known by their acronym NYCH2O, & other non-profit organizations. All are good stewards and helpful, courteous, and highly-knowledgable leaders and associates. Blue-winged Warbler (now getting late, 1 was seen in the Ramble on Fri. & Sat.) Tennessee Warbler (far more scarce now but still several through Sunday) Nashville Warbler (at least several, 1 still present Monday at the w. side of park) Northern Parula (fair no’s. continued into Monday) Yellow Warbler (few, & a possible subspecies of note may have occurred on Sat.) Chestnut-sided Warbler (far fewer, but still present to Monday) Magnolia Warbler (far fewer, but still present to Monday) Cape May Warbler (fewer, but still at least 3 present to Monday) Black-throated Blue Warbler (fewer, but still present to Monday) Yellow-rumped [Myrtle] Warbler (few, at least from Fri. & Sat.) Black-throated Green Warbler (multiple, a few lingering to Monday) Pine Warbler (early wave mostly passed, still a few lingering or newer arrivals to Mon.) Prairie Warbler (bit late-ish now, 1 adult female in north woods, Friday & Saturday) Palm Warbler (many, esp. Friday & Saturday - by far most numerous warbler in Central those 2 days, throughout park, & some of “western” form as well as many “eastern/yellow” form) Bay-breasted Warbler (still present to at least Sat. in several locations) Blackpoll Warbler (multiple, and a modest “flight” clearly occurred over Thurs. night to Friday a.m.; still a few lingering to Monday) Black-and-white Warbler (good late-ish push into Sunday, esp. noted in the multiple in south end of park on that day; also a few to Monday) American Redstart (still present to Monday, but in vastly-reduced no’s. & essentially scarce by then) Worm-eating Warbler (probably same one in north end, from Fri.-Sat. into Sunday, near W. 103 St.) Ovenbird (fairly common, fewer by Monday but still in the multiple - park-wide) Northern Waterthrush (1 noted by me to Monday, at The Pond, & perhaps a few more still around) Common Yellowthroat (ongoing in very good numbers, after the most recent push of this species) Hooded Warbler (one female to Monday, in the Ramble vicinity) Wilson's Warbler (several lingering into Monday) -&- Common Loon (multiple fly-overs for Friday-Sat.) Pied-billed Grebe (cointinued in reservoir to at least Fri. a.m.) Double-crested Cormorant (regular at the reservoir, plus multiple fly-overs on more than 2 days) Great Blue Heron (irregular visitor recently) Great Egret (a few fly-overs, and 1 daily at all hours at The Pond, in southeast part of the park) Black-crowned Night-Heron (now more scarce, but irregular at least at first-light & also late-days) Turkey Vulture (several sightings) Canada Goose (small numbers of fly-overs, mostly in park at reservoir & elsewhere) Wood Duck (2 drakes every day at The Pond as well as a female seen occasionally) Gadwall (multiple at Reservoir & Meer, mainly) American Black Duck (few, daily) Mallard (common) Northern Shoveler (at least 6 lingering / continuing daily, at all hours, 4 often on or near dike in reservoir, & 2 at Meer) Osprey (multiple fly-overs, but not many noted recently) Bald Eagle (seen as fly-overs both Friday & Saturday) Sharp-shinned Hawk (daily sightings, only a few noted) Cooper's Hawk (few) Broad-winged Hawk (reliable reports of a few on Friday, all fly-overs) Red-tailed Hawk (common local resident) American Kestrel (local resident, & some probable migrators on at least Friday) Merlin (occasional sightings IN the park, as well as fly-overs) Peregrine Falcon (local residents & seen regularly with effort) Laughing Gull (fewer in past several days, still regular at the reservoir, mostly on the dike) Ring-billed Gull (up to 200+ on some days) [American] Herring Gull (over 200 on some days, mainly seen at the reservoir in numbers) Great Black-backed Gull (most numerous & easily seen at the reservoir) ['feral'] Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove (many) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (singles in both north woods & Ramble, Friday & Saturday) Chimney Swift (surprising movement still through Sat. eve. & some also to Mon.) Ruby-throated Hummingbird (several, & not at all late; this species can linger into Oct., depending partly on weather) Belted Kingfisher (Saturday) Red-bellied Woodpecker (common resident) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (fair no’s. Friday, less noted by Monday) Downy Woodpecker (resident) Hairy Woodpecker (1, male, n. woods, Sat.) Yellow-shafted Flicker (fairly common now, a lot fewer by Monday) Eastern Wood-Pewee (scarce as of Sunday, but a few still around) Empidonax Flycatcher (very few “reports”, & I’ve seen none these past 