N.Y. County (in N.Y. City), including Manhattan, Randall’s and Governors
Island[s] and the waters & skies adjacent -
A brightly-plumaged PROTHONOTARY Warbler was found at Central Park’s Turtle
Pond earlier on Wed., 8/11 (V. Iadevaia), & was being seen by multiple
observers by that afternoon; some were (later) reporting more than 1
individual. It’s possible that this species could move about & show along any
of the park’s water-bodies at any time during their stay; if not seen at the
original area, the nearest other waters are those of The Lake, slightly to the
south, and other water-bodies in that park would be additional places to check
on. A photo (by its’ finder) of the Prothonotary Warbler has been placed in
the Macaulay Library archives: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/360559131
At least a few other warbler species seemed to have arrived on that or the day
prior, with Wilson’s and Canada Warblers, and a further report of a hybrid
(“Brewster’s” type, cross of Blue-winged & Golden-winged) warbler as well,
these all in Central Park by 8/11; while a (male-plumaged type) Hooded Warbler
had appeared at Riverside Park by 8/10. Another Tennessee Warbler showed at
Central Park by 8/9, after the rather-early individual of that species from
7/23. It will be interesting to see if there is any trend for some additional
boreal-breeding migrants to start re-appearing early on the southbound
migrations; there may not yet be enough evidence to suggest it as a trend.
On 8/2, two Semipalmated Plovers appeared at Inwood Hill Park’s north-side
mudflats, found & ID’d by S. Dodson & N. O’Reilly respectively. They
apparently moved on after just a short time. Least & Semipalmated Sandpipers,
as well as more-widespread Spotted Sandpipers, continued to be seen there & in
a few other locations. Solitary Sandpiper was again seen as of Aug. 7-8th.
There was an eBird report with Lesser Yellowlegs at Governors Island on 8/5,
and a surprisingly-early report (also in eBird) of Hooded Merganser on Aug. 9th
in Central Park’s Turtle Pond, the latter found by K. Samel - and following a
sighting of that species on 8/8 at Prospect Park in Brooklyn / Kings Co. (N.Y.
City); a pair of the species had also been present at Jamaica Bay Refuge in
Queens Co. (N.Y.C.) in recent days; there also was at least 1 of that species
at the start of July on Staten Island (Richmond Co.), N.Y., with other
sightings regionally over the summer. Mute Swan made an appearance on the East
River on 8/11.
A Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was photo’d. (T. Olson) at Battery Park at
Manhattan’s south end on 8/9, and one or two of that species have been somewhat
regular at Randall’s Island. Osprey, Bald Eagle, and Cooper’s Hawk are among
the less-commonly seen raptors in the county recently. Small numbers of Turkey
Vultures have been seen, most-often from northern Manhattan, but also from
other vantage points.
On Aug. 5th, some of the freshly-arriving migrants included Blue-gray
Gnatcatcher, Orchard Oriole, and Wilson’s (early), Prairie, & Blackburnian
Warblers, along with more of some of the below species. Some birds being seen
by Aug. 7th included Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager (also reported for
8/6), Indigo Bunting and Canada Warbler.
14 of the warbler species seen this month so far were present in Central Park
by Sunday, 8/8 & of those, just two are potential/possible nesters in that park
(Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat). Both Cuckoo species, Black-billed &
Yellow-billed, were present in Central as of last Sunday and these also have
been seen previously around Manhattan this summer. By Wed., 8/11, there had
been at least 18 warbler spp. in N.Y. County in August, with 17 of those having
occurred in Central Park (and most of the more-common of them in multiple other
locations).
An Olive-sided Flyctacher was photo’d. in Central Park’s n. end on 8/9, in
addition to the several sightings of that species the weekend prior, 8/7 & 8/8.
E. Wood-Pewees have been present, although unobtrusive & often quiet, all
summer in several Manhattan locations, including Central Park, with the same
holding for Great Crested Flycatchers. More widespread E. Kingbirds are already
*just* beginning to migrate through, although a good number of the breeding
locals are still around in family groups. Also starting to return were a few
more of Empidonax [genus] flycatchers. For the record, the earliest report of
a southbound (in 2021) Empidonax flycatcher for N.Y. County came from Central
Park’s n. end on July 20th, and by description was most likely a Least
Flycatcher. By 8/5, Willow Flycatcher was also noted (by calls heard) in
Central Park, & there are some other Empidonax also appearing.
The more-numerous migrant warblers continued in about same order of abundance
in the county as previously - Yellow Warbler & Northern Waterthrush being the
more-often seen; by 8/4 & 8/5, however, American Redstart wa
