Date: 4/6/25 4:07 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC - Saturday, 4/5 - B.-h. Vireos, B.-g. Gnatcatchers, 3 Swallow species, other migrants
Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - on Saturday, April 5th -
A drizzly cool day with plenty of birds about. Multiple observers in Central Park on Saturday morning, and some watching in afternoon hours, saw several ongoing Blue-headed Vireos, at least 2 of those in the Ramble area, while in the north end of the park in particular, a number of Blue-gray Gnatcatchers were found, including along the Loch, near the Meer area - where it is accessible, and in the N. Woods and also at the part of the Conservatory Garden which is open and accessible, while also in the n. end of Central in particular, at least ten -or more- swallows of three species were ongoing, with a majority of those ongoing birds being N. Rough-winged Swallows, as well as a few Tree and Barn Swallows - these seen over the Meer in the parks northeast quadrant, where they have been regular for a week or more, especially the Northern Rough-wingeds some of which came in a bit earlier than is expected.
Other birds found on Saturday for Central Park -all of the park- included the following - with the above species also in this list.
More than ninety species of birds were seen in, or some flying over, Central Park on Saturday April 5th, and that is a high percentage of all species of birds noted from all of the 4 larger islands in New York County on this one day, although some very fine additional species were seen on the other-islands, such as Wilsons Snipe as one example, again on Governors Island, and the ongoing Wild Turkey at Roosevelt Island. Numerous migrants were again found on and around Randalls Island, and migrants were found on all sides and portions of Manhattan island as has been so in all of this month.
Many smaller parks and gardens and greenspaces and even various street trees or plantings held some migrants. And - a new species was at-last found in Canal Park in lower Manhattan for the modern-era of birding, by that parks most-regular watcher - a White-breasted Nuthatch made its way in to the long list of well-over 100 species on the park list, which is an impressive list of birds for the size and location, for those not having visited, it is a fairly small park, not all that far from the Hudson River.
Below from Central Park on Manhattan island only and all on Saturday, April 5th. The number of observers was far-more than 150, in total, and in all areas of that park over the course of 12-plus hours. Indeed, some were out birding in the steadier rain, drizzles and cool winds at times- including this observer.
Canada Goose - including some attempting to nest.
Wood Duck - minimum of six in all of the park.
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
American Black Duck
Green-winged Teal - minimum of eight, five or more on the C.P. reservoir in the pm hours, plus the ongoing birds at The Pool.
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser - ongoing, with some that had overwintered.
Red-breasted Merganser - again on the reservoir.
Ruddy Duck
Pied-billed Grebe - ongoing on the reservoir.
feral Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove - many.
American Coot - ongoing all winter into now, at reservoir.
American Woodcock - two, perhaps others as well.
Laughing Gull - reservoir.
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Common Loon - flyovers for a good flight-day locally for this species.
Double-crested Cormorant - some flyovers as well as those seen in the park.
Great Blue Heron - still visiting, with more possible for the spring to summer.
Great Egret - ongoing.
Green Heron - early, but also in-accordance with some others in the region by now. Location is not given now.
Black-crowned Night-Heron - multiple as the day was ending, as on multiple other recent evenings and nights.
Black Vulture - flyby, early. A week which has seen more-than-ever of this species on the move in this county.
Turkey Vulture - relatively few for Saturday.
Osprey - multiple on Saturday.
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper's Hawk - multiple on Saturday.
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk - doing what this species does in this season, including nest-building and keeping, and other such rituals.
owl sp. - will be noted in the month after.
Belted Kingfisher - this species has been seen daily in the multiple in Central Park for over a week, and 3 to 5 on this day.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - multiple, with some having also moved-on in the past week. More are expected to pass soon...
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
-Northern- Yellow-shafted Flicker - multiple, as ongoing migrant arrivals continue.
American Kestrel - ongoing.
Merlin - multiple on Saturday.
Peregrine Falcon - local-area resident Peregrines are around year-long, and regularly come over or into Central Park.
Eastern Phoebe - multiple but somewhat fewer than a recent few days of peak movements. More will be coming thru.
Blue-headed Vireo - first seen on Friday in the Ramble area, and 2 or more continued there again on Sat., slightly-early for this county, and again with multi-observers.
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow - told by form but at this season also by distinctive voice.
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee - nice numbers still being seen park-wide.
Tufted Titmouse
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - 6 or more ongoing over the Meer in Central Park, others also occasionally seen in other parts of the park.
Tree Swallow - multiple, continuing.
Barn Swallow - minimum of two continuing.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - multiple, but not that many.
Golden-crowned Kinglet - multiple.
Red-breasted Nuthatch - several ongoing.
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper - multiple.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - as noted at top, multiple but not many, and with multiple observers on Saturday 4-5.
Winter Wren - few after some passages of recent.
Carolina Wren - few.
European Starling
Gray Catbird - scant, and may all be overwintered as it is still very early for any longer-distance arrivals of this species in our region.
Brown Thrasher - multiple, more than one week prior.
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush - many locations for these now-arriving migrants.
American Robin - common with some already doing the nesting.
Cedar Waxwing - few.
House Sparrow
House Finch
Purple Finch - several, including two together at the Loch, later in day.
American Goldfinch - scattered all-through with some small flocks.
Chipping Sparrow - multiple, in many locations.
Field Sparrow - several.
Red Fox Sparrow - some have been singing lately in multiple areas.
Dark-eyed -Slate-colored- Junco - many, the passage is continuing.
White-throated Sparrow - many, a slight increase again in past day.
Savannah Sparrow - several, including at least 2 on the N. Meadow.
Song Sparrow - many, all around the park, many also singing lately.
Swamp Sparrow - increases for the past week, occasionally singing.
Eastern Towhee - small increases with some further arrival.
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird - scant, on the day.
Rusty Blackbird - few, ongoing over the past week, fewer than one week ago, but still-more may be expected to pass thru.
Common Grackle - widespread.
-
Louisiana Waterthrush - several.
Palm Warbler - 20 plus for all of the park.
Pine Warbler - 12 plus for all of the park.
-Myrtle form- Yellow-rumped Warbler - several in the north end, with a few others elsewhere.
-
Northern Cardinal
Thanks to those many independent observers and those affiliated with or guiding walks for not-for-profit organizations dedicated to education in science, conservation and outreach, in this area and region, with many contributions to our non-x bird alerts and to eBird with the Macaulay Library for media.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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