Date: 4/11/25 4:04 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, NYC - recent migrants including a 2nd V. Rail in midtown
Manhattan, N.Y. City - thru Thursday, April 10th in-part -
As many learned by still viewing a Virginia Rail into at-least all of Wednesday, April 9th, a second Virginia Rail was present at Bryant Park in mid-Manhattan and was sometimes the rail seen - as not all that unhealthy or showing tendencies to sleep or to rest, which the other, unwell-rail of that species had been, and that first-of was therefore taken to a reahabber in Manhattan.
That a 2nd rail was extant there became that much more obvious to all once the first, rather-ill Virginia Rail was taken out - one more was still present and that other of the same species appeared to be in better condition. One hopes it would have naturally been capable of moving on, to a far better location, and to ultimately get to breeding territory rather-decidedly not in Manhattan and also not remaining long in Bryant Park, ideally. A more-modest number of viewers at Bryant Park for Wednesday, 4-9 but still a number of rail-observers. It had been suspected by a few watchers before that at least 2 of the species could be in that one park, and with some seeing the healthier individual, but far-more observing the unwell and more-stationary rail. The hope for this and any rail species in Manhattan would be just-the-same, that it or they might move on to a better habitat for such a bird, and remain in full vigor while here as a stop-over visitor.
Rusty Blackbirds, multiple Green Herons, multiple but not many Blue-headed Vireos, three species of swallows including multiple Barn, N. Rough-winged, and Tree Swallows were among the 70-plus species of birds found at Central Park by many many observers on Thursday 4-10, including those affiliated with or guiding for not-for-profit conservation, scientific and educational institutions and organizations, as well as by many independent observers and photographers. All Red Fox Sparrows seen by many observers in Central Park and reported in eBird on Thursday had no appended notes as being -early- and those unappended sightings are confirmed in eBird, some also being photo-documented.
At least 7 species of American Warblers were in Central Park alone thru Wednesday, these including N. Parula, Yellow - and Black-and-white in the low-multiple by Wednesday and also again on Thursday, and ongoing Louisiana Waterthrush, Palm, Pine, and Myrtle-form of Yellow-rumped Warblers for Central. Other parks have had some of these species.
We had additionally already had Prairie Warbler and Orange-crowned Warbler in Manhattan since the new year. There also were Common Yellowthroats and Ovenbirds for the early part of this year, so that a minimum of eleven species of American warblers were seen in this one island for 2025, so far. At least some fresh migrant warbler arrivals are anticipated in the coming week.
The first of Broad-winged Hawk movement has come thru in the region, with a few of that species even reaching as far north as south-coastal Maine, at a dedicated hawkwatch site there. Many more of them will be arriving this month as they come north from wintering mainly in South America. For Manhattan many other species of raptors both migrant and some breeding-resident are being seen every day of this week. Black Vulture has been seen regularly as have more-common Turkey Vultures, the former particularly from northern Manhattan but in other areas also.
A stronger general migration passed the city and region on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, for Manhattan this meant some migrants departed, moving on that night, as some new arrivals came in, including some of same species pushing in, as had recently been in the area. Among species still in strong numbers as they pass thru, some of those included Brown Creeper, increases of Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, and Chipping Sparrow, while some migrants such as some swallows, and overwintered birds such as Dark-eyed Juncos may have diminished just a bit. A fresh set of arrivals for some of these species will again be seen in coming weeks, such as for any types of expected swallow.
Some observers keen to track N.Y. County bird-counts or lists gave in to checking-off a bird which has been in place for some while in New Jersey waters, a Eurasian Wigeon, which could be seen from a distance from the N.Y. side of the Hudson looking far-west across the river, with multiple observers doing this by Thursday. It is not a means of watching for a bird for those who have never seen that species, as views are necessarily so-distant as not to be great and any heat-shimmer, fog, or rain would have obscured this duck seen from the Manhattan side into a mostly or wholly unviewable bird. This wigeon was not seen in ways as to present lovely photo-opportunity from the N.Y. side of the river. Thanks to many keen observers and photographers for reports via multiple non-x bird alerts and thru eBird with the Macaulay Library for media.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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