Tom Fiore's Report TODAY [Monday]

Magnolia Warbler - photo by MURRAY HEAD - May 10, 2014

Tuesday, 28 April, 2015 - Central Park (Manhattan, N.Y. City)

The (rehabilitated, & released yesterday) Prothonotary Warbler was making the rounds thru the day today, with appearances at & near Turtle Pond, followed by movement thru the Ramble at it's NE corner and subsequently on to The Point & vicinity, as well as sightings from next to &/or in the Shakespeare Garden. It is still visibly less-than-100%, but seems to be feeding well, and obviously moving around a lot. It can be assumed there is just the one, unless & until any photos (or observation of more than one in same view) prove otherwise.  Thanks to David Speiser for his note to this list regarding the release of this bird, on Monday. It has now been observed by at least several hundred birders!

The Ramble & Turtle Pond, & the southern half of the park generally, were again the somewhat more active than the n. end, although nice activity is also to be found in the north end as well.  At least a couple of additional sightings, probably new for the year were reported and observed by many, including a Yellow-throated Vireo which I first learned of from Brenda Inskeep, and a number of observers also saw Magnolia Warbler, and Black-throated Blue Warbler, along with at least a few Black-throated Green Warblers still in the Ramble, and a couple of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks moving through in the a.m.   Some sightings were made mainly in the first 3 hours of the day, but good activity was & is possible in some areas all day long.

In all, the variety may have been about the same in total species numbers, and for total individuals it was hard to say, as some species might be fewer but some others increased a bit. Interesting for being a little on the late side, a couple of Golden-crowned Kinglets, Brown Creeper, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, & Dark-eyed Juncos were all still to be found, the last of these actually in somewhat higher numbers (park-wide) than in the preceding few days. On days with fairly steady NW/W winds in mid-spring, raptor flight can sometimes be observed from Manhattan, and today showed that to be so, with sightings of Bald Eagle, & Sharp-shinned, Cooper's, Red-shouldered, & Broad-winged Hawk along with Ospreys, and (local) American Kestrel & Peregrine Falcon. The reservoir as of 2 days ago held a very late Lesser Scaup (drake) and still today had a few N. Shovelers and Buffleheads, while at least 4 Wood Ducks remain in the park. 

good birding,

Tom Fiore

Manhattan