N.Y. County (in N.Y. City), including Manhattan, Randall’s and Governors Island[s] and the waters & skies adjacent -
A brightly-plumaged PROTHONOTARY Warbler was found at Central Park’s Turtle Pond earlier on Wed., 8/11 (V. Iadevaia), & was being seen by multiple observers by that afternoon; some were (later) reporting more than 1 individual. It’s possible that this species could move about & show along any of the park’s water-bodies at any time during their stay; if not seen at the original area, the nearest other waters are those of The Lake, slightly to the south, and other water-bodies in that park would be additional places to check on. A photo (by its’ finder) of the Prothonotary Warbler has been placed in the Macaulay Library archives: https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/360559131 At least a few other warbler species seemed to have arrived on that or the day prior, with Wilson’s and Canada Warblers, and a further report of a hybrid (“Brewster’s” type, cross of Blue-winged & Golden-winged) warbler as well, these all in Central Park by 8/11; while a (male-plumaged type) Hooded Warbler had appeared at Riverside Park by 8/10. Another Tennessee Warbler showed at Central Park by 8/9, after the rather-early individual of that species from 7/23. It will be interesting to see if there is any trend for some additional boreal-breeding migrants to start re-appearing early on the southbound migrations; there may not yet be enough evidence to suggest it as a trend. On 8/2, two Semipalmated Plovers appeared at Inwood Hill Park’s north-side mudflats, found & ID’d by S. Dodson & N. O’Reilly respectively. They apparently moved on after just a short time. Least & Semipalmated Sandpipers, as well as more-widespread Spotted Sandpipers, continued to be seen there & in a few other locations. Solitary Sandpiper was again seen as of Aug. 7-8th. There was an eBird report with Lesser Yellowlegs at Governors Island on 8/5, and a surprisingly-early report (also in eBird) of Hooded Merganser on Aug. 9th in Central Park’s Turtle Pond, the latter found by K. Samel - and following a sighting of that species on 8/8 at Prospect Park in Brooklyn / Kings Co. (N.Y. City); a pair of the species had also been present at Jamaica Bay Refuge in Queens Co. (N.Y.C.) in recent days; there also was at least 1 of that species at the start of July on Staten Island (Richmond Co.), N.Y., with other sightings regionally over the summer. Mute Swan made an appearance on the East River on 8/11. A Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was photo’d. (T. Olson) at Battery Park at Manhattan’s south end on 8/9, and one or two of that species have been somewhat regular at Randall’s Island. Osprey, Bald Eagle, and Cooper’s Hawk are among the less-commonly seen raptors in the county recently. Small numbers of Turkey Vultures have been seen, most-often from northern Manhattan, but also from other vantage points. On Aug. 5th, some of the freshly-arriving migrants included Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Orchard Oriole, and Wilson’s (early), Prairie, & Blackburnian Warblers, along with more of some of the below species. Some birds being seen by Aug. 7th included Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager (also reported for 8/6), Indigo Bunting and Canada Warbler. 14 of the warbler species seen this month so far were present in Central Park by Sunday, 8/8 & of those, just two are potential/possible nesters in that park (Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat). Both Cuckoo species, Black-billed & Yellow-billed, were present in Central as of last Sunday and these also have been seen previously around Manhattan this summer. By Wed., 8/11, there had been at least 18 warbler spp. in N.Y. County in August, with 17 of those having occurred in Central Park (and most of the more-common of them in multiple other locations). An Olive-sided Flyctacher was photo’d. in Central Park’s n. end on 8/9, in addition to the several sightings of that species the weekend prior, 8/7 & 8/8. E. Wood-Pewees have been present, although unobtrusive & often quiet, all summer in several Manhattan locations, including Central Park, with the same holding for Great Crested Flycatchers. More widespread E. Kingbirds are already *just* beginning to migrate through, although a good number of the breeding locals are still around in family groups. Also starting to return were a few more of Empidonax [genus] flycatchers. For the record, the