4 days) Eastern Phoebe (increased numbers for Friday, still a number around Monday) Great Crested Flycatcher (1 at least to Sunday, Ramble area) Eastern Kingbird (rather late, 1 at the Meer on Saturday) Blue-headed Vireo (multiple - fewer by Sun. & Monday) Yellow-throated Vireo (several Friday & Sat., 1 through Monday) Warbling Vireo (fewer since Friday & just 2 seen by me Monday) Philadelphia Vireo (Saturday, & not noted since) Red-eyed Vireo (fewer by Monday, multiple still around) Blue Jay (common, including some diurnal migrators) Common Raven (at least several in multiple locations, now a boro regular & likely resident) American Crow (multiple, in many areas of the park & city) Black-capped Chickadee (very modest movement, Friday, & some still in park on Monday) Tufted Titmouse (few, but more than 1 month ago) White-breasted Nuthatch (uncommon resident) Brown Creeper (Saturday & Sunday, few but more than 1 location) Carolina Wren (more than several locations) House Wren (fewer by Monday - multiple & in many areas Friday) Winter Wren (not yet common, but in multiple locations as of Fri.) Golden-crowned Kinglet (a small new incursion by Friday & Sat.) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (far fewer by Monday, still numbers on Fri.) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (1 to at least Sunday, poss. report for Mon. as well, Ramble) Gray-cheeked Thrush (multiple Friday & Sat. and a few still to Sunday) Bicknell's Thrush (possible sightings - of this, or the preceding species) Swainson's Thrush (multiple, many on Friday & Sat., then decreasing, & not so many by Mon.) Hermit Thrush (few, which still require care in ID-ing, as the (non-Wood) Catharus hrushes are NOT straighforward ID, in subtly varying age-plumages & variation) Wood Thrush (few, & still a couple as of Monday) American Robin (common) Gray Catbird (very strong push Friday-Saturday, & still fairly common to Monday) Northern Mockingbird (regular) Brown Thrasher (30+ through the park Friday & Saturday, but fewer by Sunday; also a standard ‘dispersal’ into smaller Manhattan greens-spaces around the boro.) European Starling (extremely common) Cedar Waxwing (many Friday & Sat.; still some to Mon.) Scarlet Tanager (fairly common Friday & Sat., fewer by Sunday but still in multiple as of Monday) . . Eastern Towhee (multiple and most seen on Friday, then dispersing & far fewer already by Mon.) Chipping Sparrow (modest no’s. on Friday & Sat. with a small fresh movement found on Sunday) Clay-colored Sparrow (as noted above, found by M.R. & “tweeted” immediately by 'Dendroiscist' who is M.R., additional obs. later as well, Friday, at "Grassy Knoll") Field Sparrow (several on Friday & Sat., not noted by me as of Monday) Vesper Sparrow (as noted above, found by T.P., “tweeted” soon after by K. Fung, few add’l. observers in mid-day, then not re-found by several seekers, Great Hill, Saturday) Savannah Sparrow (seen Friday & Saturday, and reports from Sunday) Song Sparrow (residents seen, poss. now a few migrants also showing) Lincoln's Sparrow (multiple, in many locations thru Sunday, still at least a few to Monday) Swamp Sparrow (modest no’s. into Saturday & then fewer, still present Monday) White-throated Sparrow (good push on 3 days running, Friday-Sat.-Sun., still fair no’s. on Monday - additionally, heard in multiple Manhattan neighborhood locations on all 4 days) White-crowned Sparrow (multiple, esp. numerous Friday, still in no’s. on Sat., then fewer but still at least a few to Monday) Dark-eyed [Slate-colored] Junco (few, to at least Sunday) . . Northern Cardinal (common resident) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (widespread & numerous thru Sunday, still some in multiple areas to Monday) Indigo Bunting (several on Friday & Sat., still at least 1 or 2 to Sunday, & not noted by me as of Monday) Red-winged Blackbird (a flight of several hundred or more occurred on Saturday, some lingering in park) Common Grackle (a fresh arrival, rather early for no's. - 2,000+ on Saturday, most evident near the Boathouse to E. side areas in the 60’s, early morning & many lingering thru Sunday) Brown-headed Cowbird (multiple to Sat., after that, few noticed) Baltimore Oriole (small flight on Saturday, with 10+ in almost as many locations, esp. noted from s. end of park on that morning) House Finch (fairly widespread resident) American Goldfinch (very few) House Sparrow (hyper-ubiquitous in NYC parks at least in Manhattan) Good birding - with thanks to those who show respect to all birds, wildlife, & other park visitors, and thus deserve our respect in return, Tom Fiore manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
