The weather continued to be for the birds at Madison Square Park today, with no less than 29 species reported on eBird so far today in this little 6-acre patch of Flatiron green. The Mourning Warbler did not show (but may indeed still be present in its more typical obscured habitat), but the female Hooded Warbler continued giving great looks in the Center Oval and was joined by at least 11 other species of wood warbler including Bay Breasted, multiple Blackpolls and very-uncommon-for-the-park Wilson's and N Waterthrush. One observer reported Prothonotary (!) AND Kentucky (!!!) Warblers as well at midday, which subsequently could not be refound by others. Wood Thrush calling consistently from the parks northern reaches and Indigo Bunting in same area. Other notables included Veery, Baltimore Oriole, Eastern Towhee and Swamp Sparrow. Having birded the park fairly consistently in prior years and in April and early-May of this year, I am at a loss to explain why the park has blown up over the past few days. While observer effect is certainly responsible for a few of these sightings (over 40 eBird checklists added in past two days to park's previous total of 336), the volume and diversity in past few days has clearly been unlike anything so far this season and in recent memory. While perhaps not matching the Great Madison Square Park Fallout of May 15, 1921 (8 Grasshopper Sparrows anyone?!), it's nonetheless pretty cool. And we're almost at 100 eBird species! eBird reports for today here: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L525218 -Ethan Goodman
-- 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/ --
