[nysbirds-l] BITH in Prospect Park
This morning I received a call from Shane Blodgett, who was birding in Prospect Park. He was looking at a possible Bicknell's Thrush in the Lullwater, a short distance from the Boathouse. He described a gray- cheeked-type thrush with a chestnut tail. The bird was responding to his iPhone's playback of a Bicknell's song. I was able to get back from the city and into Prospect Park by 2:30pm. I set up my portable speakers near where Shane had last seen the bird. Within seconds of playing the Bicknell's song, the bird flew over to a tree near the speakers. It continued flying closer and closer, until it was on the ground several yards away. When I stopped the playback, it went back to foraging on the hillside. I moved the speakers to the opposite side of the path, facing the Lullwater. On playback, the bird flew across the path and, again, moved back and forth in front of the speakers. At one point, when perched on the ground to the side of the speaker, he responded with a clear "whee-er". I packed up my gear and began to leave when I received a call from Rob Bates, who was nearby. When he arrived, I set the speakers out again, played the song, the bird returned ... you get the idea. Just to be certain, though, we also played the Gray-cheeked Thrush song. The bird never responded and, in fact, just continued foraging within the leaf litter on the hillside. I wasn't able to get any photos due to the rain and terrible lighting (not to mention my crappy camera). The last time I got a Bicknell's Thrush to respond to a recording in Prospect Park was on May 24, 2006. Sean Sime took some really good photos of that bird here - http://citybirder.blogspot.com/2006/05/gray-cheeked-thrushes-in-prospect-park.html If you decide to look for this bird, here is a link to a map: http://tinyurl.com/28bogor Good birding, Rob PS - This was another NA lifer for Sebastian from Germany. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Blue Grosbeak at RMSP Field 2 (Suffolk Co.)
At 1:30PM this afternoon there was an immature male Blue Grosbeak in front (north) of the Robert Moses State Park Field 2 concession. The bird was easily disturbed and moved around the parking area quite a bit, but was last seen along the north border of the parking lot west of the main entrance to Field 2. Ken Feustel -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Sullivan County
I was only out a few hours in the pouring rain today, but there were some good birds found in the county. Lance Verderame found six White-winged Scoters on Kiamesha Lake, Ken McDermott found a Black Tern on the Bashakill this morning, and I found a Common Tern on the Bash around noon while looking for Ken's Black. Another two tern day, not bad for Sullivan. John Haas -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] LI Birds: Blue Grosbeak, Roseate Tens, LBB Gulls
Ken Feustel found a young male Blue Grosbeak at Robert Moses SP, near the western tip of Fire Island, this afternoon. It feeds on the circular grassy plantings in the center of Field 2, it is very skittish and frequently flies up to the northern margin of the parking lot, west of center, when disturbed. While I was watching it later in the afternoon, a very bedraggled and soggy-looking male Rose-breasted Grosbeak plunked down on the grass before flying off into the dunes. Earlier today, David Harrison (visiting from New Jersey) saw two Roseate Terns at Democrat Pt, at the western tip of Fire Island, and I saw two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the overwash pool at Jones Beach West End. Shai Mitra Bay Shore Think green before you print this email. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] 5/12- Breezy Point: Glaucous, Roseate Terns etc. Also Belated Jaeger.
I birded Breezy Point (Queens County) today between 10:00 AM-12:30 PM. Highlights were as follows: GLAUCOUS GULL- A small 1st cycle bird, and definitely a different individual than the one I saw across the inlet at Plum Beach a month ago. Inlet Side. Roseate Tern- 3 (Ocean side) Lesser Black-backed Gull- 2 (Adult & 3rd/4th-cycle bird) (Ocean Side) Northern Gannet- 6-8 Piping Plover- 11 Common Loon- 3 Today was a vastly different spectacle than just two days ago out there. On Monday, while doing a mostly Brooklyn/some Queens Big Day, Shane Blodgett, Rob Jett, Heydi Lopes, and I saw ~20,000 Terns feeding over Breezy Point and on the Ocean just off the point. We viewed this from a long distance away (The Silver Gull Club), so couldn't get much detail. However we did have an immature Jaeger (probable Parasitic, although it was rather small) harassing the Terns off of SGC, and we also had 2 flyby Gull-billed Terns, and a Purple Sandpiper lingering on the SGC jetty. Monday saw a clear day with a NW wind that was up to 30 MPH sustained however, so today's ~15+ MPH East wind with mist and some fog certainly presented different conditions. Good Birding -Doug Gochfeld. Brooklyn, NY. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC - May 12, 2010
It was a very damp, dark morning in the Ramble in Central Park for my American Museum of Natural History group this morning. We were rewarded with a few nice birds. Highlights were a number of warblers including Wilson's Warbler and a singing male Cape May Warbler on the Point. (Thanks to Roger Pasquier for the heads-up on the Cape May.) Also a Lincoln's Sparrow on a main path by the ne corner of the Azalea Pond. Joe DiCostanzo -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC 5/11 (Blue Grosbeak, Mourning & 20+ add'l. Warblers, etc.)
Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City Monday evening (10 May, after 7 p.m.), a Kentucky Warbler was reported from the Ramble with a group of observers, however there was no mention of whether the bird sang, nor if or why it would be a different one from a "female" that might have been seen in the Ramble, not far away. The report appeared on the ebirdsnyc list. This would be the 3rd of this species, at least, to appear in Central so far this spring (if assuming 3 different birds)... - - - - Tuesday, 11 May, 2010 - Among the highlights were a male Blue Grosbeak, first noted by veteran birder Steve Chang and enjoyed by many shortly afterward in the Ramble west of the Point, the area now referred to as the "oven" (warmed by sun when shining brightly), the cove immediately west of the Point. "Ramblers" found good variety there with at least 20 warbler species within that area alone. I located a singing male Mourning Warbler (singing only intermittently by the time I was at it's location on the bridle path, below the NE part of the reservoir, in a patch of dense shrubs. This was my first of the year and first I've heard in Central. I'll try to check the area again Wed. at some point depending on the weather - in coming weeks, a fair number more of that species will pass thru, typically peaking as late as the 3rd & 4th weeks of May in most years, here. There seemed to have been some movement overnight Monday, lighter wind may have allowed that. In some areas also visited on Monday, Tuesday brought either less, or greater migrant activity. Trees along many areas of the park's bridle paths were good for about 20 species of warblers along with other groups. In one area, near the reservoir's south side, trees were very active by mid-morning. Areas near the tennis courts had a fair variety of additional species including a few Empidonax which were calling (not singing) and included Least, Yellow- bellied, & possibly another sp., plus Great Crested Flycatcher & E. Kingbird. In a number of areas thru the park were Orchard Orioles, plus Baltimore Orioles in all plumages, some on territories, others perhaps still on their way north, still quite widespread in the park. A check of the reservoir itself left me with an impression of fewer swallows and swifts today, after the wind lightened & also shifted, but there were still at least 2 Cliff Swallows among the other more regularly-seen swallows & some Chimney Swifts continued too. Spotted Sandpipers also were around. I got to the north end of the park later - activity was less by then; I haven't heard what may have been seen by birders there in earlier hours. Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
