Tom Fiore's thorough report on Early Spring Migration

Palm Warbler -- Photo by MURRAY HEAD

Wed.-Thursday, 28-29 March, 2012 -

Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City

On Wednesday, 3/28, it was most evident that a fair migration of early spring species had moved through, most evident in Central Park at the far north end (nearest 110 St.) with the mix including a couple of Osprey fly-overs, a Great Blue Heron fly-over, a few Turkey Vultures, Great Egret (which could have been a prior arrival, as these were seen in the week preceding), and among smaller birds, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (all I saw were in bright spring plumage), N./Yellow-shafted Flickers, Eastern Phoebe (in concentrations that were suggestive of just-arrived birds, although some must have been seen here for weeks already, with the species present in early Feb. in NYC), Brown Creeper (in numbers likely exceeding those that wintered in the specific area looked at in the N. end), both Kinglet species (mainly Golden-crowned with 8+ seen; one of the Ruby-crowned singing loudly for a while), Hermit Thrush (in modest no's. but again modestly exceeding the no's. seen in the specific areas over the past winter), & these Warblers: Orange-crowned (one, that possibly-probably an overwintered bird as it had been seen on-and-off in the past few weeks & prior in the general area observed again), Pine (several, including 1st-spring male & female, as well as adult male), and "eastern"/"yellow" Palm (8+ around the n. end & just one found on the Great Lawn later in the day), plus some Chipping Sparrows (12+) & a few other sparrow species which may have been around, including Field, 'red" Fox, Swamp, Savannah (in the compost area), and typical Song & ubiquitous White-throated, plus Slate-colored Junco and Eastern Towhees. A late-day look around the Ramble didn't come up with too much, and a rather quick look just after the brief mid-day rain for the Red-headed Woodpecker that had been overwintering at Hallet Sanctuary in Central's SE section was unproductive for me... This will have to be among the more interesting winters past to try and sort out what and how many birds that normally don't successfully overwinter in our region, did, this time - or at least made it into February. An American Woodcock was found on Wed. in the vicinity of the Pool, & there still could be some more yet to pass thru.

Thursday, 3/29 - a full list of species seen in the a.m., at Central Park:

Pied-billed Grebe (reservoir)
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron (Meer)
Great Egret (2 fly-bys, n. end)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Pond)
Turkey Vulture (fly-over)
Canada Goose
Wood Duck (on Lake)
Gadwall
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Bufflehead
Ruddy Duck
Cooper's Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
American Coot
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-headed Woodpecker (still present near Hallett Sanctuary's NW corner)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (at least several in Ramble, also pinetum, & n. end)
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern [Yellow-shafted] Flicker
Eastern Phoebe (multiple)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tree Swallow (over Lake & over Meer)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Meer)
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper (multiple)
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet (multiple)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (multiple today)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Ramble, near Boathouse)
Eastern Bluebird (male, Tupelo Meadow/Ramble)
Hermit Thrush (multiple in Ramble, s. and n. end)
American Robin
Gray Catbird (1, almost certainly overwintered)
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher (2, most likely overwintered)
European Starling

[Myrtle] Yellow-rumped Warbler (2, drab plumage)
Pine Warbler (several)
Palm Warbler (multiple in Ramble & esp. in n. end)

Eastern Towhee (several, perhaps all overwintered)
Chipping Sparrow (modest, widely dispersed flocks)
Field Sparrow (several)
Savannah Sparrow (several)
[red] Fox Sparrow (several)
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow (several)
White-throated Sparrow (ubiquitous)
Dark-eyed Junco (fair no's.)
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird (few)
Rusty Blackbird (at least 3 in Ramble; & 2 in n. end)
Common Grackle (many)
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

...not to "worry", this full-species list won't be regular.

Good birding,

Tom Fiore,

Manhattan