New York County, including Manhattan, Randall’s Island, and Governors Island thru Wed., Feb. 22nd - and earlier in same month
A Baltimore Oriole in moderately-bright plumage has overwintered at (almost-always in or near) Union Square Park between 14th and 17th Streets in Manhattan, with the occasional sighting from very-slightly away from that large ’square’ or that greenspace. It can be seen in trees but also is sometimes on the ground, feeding among various other (more-usual) wintering birds. It is at-least slightly possible that this was not the only Baltimore Oriole to have wintered-thru, but others known from the early weeks of this winter seem to have gone un-reported for some while, within the county. (This species had a record of wintering, and/or attempting to winter, in a few locations that included Fort Tryon Park as well as elsewhere in Manhattan, in recent decades.) The Union Square B. Oriole has been ongoing. Of other members of the Icteridae (or, ’new-world blackbirds’) around the county, there have been some Red-winged Blackbirds, which may have included a sparse arrival or 'moving-about' showing in February, and (more-numerous, by far) Common Grackles, which seemingly increased a bit in the latter half of Feb. or so, as well as a very-scant few Brown-headed Cowbirds, and the nicely-plumaged Rusty Blackbirds, still showing ‘rust’, of which a very few were still around in these recent weeks. At least a couple of White-crowned Sparrows were wintering in the county, with one being watched increasingly in February at Central Park, usually south of the 72nd Street cross-drive and sometimes (was) closer to Sheep Meadow there; another seen with some recent regularity at Randall’s Island, the latter seen in an adult plumage too. There may be a few others of this species ‘floating around’ in county locations, even if not recently or widely reported. [Red] Fox Sparrows continued in at least a few areas of the county, with parts of Central Park as usual a reasonable place to catch sight of some. There may yet be a few of other less-common sparrow spp. (for the county) lingering in some less-birded locations, or simply skulking in places where many birders have been, but often concentrating on other types of birds to be seen - such as (for one example) in the middle-of-Manhattan Bryant Park, where recent focus by some had been to look for woodcock which recently showed there for many seekers, while less-noticed woodcock also came in to some other locations. Among the few [known] warbler species to be found in the county into this month, Pine Warbler had been seen only minimally, however this species, as with the ongoing and clearly overwintering Orange-crowned Warblers (in the multiple), and [Myrtle] Yellow-rumped Warblers, as well as the few surviving Ovenbirds, may also have been overwinterers in the county, or from within the larger region (such as the mid-Atlantic states of New Jersey, and etc.) but not seen at all regularly, as some of the other wintering-warblers have. (Pine Warbler has, at least rarely, been noted in mid-winter and for extended periods in mid-winter, in the past in the county, including within Central Park as such a heavily-birded location.) Pine Warbler sightings at Central Park have included those in the area of the Shakespeare Garden, and from points south and north, to as recently as Monday and Sunday, 2/20 and 2/19. Other sightings earlier in the month also. And, there *could* well be a few other warblers that were still surviving over-winter, in select areas, including (potentially) in some smaller parks, gardens, and other green-spaces in the county, including some that are very-infrequently birded. In the wider region, a modest variety of warbler spp. had survived some of winter’s coldest weather and some of those warblers still being found, in adajacent states to N.Y. City and in some points-north as well as scattered around the city itself. One Pine Warbler in fairly-bright plumage was ongoing at Central Park near and around Turtle Pond (south & east sides & vicinity) through Thurs., 2/23. And at least two of the multiple Orange-crowned Warblers at Randall’s Island were both present at that site’s “freshwater marsh” area, on the n. portion wet areas later in the day Thurs., 2/23. [It’s worth adding that a Northern Waterthrush was surviving, having so far overwintered succesfully *in Brooklyn*, and not far at all from Manhattan, thru some extreme-cold and rough weather along with the occasional outrageously-mild days and nights of this up-down-up-down winter thus far. That bird has lingered at the Brooklyn Bridge Park, at the part of that borough (also known as Kings County, in N.Y. City) that partly abuts the bridge, and by-extension, is very near to City Hall Park of Manhattan. This comprises a quite-rare [for an overwintering-record] of that warbler species for N.Y. State and for this entire region, a warbler species which typically clears (the majority of that species population) well-south of the United States for the winter. If that bird stays on into March, and perhaps to April, it will be yet that much more remarkable. It can happen that in some years, the month of March is the harshest to birds which have lingered on and some, into late-winter.] American Woodcock had begun to push north and northeast in recent weeks, with sightings in a number of areas in the larger region, esp. in near-coastal sites, and the few found in recent days in Manhattan, as well as on at least Randall’s Island are, with Killdeer, an indication of some of the early movement that has happened lately. Killdeer are still yet to be found in any high numbers, but some increase, and returns to where not seen in at least weeks (or months) showed their local renewal of some modest numbers. While there don’t seem to have been any discoveries in the county for where rarer gulls might be roosting or lingering yet in this month, at least some, in particular Black-headed Gull, as well as Iceland Gull, have been sighted (including fly-by-only