Date: 8/8/25 4:38 pm From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - to 8/8 - 18+ Warbler spp., O.-s. Flycatcher, other migrants & lingering birds, etc.
That old-or-young Fork-tailed Flycatcher might be working its way back-south from New England as the latest find is from Maltby Lakes area north of West Haven, CT -Connecticut- on,Thursday and Friday, 8-7 and 8-8. Hundreds of NYC area birders recall the occurrence of a Fork-tailed Fly, at Randalls Island in N.Y. County NYC from this spring, and almost certainly that individual had traveled northeast along the coastal plain to a plain-in-Maine for a part of the summer, that bird seemingly gone after July 16th in the site in southern Maine it had occupied for a good while. The Maltby Lakes CT Fork-tailed has been viewed by many dozens this Friday, after the discovery there on Thursday by Connecticut birders C.L. and M.V.
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New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Governors, Randalls, and Roosevelt Islands and the adjacent waters and skies above -
into Friday, Aug. 8th-
Migration has been ongoing, even as winds on some recent nights have been either minimal, or less-than-ideal for birds that were passing thru the region to land in this county. A wider diversity of migrants has been pushing south, as is somewhat expected by the first week in August. Outside of the shorebirds moving well -around the region and much of the continent- the migratory American warblers are doing much as they always have, with diversity and numbers of the group both picking up in the month of August - this is the month when the peak-diversity of warblers moves thru N. America, both on first-exiting some of the breeding areas, and for many species, for exiting N. America entirely enroute to -and for various species, reaching- their so-called winter grounds, which may for some species be where more than 6 or 7 months of a year is lived.
The overall numbers of individuals in the American warbler tribes may be a bit higher by Sept. andf can still be impressive for numbers into October, but the diversity of species drops in most of the U.S. and all of Canada or other northern places by mid-Sept., and at least a few species have mainly completed their exodus from the north before Sept. arrives. Of all the migrant warblers, Yellow Warbler has lately, and as-expected, been the most-numerous in both overnight passages and on morning-flight passage, and that is likely so not just for this county, by observations, but for many surrounding counties. On the increase for some other warbler spp have been American Redstarts, while N. Waterthrush continue at a good, expected strong pace. Black-and-white Warbler has been reported a lot, and in some sites, these have been the same 10 or 12 individual birds lingering a while, although some passage on morning-flight has, like most of other warblers noted in this report, been seen and detected as well. N.F.C. -nocturnal flight call- detection has been fairly good for the general southbound migrations, even in nights with passing rains in the region.
At least 7 Wood Ducks were present at Central Park by Wed., 8-6, of which not more than three individuals had been present there continuously earlier in the summer. At least 2 N. Shovelers came in to Central Parks reservoir by Thursday but if they stayed there are no new reports, so far.
By Wed., the 6th, also arriving as a southbound migrant was Olive-sided Flycatcher, not vocal but on typical exposed perch in a part of Central Park where somewhat regular. This is just a tad earlier than the anticipated arrivals of the species. More Blue-gray Gnatcatchers have been coming along, still not near-peak for those.
Shorebirds continued coming thru this county and-or lingering in some sites here this week, particularly Least, Semipalmated, and Spotted Sandpipers. Solitary Sandpiper was also still being found.
Birds noted for this week in N.Y. County - with an added note of -C.P.- for all those seen within Central Park or as fly-bys there. The list below is not necessarily complete to all sightings of the county since this August 1st.
Canada Goose -C.P.-
Mute Swan - few, seen mainly from sites looking on to the East River estuary, and from Randalls Island areas.
Wood Duck -C.P.- the most-regular site where this species is seen about all-year-long in this county.
Northern Shoveler -C.P.- new for the season, this week.
Gadwall -C.P.- and regular in the county in summer, at some locations.
Mallard -C.P.- and quite regular in many other locations.
American Black Duck -C.P.- some are near0-regular in summer, but may be non-breeders in this county.
hybrid Mallard x American Black Duck -C.P.- not all that often-recorded, but regular in the county, with various odd permutations of mallardisms.
feral Rock Pigeon -C.P.- and ubiquitous in this county overall.
