Date: 9/16/25 3:25 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, NYC - to Monday, 9/15 - Saltmarsh & Clay-col. Sparrows, 23+ Warbler spp, Tribute-in-Light sightings
Manhattan, N.Y. City - thru Monday, September 15th.
A SALTMARSH Sparrow was ongoing for at least a 4th day in a row of known occurrence since the find by K. Figueroa - from last Friday, this bird by now seen out at least glimpsed by 100—plus seekers and also well-photographed and videoed by some, at various times on days beginning on Sat. - the location may be listed as Washington Market Park, an historic small public park in the West Village area of Manhattan, however the sparrow is often-to-mainly being seen at the entrance area of the Borough of Manhattan Community College, next to this park - if any other birders-photographers are present in the area, it may be helpful to inquire for newly-arrived seekers. Folks have had luck at various times of day, and as is typical with typically-skulking species, patience is one part of the way to gain good luck. There were many sightings of this sparrow again for Monday, 9-15.
A season-first CLAY-COLORED Sparrow was photographed - S. Hubbard - at the Grassy Knoll of Central Park where dual-fences are present, on Monday 9-15. The photos are now archived in the Macaulay Library as is the single-species eBird checklist-report. This sparrow species is breeding increasingly in the eastern NY and New England region, on into parts of eastern Canadian provinces and is much more numerous on passage thru this NYC region than was say, 2 decades or even 1 decade prior.
For Monday alone, at least 23 species of migratory American Warblers - including multiples of Bay-breasted and Blackpoll Warblers and large numbers of many other warbler species - were seen, by multitudes of observers and photographers throughout the day at Central Park, and nearly that same number were also - collectively - seen by vast numbers of observers all around Manhattan island.
Other Central Park sightings have included up to 7 species of native sparrows including Lincolns, Savannah, Field, Song, Chipping, Swamp, and White-throated Sparrows, as well as regularly-seen E. Towhees. Additionally, some Veery were still passing thru, and more of genuine Gray-cheeked Thrushes seen-reliably, along with Swainsons and Wood -and only-reports-of unconfirmed recent Hermit- Thrushes. Nice numbers of Philadelphia Vireos of which a fair number have been well-photographed, and there are slight increases of Blue-headed Vireos, and many ongoing Red-eyed Vireos, with Warbling Vireo also still being found to Monday.
Numbers of Ruby-crowned Kinglets were increased by Monday, while Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is still occurring. Also showing up are Brown Creepers and there have been ongoing good numbers of Red-breasted Nuthatches, on some recent days up to 1 dozen in one walk thru Central Park by just-1 observer-listener. Central, at last, by Sunday and Monday has had multi-observer sightings of Ruddy Duck, while increases of N. Shoveler are occurring, and the numbers of Wood Ducks have remained as-previously. Laughing Gulls are still occasional at the Central Park reservoir.
Inwood Hill Park, as well as some of the other northern-Manhattan parks has had up to 18 warbler species, many of these to the past few days, and some species in fair to good numbers. Also showing at Inwood was Monk Parakeet, at least one appearance in the park itself, where it is less-commonly seen than in the surrounds, and down by the Hudson River path but a bit south in many many recent months.
Elsewhere in Manhattan, some sightings of note included American Bittern but this last only noted by one keen watcher at the Tribute in Light for the 9-11 Memorial migration-watch event in lower Manhattan on the going-into Sept. 12 date this past Friday. Many other migratory birds were also seen in the lights and around that event-location, including among many many warbler species in numbers, Connecticut Warbler. The latter species of warbler has had multiple recent reports, some seeming to have details suggestive of a good ID. A very few of these, this month, have had photos or video for conclusive-IDs. Thanks to the highly-dedicated observers for the annual-held Tribute-in-Light nocturnal migration-watch that begins on each September 11, and goes thru to the morning of Sept. 12th.
Common Nighthawks have been continuing to be seen, from multiple locations which again include Inwood Hill and also Central Park. A Wild Turkey was ongoing, seemingly thru all off the summer to just-now, at Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan. There have been well over 130 species of wild birds seen in or over Manhattan alone in recent days, and more than that number for all of New York County, which Manhattan is a part. All of the islands and the waters and skies-above of N.Y. County have been receiving new migrants and visitors, some perhaps to stay a while such as waterfowl.
Thanks to hundreds of observers and photographers for many sightings, reports all via non-x alerts and as-always in eBird reports with alerts, as well as the Macaulay Library for media-archiving.
Good birding,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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