sightings) as ‘reminders’ that those species are indeed still in the area. The good numbers of Bonaparte’s Gulls which had been rather regularly found in N.Y. Harbor (and many within the county’s waters at times) and prior to those sightings also in some river feeding-flocks, esp. on the Hudson River near and just-north of the county’s NW boundary (with Bronx County being to the north, and New Jersey being on opposite / west shores of the Hudson river), have not been reported at all in recent days, although it’s possible some could be still in the area[s], and might well be sought in the county’s waters for weeks ahead still - as would be so of a number of other (potential) gulls that may pass thru here. A Lesser Black-backed Gull was at least occasional on a pier off the west side of lower Manhattan, along the Hudson, but sightings have been rather intermittent. The ‘usuals’ in local gulls continued as they always do in winter to spring - Ring-billed, [American] Herring, and Great Black-backed Gulls. For waterbirds, it’s been a far-less than stellar winter here for sightings of either of the ‘usual’ two Loon species, which can be in the county’s waters but have been rather sparse - Common Loon and/or Red-throated Loon; both of these may still be looked-for in coming weeks. The very scant sightings of Horned Grebe included some uncommonly-noted numbers (for this county) off Governors Island and more-generally, out in N.Y. Harbor area, in the month of February. Pied-billed Grebe had not been at all regular thru the 'up-down' weather of this winter, in the county. With ducks staying on, few rarer (for this county) species have remained as loyal as the drake Redhead, singularly staying on almost-exclusively at the small waterbody known as “the Pool” in Central Park’s n.-w. sector and still present there into end-of-day on Thursday, 2/23 (and, not associating at all with the many other usual ducks at that hour). The county also has had some sightings of Long-tailed Ducks, in N.Y. Harbor most-recently, and Common Goldeneyes, both there and more-so as found more often by seekers, at (or well east-northeast of) Randall’s Island. The rather sparse recent sightings of any Scaup (Lesser, or Greater) also have been from either Randall’s Island or in a few prior sightings off Governors Island, and more-sparsely from a few other locations around the waters of the county. Ring-necked Duck also have been sparse. Wood Ducks (several) have been around, almost all (with a couple of occasional exceptions) in various waterbodies of Central Park, where it is the drakes that catch most observer’s eyes, although (few) female ‘Woodies' also have been in that park in some recent occurrences as well. Other waterfowl have included an assortment of more-expected and sometimes-numerous species, with Atlantic Brant, Canada Goose, Mute Swan (usually just a few, or single sightings), N. Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard (with some not-so-wild types mixed in, as per usual), American Black Duck (and some likely hybrids of “Am.Black-Mallard” type), Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser (these mainly seen in Central Park on various waterbodies, but occasionally one or more elsewhere in the county, also), Red-breasted Merganser (with a few showing up in Central Park, not a very rare sight there for the season, and most on the rivers or out in the harbor area, in modest no’s.), and Ruddy Duck (the most of them staying in Central Park’s reservoir, but also seen elsewhere in lower no’s.). Occasional reports of “small geese” and of some other less-expected duckage in the county have not been confirmed lately. The only heron species that’s been quite regular over this month so far has been Great Blue Heron, of which some sightings include visitations in Central Park, and far more-often in other locations. American Coot has been, as per usual for this county, mainly seen in small no’s. in Central Park. On Thursday, near-sunset hour, there were at least 45 Red-breasted Mergansers (many looking paired-off, but not all) in the waters around Randall’s Island - far more of that species than I had been aware of, or that most if any reports had been indicating; a lot of these were in the area south and SE of the island, as well as some more-distantly off to the E-NE, where some Common Goldeneyes also lingered in a ’typical’ area for the latter. More than 1,500 [Atlantic] Brant were moving around, although they took off in the SouthBronx shore direction, from the NE sector of Randall’s, that lift-off poss. inspired by one loose, running dog (with owner in the vicinity). Black Vulture is increasingly seen at any time of the year, from (in particular) the vantage points in the northern parts of Manhattan, esp. viewing to the west, although some sightings also involve the species nearby / overhead, and also from other areas in the county. Turkey Vultures also have been seen, with a slight uptick of sightings on some of the milder days of this month. Of birds with behaviors that include soaring at times, there are regular sightings of Common Ravens, from various locations around the county, ongoing this winter. American Crows also have been somewhat regular, and a few reports of Fish Crow have been made (not all with vocalizations confirming that less-usual species). Everyone on this planet has had the chance to read (in unending news-reports, etc. etc.) of the owl that got away after some criminal-vandalization took place at the zoo in Central Park (which zoo is a part of the W.C.S., the umbrella non-profit organization that showcases the more-famous Bronx Zoo, and which does conservation-oriented work world-wide), but there have been naturally-occurring owls of up to 4 additional (wild and native in N. America) species, of which all have occurred within Central Park, as well as (some if not all) in other parts of the county into this month. Other birds of prey have included Sharp-shinned Hawk (few), Cooper's Hawk (plenty had wintered in the county, including