Happy Pesach and a lovely holiday to all who celebrate or observe of these days.
................................................ I received a virtual outpouring of photos & comments on waterthrush occurrences this week in the park from multiple birders, after a recent post to this list. It seems that Northern Waterthrush were in the park at least as of Tues., & perhaps even a bit before then. Very soon, that will be the "default" waterthrush in the city parks, with Louisiana less-likely as May comes on, but the past week featured more Louisiana, less Northern, & only on 4/21 did the Northern just begin to show it's soon-to-be numerical-dominance in the waterthrush migrations. Thanks to the many who sent messages, a lot of them with insightful notes, as well as some nice photos. I have heard about possible threatening behavior from a certain individual in Central Park recently. I would offer the common-sense suggestion that should anyone make verbal and obviously any physical threats, or remarks that may be taken as direct & personal threats, that is a matter for the N.Y.P.D. (the police), who should be notified immediately and the individual[s] making such threats reported. There is no excuse or reason for anyone to have this happen to them in any public space in this city, or anywhere at all. The people of this city are in fact very tolerant and kind, and/but there are some limits to that tolerance, and if someone is behaving so badly that there may be a potential crime that is being committed, that is a matter for police (not park rangers, not parks workers, not CP Conservancy employees or managers - only the NYC Police) - so "'nuff said", as one would think! With apologies, this has affected some of our park's birding community, it would not be raised here otherwise. __________________________ Thurs. 21st - Friday 22 April, 2016 Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City Friday, 22 April 2016 - By FAR, the strongest day (last night, meaning Thurs. night into Friday) of migrant land-bird movement (with a few waders a.k.a. shorebirds also in & thru the park) for this year so far... with species diversity the main feature, but some nice numbers on a limited number of the more-common migrants, and in particular, a NOTABLY early movement of more than just a few Indigo Buntings, way, way way ahead of their typical PEAK arrival dates, which are not in April at all, based on all records for well over a century. This was an unusual occurrence, and could well bode for a variety of other neotropical-wintering longer-distance migrants to be in the region, perhaps to turn up on the fine weather weekend, with those able to be out & looking. At least 7, poss. 8 or even more, Indigo Buntings were found in Central Park alone this morning, & also of interest is that many, maybe almost all, were in blotchy less-than- peak plumage, also suggestive of an early-arrival event of some significance... or, it could end up primarily a single-species early- push in those sorts of numbers... However with the other species that also came in from a week to 2 weeks earlier than typical arrival dates (NOTE that a typical arrival date is when the mass of that species is first noted, NOT the earliest- ever & various scattered early or very-early dates that are also in the records - there is a vast difference in these, and some newer birders do not see the hugely significant differences in these sorts of occurrences. The difference of even a week, and especially of two weeks, or more, in timings of certain migrants at this season (the spring arrival season) is very significant, and is an indicator for NON-typical migratory events. Sorry, but this is a point that cannot be made too often at this time of year, and in context. It is not, "la- de-da, Indigos are early this year, whoo-hoo, I like Indigos"... although that reaction is perfectly great, it's just not all there is to how bird movement works... it's a bit (a lot) more complex, and hugely interesting & wondrous-strange too, at times. It will be interesting to hear if some reports filter in from some of the barrier- beach areas as well as other migration hot-spots, & also from "odd- spots" all over. Highlights from this Friday (today) include at least 14 species of warblers, a few first-of-year, and some just in the last several days or so. Also in as of today were both species of expected Orioles, at least the more-expected species of tanager (Scarlet, male seen singing in the n. end - & wondering of a rumor on a "poss." Summer, but when- where-who-how-etc.?), as well as the first-reported-today Yellow- billed Cuckoo, E. Kingbird, Great Crested Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, & some other migrants either first or just-barely arriving otherwise, & now in some numbers... an uncommon-but-regular-as-flyby species, Greater Yellowlegs at least doubled the wader spp. number, to 2 (?) with at least Spotted Sandpiper showing at the CP reservoir... Common Loon, a few fly-overs, a.m. - lots more, and likely some more still to be revealed as the weekend is upon us. Will be nice to hear about migrants from all over the region. Friday, 22 April, at Central Park - Common Loon (a few fly-overs, one also calling in flight, north- bound); plenty of Double-crested Cormorants, both in the park, & esp. in overhead flight. Great Egret, Snowy Egret (most fly-overs, east-west-east over north end, as is typical at Central all mid-spring thru summer) Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Wood Duck (male), N. Shoveler (a few still here), Ruddy Duck (few), Bufflehead, Gadwall, & still 1 lingering Amer. Coot. Osprey (some fly-bys), Spotted Sandpiper (at CP reservoir), Greater Yellowlegs (calling fly-by, from the overlook at Turtle Pond, mid-Park) Laughing Gull (2 calling low fly-bys), Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull. (Wednesday's previously-reported Bonaparte's Gull was confirmed, a 1- day-bird only, by Ben King, also 2 add'l. observers later on same day - that was Wed. 4/20/'16 - and a nice sighting on any day for Central Park.) