Saturday in the park with Tom

      White-eyed Vireo - photo courtesy of:  birds.audubon.org

TOM FIORE REPORTS:
Saturday, 26 April, 2014 - Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City

Despite not being any kind of "wave" or even a real "splash" of migration-seeming-sort-of-day, some holdovers, & maybe a new few were seen in the park, as well as a few additions from later in the day on Friday- a duo of Glossy Ibis seen in early evening over the Loch, reported by N. Sourgi, who also noted a White-eyed Vireo today in the Ramble's "oven" (that's just west of The Point);  a Black-throated Green Warbler turned up in the north woods, 1st noted by a young birder, later seen & even heard singing slightly at the Loch's east end - accompanied by a modest flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers... but for most, the n. end was rather slow-going, and yet another nice sighting was a Northern Waterthrush - also spotted by a "n. end" regular & seen by at least several.  A few species were lingering, or, new individuals came in & happened to be in some of the same areas, including Prairie Warblers, & Louisiana Waterthrushes (several), as well as Pine, Palm (in multiples), Black-and-white, and Myrtle/Yellow-rumped (not yet the "invasion" of them, which may be some days away yet) Warblers.  Also a number of Blue-headed Vireos (and incidentally Warbling Vireos have arrived in a few NYC parks, on breeding territories), Hermit Thrush, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and modest numbers of Sparrows, most being White-throated but a smattering of some of the other regular migrants also.

In 2009, Manhattan had a high temp. of 92 F. on this date... not quite there, this spring.

Tom Fiore,

Manhattan

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

Yesterday's bird report

Multiple, not super numbers of  Palm Warbler  in the park yesterday
Palm Warbler- photo by Murray Head

Tom Fiore has sent in an impressive list of birds he saw yesterday and a detailed report of his birdwatching day:
:
Tuesday, 22 April, 2014 - Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City

After a few days during which migration slowed to a crawl (at best) and most birders were not lingering very long, today provided a little more... interestingly, much of the park appeared & certainly sounded quiet in the first hour of daylight, then as the morning warmed into the afternoon, further sightings were added, and the nature of today's (or, really, last night's) arrivals became a little clearer. This was a widespread & good migration in much of the northeast. More migration is occurring in the area this evening & night...

I ended up with 8 &-a-half hours in the park, and also (briefly) looked in at the n. sections of Riverside Park (Manhattan west), where there were at least some of the same (among more common) migrant species..

A modest number of additional (species) sightings were reported (some by word of mouth or to other lists) today, and a whole lot of birders were out & about, more or less all day long. (caprimulgid, anyone?)  It may be worth a look up in coming days, not only for possible raptors, but a wide variety of other birds which migrate & move about during daylight hours...

Turkey Vulture (at least a few, p.m. fly-overs)
Double-crested Cormorant (largest numbers noted on the day may have been a single fly-over flock of 75+, as well as numerous smaller groups, plus those in the park)
Great Egret (multiple as fly-overs, & a few in the park)
Snowy Egret (p.m. fly-over)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (several)
Canada Goose
Wood Duck (2)
Gadwall
American Black Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler (70+)
Bufflehead (6+)
Ruddy Duck (8+)
Osprey (fly-over)
Bald Eagle (adult fly-over, Meer area; K.Chaya report)
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
American Coot (2)
Laughing Gull (1, reservoir, 3:45 p.m.)
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon (feral)
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift (at least several, from n. end & Ramble areas)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (male, Ramble, p.m., thanks to 'anon'.)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (very few)
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow-shafted Flicker (not that many)
Eastern Phoebe (2)
Blue-headed Vireo (15+ through park)
Blue Jay (many)
American Crow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2 or more)
Barn Swallow (12+)
Black-capped Chickadee (2)
Tufted Titmouse (few)
White-breasted Nuthatch (1)
Brown Creeper (1)
Carolina Wren (several)
House Wren (several)
Winter Wren (2)
Kinglet species (poss. Golden-crowned)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (40+ through park)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (more than a few)
Hermit Thrush (80+ in park, best day yet)
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher (several locations, singing)
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing (a few small flocks)

Nashville Warbler (seen singing, Loch, p.m.)
Yellow Warbler (Ramble, Bow Bridge, p.m.)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (multiple ~ 75+/park)
Pine Warbler (1 or 2)
Palm Warbler (multiple; not super numbers)
Black-and-white Warbler (several locations)
Louisiana Waterthrush  (Loch, & the Pond)
Common Yellowthroat (male seen, Loch)

Eastern Towhee (more than a few)
Chipping Sparrow (90+ through the park)
Field Sparrow (2)
Savannah Sparrow (8+ through the park)
Song Sparrow (multiple)
Swamp Sparrow (more than a few)
White-throated Sparrow (many)
Dark-eyed Junco (15+)
Northern Cardinal
Baltimore Oriole (same 2 overwintered birds; still the only ones seen thus far this year in Central Park; they have ranged a lot in the greater ramble area & nearby)
Red-winged Blackbird (scattered locations)
Common Grackle (multiple)
Brown-headed Cowbird (too many, suddenly)
House Finch (scattered locations)
American Goldfinch (multiple)
House Sparrow

Thanks to those north end & Ramble birders who gave detailed reports, good directions, & who spotted nice birds.

Good & responsible birding,

Tom Fiore
Manhattan

Day 1 of year 19

Pale Male and mate [Octavia] looking down at  a newly-hatched chick in the 5th Ave. nest - photo courtesy of Palemale.com

This is the 19th  year of fatherhood for Pale Male! [The first successful hatch was in 1995.]

PS. A grand celebration is due next year, don't you think?