in neighborhoods and not all in larger parks, but with a small increase later in February), Bald Eagle (somewhat irregular but hardly ‘rare’ for this month’s occurrences, seen in multiple locations), Red-shouldered Hawk (scant, but the species was already starting to move north in the past week or so), and the most-widely seen and reported of diurnal raptors here, Red-tailed Hawk, plus all 3 of the ‘regular’ falcon spp., American Kestrel (seen in multiple locations in the county), Merlin (scarce and scant lately), and Peregrine (widely seen but less reported than Am. Kestrel). There have been a few (not widely-reported, if at all) sightings of Monk Parakeet from a few select locations, and that species is still clinging to at least a few areas within the county, these might be watched for further potential expansions in coming years. A few Belted Kingfishers have been somewhat regular in select places, not to mention the single bird that as-usual, thanks to Central Park’s highly-watched status, had received vastly more reportage-on than the rest of the same species in the county, combined, have lately. Such partly-hardy species as Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Winter Wren, Carolina Wren, Brown Creeper, both Golden-crowned and (more) Ruby-crowned Kinglet[s], and all 3 of the expected mimid spp. - Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, and N. Mockingbird, plus Hermit Thrush have been seen in select locations thru the winter. Some Cedar Waxwings have shown at times into this month, and American Robins are to be seen and heard, in some warmer days, the latter even chirping-up a bit of song. Red-breasted Nuthatches, as well as White-breasted Nuthatches are ongoing, in smallish numbers, and in moderate no’s. have been Black-capped Chickadee, with uncommonly-high no’s. of Tufted Titmice, the latter however in a somewhat concentrated mass in so many areas where they have been [over]-fed in cold weather or warm, in this crazed-climate winter of wild swings in temperatures. There were fairly large numbers (130+) of American Robins at near-dusk in a few concentrated areas of Randall’s Island, on Thurs., 2/23 and still-more were also noted along East River pathway n. of E. 96th to 118th St. as well as earlier, a fair number at Riverside Park sites and (as had been) a modest number scattered thru Central Park, with some additional of that species also in various small parks. There were also what to my eye seemed more juncos in a few flocks at Randall’s Island, esp. on various field edges in the n. half, with a count of 98 in just one large wide-ranging flock, plus some more in other scattered areas there. These seemed to be almost-pure junco flocks, with if any other sparrows, perhaps a very few Song Sparrow, and those perhaps only incidentally; this again later in the day on Thursday, 2/23. (In general, Randall’s presented a lot of the birds it had been over recent weeks.) A list of some of the month-so-far sightings in New York County - [Atlantic] Brant, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Wood Duck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, American Black Duck, Mallard-x-American Black Duck (hybrid), Redhead (1 drake), Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser (some increases), Ruddy Duck, Horned Grebe, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, American Coot, Killdeer, American Woodcock, Bonaparte's Gull, Black-headed Gull (mainly just fly-by sightings, lately), Ring-billed Gull, [American] Herring Gull, Iceland Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Red-throated Loon, Common Loon, Great Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk (sparsely), Cooper's Hawk, Bald Eagle, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, E. Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Barred Owl, and more owl sp. have observed in February in N.Y. County, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Yellow-shafted Flicker, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Monk Parakeet, Blue Jay, American Crow, [Fish Crow reported], Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Carolina Wren, European Starling, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, House Finch, Purple Finch (very sparsely reported lately), American Goldfinch, [Red] Fox Sparrow, [Slate-colored] Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow (at least 2 ongoing, poss. others in the county this winter), White-throated Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow (seen in February, but not reported much this winter), Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow (sparse sightings), Eastern Towhee, Baltimore Oriole (1, which has been well-reported all winter in and around Union Square, Manhattan), Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Rusty Blackbird, Common Grackle, Ovenbird, Orange-crowned Warbler, Pine Warbler, [Myrtle] Yellow-rumped Warbler, Northern Cardinal - are among sightings noted for February so far - and there are surely at least some other species that’ve (naturally!) occurred this month in N.Y. County. (Around 100 or so species, more-or-less, for the month thus far in the county.) - - - - Some insects of various types have been noted in milder days this month. Note: some reliable reports indicate *small numbers* of Red-winged Blackbirds had been as far as at least the US-Canada border in eastern states in recent days, with some of those reports also noting these were the "earliest-ever" in their personal experience for some northern locations. Thanks to the many observers out and about, in all weathers and offering some of the many, many sightings - a vast majority of the less-common species which were made to GroupMe type ‘alerts' and also, typically to eBird, as well as some with other reporting and just plain old word-of-mouth as well. Good final weeks of winter birds, Tom Fiore manhattan -- 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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
