New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Randalls Island and Governors Island and adjacent waters and skies thru Tuesday, November 7 -
A Black-legged Kittiwake was seen and photo-documented -E. Leonardi- on Tues morning, from the river and sky watch area at the western terminus of Dyckman St, on the Hudson River in northern Manhattan, a rare sighting for the county. Also seen were about 30 Bonapartes Gulls in the same 5 hours long watch on Tues., a watch that otherwise was a bit quiet for other migration, even with a few hundred Red-winged Blackbirds on the move, and far-fewer of other diurnal migrators. The kittiwake may be less likely to have stayed at all in that area, however some Bonapartes Gulls may have thus it could be worth further watches, and, with a fresh cold front in place on NW wind, at least some additional new attention to that location looks likely for today. The November 4th report - which was entered into and alerted via eBird, and was later confirmed in same - of a Painted Bunting in adult male plumage was apparently only a several-minutes-long sighting, and despite many other birders coming out to the location of the report, Morningside Park on Manhattans upper west side -very near to Columbia University main campus, where a search also could be made- the bunting of many-colors was not reported at all again, with some also searching the nearby area in subsequent days. Days and nights since have featured much migration, but there is the chance that a vagrant species of that kind could be lingering or lurking in the area, or at-least, within N.Y. City or adjacent areas. Many of those who came seeking that bunting on that day found a Wilsons Warbler in that park, which was one of a number of later-moving or lingering warblers in the county lately. The most numerous of late-moving and lingering warblers have been Common Yellowthroat and Ovenbird, with multiple sightings in a number of locations in the county; those in addition to more-expected Palm and Myrtle/Yellow-rumped Warblers still on the move or lingering. A N. Waterthrush showed at Battery Park on Nov. 5th, along with a late Tennessee Warbler, the latter species also showing up in a few other locations including Central Park to Nov. 4th, where more than one of the latter was present. A Prairie Warbler was photo-documented at Governors Island on Nov. 7th. Recent Orange-crowned Warblers have included one at Randalls Island on 11/7, as well as sightings of lingering Pied-billed Grebe and 40 Laughing Gulls from Randalls on that date, one Orange-crowned Warbler at Governors Island to at least Nov. 3, and others on Manhattan thru at least that date. A Black-and-white White Warbler was photographed at The Pool in Central Park on Nov. 5th. Bonapartes Gulls were also and again noted on the Hudson River off the west end of Dyckman St. and vicinity on Nov. 4th, with a max. count-report of 17 of that gull. This area has hosted that species in past recent years, and shows a longer record of much waterfowl and other migratory activity, more rarely for longer-lingering such birds. Some waterfowl were on the move on the next morning also- 11/5, with Greater Scaup and Common Mergansers among other spp. noted on a watch from the western end-piers and vicinity of Dyckman Street and the Hudson River. This location looks south along the river to southern Manhattan and to Bergen County, N.J. waterfront as well as bits of the Palisades cliff formation and, imposing in the near-south view, the G.W. Bridge spanning the river. Northwards the view can include the Tappan Zee -older traditional name- bridge which also spans the river at Tarrytown and Nyack, NY. An apparent Tree Swallow, on the late side only for N.Y. County -not too unusual in some fully-coastal sectors of N.Y. City this month or even in some winters- was seen from northern Manhattan on Nov. 5th. A Wood Thrush was seen at Union Square Park -A. Deutsch- and a Swainsons Thrush was well-photographed -M. and P. Waldron- at Fort Tryon Park, both in Manhattan, both on Nov. 4th. By far the majority of thrushes in the genus Catharus now occurring, some lingering, are Hermit Thrushes. Some American Pipits continued to be found in a few N.Y. County locations this week, and at some locations, esp. off Manhattan island itself, there is the potential for them to linger for some time if not too disturbed by all manner of human activities - work of all kinds, tourists, sports events, etc etc. - the same can be said for Eastern Meadowlarks, also being seen into this week at some locations, and having had an above-average showing in this county this fall season. These also have a potential for lingering - even wintering - if conditions allowed... a fairly large IF in this county. A few Blue-headed Vireos were still around the county this week, with at least one at Governors Island on Nov. 6, in addition to a few sightings in Manhattan, including at least several in Central Park for the week. House Wren was still present at Central Park at least to Nov. 4th, and Marsh Wren also was seen by many in that park on the same date. E. Bluebirds. continuing a nice run of that species for this county, were seen in several locations including at Highbridge Park, and in Central Park this week. Pine Siskins and Purple Finches continued to be seen in various locations, reports esp. coming from Central Park simply by virtue of so many nearly ever-present observers there at all times, with some birders also out in -or for- the NYC marathon event on Sunday, 11/5. There have been other species moving or lingering in the county, of course, While many of the less-hardy migrants are sure to move on, of those species that had not already cleared out. With presumably some further winter-type arrivals, some perhaps to stay a while. Thanks to many observers and reporters of all kinds of birds in the county and beyond recently. Good birding to all, Tom Fiore manhattan -- (copy & paste any URL below, then modify any text "_DOT_" to a period ".") NYSbirds-L List Info: NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsWELCOME_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsRULES_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave_DOT_htm ARCHIVES: 1) mail-archive_DOT_com/nysbirds-l@cornell_DOT_edu/maillist_DOT_html 2) surfbirds_DOT_com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) birding_DOT_aba_DOT_org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: ebird_DOT_org/content/ebird/ --
