Wednesday, 5 April, 2017 Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City
A rather modest amount of new migration allowed for a return of more species, if not great numbers, of early-spring migrants. A Barn Swallow was reported from the bird-walk group with a leader from the A.M.N.H. (American Museum of Natural History, New York) as seen over the reservoir. A minimum of 2 Louisiana Waterthrushes were present, by far the one sought & seen by more observers that in the Ramble, and another seen by David Barrett & myself in early afternoon, at the Loch’s farthest sw portion, though workinga along the n. bank when seen by us. The Ramble bird (assuming just one) was in wet areas from next to the lake west of The Point, up into the areas just to the north, with good running water in & along a few paths, from the dousing of rain that had come thru early Wed. in the 'wee hours’. Also seen again today were some Pine, Palm (‘eastern-yellow form) & Myrtle (a.k.a. Yellow-rumped) Warbler[s]. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were seen in a few locations, and had been noted as well as of Monday. (An amazing flight of B.-g. Gnatcatchers were recorded at Cape May, NJ this Wed. morning, by a highly-skilled team of observers: more than 1,000 of this sprite-like species were seen passing north from the Point at Cape May; even in that special location, this is a very high number!) In Central, both Kinglet species were noted but with golden still the much more common of them, & some Hermit Thrush, Chipping Sparrow, and a few other expected migrant spp. but in modest or low numbers. Waterfowl had a pair of Ring-necked Ducks come in to Turtle Pond, and still around as well, N. Shovelers, Buffleheads, Ruddy Ducks, the female Am. Wigeon at the Meer, Wood Duck in 2 locations, & at least a pair of Hooded Mergansers, as well as Gadwalls. There were a few reports that a Red-necked Grebe was continuing, &/but a non-breeding-plumaged Common Loon was defintely on the reservoir, as well as D.-c. Cormorants in multiple locations. Finally, the Red-headed Woodpecker in fine bright plumage was again in the area just west of East 68-69th Streets; it’s the first path in tne park west of & parallel with Fifth Avenue to look for this from & try looking up high, too - this bird typically moves about or may call occasionally. -------- "Until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you haven't done a thing. You are just talking.” - Wangari Muta Mathaii (1940-2011; activist, author, planter of trees, member of Parliament in Kenya, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, the first environmentalist in the world and first African woman to receive that honor) Good birding - and thanks to the many responsible & ethical birders reporting good sightings, Tom Fiore manhattan -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME.htm http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES.htm 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://birding.aba.org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