Mourning Dove -C.P.- and near-ubiquitous in this county overall.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo -C.P.-
Chimney Swift -C.P.- many locations, some are moving in addition to the flocks that may be lingerers, and some breeders, and thus roosting all summer in SOME sites.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
Killdeer - in select locations where some are semi-regular, on three islands, in Manhattan mostly in northern parts in summer.Least Sandpiper -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
Semipalmated Sandpiper - several locations, including at least three sites in Manhattan, also at Governors Island.
Spotted Sandpiper -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Solitary Sandpiper -C.P.- and in some additional locations.
Laughing Gull -C.P.- and in multiple other locations - this species has been more-regular this summer in this county.
Ring-billed Gull -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
American Herring Gull -C.P.-and in multiple other locations.
Great Black-backed Gull -C.P.-and in multiple other locations.
-- Least Tern, Caspian Tern, and Forsters Terns have all been reported in the past week or so in this county, while Common Tern continues as the one expected and regular summer tern species here. --
Double-crested Cormorant -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Great Blue Heron -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
Great Egret -C.P.- and especially as fly-bys, in multiple other locations.
Snowy Egret -C.P.- and especially as fly-bys, in some other locations.
Green Heron -C.P.- and in some additional locations. Nested at Central Park again this summer.
Black-crowned Night-Heron -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - most sightings are from Randalls Island, where fairly reliable in multiple seasons.
Black Vulture - multiple from a number of locations, particularly -but not only- seen from northern Manhattan.
Turkey Vulture -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Osprey -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Cooper's Hawk -C.P.- and some other locations in this past week.
Bald Eagle -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Red-tailed Hawk -C.P.- and in many-dozens of other locations.
Owls - ongoing multiple sites.
Belted Kingfisher -C.P.- and more-so in various other sites, at some fairly regular lately.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - summering in a few locations, including a few in Central Park, more in other Manhattan locations - this is not that unusual for the species, all these being NON-breeders here.
Red-bellied Woodpecker -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Downy Woodpecker -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Hairy Woodpecker -C.P.- and in other locations.
Northern - Yellow-shafted - Flicker -C.P.- and in other locations.
American Kestrel -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Peregrine Falcon -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Budgerigar - one, in Manhattan - a not-rare escapee, seen nearly every year in this county in the modern era.
Monk Parakeet - usual few in Manhattan, including those along the Hudson River greenway-north, and elsewhere.
Olive-sided Flycatcher -C.P.- very-slightly-early, but consistent with some having moved south in the past week.
Eastern Wood-Pewee -C.P.- and in other locations.
Acadian Flycatcher -C.P.-
Willow Flycatcher - ongoing in at least 2 locations, observed more at Governors Island in recent days and weeks.
Alder or Willow Flycatcher -C.P.- - and some in a few other locations -silent birds- ID to species undetermined.
Least Flycatcher -C.P.- and in a few other locations.
Empidonax sp. -C.P.- and multiple other locations - still relatively few, but an uptick in the county for this week.
Eastern Phoebe -C.P.- and rather few overall so far, not especially early for 1st south bounders, but vastly more will be coming in many weeks to come.
Great Crested Flycatcher -C.P.- and in some other locations, including on both Randalls and Governors Island, each of which could support breeders, as Manhattan long has in select parks.
Eastern Kingbird -C.P.- and in many other locations. Some morning flight, and that is expected to pick up as this month goes along.
Yellow-throated Vireo -C.P.- - early by a bit, for the county where a very-scarcely-noted breeder, this one suspected to be a passage migrant headed south.
Warbling Vireo -C.P.- and in many other locations. Breeds in a lot of locations in this county.
Red-eyed Vireo -C.P.- and in many other locations. Breeds in a number of locations in this county.
Blue Jay -C.P.- and in many other locations.
American Crow -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Fish Crow-C.P.- and in some other locations.
Common Raven -C.P.- and in a fairly impressive number of other locations in the county - a report of up to 8 in flight together on 8-8, which is interesting.
Black-capped Chickadee -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
Tufted Titmouse -C.P.- and in other locations, this species a bit more common this summer than the prior, although chickadees happily lingered for some sites thru the summer.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow -C.P.- and in some other locations.
-- Purple Martin has again been reported from Governors Island but the type of report noting 1 individual often wants some visual documentation - there are plastic decoy-birds there. --
Tree Swallow -C.P.- and in many other locations, some of which are typically flyovers.
Bank Swallow -C.P.- very scant, but some have been moving - this species usually needs some focus on hirundines for a day of potential success in finding, as all are passage migrants here.
