Tuesday, 13 May, 2014 - Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City By virtually all accounts and observations, a less-active day than the previous 12 - twelve days in a row of tremendous migration in terms of both numbers of individual birds, and species diversity. Today, Tues., had a lower diversity and overall numbers, yet there were still many birds, and still at least 100 or more species in total were observed, by all observers combined. The more rarely-seen species of the day before were not reported.
A very good flight of (Atlantic) Brant took place, with one flock moving N-NW in early morning totaling more than 500 birds; other flocks were also noticed thru early morning, by multiple observers from various vantage points; all of these birds seen going in a northerly direction. The reservoir did not seem to harbor any drop-ins of these species. In the last several days, more Empidonax [genus] flycatchers have been reported with species designations, and a relatively few observers have reported hearing confirming call notes or even songs from some. Willow Flyctacher, and (ongoing) Least Flycatcher were among these, with a much smaller number of reports of the other 3 species that migrate through each year. Eastern Wood-Pewees have been a bit more vocal as they begin to get to anticipated numbers, with certainly far more yet to pass through. Olive-sided Flycatcher has been seen and, by a lucky relative few, heard as well, although not today (to my knowledge). E. Kingbird numbers have been fine with some diurnal flight also seen, mainly in a.m. hours. Some extremely late-moving migrants have been noted in Central (and generally in a lot of places in the city &/or region), including a rather tardy Louisiana Waterthrush today in the Ramble. In the last few days, sightings of Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Brown Creeper, Dark- eyed Junco and a few others are all notable. Not quite as unusual are some late-ish Palm Warblers still being found, even to today in the park's north end, this of the "eastern" type. It is clear by this day that most of the Hermit Thrush have moved on, and so have the vast majority of White-throated Sparrows. It will be interesting to see how many of these 2 species might show up again in the next push of migrants thru the area. Also greatly diminished now in Central are Blue-headed Vireos, although a few non-vocal individuals were still around. In general many more female birds of many migrant species have been passing through & they may give call notes but are not belting out songs, lessening the early morning chorus just a bit now. Female Blackpoll Warblers have been seen over the last few days, although not in any great numbers! Gulls were massed at the reservoir today, and a few Laughing Gulls wandered in for a while. Of shorebirds, the two most-common May migrant spp. were again seen: Spotted, & Solitary, Sandpiper[s]. Both species of Cuckoo were reported again, although most observers continue to see Yellow-billed, certainly the species more often found in migration, and a shy local breeder in some parts of the city as well. Common Nighthawks are still sure to pass through as May goes along, the showing so far has been fairly impressive for the date, still not mid-May, not quite. Warblers were in good supply but the number of their species today may have dropped to 20 or perhaps slightly more. It will be harder to find some of the earliest-moving of them, such as Pine, 'Louisiana', & Palm, but a few real stragglers are possible into late spring, as with almost any species. For sparrows about all of the typical migrant species of spring were still around, but in much lower numbers. Lincoln's Sparrows have been in good supply and multiples were seen by a number of observers, the same being so for White-crowned. Of rare- in-spring species, the Clay-colored Sparrows reported from at least 3 separate locations in Central Park on Monday are almost certainly a "first" for the number on a single spring day, of course it's possible one or more were the same individual[s] but that would be rather hard (as in - "impossible") to prove, after the fact; the breeding range of Clay-colored Sparrow has been observed to have expanded dramatically east, through all of northern NY & New England, and that species is almost certain to become more & more regular on migraton, including modestly so for spring. The distinctive song of Clay-colored might be studied and learned. As always in Central Park, best to attempt visual confirmation of "heard" birds... for all the use of devices which can be overdone, and is by a very few, with one offender regularly using play-back & worse to intentionally harass, thus with no sense of ethics whatsoever in caring at all for the welfare of the birds. The American Birding Association has a Code of Ethics and gives some guidelines which should apply to all bird-observers, and most especialy to any who are leading a walk and perhaps being paid to do so - http://www.aba.org/about/ethics.html - NOTE in particular from article 1b, (first sentence): Limit the use of recordings and other methods of attracting birds, and NEVER USE SUCH METHODS IN HEAVILY BIRDED AREAS. (emphasis added!) good & responsible 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/ --
