Birdwatching on the Riviera

If you glance at the report of the Early Birders' walk this morning, you may be struck by a location called the Riviera. Obviously it does not refer to the Mediterrannean resort in the South of France. The Riviera, in Central Park birdwatching lingo, denotes a particular lakeside bench along the path between Bow Bridge and the Boathouse. A group of old-time Regulars like to sit there on winter mornings because it catches the morning sun. They claim it is the warmest spot in the park on a cold day. Also there are good birds to be found in its vicinity as you may see below.


Site: Central Park
Date: 11/16/05
Observers: Marie Winn, Lenore Swenson, Alice Deutsch,  Naomi Machado,
Sandra Maury, Ardith Bondi
Reported by: Ardith Bondi


Double-crested Cormorant  (Reservoir)
Canada Goose
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Bufflehead (Reservoir)
Ruddy Duck
American Coot (Reservoir)
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Blue Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee (ubiquitous)
Tufted Titmouse (ubiquitous)
White-breasted Nuthatch (several)
Carolina Wren (Riviera)
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird (Strawberry Fields)
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing (flock, Cherry Hill)
Northern Waterthrush (Triplets Bridge)
Fox Sparrow (Riviera)
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow (Bank Rock Bridge)
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal  (quite a few)
Rusty Blackbird  (Cherry Hill, thanks to Barb Saunders for calling it to
our attention)
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow