Some birds appearing at points northeast of NY (or in northern NY) very recently include a couple of Ash-throated Flycatchers, as well as a Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Nova Scotia Canada), and in a few reports, Northern Shrike including at least one in the Lake Placid area of the Adirondack region in a report to NNY Birds, and also one in Fair Haven in n.-w. Cayuga Co. - with a few more being noted in northern New England recently.
A very high number of Yellow-billed Cuckoos are being found this week in coastal locations of Maritime Canada and a number of them also are being reported this week at coastal locations through New England, with a modest variety of other neotropical-winterers including Summer Tanager and various other species. A series of cold fronts may push a few of these sorts of birds to locations in parts of NY. W. Kingbirds are still showing up, as for example on Block Island off Rhode Island, most recently. - - - - - - - - - - - - - Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City Thursday, 13 Oct. - The birding seemed slower and it was hard to find as much variety. In some places there were stragglers (or lingering individuals) of neotropical-wintering warblers and a few other such almost-gone-in-a-week-or-so species, including now-late American Redstart, and a few Magnolia Warblers. I'm sure more may have been seen (or could have) but I ran out of time to look. Sparrows were still around but it seemed all birds were a bit less noticeable. Water-bird diversity was not so great in Central, but at least some of the more usual suspects have been turning up (with Wood Duck and a few N. Shoveler already present for some weeks) such as Ruddy Duck, as well as Pied-billed Grebe, on the reservoir & at least 1 female Green- winged Teal making an appearance too. There continue to be a variety of raptors moving, and also a more modest number being seen in the park, hunting and/or roosting. (Thanks to observer J. Suzuki, for a tip on some of the water-birds.) Wednesday, 12 Oct. - a Vesper Sparrow appeared at the upper "plateau" of Falconer Hill, after 9 a.m. (at which time dogs are supposed to be leashed in all areas, but which is very rarely enforced anywhere in Central) only to be flushed repeatedly and eventually moving to the bocci-ball & cricket lawn area just a short way to the southwest - and on a later pass, having moved to the edges of Sheep Meadow not far from the Mineral Springs paviillion food court (brick building) which is immediately north of Sheep Meadow. This species is actually annual as a migrant, mainly in fall, in Central but can be missed as they tend to appear in spots that are not checked by all birders, or perhaps by almost none, in some sites. In years past among the best places for them had been along edges of the N. Meadow ballfields and peripheral lawns, but really they can and have also turned up in a number of areas. As with this, they are rather likely to be in company with Savannah Sparrows, in this and often in other places, as also in some breeding areas in the northeast. A reasonable number of other sparrows persist and many more might be expected with the coming cool- down. Tuesday, 11 Oct. - the numbers of Myrtle / Yellow-rumped Warbler showed a very noticeable increase, with many hundreds moving through in the first part of the day, in just one small section of Central Park. Also in very good (increased) numbers were Chipping Sparrows as well as at least 5 additional sparrow species in numbers. A modestly early "Red" Fox Sparrow was in the north end, & 15+ White-crowned Sparrows were found from both the north and south halves of Central Park combined. Monday, 10 Oct. - at least 2 Yellow-breasted Chats were lingering in 2 separate areas of the park, the n. end as well as the Ramble. This was also the last day I know of when a collective warbler tally for the park went past 15 species. A Blue Grosbeak was also reported at the same area it had been in not long before (near the compost) and it is very possible this is the one more recently at the wildflower meadow (in same plumage). - - - - Riverside Park in Manhattan has had a fairly good mix of expected October migrants, with at least a smattering of warblers in the past week including Tennessee, Nashville, N. Parula (multiple), Black- throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Black-and-white, Ovenbird, American Redstart (into Monday), Wilson's (to Monday) and Common Yellowthroat, plus many Palm and especially Myrtle / Yellow-rumped Warblers. A lot of these had been feeding among lush beds of fall- blooming asters and other native vegetation in the high slope near the park's perimeter wall, not far from Riverside Drive. (The "drip" area has had some activity, but few observers.) As in Central, the diversity and also numbers seemed to slide on Thursday, while a lot more effort might have turned up a few more nice birds. Smaller parks and green-spaces have held a modest number (occasionally more) of migrants this week. As noted for Bryant Park in midtown Manhattan, the Catharus thrush tribe have been nicely represented (with Veery the one "missing" species as could be anticipated for that earlier-to-depart species). Also appearing in some small parks in midtown have been Yellow-bellied Spasucker, Brown Creeper, both Kinglet species, a few warblers, and Sparrow species. most of the latter being White-throated, as is typical. - - - - It was good to hear at least a belated report of an American Bittern found a bit earlier this month in a small wetland restoration area at Inwood Hill Park, in Manhattan's northern end. Also seen on the weekend when the bittern was found was an adult Red-headed Woodpecker - perhaps moving on, although at this point in the season, it is also worth looking to see if any of them might be lingering... Good birding, Tom Fiore, Manhattan -- 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/ --
