Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, 7-8-9-10 May, 2016:
Manhattan, N.Y. City -
It was quite the 4 days, with an intensive push of migrants on Sunday,
8 May, but also many moving &/or lingering on the day prior to then, &
as well for the 2 days to 10 May. The highest no. of species was
found in 1 day, 8 May, and that day also featured what appeared to be
by far the highest total number of individuals, as well as maxima
(during the noted 4-day period) for many species thus far this
spring. The total no. of species observed (by hundreds of observers
in total) for Central alone on Sunday 8 May is not exactly known and
may not ever be, but it was more than 120 species. The no. of species
in Manhattan in the 4 days from 7-10 May exceeded 150, which is a lot!
but is not quite that close to record-high no's. in spring migration,
and there are single-day May-migration species-counts for the location
which are a bit higher as well from the past century. One massive May
flight occurred about 20 years ago (region-wide), while there have
been some others of very great magnitude in more-recent years, as well.
In & over Central Park alone, these birds were seen in the 4-day-
period, 7 through 10 May, 2016:
Common Loon (fly-overs)
Double-crested Cormorant (fly-overs in the many hundreds, fewer in park)
American Bittern (hundreds of observers, 8 May)
Great Blue Heron (fly-overs)
Great Egret (many fly-overs, max. no's. as always seen in season from
n. end of park)
Snowy Egret (multiple fly-overs, no's. as always seen in season from
n. end of park)
Green Heron (multiple, esp. on 8-9 May)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (multiple)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (8 & 9 May, first day w/hundreds of
observers)
Glossy Ibis (w.-bound flyover, 9 May, from n. end of park; f. rare for
park sighting, but almost-annual)
Black Vulture (rare fly-over, 9 May)
Turkey Vulture (several fly-overs, uncommon this late)
Canada Goose (local birds, breeds in C.P. recently)
Atlantic Brant (small no. of fly-overs through period)
Wood Duck (v. long-lingering male)
Gadwall (multiple pairs)
American Black Duck (fly-overs, 9 May)
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal (2 low fly-bys at reservoir, 8 May)
Bufflehead (lingering & rather late, reservoir)
Ruddy Duck (few lingering to at least 9 May)
Osprey (several fly-overs)
Northern Harrier (fly-overs, uncommon in spring at C.P.)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (fly-overs, 8, 9 May)
Broad-winged Hawk (3, fly-overs, 9 May)
Red-tailed Hawk (local residents)
American Kestrel (local residents)
Peregrine Falcon (local residents)
Greater Yellowlegs (fly-bys, 8, 9 May)
Solitary Sandpiper (9 & 10 May)
Spotted Sandpiper (multiple)
Laughing Gull (few, reservoir & fly-bys)
Ring-billed Gull (limited no's. incl. fly-bys)
Herring Gull (multiple, incl. fly-bys)
Great Black-backed Gull (mainly at reservoir)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo (8, 9, 10 May, several locations)
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (7, 8, 9, 10 May, multiple locations)
Common Nighthawk (eve. fly-bys, 8 & 9 May)
Chuck-will's-widow (8 May, Ramble, many, many observers)
Chimney Swift (multiple)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (multiple, flight of good proportion for
dates)
Belted Kingfisher (thru period, & more than 2 for 8 & 9 May)
Red-headed Woodpecker (adult, fly-by 9 May, north end, early a.m.)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (at least 2 lingering to 9 May)
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker (1, possible resident)
Yellow-shafted Flicker (very small flight 8 May, plus lingerers/
breeders)
Olive-sided Flycatcher (9 May, Great Hill, n. end of park)
Eastern Wood-Pewee (8-9-10 May; still "few")
Acadian Flycatcher (at least 2 calling, 10 May)
Willow / Alder ["Traill's"] Flycatcher (Empidonax sp., likely of this
type)
Least Flycatcher (multiple but still small no's., thru period)
Eastern Phoebe (several, not that late & poss. 1 or 2 are lingering)
Great Crested Flycatcher (multiple, esp. 8-9 May)
Eastern Kingbird (multiple including some in a.m. diurnal flight, 8 &
9 May)
White-eyed Vireo (at least 2, thru 9 May)
Blue-headed Vireo (multiple but being exceeded by Red-eyed & Warbling)
Yellow-throated Vireo (still in multiple, esp. 8 & 9 May)
Warbling Vireo (multiple, many pairs also on breeding territories in
Central)
Red-eyed Vireo (multiple, nearly common by 10 May)
Blue Jay (multiple; nesters too)
American Crow (in small no's.)
