Date: 11/3/25 8:09 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, NYC -to 11/2- plus county-sightings
Manhattan and other-where all in New York County, within N.Y. City - including multiple reports from Roosevelt, Randalls, and Governors islands.
- thru Sunday, Nov. 2nd -
Some fine seasonal migration was ongoing thru the first weekend -and first 2 days- of November, with all of New York County benefiting from many migrants passing by or dropping in.
Snow Bunting was one of the much-less-common birds for the county seen at Randalls Island for the 2nd time in this autumn, this latest a single on Sunday, 11-2 with several observers. Some of many other birds at Randalls have included ongoing Spotted Sandpiper, E. Meadowlark at least to Saturday, Vesper Sparrows which have also been in nice numbers for the county generally, and a good mix of other migrants and arrivals for Randalls Island.
Next to the the western terminus of Dyckman St., in northern Manhattan on the edge of the Hudson River, sightings for Nov. 1st and 2nd included, among many other birds, some waterfowl movement that included White-winged Scoter, and Black Scoter, plus Greater Scaup as well as a mix of other waterfowl, such as Green-winged Teals, N. Pintails, and Wood Ducks, plus many Brant and other species which are fully-expected for the dates. Large numbers of Cedar Waxwings, blackbirds including Common Grackles in large flocks, and by 11-2 there were several E. Meadowlarks, and raptors in the area or on the move included a few sightings of Osprey, as well as more seasonally expected species of raptors, including Merlin, N. Harrier, Bald Eagles and other species. At this area of northern Manhattan, Black Vultures are seen regularly nearly all year-round, while Turkey Vultures are continuing to move here and thru parts of the county.
A late-ish Tennessee Warbler was seen and photographed by at least several observers at Roosevelt Island, where close attention in recent days and weeks has produced a nice bounty of other migrant sightings over the autumn. This date for a Tennessee is certainly late for the area, but not at all record-late, with the species - quite rarely - showing in some years well into December. Baltimore Orioles have turned up on all four of the larger islands of New York County recently, thus for Governors, Randalls, Roosevelt, and several for Manhattan island, including still hanging in at Central Park.
Eastern Bluebirds have been moving through the county in very nice numbers recently, and high counts for the year of the species have on some days been achieved at some locations such as on Governors and Randalls Islands, while multiple other sites in the county, including Central Park in Manhattan, have some of this bluebird species. Up to seventeen E. Bluebirds were noted for Governors Island on 11-2. While a lot in one site, this is far from a record-high number in the county at one site, over the far more than a century of prior bird observation in this county, and even Central Park has had more in some past occurrences, although not recently in any such numbers. American Pipit has also been seen lately in multiple sites in the county, with some sightings in the multiple.
Warblers still lingering at Central Park to the end of October - and some into November - have included Northern Yellow Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Cape May Warbler, long-staying Northern Waterthrushes, and Orange-crowned Warblers in multiple locations, one found in the Ramble area by Friday 10-31 having also been well-photographed, and at least several for the north end of the park to at least Sunday, 11-2, also nicely photographed. There are other Orange-crowneds being found in other locations as well, and this could be the near peak time to seek the species in our area for autumn. As many are aware this species is very capable of lingering well into winter, all through the region and certainly through all of N.Y. City.
Getting late at Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan have been several warbler species, most recently a photographed American Redstart for Sunday, 11-2. Some of the warblers lingering around the county may, in some locations, be working in proximity to various Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers whose drillings make for sap-flows and which thusly can attract insects or other small arthropods, this sort of feeding had been seen many times in late autumns and some winters past - that noted, many birds which prefer insect and arthropod prey items are still finding these as the temperatures in this county and likely thru the local region have overall been mild enough to keep the insects and their relatives active and available to hungry birds.
Rusty Blackbirds have continued into the start of November, at least one of these being seen by multitudes of observers at the n. end of Central Park. Blue-headed Vireos were still being seen in the county, and some of the recent Red-eyed Vireos had been found to nearly the end of October. It is possible that White-eyed Vireo could be found again, and equally possible that any seen thru late October have by now moved on. One of the later Catharus-genus thrush species still being seen other than expected-into-winter Hermit Thrushes, had been Gray-cheeked Thrush, an individual with many observers.
Thereve been modest ongoing arrivals of American Woodcock around the county, and perhaps a bit of Killdeer movement, and Laughing Gulls were still persisting on and near various waters of the county thru Sunday. Loons of the expected 2 species, Common and Red-throated, have each been seen as November gets into gear. A couple of modestly-late Barn Swallow reports have come in for the start of November. We continue to see Purple Finch both as lingeries in some sites, and seemingly more-so on passage on many days lately.
Central Parks waterfowl has continued to include at least 6 or more Hooded Mergansers, up to one-dozen or more Wood Ducks spread thru the park, some Buffleheads, Ruddy Ducks, Gadwalls, American Black Ducks, many N. Shovelers, and the typical motley Mallards and possible hybrid types, along with Canada Geese. The American Coot numbers have increased slightly in recent days at the C.P. reservoir. Waterfowl have slowly been gaining in variety and numbers in New York County waters, while at this same start-of-November period some parts of N.Y. Citys waters have enjoyed nice arrivals of a variety of anticipated or more-uncommon waterfowl.
A female Wild Turkey was a long-long-long staying individual at Battery Park in lower Manhattan, sometimes noticed in the vicinity of the small carousel at the parks south side. This park also has enjoyed some migrants and some birds of interest may be seen looking out on to N.Y. Harbor from here. We are getting a modest influx of owls lately, and with a number of observations
Thanks to many observers and photographers out and about all around the county in recent days, for finds, alerts, reports, some coming in thru good old word-of-mouth, and far more by way of the non-x bird alert apps and in eBird with the Macaulay library for media.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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