The find of a Redwing (the European thrush species, Turdus iliacus) in southern Maine, made public on 1/29 (after another had been found much farther north in that state, and following several of that species in eastern Canada this winter so far) is an additional reminder to check through flocks of American Robins, in particular, as they are what that rare-in-North America thrush species is likeliest to travel among; same for another European thrush which has appeared this winter in eastern Canada: Fieldfare (that in Quebec, thru 1/29). Either of those rare thrushes *could* show up in NY state, this winter. Note: I am not advocating for travel out of NY state, rather pointing up that an interesting species (or 2) might show in NYS.
... Central Park & Carl Schurz Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - Friday, Jan. 29th - The Greater White-fronted Goose (of the form flavirostris, as nearly as can be determined; [mis-spelled, thanks-not to auto-correct, in a prev. report of mine]) was seen again at the Lake of Central Park, among many Canada Geese, where it was seen into the afternoon. Many waterbodies may freeze over at least partially in Central, and could both concentrate waterbirds &/or drive some to other waters. A Common Loon had continued on the C.P. reservoir, which most-likely will not freeze entirely. A drake Wood Duck was back at the Pool, in the park’s n.w. sector. [N.B., it is interesting to note that some ornithologists have proposed a ‘split’ of the form flavirostris, or “Greenland - form" Greater White-fronted Goose, as a separate species, and have also noted some possibly nearly-unique behavioral traits (at least for geese of the same genus) in that form, under natural conditions in observation, including a sort of ‘grandparenting' behavior around nest-sites. Some of that, and more, had been included with updates to the “Birds of the Western Palearctic” in 2002, & there may have been other studies since. There is some great, detailed research on this particular form, by Anthony D. Fox, at Aarhus Univ., Denmark, among the available literature.] A Western Tanager (female-plumaged) at Carl Schurz Park was continuing, that off East End Ave. and mostly in the vicinity of W. 85th-87th Streets, coming to trees & buildings on East End, as well as within that park and occasionally fairly low in shrubs or some of the conifers rather near restrooms n. of the main 86th St. entrance. (An Orange-cr. Warbler was not sought by me on a frigid Friday, but may be ongoing, often up by Gracie mansion’s grounds, which is a fenced non-public area). Back over at Central Park, a small number of vultures overflew the park, some of the earlier being Turkey Vultures, uncommon enough here in mid-winter, but then also at least two Black Vultures - and which may have wandered about over Manhattan for a while, eventually, as with the earlier several T.V.’s (of which I counted six observations, but possibly involving just 3 individual T.V.’s) all were headed in a southwesterly direction. I would wonder if these vultures were all coming away from roosts they had been sticking with up until now, and finally with the sharply-colder snap, chose to head on a bit farther south. (In just a month or two, there is a chance of some vulture migration in the other direction, partly dependent in end-of-winter weather.) I can still vividly recall the excitement stirred when Paul Sweet who was then as now working at the A.M.N.H., some 25 years or so ago, came running up in a lunch-hour break, to let a number of us know that the (then) rare Black Vulture was passing over the Great Lawn in Central Park - on a December day - it was a real rarity in Manhattan, at that time. It is still the less-common of our 2 partly-migratory vulture species - will that be so in another 25 years? Various other ongoing birds at Central Park included: Gadwall, American Black Duck, Mallard, Northern Shoveler, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Great Blue Heron, Cooper's Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, American Coot, Ring-billed Gull, [American] Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, ['feral'] Rock Pigeon, European Starling, House Sparrow, Mourning Dove, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Yellow-shafted Flicker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch (scarce), White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Carolina Wren, Winter Wren (at least 2 continue in 2 areas), Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, American Tree Sparrow, [Red] Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Rusty Blackbird, Common Grackle, House Finch, & American Goldfinch - with other additional species being seen in other locations in Manhattan & around N.Y. County, including such as Atlantic Brant, Red-breasted Merganser (on both rivers), Merlin & Hairy Woodpecker (Fort Tryon Park, & poss. elsewhere), Common Raven, & likely some other species at various locations. good birding to all, 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/ --
