You can also send reports and digital image files via email to
nysarc44<at>nybirds<dot>org
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos
or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compiler: Tom Burke
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, January30,
2026 at 11:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are CASSIN'S and LECONTE’S SPARROWS,
PAINTED BUNTING, ROSS'S and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, TUFTED DUCK,
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE and KING EIDER, THICK-BILLED MURRE and DOVEKIE,
GLAUCOUS and ICELAND GULLS, LARK and CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS and more.
As anticipated, this week's horrendous weather has definitely impacted
local birding. The CASSIN’S SPARROW at Montauk Point was reported
Saturday and then again on Tuesday, still around the perimeter roadway
near the lighthouse entrance and upper parking lot, so this tough
little bird could still be present, as unlikely as that seems.
On the other hand, as a note to this week's tape, the TUNDRA
BEAN-GOOSE on Long Island was last noted in the Oyster Bay area back
on Monday the 19th, but also could possibly be lingering locally.
On Thursday a LECONTE’S SPARROW was found on the landfill at Croton
Point Park in Westchester and noted there again today. The bird has
been in company with other ground feeders around a plowed section at
the top of the landfill technically only for maintenance personnel, so
please be mindful of this if visiting there.
A female–type PAINTED BUNTING was photographed visiting a private
feeder last Saturday and Sunday in Hampton Bays but has since
disappeared.
A ROSS’S GOOSE was noted again Saturday in the large flock that had
been feeding on a set of fields on the south side of Route 27 Montauk
Highway, just west of Town Line Road in Sagaponack, this also
containing up to three GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.
Among various CACKLING GEESE were three still visiting the Great Lawn
in Central Park last Saturday.
A drake TUFTED DUCK was spotted on New Croton Reservoir in Westchester
last Saturday but has been difficult to relocate, as the ice there
continues to increase. The concentrations of DUCKS there, mostly
RING-NECKEDS, does still contain one or two female BARROW’S
GOLDENEYES, a few REDHEADS and a CANVASBACK, with a RED-NECKED GREBE
also there to at least Thursday.
A female KING EIDER was spotted flying up Shinnecock Inlet with COMMON
EIDERS on Wednesday, heading into the bay, and three HARLEQUIN DUCKS
were still around the Inlet last Saturday. Other HARLEQUINS include a
male still around Southold Town Beach last Saturday and another drake
off Ditch Plains Wednesday.
A THICK-BILLED MURRE continued at least to Saturday off the southern
tip of Staten Island, seen from Conference House Park and farther up
the coast in Tottenville, while on Wednesday alcids seen off Montauk
Point featured two DOVEKIES and 9 RAZORBILLS.
A GLAUCOUS GULL visited Bush Terminal Piers Park last Saturday, and
ICELAND GULLS included three around Gravesend Bay Wednesday and one
out at Old Field Point Thursday.
A LARK SPARROW was photographed at Calvert Vaux Park in Brooklyn
Monday, while the CLAY-COLORED SPARROW lingering at Heckscher State
Park Field 5 was last reported last Saturday.
A few ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS still continue in appropriate habitat.
To phone in reports call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the
National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
