Today's Migration Report

Palm Warbler - photo by MURRAY HEAD - 4/12/14

Tom Fiore reports on today's birds:

Friday, 25 April, 2014  -  Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City

A modest movement overnight thru the area, it seemed, and perhaps a few new arrivals... a Wilson's Snipe was seen at the Meer, but flying out towards the Loch (that is, in a somewhat westerly direction), by K. Fung this a.m. - and a Spotted Sandpiper was at The Pool near W. 100-103 Sts. this noon hour. At the north end generally it seemed a little "slow" at least in the first hour of the day for other migrants.

A somewhat busier-birdy area was the Ramble, & particularly the stretch of trees from the Point west to near Bow Bridge, as well as to some extent the west shore of the Lake (in early a.m.), & also in the Ramble along the Gill (the small stream that runs from above the Azalea Pond to the lake).  Some (but likely not all) of the highlights earlier were (at least one) Nashville & Prairie Warbler[s], as well as Pine, Palm[s], & Yellow-rumped Warblers, all in willow trees by the "oven" and at the Point or a bit farther west at the edge of the Lake; a couple of Black-and-white Warblers in the Ramble, a (softly singing at times) Louisiana Waterthrush seen & with good directions offered by Chris Cooper & then by Alice Deutsh, with multiple obs. a bit later - the waterthrush ranging all around all of the shore at Bank Rock Bridge on both sides of that bridge & over all the appropriate habitat at the Upper Lobe area... as well as a very good number of Ruby-crowned Kinglets in many areas, a continuing supply of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, & at least a few Blue-headed Vireos, Hermit Thrushes, Chipping & Swamp Sparrows, & some additional migrant species. Chimney Swifts were around, but still in low numbers.

The s.e. section of the park around the Halllett Sanctuary & the Pond also was again producing some nice migrant birds this a.m. & is always worth a look in this season, esp. if one is passing by that area. Try all of the path around the Pond - this is in the extreme southeast portion of Central Park. It is a completely safe (often well-touristed) area to walk in. Note that the sanctuary itself may not be entered; one may observe from a distance on 2 sides, across the water, & from closer on the west & north sides. At times, the small waterfall at the west edge, in a small arm of the Pond, may be a good area to check, & one should not focus only at the water.

A few other intriguing reports were heard of in the park, & hopefully some can be additionally confirmed by more observers. (ps, there seemed to be no one reporting or re-locating the cerulean warbler of 2 & 3 days prior - but it just might still be wandering the tree-tops and if not singing, a tough one to find again.)

Good birding,

Tom Fiore
Manhattan