Riverdale, Bronx County, N.Y. City - thru Friday, Jan. 5th
A MacGillivrays Warbler present since its discovery on Dec. 23rd during the
Bronx-Westchester C.B.C. was still being seen occasionally at the same
locations at and around W. 231 St., west of Independence Ave. - and along the
NW part of that junction at times, as it has moved about perhaps slightly more
than in its initial week of observations. The Townsends Warbler that was found
here on Dec. 30th has been seeming more elusive as of Thursday, Jan. 4th
however still in the area - it may have widened its foraging circuit, or simply
chosen any somewhat more sheltered feeding, in higher winds that developed as
Thursday went along. The Townsends did make an appearance in its favored pine
tree, late Thursday 1/4, on W. 231 St., but possibly spent much of that day
elsewhere. Not that many saw the warbler on Thurs., it seems.
On Friday, the MacGillivrays Warbler gave great views on multiple occasions and
as in at least a few prior recent days, showed from at least the n.w. corner of
West 231st and Independence Ave, in yards visible from the public streets, as
well as west down 231 Street to where that street becomes more of a sloping,
not flat, inclined street... Thus the MacG. is And has been increasingly at the
north edges, and some yards along W. 231st. It however still shows well on the
south side of 231st also, west of Independence Ave., that is.
I called out abruptly at the instant I noticed that the Townsends Warbler had
come in to what seems a favorite, or at least favored pine - a true pine, not
the blue spruce which is also on n. side of W. 231st and is quite a bit taller
- and blue-green in foliage color. The pine referenced is not far from the
street, but has a smaller deciduous tree with essentially no leaves, but whose
dry branches or twigs very-slightly block full views of the actual pine,
located nearly between two standard sized private driveways. At that time,
shortly before the noon hour, the Townsends had at least a 15-20 minutes long
foray thru much of the magic pine tree, as some have called it, when the magic
works, and before noon Friday, at least 6 others, hopefully more, were able to
watch / photo the Townsends, which as per all other days there, was highly
active within the pine boughs. It also has given its light chip note calls,
less-obvious to my, and some other seekers hearing or ability, relative to the
more-vocal or simply louder MacGillivrays at this location.
At some moments, the two warblers were within a few yards or less of each
other. The Townsends also flew back slightly south, across 231 St, and where
else it likes to spend time is not quite known, but may include the areas
inside that nursing homes grounds, which is off-limits now to us, and we should
all respect the request that birders keep out of their parking lot by the
nursing home itself and the driveway that goes in to that inner section as well.
Patience is often helpful in attempting to see both of these western-vagrant
warblers in this location, each quite rare in the county, the city, and the
state... Even in a season with seemingly high numbers of various
western-breeding birds showing in the east, including the northeast sector of
North America.
We shall see what develops in this weekends weather, and how these birds fare,
if we can find them again post-storm. For Friday, each warbler looked to be
feeding vigorously, at least by mid morning, despite temps which had been below
freezing overnight.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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