Extra-limital still (and again) is the Steller’s Sea-Eagle, in eastern *Newfoundland - Canada*, seen & photographed again around Trinity Bay (and ’Spaniard’s Cove’) on Sat., 8/20. A photo has been archived in the Macaulay Archive from that visit - https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/476860321 <https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/476860321> This sea-eagle has been staying in that location for some time, this summer.
Congratulations to all on the recent highly-successful pelagic-watch out of Brooklyn continuing into NY waters, with such an array of marine-life and (I believe) around 4-dozen+ or so happy observers with birding-crew, etc. all included. Also, and separately, thanks to R. Adamo (of Long Island, NY) for sharing to this list, and to others as well, on sightings and birders of both recent, and a longer-ago era. This summer, I’ve just read a fascinating history of the extended family of one Phoebe Snetsinger whose name is connected with birding all of planet Earth. -- A photographed Black-legged Kittiwake off Orient Point, on the far-east sector of Suffolk County’s (Long Island, NY) North Fork is of interest any-time, perhaps more so on 8/20. Seen in the morning by J. Sepenoski, it then moved on, so 'eyes-out' for any unusual-looking small larids. A Common Eider was also a part of that morning watch, at that site. A scope-photo of Saturday’s Kittiwake is archived in the Macaulay Library: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/476765011 <https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/476765011> - - - - Central Park (Manhattan, N.Y. City) - Saturday, August 20th - At least initially and apparently for a modest-majority of observers, one individual was seen at the Ramble, and then thanks also to others for quietly tracking & patiently re-locating first, a female-plumaged Golden-winged Warbler at the eastern area of The Ramble in Central Park - and, with multiple other birders arriving, the realization that both a “more” male-plumaged, and also the female-plumaged were present, occasionally near to each other, and the clearly-female-plumaged bird lingering more thru part of the afternoon, with high numbers of other observers enjoying the nowadays-uncommon migrant[s] thru this county, which includes Manhattan. For a time in the late-morning, not all arriving observers were able to locate either of the 2 individuals of the much-desired warbler species, however there were a number of helpful seekers who gave assistance in the search, & helped to get more of those (still arriving) to view the Golden-winged, of which some had the opportunities for 2 individuals. Many were on-scene well into the warmth of the day. Also, later on, at least one or both of the Golden-winged had moved a bit farther into the Ramble, to the west and along & near a path known (and signed as) 'Iphigene’s Walk' (which is named for Iphigene Bertha Ochs Sulzberger, a park patron in a number of ways in her time, and as many may recognize also a part of the family of long-time owners of a local newspaper co., the “N.Y. Times”. NYC Mayor (of the time) Ed Koch did the honors on the naming-event for that walk). Generally, of observers coming in rather later, 1 (of the 2 warblers) was seen, that being the female-plumaged; the 2 individuals were most-noted somewhat-briefly in a.m., then with more observers coming as well as mid-day arrived, there were again a spate of sightings of both individuals. More potential photos & perhaps additional viewings may help determine what age[s] and gender[s] each of presumably two individuals were, as some observers noted a 2nd GWWA with at least a 'question-mark' amended, perhaps mainly as to gender and age of the two, although some also simply reported 2 individuals of the species seen at one time. One of many photos (taken by various observers, esp. of the female-plumaged bird), is this fine one now in the Macaulay Archive at this link: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/476824591 <https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/476824591> At least 18 *additional species* of American warblers were present, including Nashville, Black-throated Blue (male-plumaged, w/ multiple observers not all too far from the ‘celebrity' G-w. Warbler[s]), multiple Blue-winged, Blackburnian, Prairie, Cape May, Bay-breasted, Worm-eating, Hooded (male-plumaged), Magnolia, and at least one [Myrtle] Yellow-rumped Warbler - some of these probably just-arrived on the day, and some perhaps lingerers from prior days; a minimum of 7 additional other warbler spp. also were present, with, as has been for some while, the most-numerous seeming to be American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, Black-and-white Warbler, & Common Yellowthroat, with a lag for Chestnut-sided, N. Parula, and not-so-many Ovenbird sightings. A modest number of warblers (by numbers or by species-diversity) were in the general vicinity of where the 2 Golden-wingeds were, however a larger number, and diversity, were scattered in multiple parts of the same park, often not especially far from water-bodies, which includes at least 4 such all within the views of Fifth Avenue, as well as the “Pool”, the “Lake” and the watery parts of Hallett Sanctuary which are a bit closer to Sixth Ave. than to Fifth, and can be active, even very-active, for migrants on some days and in some hours, with, as one might expect, the closer, &/or longer atttention sometimes giving up bird-‘dividends'. A lovely 'in-flight' photograph of Nashville Warbler seen in the park is in the Macaulay Library, at this link: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/476840181 <https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/476840181> It’s very plausible that yet more warbler spp. were present, and the more-so if one went into all sightings for the whole of N.Y. County on Saturday. For example, Mourning Warbler was seen & photo’d. at Governors Island by 3 keen obs. there on a morning-watch. (20 warbler spp. on the day for the entire county is at-least as had also been noted on the day-prior, Fri., 8/19, and w/ at least 18 spp. then seen even just within Central Park in its’ entirety, for the Friday.) Both species of cuckoos that are expected as annual migrants here were present in Central Park; one, the Black-billed was close-by where so much attention was paid to “the” warbler[s] and a *bit* less to some of the other migrants in the vicinity, which is a typical scenario when a bird or birds are not all that easily spotted at all hours and also are much-sought - a photo of a Black-billed Cuckoo seen in that location (E. Rosengart) is in the Macaulay Library: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/476887241 <https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/476887241> A fair number of Empidonax-genus flycatchers continue to pass through &/or have been lingering in some cases; many are perhaps best allowed the designation “Empid’s” and to be left as such, while there will always be birders who seek to make an ID on all individual birds, a much more difficult endeavor in the period of months when such birds are far-quieter, if not silent. All of our 5 eastern-breeding spp. of Empidonax are entirely possible on southbound migration at this point in the season. Other flycatchers noted (and also ongoing) included E. Wood-Pewees, Great Crested Flycatchers, & E. Kingbirds. At least 8 Red-breasted Nuthatches were found in Central Park, of which at least 6 were in areas south of the reservoir to the southern edge of the park; some, or even many may have been there for a good while already, although some newer arrival[s] may also have occurred. One of the Red-br. Nuthatches was immediately out of the old boathouse area, the s.-e. portion of The Ramble. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers still present, however there have been very-busy departure flights of that species over recent weeks, esp. in about the past one week. And a great many other migrants in widely-scattered locations just in this one park, and then a far-wider diversity of birds for all of the county, on the day, with some further reports to come, in due course. peaceful birding to all, Tom Fiore [N.Y. City] -- 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/ --