Purple Martin (male reported by multiple obs. 7 May, at reservoir &
vicinity)
Tree Swallow (multiple, flights on 8, 9, & 10 May)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (multiple, small flight on 8 & 9 May)
Bank Swallow (multiple but modest no's. 7-9 May)
Barn Swallow (massive flight, hundreds thru 8-10 May, incl. many fly-
overs)
Cliff Swallow (several, well-observed at reservoir, 7 & 8 May)
Black-capped Chickadee (few, with a few also still moving on 8 May)
Tufted Titmouse (modest no's.)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (8 May)
White-breasted Nuthatch (few, breeding)
Brown Creeper (rather late, 9 May, n. end)
Carolina Wren (few)
House Wren (many, incl. some on breeding territories thru park)
Winter Wren (few, rather late, 8-9-10 May)
Marsh Wren (8 May, Meer; very uncommon but regular spring-fall migrant)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (still in multiple thru period; 50++ on 8 May)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (modest no's. esp. noted 8-9 May)
Veery (continuing with a major flight 8 May, likely hundreds then in
all of park)
Gray-cheeked Thrush (seen singing; multiple locations, at least 5
likely, 10+ poss. 8-9-10 May)
Gray-cheeked / Bicknell's Thrush (several undetermined to sp. but of
this type, thru period)
Swainson's Thrush (modest flight but 50+++, esp. 8-9 May, many singing
at times)
Hermit Thrush (still in numbers thru 9 May, now becoming less-common)
Wood Thrush (major flight on 8 May, with many individuals singing &/or
calling, also breeds in C.P.)
American Robin (many, & many now nesting)
Gray Catbird (massive flight 8 May, easily 500+ in park on the 1 day,
with cont. good no's. afterward)
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher (few, breeds with difficulty in C.P., poss. a few
moving thru additionally 8 May)
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing (modest no's. with little flight noted (?) for 8 May,
ongoing & sporadic breeder in C.P.)
Blue-winged Warbler (multiple but relatively modest no's., maxima (?)
15++ on 8 May)
Blue-winged x Golden-winged Warbler (a.k.a. Brewster's Warbler,
Lawrence's Warbler)
Tennessee Warbler (modest no's. thru period, poss. 6+ thru park 8 May,
most singing)
Orange-crowned Warbler (8 May)
Nashville Warbler (ongoing very good no's. even before 8 May, max. 25+
on that day)
Northern Parula (150+ on 8 May, with good no's. before & after)
Yellow Warbler (many, ongoing)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (40+++ 8 May, also seen before & after)
Magnolia Warbler (incr. to near-common by 10 May, max. 75+ on both 8 &
9 May, some groups of 10+ 8 May)
Cape May Warbler (max. 15+ on 8 May, multiple locations w/ some
sightings of up to 3 or even 4 at once; also before/after 8 May)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (max. 100+ 8 May)
[Myrtle] Yellow-rumped Warbler (max. 1,500+++ 8 May, also v. numerous
9 May; still most-common warbler thru 10 May, which is v. slightly
late for such)
Black-throated Green Warbler (max. 60+++ 8 & 9 May, w/ some groups of
8-10 seen in some locations, also seen in multiple before / after
those dates)
Blackburnian Warbler (max. 20++ 8 May, w/some sightings of 3 or even
more in one location; also widespread before & after that date)
Pine Warbler (rather late, but not surprising with a strong flight in
early May, 1 female, 8 May, near Pinetum area)
Prairie Warbler (max. perhaps 30++ 8 May, occ. sightings of 3 to 4 on
that date, also widespread before & after that date)
Palm Warbler ("western" & "eastern" forms)
Bay-breasted Warbler (few, & always much-sought species, 8, 9, 10 May,
with at least 4 from 9 May; hopefully more to show)
Blackpoll Warbler (multiple but still v. modest no's. as would be
expected for period, max. 15+ 8 May, also before & after date)
Black-and-white Warbler (75+ max. on 8 May, a rather high no. but
hardly unprecedented for date, many seen now are females)
American Redstart (max. perhaps 90+ by 9 May, also v. numerous 8 May,
prob. yet to reach typical highest no's. of the season)
Worm-eating Warbler (multiple, poss. 8+ on 8 May, with at least 5 in
"prior" areas, but also several in "new" areas by that date, also
before & after then)
Ovenbird (massive add'l. push on 8 May, with 300+ easily in park
entire that day; this species also seen in small street plantings &
etc. on that day, also common before & esp. after that date)
Northern Waterthrush (very good push 8 May, max. by songs heard as
well as sightings - many nowhere near water as is typical of big
movements in C.P., 75+ 8 May, fewer by following day, but still in
high multiple no's.)
Louisiana Waterthrush (late, but not completely unprecedented - there
is a June 1 photo'd. record for Central; 8 & 9 May)
Common Yellowthroat (major push 8 May; max. 250+ that date, also f.
common before & quite common after that date)
Hooded Warbler (multiple, poss. 3 or more 8 May, to my knowledge, with
2 in one location & 1 seen singing in another; also present before &
after that date, incl. fem.)
