Oriole at the feeder

Baltimore Oriole eating suet -- photo by DAVID SPEISER 12/12/11


Amy Simmons writes [via eBirds NYC]:

I sneaked in a bit of afternoon birding in CP today after hearingWhite-winged Crossbills had been spotted in the sweet gum trees just south of the "humming tombstone" in the Ramble (thank you, Deb Allen). Not 
seeing them on my first pass, I made my way to the feeders and among the usual suspects saw one "odd" bird which was feeding from the suet cake. It quickly flew off before I could get a good look but it gave me the
impression of an oriole. Fortunately, the bird returned a short time later and I got better looks: Longish, black bill and black eye. Dark head and back but orange-yellow below, extending from throat to tip of tail. Two distinct  white wing bars. It was significantly larger than the various finches and titmice - approximately the size of a  nearby cardinal. I feel onfident it was a Baltimore Oriole, but not sure of the age and sex as it seemed to resemble both the female and immature male, depending on which picture/book I compared it with.

On my way out of the Ramble, I made another swing by the sweet gum tree and ran into Deb and stopped to try again. This time, I got lucky: 2 beautiful males. Overall, a bright reddish-pink with dark wings with two bright white wingbars. No streaking. Although they were high in the tree, the light was excellent and the crossed bill was visible.

the Titmousim

Ed Gaillard reports from Manhattan:

 

Black-capped Chickadee [many]

This morning around 9:30am, had my first of season Common Redpolls in a large sweetgum just south of the Humming Tombstone (same location  people reported on ebird yesterday).  One male, very high and hard to spot among the half-dozen or so mostly male House Finches;  one female, much lower in the eastern limbs of the tree and easier to see. Many Goldfinches and Black-Capped Chickdees in that tree as well. Several White-Breasted Nuthatches around the Evodia feeders, along with more Goldfinches and Downy and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers;  and of course The Titmousim and White-Throated Sparrows continue to abound everywhere.

Good birding,
Ed Gaillard

Redpoll in Ramble

                Common Redpoll [male] from Cornell.birds.edu


Junko Suzuki writes via ebirdsNYC:

A quick visit to Ramble on my way to work this morning [12/12/12] was rewarded by my F[irst]  O[f]  S[eason] COMMON REDPOLL. It was seen in north most sweetgum tree in Muggger's Wood among several American Goldfinchs and Black-capped Chickadees around 8:20 AM.

There were 2 Pine Siskins at the feeders among Goldfinches and House Finches  when I passed by Evodia Field around 8:40 AM.