Thursday, 12 March, 2015
Central Park (Manhattan, N.Y. City)
A Killdeer kind of day, with at least 8 found: initially one, then 2
(& with 5 more, spotted by Karen Fung, a total of 7 at the N. Meadow
ballfields), and at least 1 at the s. side of Sheep Meadow (all later
in the day); additional modest movement included a Belted Kingfisher
at the Loch, an American Woodcock on the Great Hill (& reports of 1 or
more at the Ramble as well), Rusty Blackbird[s] also in the Ramble, &
a fair flight of Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and (fewer)
American Robins all seeming to want to head NE, at least as seen even
in p.m. hours from the NE corner of the park (ie, they headed out of
the park, moving NE). It also seemed as though some sparrows &
possibly other species might have moved, although with so much snow
having melted off, birds had much more room to simply disperse in the
parks, with a lot of potential old & new food available in some spots,
food both "vegetable" & "animal" - seeds, arthropods, etc.
Harder to say about 2 species of Kinglet seen in Central today; my own
assumption that these are birds that successfully overwintered: a Ruby-
crowned at the north end, and 2 Golden-crowned around Cedar Hill. Each
species had been seen into early winter, and could well have made it
thru, even given the extreme weeks. A few other "half-hardy" types
also did, such as Hermit Thrush, Brown Thrasher, Carolina Wren - the
term half-hardy being a relative one, & this winter having obviously
been a tough one for both man & beast. A male Cooper's Hawk remains
in the Ramble & vicinity, often but just temporarily scaring off
smaller birds from feeding areas there. 2 Wood Ducks were still being
found, a drake regular at the Pond (se part of the park), & a female
at the reservoir or the lake. It will still be a while for all the ice
to disappear but now cracks are forming in all the park's waterbodies.
'Winter Hazel', or at any rate a species-cultivar of Corylopsis is
blooming now in a few areas of the park, as are some other typically-
early-blooming flowers ('snowdrops', crocus, & etc.) after Wed.'s
temp. of 60 F. here!
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/
--