Wilson's Warbler (multiple but modest no's., poss. up to 15+ max. on 8
May, also seen before & after date)
Canada Warbler (multiple but modest no's., poss. up to 20+ by 9 May,
with a small push for 8 May, & after)
Summer Tanager (several, male / first-yr. male, female, Ramble area, 8
& 9 May, as well as several sightings from Riverside Park Manhattan)
Scarlet Tanager (multiple, max. 35+ 8 May, with some prior, & not
uncommon on dates after)
Eastern Towhee (multiple, lingering & a modest add'l. push 8 May, 15+
that date, & many before, some after that, also v. scarce breeder in
C.P.)
Chipping Sparrow (multiple, fresh reinforcements on 8 May, many also
before, & lingering since, with some attempting to breed & has bred in
C.P.)
Field Sparrow (few, scarce in C.P. for a common "local" breeder, still
4 or more)
Savannah Sparrow (modest no's. 8 May, also well-before then, & a few
after)
[Red] Fox Sparrow (extremely late for species, one 8 May, n. end;
rarely seen in May in N.Y. City)
Song Sparrow (multiple, some breed in C.P.)
Lincoln's Sparrow (max. for period poss. 8++ 8 May, also before &
after, poss. still to increase)
Swamp Sparrow (multiple, 30++ 8 May, will start to decrease soon, seen
before & after date)
White-throated Sparrow (impressive fresh arrival 8 May, additional
800+, perhaps many more that date; also seen on street plantings etc.
that date; still common thru period, & is a v. scarce "summering" -
nonbreeding lingerer in C.P. thus a nearly year-round species, as
hundreds winter annually in C.P.)
White-crowned Sparrow (multiple continuing, with a likely modest
addition 8 May, max. poss. 12+ that date, also seen before & after)
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (good fresh push 8 May, 65+++ that date, a few
also noted in street trees that date; many also before & after then)
Indigo Bunting (multiple, but not a big-big push as might be thought
for such a migrant wave; a very surprising no. had moved thru much
earlier this spring; max. 12++ 8 May, with some ongoing before & after
then)
Bobolink (modest no's. in typical early a.m. flights, 8 & 9 May,
calling & a few males singing, not lingering as far as I am aware,
which is typical for C.P. occurrences, that is, that this sp. does not
linger in this ultra-urban park, although stop-overs are sometimes of
an hour or more; slight lingering occurs v. slightly more in "fall"
movements in C.P.)
Red-winged Blackbird (still some movement, esp. of females, 30-40+
thru period, esp. 8 & 9 May)
Common Grackle (common and also some lingering)
Brown-headed Cowbird (100's on 8 May - following & preceding many of
the passerines-&-kin which they nest-parasitize; also present before &
after date; this species is very overlooked in C.P. in May, & that's
part of the cowbird's specialty)
Orchard Oriole (multiple, esp. 8 May, max. poss. 20+ that date, with
some sightings of 4+ at one location; also seen in multiple before &
after date)
Baltimore Oriole (multiple, max. 75+++ 8 May, with many seen well
outside park and also a bit of diurnal flight 8 & 9 May, not unusual
at all here, esp. in early a.m.; also a f. common breeder thru most of
N.Y. City)
Purple Finch (few noted but also can be "lost" in goldfinch no's. &
noise in May; at least 6 in several areas, 8 May, also present to 9
May, & irregularly before then)
House Finch (common in some 'local colonies')
American Goldfinch (v. common passage migrant, 100's passing thru
recently)
House Sparrow (overabundant pestiferous marauder of breeding native
songbirds, but still well-fed by many persons & their bits of bagel,
muffin, scone, cupcake, etc.)
There are almost certainly omissions from the above list, esp. as
regards all of Manhattan island's many birding locations and
sightings. As many as 8+ additional species were also seen from other
points in Manhattan, with 1 highlight noted at least several times to
this list being Seaside Sparrow[s] along the Hudson river, at
Manhattan's west side (those still present at the location near the
west end of W. 55 St. & by the Hudson river green-way ped.-bike paths,
west of W. Side Highway thru Tues. 10 May.) There were also
tremendous flights & no's.of species observed in multiple parks &
green-spaces in Manhattan - and - in all of the city's borough's
(counties) and in some it is easily not only possible, but probable
that the above species-counts were exceeded. All of the other 4
boroughs (counties) of N.Y. City have vastly more habitat and in
greater variety for migrants of all kinds.
Good ongoing May-is-for-migrants (but also a nesting season, please be
considerate to every nesting bird, everywhere), & thanks to many
hundreds of observers,
Tom Fiore
Manhattan
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