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (1 seen well, not calling at all, the Ramble, near the Castle. Apparently not picked up again) Chimney Swift (multiples, on the order of 8-10+ moving around over park.) Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1 definite to species!, a male seen in Ramble) Belted Kingfisher (various locations including the Pool & the Ravine / Loch) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (few but not all gone yet), Y.-s. Flicker (plenty in.) Eastern Phoebe (modest no's. still in), Great Crested Flycatcher (good view of calling & singing bird at the north end / Great Hill, just before sunrise) Eastern Kingbird (north end, seen well, and another not seen so well in Ramble area a few hours later) Blue-headed Vireo (many), Warbling Vireo (at least one), Red-eyed Vireo (surprisingly early but not, given the push of other neotropicals - Ramble, seen singing near the Castle, early on.) Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Barn Swallow (both in small no's.) House Wren (at least several in park today, seen & heard), Winter Wren (a few, at least, mostly just seen, some calling) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (nearly abundant today, many singing) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (fairly common, highest no's. so far in season) Hermit Thrush (very common, with ~ 200+++ in entire park, likely more) Wood Thrush (at least the 1, photos from me & others, seen & heard giving some calls, west side of Ramble-y area.) N.B. - a few other Catharus possibilities, however all (others besides the Wood) that I could see well turned out to be variations of Hermit Thrush, a typical scenario of late April in Centra Park, and again, as repeated every year, some of the "brown-backed", or Catharus thrush genus, are not at all "straightforward, easy, simple, ID's" in the field; there are variations in Hermit Thrush alone that can cause ID issues, & DO, each season, in heavily-birded areas & in any potential observation on migration.) Gray Catbird (few - & perhaps still just those that wintered here or very nearby) Brown Thrasher (more arrived) .................. ............. 14 Warbler species that I know of & was able to see - in 12+ hours of effort ... Nashville Warbler (seen singing, with effort!, near Castle but in Ramble, early a.m.) Northern Parula (several sightings in Ramble, 1 singing weakly at one point in a.m.) Yellow Warbler (at least several, some singing, mainly Ramble, but also south end) Myrtle / Yellow-rumped Warbler (fair no's. but not quite a real fall- out, distributed more widely in the park than any other warbler sp. this day) Black-throated Green Warbler (at least 1 seen singing, Ramble, near Castle, a.m.) Pine Warbler (not that many, and those seen were often females or at least drab.) Prairie Warbler (several seen singing, Ramble & vicinity.) Palm Warbler (many, perhaps best arrival day so far this season for this species.) Black-and-white Warbler (at least several in Ramble alone, plus a few more elsewhere in the park.) Worm-eating Warbler (one seen by dozens if not scores of birders, the Point / vicinity, Ramble.) Ovenbird (at least several) Northern Waterthrush (multiple, confirmed as early as Tuesday 4/19 by photos, today also some singing well.) Louisiana Waterthrush (several, confirmed by full songs as well as good visual.) Common Yellowthroat (1 or perhaps 2, Ramble, each seen singing & calling.) ...................................... Scarlet Tanager (seen well, singing a bit & calling more, north end / Great Hill, early a.m.) Eastern Towhee (plenty, all over park - at least 20+ seen & heard.) Chipping Sparrow (not that common but all around the park today.) Field Sparrow (uncommon) Savannah Sparrow (modest no's. again today.) Song Sparrow (many and of course also nests) Swamp Sparrow (now nearly-common.) White-throated Sparrow (extremely common today, likely 1,000's in park now.) White-crowned Sparrow (others were reported previously this week, my 'firsts' were this morning, 2 seen singing at Falconer's Hill near W. 72 St. outside Ramble, a.m.) Dark-eyed Junco (still some in.) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (female-looking, but at least 1 singing, & a few heard squeaking in canopy in Ramble & a bit to the north, a.m. & p.m.; a few others reported.) Indigo Bunting (multiple, 7 - 8+, poss. a real flight, or "fall-out" of this species. Many of the Indigos in blotchy male, or seeming female plumage, but some also heard singing, & certainly calling - ALL areas in the park.) Rusty Blackbird (at least 2, prob. more hiding in plain sight, with all the other birds to be gawked-at.) Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird (overlooked, but almost common today - many on the move.) Orchard Oriole (1 seen by many, Ramble area, and poss. a 2nd in the area immed. north by Turtle Pond; I saw the second & plumage seems different from the first seen, but this is harder to confirm than one would think in a place like Central. If there was any adult male, then there were definitely 2 individuals present) Baltimore Oriole (small numbers, in several areas of the park, heard singing & calling, as well as a minimum of 3 seen, including 1st-year male) Purple Finch (several seen & a few more heard singing & then calling) Yes, and many other species including common visitors & resident birds, and almost certainly some 'good-ies' (that I am unaware of at present). ------------- Thursday, 4/21 - much less activity was noted in the park as compared with the following day, however at least a few first-of-year species may have come in, and among them were Baltimore Oriole, as well as other species for some observers. A wind-shift took place somewhat late in the day & thru the night, going into the next morning. Tom Fiore Manhattan .......................................... R.I.P. Prince Rogers Nelson, musician, fighter of gender-stereotypes. - "Act your age, not your shoe size", from 'Kiss'. 'When Doves Cry'. ........................ -- 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/ --
