[nysbirds-l] Yellow-headed Blackbird, Smith Point Park, Suffolk County
Carl Starace called and asked me to post a first winter male Yellow-headed Blackbird he had this morning at the north end of the picnic area at Smith Point Park on Fire Island. The bird flew off from the picnic area towards the Bay side. Good birding. Patrick Santinello Eastport -- 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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
[nysbirds-l] weekend yardbirds
Some migrants of note from my yard this weekend: Saturday afternoon: RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD RED-EYED VIREO RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET SCARLET TANAGER TENNESSEE WARBLER NASHVILLE WARBLER YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER PINE WARBLER COMMON YELLOWTHROAT Sunday morning was a bit slower, but I did notice my first migrant flocks of CANADA GEESE, and a few raptors highlighted by a low flying adult BALD EAGLE. This morning featured more of a hawk flight, with 14 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 2 COOPER'S HAWKS and a single RED-TAILED HAWK. Some of the notable passerines through the yard today included several ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS, a juvenile YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, an EASTERN TOWHEE, 2 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, RED-EYED VIREOS and a singing PINE WARBLER. Mickey Scilingo Constantia Oswego County, NY mickey.scili...@gte.net 315-679-6299 -- 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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Winter Finch Forecast 2011-2012
Forwarding from Ontbirds, the Ontario birding list. Good birding! Willie WINTER FINCH FORECAST 2011-2012 This winter’s theme is that cone crops are excellent and extensive across much of the boreal forest and the Northeast. It will not be a flight year. Finches will be spread thinly over a vast area from western Canada east across the Hudson Bay Lowlands into Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces, New York and New England States. White-winged and Red Crossbills and Pine Siskins should be widespread in low numbers. A small movement of Pine Grosbeaks is probable because mountain-ash berry crops are variable and some are of poor quality in the boreal forest. Evening Grosbeak numbers are increasing as spruce budworm outbreaks expand in the boreal forest so some may show up at feeders in southern Ontario and the Northeast. Redpolls are unlikely to come south because the dwarf birch crop is bumper in the Hudson Bay Lowlands. See individual finch forecasts below for details. Three irruptive non‐finch passerines are also discussed. PINE GROSBEAK: Small numbers are likely in southern Ontario because the mountain‐ash berry crop is variable with some poor quality crops in the boreal forest of Ontario. The crop is generally very good to excellent in Atlantic Canada, New York and New England. Pine Grosbeaks wandering to southern Ontario will find average berry crops on European mountain‐ash, good crops on Buckthorn and average crops on ornamental crabapples. Expect a few at sunflower seed feeders. PURPLE FINCH: Purple Finches will be uncommon in Ontario, but probably in higher numbers in Atlantic Canada, New York and New England where cone crops are excellent. A few may frequent feeders in southern Ontario. The Purple Finch has declined significantly in recent decades. Some suggest it declined due to competition with the House Finch. However, the drop in numbers began before House Finches were common in eastern North America and also occurred where House Finches were absent. A better explanation for the decrease is the absence of large spruce budworm outbreaks that probably sustained higher Purple Finch populations in the past. RED CROSSBILL: Red Crossbills should be widespread in Ontario in very small numbers, but much more frequent in the Northeast where cone crops are excellent. This crossbill comprises at least 10 “call types” in North America. Some types may be separate species. Most types are almost impossible to identify without recordings of their “flight calls”. Recordings can be made using your iPhone. Send recordings to be identified to Matt Young (may6 at cornell dot edu) at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Most Red Crossbill types in winter prefer pines, but they also use introduced spruces and European larch. The smallest‐billed Type 3 prefers the small soft cones of hemlock and white spruce. It may occur in the Northeast this winter drawn to the excellent crops on hemlock and white spruce. