The Fall Migration is gaining momentum

Even though the official start of autumn is more than a month away, the southward migration of songbirds has been in evidence in Central Park for the last few weeks. Every day, it seems, there are more birds stopping over in the park on their way to their winter homes. The report below of this morning's Early Birder walk -- from 7 - 9 a.m, has five warbler species on it. In another few weeks that number will double, then triple, then quadruple. And so will the number of birdwatchers.

Date: Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Location: Central Park

Reported by: Ardith Bondi


Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret (flyover- Strawberry Fields)
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Mallard
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
Barn Swallow (Lake)
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch (Oven)
Wood Thrush  (Ramble)
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird (several imm. Hernshead [3] and Maintenance Field [1])
European Starling
Yellow Warbler (several)
Black-and-white Warbler (Azalea Pond)
American Redstart  (many)
Northern Waterthrush (Azalea Pond)
Canada Warbler (Evodia Field - singing)
Song Sparrow (Oven)
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole (many imm.)
House Finch  (Maintenance Field)
House Sparrow