earliest report of a southbound (in 2021) Empidonax flycatcher for N.Y. County came from Central Park’s n. end on July 20th, and by description was most likely a Least Flycatcher. By 8/5, Willow Flycatcher was also noted (by calls heard) in Central Park, & there are some other Empidonax also appearing. The more-numerous migrant warblers continued in about same order of abundance in the county as previously - Yellow Warbler & Northern Waterthrush being the more-often seen; by 8/4 & 8/5, however, American Redstart was beginning to overtake as the more numerous and had also been seen in smaller parks & green-spaces. Black-and-white Warbler also started to show in slightly more locations, and other species continuing to be found included Worm-eating and Blue-winged Warbler, as well as Louisiana Waterthrush, Ovenbird, & Common Yellowthroat. One of the migrant Prairie Warblers was photo’d. (B. Sadock) at Swindler Park/Sherman Creek in n. Manhattan on 8/5. Chestnut-sided Warbler was reliably reported on 8/7. Two N. Parulas have been present in the Central Park Ramble area since July, and poss. were summering, as there was little gap in the latest “spring” reports, then in same areas, those summer sightings. (The species has attenpted to nest in N.Y. City very rarely - but that was not suspected in Manhattan.) Also on the move lately are Osprey, Belted Kingfisher, Barn, Bank, & N. Rough-winged Swallows (& potentially, Cliff) with at least some staging/local movement from Tree Swallow (and regionally, some Purple Martins on the move for some time now), & still some laggard (from July’s larger movements) blackbirds, mostly Red-winged Blackbirds with B.-h. Cowbird also in that category. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds also continue, some of which may stop off for a while (days) in productive feeding areas. Below, a list of warblers seen in N.Y. County from the start of August - with 17 of these seen within Central Park - Prothonotary Warbler (Central Park, 8/11) Ovenbird (limited no’s.) Northern Waterthrush (increased, now fairly regular) Louisiana Waterthrush (modest no’s., & still fully expected) Blue-winged Warbler (increased but still in limited numbers) [Brewster's Warbler - hybrid] Tennessee Warbler (Central Park, n. end, 8/9) Northern Parula (at least 2 appear to have summered-over in Central Park) Yellow Warbler (still increased, first migrants were in early July) Blackburnian Warbler (few, not esp. early by Aug.) Prairie Warbler (few, very slightly earlier than typical first southbound arrivals) Black-and-white Warbler (relatively widespread by now, & expected) Chestnut-sided Warbler (very slight increases) American Redstart (rather widespread, fully expected) Worm-eating Warbler (small numbers, have been moving for many weeks now) Common Yellowthroat (ongoing sightings) Hooded Warbler (adult male type plumage, Riverside Park north, 8/10) Wilson's Warbler (slightly earlier than typical southbound arrivals in the county) Canada Warbler (as above; this species is not restricted however to boreal-nesting, as is the previous) ... >From what was presumed a first appearance on Oct. 9th, 2020, a Barred Owl was >present (ultimatey viewed by (at least) tens of thousands of observers) to the >evening and night of Aug. 5, 2021 - almost certainly the most extended (known) >stay of that species in Manhattan in modern (or historic_ times. Sadly the >owl met its demise as of very early morning on Aug. 6th, reportedly in a fatal >collision with an official vehicle within the park, not far from the owl’s >regular haunts there. This serves in part as a reminder that wiildlife >including many birds experience death and injuries all through the year, >anywhere that vehicles & roads are found, and the more so in some high-density >areas. … An addition to various butterflies being seen in the county lately are a few Cloudless Sulphurs (along with the more-usual Orange Sulphurs), & the first of Fiery Skipper[s], while Monarchs and some others continue in fairly good numbers. As in previous summers, a good location in the county for finding some of the ‘southern-immigrant’ butterflies is Governors Island, in both meadow areas and of course at various flowers. Thanks to many other observers out & about - and good birding to all, Tom Fiore N.Y. City & beyond -- 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/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/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/ --