Barn Swallow -C.P.- and in many other locations - the nearly-default, all-season-long common swallow in this county.
— Cliff Swallow - reported this week, and quite possible, but due to county-paucity of records, ought to be visually documented, when possible.—
White-breasted Nuthatch -C.P.- and in other locations.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher -C.P.- and overall, multiple arrivals and passage migrants this week.
House Wren -C.P.- and in other locations.
Marsh Wren - ongoing -into- this week at Inwood Hill Park, on Manhattan.
Carolina Wren -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
European Starling -C.P.- and ubiquitous in this county overall.
Gray Catbird -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Brown Thrasher -C.P.- and in a few other -known- locations this summer.
Northern Mockingbird -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Wood Thrush -C.P.- and in select other locations where the species breeds.
American Robin -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Cedar Waxwing -C.P.- and in many other locations, some staying and some moving around.
House Sparrow -C.P.- and ubiquitous in this county overall.
House Finch -C.P.-and in many other locations.
American Goldfinch -C.P.- and in other locations.
Chipping Sparrow -C.P.- and in multiple other locations. The species breeds in the county in small numbers, including in Central Park.
White-throated Sparrow -C.P.- and many more locations where these have summered as NON-breeders.
Song Sparrow -C.P.- and in many other locations. Breeds in the county.
Lincoln's Sparrow - still in at least 1 site, where it likely summered, and is never a breeder here.
Swamp Sparrow -C.P.- and in a few more locations, where presumed only summering through.
Eastern Towhee -C.P.- and in some other locations - and a rather-scant breeder in this county.
Bobolink -C.P.- and a few additional locations, esp. at Governors Island.
Orchard Oriole -C.P.-and in general, a few migrants have moved, plus locally-breeding birds continuing.
Baltimore Oriole -C.P.- and multiple other locations.
Red-winged Blackbird -C.P.- and multiple other locations.
Brown-headed Cowbird -C.P.- and multiple other locations.
Common Grackle -C.P.- and multiple other locations.
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Ovenbird -C.P.- and in a number of other parks and sites where the species had NOT summered.
Worm-eating Warbler -C.P.- few other locations, for this week, present again in Central Park this Friday.
Louisiana Waterthrush -C.P.- few other locations for this week.
Northern Waterthrush -C.P.- and multiple other locations, including some not immediately by water.
Blue-winged Warbler -C.P.- and a few more locations for this week.
Black-and-white Warbler -C.P.- and far-more than a dozen other locations in the county, plus morning-flight sightings.
Tennessee Warbler - 1 at Central Park by Wed., Aug. 6th - not at all unprecedented in first week of August in this park, or this county.
Mourning Warbler -C.P.- Friday, 8-8, in the northwest woods. Not notably-early, but possibly a first-of-southbounder season here.
Common Yellowthroat -C.P.- and multiple other locations, some of these being migrators, in addition to some summering-breeding.
Hooded Warbler -C.P.- still scant - and still slightly early.
American Redstart -C.P.- and multiple other locations - these are among the warblers in motion headed south this week. A very few may have also summered thru.
Northern Parula -C.P.- and a few other locations - with some that seemed to have summered in a very few sites in this county, most others would still be a little early.
Blackburnian Warbler -C.P.- and a few other locations.
Yellow Warbler -C.P.- and multiple other locations - these are among the warblers in motion headed south this week, in large numbers including in morning flights.
Chestnut-sided Warbler -C.P.- still scant and still slightly on the early side.
Pine Warbler -C.P.- few.
Prairie Warbler -C.P.- few, however a small number also on morning and nocturnal flights in the past week-plus.
Canada Warbler -C.P.- still scant, but a slight uptick this week - not unexpected by now in this county.
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Scarlet Tanager -C.P.- still few, a species that sometimes lingers long into summer in this county, but has not been fully documented nesting here in the modern era.
Northern Cardinal -C.P.- and multiple other locations.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak -C.P.- few.
Indigo Bunting -C.P.- and in a very few other locations in the county, some out-of-the-way for most birders. A species that has tried breeding in the county in the past.
More sightings as more birds continue to arrive and pass in this county. In the past week, a majority of sightings, and reports, for this county came from Manhattan, as reflected in the above notes. Thanks to all who found birds, and reported sightings in non-x alerts and as-always in eBird with the Macaulay Library for media archiving.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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