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL: Good numbers of White‐winged Crossbills are currently widespread in the Hudson Bay Lowlands where the white and black spruce cone crops are bumper. They may remain there this winter or some could wander to the Northeast where spruce and hemlock cone crops are excellent. A few should be in traditional areas such as Algonquin Park where spruce and hemlock cone crops are better than last winter. Unlike the Red Crossbill, the White‐winged Crossbill in North America has no subspecies and call types. COMMON and HOARY REDPOLLS: Redpolls in winter are a birch seed specialist and movements are linked to the size of the birch crop. Redpolls are unlikely to come south in numbers this winter because the dwarf birch crop is bumper in the Hudson Bay Lowlands. Those that wander south of the boreal forest will be stopped by a fair to good seed crop on white and yellow birches in the mixed coniferous/deciduous forest region north of Lake Ontario. PINE SISKIN: The nomadic siskin is a spruce seed specialist. There are currently large numbers of siskins in Yukon including a high proportion of hatch year birds. They will move because the spruce crop is average in Yukon and Alaska this year, possibly coming to the East. Siskins are expected to be widespread across Ontario this winter. Good numbers are likely to be drawn to the excellent spruce and hemlock crops in Atlantic Canada, New York and New England. EVENING GROSBEAK: We can expect another good showing at feeders similar to last winter in central Ontario and probably elsewhere in the Northeast. Highest breeding densities are found in areas with spruce budworm outbreaks. Grosbeak numbers are increasing as spruce budworm outbreaks expand in Ontario and Quebec. However, current populations are still much lower than several decades ago when budworm outbreaks were widespread and extensive. THREE IRRUPTIVE PASSERINES: Movements of these species are often linked to the boreal fi
[nysbirds-l] Syracuse RBA
RBA * New York * Syracuse * September 26, 2011 * NYSY 26:09.11 Hotline: Syracuse Rare bird Alert Dates(s): September 19, 2010 - September 26, 2011 to report by e-mail: brinjoseph AT yahoo.com covering upstate NY counties: Cayuga, Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) (just outside Cayuga County), Onondaga, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, Oneida, Herkimer, Madison & Cortland compiled:September 26 AT 7:00 p.m. (EST) compiler: Joseph Brin Onondaga Audubon Homepage: www.onondagaaudubon.org #272 -Monday September 26, 2011 Greetings! This is the Syracuse Area Rare Bird Alert for the week of September 19 , 2011 Highlights: --- BLACK-CROWNED NIGHR HERON BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER AMERICAN AVOCET RED-NECKED PHALAROPE SEDGE WREN CONNECTICUT WARBLER DICKSISSEL Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) and Montezuma Wetlands Complex (MWC) 9/20: The ANERICAN AVOCET continues at Puddler’s Marsh. Also seen there were 2 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and 2 SANDHILL CRANES. 9/23: The AVOCET was again present in Puddler’s along with 4 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS. At May’s Point Pool BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, both YELLOWLEGS, LEAST SANDPIPER, SEMI-PALMATE SANDPIPER, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER and PECTORAL SANDPIPER were all seen. 9/24: This day was the last positive report of the AMERICAN AVOCET at Puddler’s Marsh although no negative reports have been given either. 9/26: An ebird report listed a CONNECTICUT WARBLER and a SEDGE WREN in the vacinity of Puddler’s Marsh. Onondaga County 9/25: 2 DICKSISSELS were reported at a feeder in Harrington Road in the city of Syracuse. Migrating warblers continue to be seen in the area but in smaller numbers and less diversity than in the past 2 weeks. WHITE-THROATED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS are starting to show up. --end transcript -- Joseph Brin Region 5 Baldwinsville, N.Y. 13027 U.S.A. -- 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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Kissena Park, Queens - September 25
This is a late follow-up on Donna Schulman's report from yesterday to provide a more complete tally of the excellent birding at Kissena Park yesterday. As good as Saturday's birding was, yesterday was better. The numbers of flycatchers particularly Eastern Phoebes was impressive. A total of 19 species of warblers were seen yesterday including Connecticut and Mourning, 22 species seen on Saturday and Sunday combined. (A Worm-eating Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler and Golden- winged Warbler found by Eric Miller earlier in the week makes for a total to 24 warbler species for Kissena for the week.) Of the many highlights this weekend, I found particularly rewarding the opportunity to observe both immature Mourning and Connecticut Warblers in close succession. Most birders concentrated their efforts on the Kissena corridor in the area east of the community gardens and west of the artificial turf football field. This is a fairly open area interspersed with trees which was replanted with tree saplings and a variety of other plants by the NYC Parks Dept. last year. In addition to the species listed below there was a "Budgie" parakeet mixing with a flock of House Sparrows. Birders present (that I am know of) included Eric Miller, Peter Reisfeld, Donna Schulman, Coleen & Bob Veltri, Ian Resnick, Arie Gilbert, Chuck Beilman, Lou Widerka, Mike Ritchie, Corey Finger, Michael McBrien & father, Karlo & Alison Mirth and Seth Ausubel. The following is a composite report of sightings. CONNECTICUT WARBLER (2, 1 immature, likely the same individual seen Saturday, and