Date: 6/6/25 5:39 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - further June migrants or visitors, to 6/5
New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Randalls, Governors and Roosevelt Islands, as well as adjacent waters and skies above-
thru Thursday, June 5th -
Black Skimmer was placed in the June list of species for the county this year with a sighting from a boat off Manhattan dedicated to looking for birds in the evening of 6-1.
A Semipalmated Sandpiper found on June 1st and still present to June 2 was a rather-rare sighting for Central Park and not very common anywhere in this county in general. The individual found at the reservoir there may have had an injury, but was not seen by the 3rd, and hopefully it was fully capable of flight. No reports, of all thus far submitted and some with photos added in eBird noted more than a single individual of that species at the Central Park reservoir. This species has occurred more often in northern Manhattan than in the reliable records for Central Park, over multiple decades.
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was seen at Randalls Island into June, that location the best site in the county for observing that rarer-in-county night-heron species. A Wild Turkey was continuing at Battery Park in lower Manhattan into this month.
There were still fair numbers of migrants in some locations but by now, the diversity of migrating birds here has - as expected - lowered from the larger May numbers. Such species as Common Nighthawk, Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos, Olive-sided and Yellow-bellied and Acadian and Alder and Willow Flycatchers, as well as other Flycatcher species, migratory thrushes which do not breed in this county including Swainsons and Gray-cheeked Thrushes, Scarlet Tanagers, as many as 16 or more migratory American Warbler species were still being seen here in the first couple days in June, and a subset of the above-noted were still in a few locations such as Central Park to June 5.
Blackpoll Warbler, American Redstart, Yellow Warbler, and Common Yellowthroat were among the more-numerous of these warblers but all of the species still being seen were still in the multiple, not single individuals. On June 5th, hot weather may have reduced numbers of observers out and about, in any event Warbler diversity may have reduced to as few as 8 species around the county, perhaps a half-dozen or more Warbler species in Central Park, with some of the birds ongoing at The Pool in recent days, and in other sections of that park. Mourning Warbler was among species still showing and for that also including singing males seen to June 5th at Central Park and elsewhere. We shall see if any further push of any size or diversity in migrant songbirds comes thru here, otherwise further reports will be later this month.
Eastern Wood-Pewees, Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbirds, and E. Phoebe are among the species that can be found breeding in this county, as is so for Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos, Wood Thrush, Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, and a variety of other migratory species. Ruby-throated Hummingbird, seen as a scarce or rare breeder in this county, was still being seen, including males, in various locations including Central Park thru June 5.
Lincolns and Savannah Sparrows were each found to June 3 in Manhattan. The White-throated Sparrows which regularly summer in various sites in Manhattan, including some at Central Park, are all non-breeding, this is an annual summer occurrence for that species in fairly-modest numbers. Swamp Sparrow may also linger in this county and these too are all considered late stragglers and non-breeders here. E. Towhees in some sites in this county could be nesting or attempting to - please do nothing at all which could disturb any native nesting birds.
Waterfowl still around in the county is limited now to rather few species including the few Mute Swans that are regular at East River areas, Mallards in numbers, Wood Duck, American Black Duck, and Gadwall. The majority of our wintering Atlantic Brant have departed, many leaving even just before June began. Common Terns continue and the most reliable site to see them is still Governors Island and the N.Y. Harbor, with some occasionally seen farther up the rivers surrounding Manhattan especially on the Hudson.
Increasingly, birds being found in this county are those which breed here annually, and some birds which could linger and attempt to breed - those may include some species which would be considered scarce or rare breeders, such as for-example the possibility that Rose-breasted Grosbeak may attempt breeding in a very few locations with enough appropriate habitat, perhaps at the northern areas of Manhattan. At Governors Island and some other county locations including Randalls Island and perhaps elsewhere, species such as Willow Flycatcher should be watched for indications of potential-actual breeding, or attempts at breeding, and the same for Acadian Flycatcher in this county.
Some of the migrants were running slightly late but all the species seen have been noted in June in past years as well. After the first week of June in typical years, the songbird migration will be mostly passed-thru, and mainly straggling birds, eventually in late June including individuals that most-likely will not breed in that same year, can be found by those continuing to observe. Manhattan in particular has any number of such straggling and non-breeding later in June birds in the records and some individuals of this sort may also spend part of summer here. An example of just one such species would be Black-and-white Warbler which is not a breeding bird in this county, but of which multiple individuals may summer thru here, by mid to late summer joined by returning breeders of the same species.
…
Many species of insects in many families and large numbers of genera have been found recently in the county, and some of these are typical of the start of summer, by the overall long-term phenology of emergences of adult insects of these many species.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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