Date: 5/22/25 3:27 pm From: Ken Gale <nuffsaid...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] More public transit directions Re: Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Randalls Island, NYC - 5/21 & 22/25
The Fork-Tailed Flycatcher is still on Randall's Island as of this afternoon. Apparently, the long-unused golf driving range is not on any maps. I started on the 4 / 5 / 6 subway to 125th St. Get out on the NW exit, it's right where the 35 bus stop is. I asked the bus driver to announce the stadium stop and he did. The stadium is very close to the road and if your driver doesn't announce it, it's easy to see. The stop to get back to Manhattan is right across the street and even has a bus shelter. There is a map near the bus stop which DOES have the Golf area on it. Walk toward the stadium and turn right when you get to the fence. At the end of the fence, as it curves around, there is another walkway going to the left. The fence on your right will have a small-ish sign that reads GOLF. Follow that fence until you come to an opening in it where there is a big rock. Go into the field, which used to be the driving range. Remnants of netting are still visible. Look for other birders. The Fork-Tailed Flycatcher was being very active, very obliging and quite close to all the people watching and photographing. It shouldn't take long to find it if there aren't any other birders yet.
Thank you to Karen for finding it, Tom for reporting it and Dale for giving me enough directions to find it.
This is the second life bird I've gotten on Randall's Island (the other being a Buff-Breasted Sandpiper).
Happy Bird-Day, Ken www.ecoradio.org
When the air or water are clean, thank an environmentalist. If not, become one. 'Nuff Said!
On 5/22/2025 11:34 AM, Ken Gale wrote: > > Dale told me the answers: > > It's still there. > 35 bus from Lexington Ave & 125th St. Get off at the stadium stop. > Walk across and around near the fence at the golf place and there will > be an opening in the fence you can get into. > > Happy bird-day, > Ken > > On 5/22/2025 11:19 AM, Ken Gale wrote: >> Has it been seen today? >> Where on Randall's Island? What City bus do we take and how do we walk >> there from where the bus leaves us off? >> Thanks. >> Happy bird-day, >> Ken >> www.ecoradio.org >> >> When the air or water are clean, thank an environmentalist. If not, >> become one. 'Nuff Said! >> >> On 5/21/2025 6:09 PM, Tom Fiore wrote: >>> Surely a bird-of-the-month for New York County, a Fork-tailed >>> Flycatcher was revealed - by finder Karen Becker of Manhattan - on >>> Wednesday, May 21st, at an old, now-unused golf driving-range at >>> Randalls Island, which is just east of Manhattan, N.Y. City. The >>> Fork-tailed was in company with some E. Kingbirds offering nice >>> comparisons with that relative in the same genus. Fork-tailed >>> Flycatchers in N.America are generally seen as reverse or wrong-way >>> migrants which for various reasons include some individuals of their >>> species that rather than go a shorter distance within their typical >>> range - which for Fork-tailed is quite a large range - but some get >>> into very elongated flights that bring some far far out of expected >>> range - and in instances like the Randalls Island discovery, also >>> bring some birders from fair distances... Many came to view this >>> flycatcher from nearby and from multiple other counties thru the day >>> on Wed. - This species was not-quite on most birders radar as a >>> species to be expected here - but here it came. Thanks to K. Becker >>> as well as to many others who helped keep eyes on the rarity, and >>> some who lent scopes or even cameras for viewing by arriving >>> additional seekers. >>> >>> Good birding to all, >>> >>> Tom Fiore >>> Manhattan >>> >>> -- >>> >>> (copy & paste any URL below, then modify any text "_DOT_" to a >>> period ".") >>> >>> NYSbirds-L List Info: >>> NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsWELCOME_DOT_htm >>> NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsRULES_DOT_htm >>> NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave_DOT_htm >>> >>> ARCHIVES: >>> 1) mail-archive_DOT_com/nysbirds-l@cornell_DOT_edu/maillist_DOT_html >>> 2) surfbirds_DOT_com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L >>> 3) birding_DOT_aba_DOT_org/maillist/NY01 >>> >>> Please submit your observations to eBird: >>> ebird_DOT_org/content/ebird/ >>> >>> -- >>> >> >> -- >> >> (copy & paste any URL below, then modify any text "_DOT_" to a period >> ".") >> >> NYSbirds-L List Info: >> NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsWELCOME_DOT_htm >> NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsRULES_DOT_htm >> NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave_DOT_htm >> >> ARCHIVES: >> 1) mail-archive_DOT_com/nysbirds-l@cornell_DOT_edu/maillist_DOT_html >> 2) surfbirds_DOT_com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L >> 3) birding_DOT_aba_DOT_org/maillist/NY01 >> >> Please submit your observations to eBird: >> ebird_DOT_org/content/ebird/ >> >> -- >
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