Cloud cover and winds gusting over 20 mph made for challenging birding conditions this morning in Central Park's North End. Starr Saphir's group saw both fewer total birds and fewer total species -- 51 -- than in recent walks, but quality was very high. We had 17 warbler species including CAPE MAY, WORM-EATING, and BLACKBURNIAN. We had our first-of-season CEDAR WAXWINGS, and enjoyed great looks at male SCARLET TANAGER, INDIGO BUNTING, and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, the latter in alternative orange-breasted plumage. Calls of BALTIMORE ORIOLEs were heard throughout the walk.
Highlights: Hermit Thrush (Ridge Trail; very late for species) Cedar Waxwing (Great Hill) Worm-eating W. (North Woods) Cape May W. (Great Hill, trees south of running track) Blackburnian W. (Ridge Trail in North Woods) Chestnut-sided W. (Loch) Canada W. (Loch) Scarlet Tanager (Great Hill) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Great Hill) Indigo Bunting (Ridge Trail in North Woods) www.starrtrips.wordpress.com for more information and for our blog covering Central Park birding David Barrett 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/ --
