Date: Friday, 27 May 2011 (1:50p-7:20p) Location: Manhattan - Swindler Cove Park & Sherman Creek Reported by: Ben Cacace
This upper Manhattan park is situated along the Harlem River at the end of Dyckman St. & 10th Avenue across the island from Fort Tryon Park. A breeding plumaged adult RED-THROATED LOON was feeding at the mouth of Sherman Creek at low tide. There was no need to dive so it fed from the surface by submerging its head. The NYC Audubon checklist mistakenly lists this loon as not seen in the city during Spring. The most vocal birds were WARBLING VIREO, YELLOW WARBLER and NORTHERN FLICKER. Last 3 birds seen were GRAY CATBIRD, AMERICAN CROW and RED-TAILED HAWK. May checklists [2]: - # of birds seen on the last 2 trips were 36 & 35 respectively with a combined total of 41. - Birds missed [6]: American Kestrel, Downy Woodpecker, Tree Swallow, Blackpoll Warbler, Brown-Headed Cowbird & House Finch. - Additional birds seen [5]: RED-THROATED LOON, AMERICAN CROW, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW, CEDAR WAXWING & NORTHERN CARDINAL. Weather for 27-May for New York, NY (1:51p-6:51p) < http://tinyurl.com/3db28sl >: - Conditions: Clear to Mostly Cloudy - Temperature: 79.0 to 82.0 F - Wind direction: SSE - South - Wind speed: 10 - 17 mph (gusts to 22 mph) ** Total species - 35 ** Abundance categories from 'The New York City Audubon Society Guide to Finding Birds in the Metropolitan Area' published 2001. Abundance season is 'Spring', March - May, and applies to all of New York City. Listed as not seen in Spring [1 spp]: - Red-throated Loon - 1 adult in breeding plumage feeding at mouth of Sherman Creek during low tide 'Uncommon' seen in small numbers; 1-3 per day in habitat [2 spp]: - Warbling Vireo - Heard & seen along Sherman Creek & in the park - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1 flying along the Harlem River 'Fairly Common' usually seen; 3-12 per day in habitat [11 spp]: - Red-tailed Hawk - 1 perched on southernmost of the Dyckman Houses - Spotted Sandpiper - 1 feeding along the length of Sherman Creek - Chimney Swift - 3 seen many times ranging E & W of the park - Northern Flicker - Very vocal male seen & heard throughout the day - Eastern Kingbird - Pair (m/f) incl. several display flights & calls - Northern Mockingbird - 1 heard on N side of Sherman Creek - Cedar Waxwing - First bird seen perched on S side of Sherman Creek - Yellow Warbler - Very vocal male seen & heard along Sherman Creek throughout the day - Northern Cardinal - 1 male heard only - Baltimore Oriole - 1 male seen & heard throughout the day - American Goldfinch - 1 male seen & heard in the park 'Common' seen easily; more than 12 per day in habitat [21 spp]: - Canada Goose - 8+ incl. 2 goslings - American Black Duck - Pair (m/f) continues on Sherman Creek - Mallard - 3+ incl. 1 female - Double-crested Cormorant - 1+ - Great Egret - 3+ - Black-crowned Night-Heron - At least 1 adult male - Ring-billed Gull - 6+ - Herring Gull - 2+ - Great Black-backed Gull - 4+ - Rock Pigeon - 6+ - Mourning Dove - 2+ - Blue Jay - 1+ - American Crow - 1 heading W over Sherman Creek - Barn Swallow - 3+ seen together regularly - American Robin - 12+ incl. fledges & nestlings - Gray Catbird - 1 seen & heard - European Starling - 6+ - Song Sparrow - 4+ seen & heard - Red-winged Blackbird - 3+ incl. 1 female - Common Grackle - 4+ - House Sparrow - 12+ Taxonomic order: - Canada Goose - 8+ incl. 2 goslings - American Black Duck - Pair (m/f) continues on Sherman Creek - Mallard - 3+ incl. 1 female - Red-throated Loon - 1 adult in breeding plumage feeding at mouth of Sherman Creek during low tide - Double-crested Cormorant - 1+ - Great Egret - 3+ - Black-crowned Night-Heron - At least 1 adult male - Red-tailed Hawk - 1 perched on southernmost of the Dyckman Houses - Spotted Sandpiper - 1 feeding along the length of Sherman Creek - Ring-billed Gull - 6+ - Herring Gull - 2+ - Great Black-backed Gull - 4+ - Rock Pigeon - 6+ - Mourning Dove - 2+ - Chimney Swift - 3 seen many times ranging E & W of the park - Northern Flicker - Very vocal male seen & heard throughout the day - Eastern Kingbird - Pair (m/f) incl. several display flights & calls - Warbling Vireo - Heard & seen along Sherman Creek & in the park - Blue Jay - 1+ - American Crow - 1 heading W over Sherman Creek - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1 flying along the Harlem River - Barn Swallow - 3+ seen together regularly - American Robin - 12+ incl. fledges & nestlings - Gray Catbird - 1 seen & heard - Northern Mockingbird - 1 heard on N side of Sherman Creek - European Starling - 6+ - Cedar Waxwing - First bird seen perched on S side of Sherman Creek - Yellow Warbler - Very vocal male seen & heard along Sherman Creek throughout the day - Song Sparrow - 4+ seen & heard - Northern Cardinal - 1 male heard only - Red-winged Blackbird - 3+ incl. 1 female - Common Grackle - 4+ - Baltimore Oriole - 1 male seen & heard throughout the day - American Goldfinch - 1 male seen & heard in the park - House Sparrow - 12+ -- 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/ --
