Date: Tuesday, 31 May 2011 (2:50p-6:20p) Location: Manhattan - Swindler Cove Park & Sherman Creek Reported by: Ben Cacace
This 5 acre upper Manhattan park is situated along the Harlem River at the end of Dyckman St. & 10th Avenue across the island from Fort Tryon Park. The OSPREY was seen early on low over the Harlem River. It climbed to a good height for a few minutes on thermals then drifted south out of sight. The flycatcher was one of the last birds seen at the overlook on Sherman Creek. It was close by and flycatching low in the shrugs along the creek. It had little to no eyering, buffy wingbars and moderately long primary projection matching eastern WILLOW FLYCATCHER or ALDER FLYCATCHER. The bird never called so I feel moderately comfortable calling it Alder/Willow Flycatcher species even though Willow Flycatcher is a confirmed breeder in the "Second Breeding Bird Atlas" just one block north in 5852B. Only 3 of the 35 species were seen from Swindler Cove Park proper. Sherman Creek & the trees along the creek are very productive. The last 3 birds seen were WARBLING VIREO, ALDER/WILLOW FLYCATCHER sp. & BALTIMORE ORIOLE. May checklists [3]: - # of birds seen on the last 3 trips were 36, 35 & 35 respectively with a combined total of 44. - Additional birds seen [3]: OSPREY, HAIRY WOODPECKER & ALDER/WILLOW FLYCATCHER sp. - Birds missed [9]: American Black Duck, Red-throated Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Spotted Sandpiper, Downy Woodpecker, Tree Swallow, Blackpoll Warbler, Brown-headed Cowbird & American Goldfinch. Weather for 31-May for New York, NY (2:51p-5:51p) < http://tinyurl.com/4yer2m8 >: - Conditions: Clear - Temperature: 87.1 to 79.0 F - Wind direction: Variable - SSE - Wind speed: 5 - 8 mph (no gusts reported) ** Total species - xx ** 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. 'Scarce' seen in habitat, but not daily [1 spp]: - Hairy Woodpecker - 1 female seen & heard near the Bat House 'Uncommon' seen in small numbers; 1-3 per day in habitat [4 spp]: - Osprey - 1 @ 3:00p low over Harlem R. climbing high & drifting S - American Kestrel - Male chased to Dyckman House by crow - Warbling Vireo - Heard & seen along Sherman Creek & by the Bat House - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1 seen various times over Harlem R. 'Fairly Common' usually seen; 3-12 per day in habitat [10 spp]: - Red-tailed Hawk - Pair on antenna across Harlem R. - Chimney Swift - 2+ - Northern Flicker - Pair seen & heard throughout the day - Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's) Empidonax alnorum/traillii - Eastern Kingbird - 1 low over Harlem R. slow flying - Northern Mockingbird - 1+ seen & heard throughout the day - Cedar Waxwing - 1+ seen & heard throughout the day - Yellow Warbler - 1 male seen & heard along Sherman Creek - Northern Cardinal - 1 male seen & heard along Sherman Creek - Baltimore Oriole - 1 male flying towards W edge of Sherman Creek 'Common' seen easily; more than 12 per day in habitat [20 spp]: - Canada Goose - 8 incl. 5 goslings in 2 families - Mallard - 4+ incl. at least 1 female - Great Egret - 1 flyover heading S over Harlem R. - Black-crowned Night-Heron - 3+ incl. 1 subadult - Ring-billed Gull - 4+ - Herring Gull - 2+ - Great Black-backed Gull - 2+ incl. 1 subadult - Rock Pigeon - 8+ - Mourning Dove - 2+ - Blue Jay - 1+ seen & heard - American Crow - 1 spotted chasing kestrel - Barn Swallow - 2+ - American Robin - 12+ - Gray Catbird - 4+ - European Starling - 6+ - Song Sparrow - 3+ seen & heard - Red-winged Blackbird - 3+ incl. 1 female seen & heard - Common Grackle - 4+ - House Finch - 1 male - House Sparrow - 12+ Taxonomic order: - Canada Goose - 8 incl. 5 goslings in 2 families - Mallard - 4+ incl. at least 1 female - Great Egret - 1 flyover heading S over Harlem R. - Black-crowned Night-Heron - 3+ incl. 1 subadult - Osprey - 1 @ 3:00p low over Harlem R. climbing high & drifting S - Red-tailed Hawk - Pair on antenna across Harlem R. - American Kestrel - Male chased to Dyckman House by crow - Ring-billed Gull - 4+ - Herring Gull - 2+ - Great Black-backed Gull - 2+ incl. 1 subadult - Rock Pigeon - 8+ - Mourning Dove - 2+ - Chimney Swift - 2+ - Hairy Woodpecker - 1 female near the Bat House - Northern Flicker - Pair seen & heard throughout the day - Alder/Willow Flycatcher (Traill's) Empidonax alnorum/traillii - Eastern Kingbird - 1 low over Harlem R. slow flying - Warbling Vireo - Heard & seen along Sherman Creek & by the Bat House - Blue Jay - 1+ seen & heard - American Crow - 1 spotted chasing kestrel - Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 1 seen various times over Harlem R. - Barn Swallow - 2+ - American Robin - 12+ - Gray Catbird - 4+ - Northern Mockingbird - 1+ seen & heard throughout the day - European Starling - 6+ - Cedar Waxwing - 1+ seen & heard throughout the day - Yellow Warbler - 1 male seen & heard along Sherman Creek - Song Sparrow - 3+ seen & heard - Northern Cardinal - 1 male seen & heard along Sherman Creek - Red-winged Blackbird - 3+ incl. 1 female seen & heard - Common Grackle - 4+ - Baltimore Oriole - 1 male flying towards W edge of Sherman Creek - House Finch - 1 male - 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/[email protected]/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/ --