a second individual that others described as an adult) MOURNING WARBLER (1 immature found by Eric Miller) Tennessee Warbler (1) Nashville Warbler (5+) Yellow Warbler (1) Magnolia Warbler (several) Black-throated Green Warbler (1 or 2) Black-throated Blue Warbler (1 seen by Eric Miller) Black and White Warbler Blackburnian Warbler (1) Prairie Warbler (1) Palm Warbler (numerous) Blackpoll Warbler (numerous) American Redstart (numerous) Wilson's Warbler (1) Northern Parula Ovenbird (1 seen by Peter Reisfeld) Northern Waterthrush (1 or 2) Common Yellowthroat (several) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1 adult, seen well by many) Black-billed Cuckoo (1 immature, found by Eric Miller) Empid. Flycatcher (numerous) Eastern Wood Pewee (numerous) Eastern Phoebe (many) Blue-headed Vireo (1 or 2) PHILADELPHIA VIREO (seen by Donna Schulman) Red-eyed Vireo (1 or 2) White-eyed Vireo (1 immature) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1) Swainson's Thrush Wood Thrush (1 seen by Eric Miller) Veery (1 seen by Eric Miller) Cedar Waxwing Chipping Sparrow (1 or 2) CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (1) (re-found by Eric Miller) LARK SPARROW (found by Peter Reisfeld) Savannah Sparrow (several) Swamp Sparrow (1 or 2) White-throated Sparrow (several) Song Sparrow (numerous) Scarlet Tanager (several) Baltimore Oriole (1) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (several) BLUE GROSBEAK (1 or 2) (seen well by many) Indigo Bunting (5-10) Bobolink (2) (found by Eric Miller) Red-winged Blackbird (1 or 2) House Wren Carolina Wren Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1 or 2) (pointed out to me by Corey Finger and Donna Schulman) Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Eastern Wood-Pewee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Ring-necked Pheasant Great Blue Heron Peregrine Falcon Jeff Ritter Little Neck, NY -- 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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Mecox & Sagg
Tonight at Mecox (eastern Suffolk Co.) there were 2 Caspian Terns, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 96 Black Skimmers and 4 Peregrine Falcons. At nearby Sagaponack, two American Golden Plovers and a juvie BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER were on the sand flats near the inlet. Hugh -- Hugh McGuinness The Ross School 18 Goodfriend Drive East Hampton, NY 11937 -- 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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC 9/25-26
Sunday, 25 September, 2011 - Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City Add at least one more Warbler species to the good variety for Sunday's sightings, a Cape May noted by J. Suzuki around the reservoir outer path, not far from the W. 90 Street park entrance, bringing a total tally to at least 24 wood-warbler species seen collectively in the park, that active day. ----- Monday, 26 September - there was additional flight - new arrivals, and also some apparent departure and dispersal from the bigger apparent (observed) flight (from Sat. overnight to) Sunday. Cuckoos were still evident with a number of sightings noted, by far more seen being Yellow-billed than Black-billed. A further reinforcement of Indigo Buntings, and also at least some further movement of flycatchers with Eastern Phoebe trying (but not yet succeeding) to out-number Eastern Wood-Pewees. A few Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are a small sign of the season to come, even if it is already here on our calendars. A fairly good diurnal movement of Blue Jay continued Monday - and a very good ongoing Cedar Waxwing movement, easily nearing the 4-digit numbers overall, many as flyover flocks through much of the day. Also coming along are sparrows with the more interesting reports actually seeming to be from the city's southernmost borough (Richmond County) - Vesper and Clay-colored both reported there, Monday. These birds were at Snug Harbor, and Clove Lakes Park respectively and they, along with Connecticut Warbler at Snug Harbor Cultural Center, are located in the northern parts of the island. (Richmond County = Staten Island, NYC). the SINaturaList had the reports, that's in the big Yahoo-group bird-list "family". The very mild, summer-like local weather certainly belies the big movement of many neotropical wintering species. It will be interesting to see just what is reported after any good "old-fashioned" cold front clears the NYC - Long Island region (Region 10, in the "Kingbird" designation) which appears to be in the works for the weekend, if not just before... Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- 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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
[nysbirds-l] Blue Grosbeak CP/NYC (NO, 9/26)
Also looked for by at least a few hardy north-end Central Park (Manhattan, NYC) birders was Sunday's (photographed) first-winter plumaged Blue Grosbeak - there were NO reports of this again Monday, to my knowledge. Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- 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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --