Date: 2/5/26 2:26 am From: Thomas Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - 20+ waterfowl spp., Iceland Gulls, Purple SPs, H. Larks, raptors, etc. into early February
New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Randalls, Governors, and Roosevelt Islands and the adjacent waters and skies above -
to February 3rd - including end-of-January sightings.
Scoters of all species are uncommon at best in this county, so any seen at all are notable here, and the tribe were moving a bit with sightings of Surf Scoter, seen and photod by many on Saturday, just off the n. edge of Randalls Island, while possible White-winged Scoters were noted elsewhere including into the first day of Feb., and some far-off scoter-species also were seen out in the w. parts of N.Y. Harbor, as well, which also applies to some sightings of Long-tailed Ducks and to Common Goldeneyes, Scaup, and at least some other waterfowl, and to 2 typical Loon species. Long-tailed Ducks have been around, but one in particular gave some nice views again, from, in part near Corlears Hook on Manhattans lower-east, by the East River, this a continuing individual, and others much more distant in the harbor and by-chance out in the Hudson River ice jams. Common Goldeneyes were present off Roosevelt Island to at least Monday, as were other waterfowl. American Wigeon was again out at Randalls Island to Wednesday. Greater Scaup have been increasing at times off both Randalls and Governors Islands, and at least here-and-there up the Hudson, including into the Spuyten Duyvil creek, Manhattans watery n. edge. Lesser Scaup also continued with some from near Governors Island, at least one at Stuyvesant Cove below E. 23rd St. on the East River, and likely at least a few elsewhere. Hardy Green-winged Teals have remained in-place at The Pool in Central Park for many months, still lingering-wintering there.
Purple Sandpipers were noted at Governors Island, on the rocks of part of the shore, a now-recognized annual location, but the first report from there for that species in a while, with a group of at least six noticed, and then smaller numbers still being seen, then down to possibly just one by Monday, although extensive searching and at varied times-tides could reveal more. The other shorebird spp. recently for the winter are American Woodcock and Killdeer, these all pretty much in sites where they are rather regular in the county each year. Some of the woodcock are, as can happen in winter, or at spring-fall migrations, in odd small places where any shelter or cover may be helping a bit, and some sightings are from well off plowed pathways.
It took until the very last day of January for the county to reveal a white-winged gull for a first-of-the-year find, and this was an Iceland Gull seen and photod. - A. Cunningham - at Randalls Island on Saturday morning. A different individual, winter-adult Iceland, was at Randall’s on Monday, Feb. 1st, but was moving from the NE edge across to -or towards- the Bronx Kill and seemed to go into Bronx Co., not re-found on the day, similarly to the Jan. 31 Iceland Gull at Randalls, not seen again later in that day. A putative Iceland was reported from the East River on Monday, not confirmed as such. Among the most-recent Iceland Gulls in the county were one at Governors Island and one just s. of Pier 35 on the East River, both on Wed., 2-4.
More Iceland Gulls should be very possible around the county, in coming months. A Lesser Black-backed Gull showed among 250-plus other gulls, mainly Ring-billed, on the Central Park reservoir on Monday morning. The reservoir at that park has had just one small patch of open water on its south side, which is likely to continue for some time. Two American Coots and extremely-diminished numbers of ducks have been ongoing there, these including at least 1 drake Wood Duck. Gulls in particular at that reservoir can cycle-in-and-off the water or ice from one hour or one minute to the next, and while some may linger, a lot of daily and hourly movement is normal with gulls at that site.
Also at Randalls but mainly for a January-sighting was an uncommon-for-the county Surf Scoter, one of at least 17 species of waterfowl collectively found on 1 day at that island, and just offshore there. The single Surf Scoter was not noted on Monday at all. N. Pintails have been turning up as singles in a number of locations around semi-open waters of the county. American Wigeons were still around Randalls Island, and at least 4 Redheads were noted there to Feb. 1st - as with other waterfowl and assorted waterbirds, moving or shuffling about in the local area, perhaps from just outside to within the county, and also the reverse. Both Lesser and more-so, Greater Scaup have been seen on into February. A lot of waterfowl was displaced in the arctic-air influx and subsequent further freezing of shallower waters, but even so, such species as Wood Duck, Gadwall, N. Shoveler and others have maintained presence here. A number of the waterfowl species had moved across from fresh waters to brackish in the harbor and along the rivers, including what is the East river-estuary complex that takes in the Harlem river as well as parts of the westernmost edges of Long Island Sounds waters, at the line from the south Bronx, n.w. Queens and New York County at its eastern fringes.
A Horned Lark was another of multiple finds at Randalls on the final day of January, however the Horned Lark numbers on Governors Island were well into double-digits, with at least ten present for one day, at that south-most site of the county, but some certainly staying on too. By Wed., 2-4 at least 19 Horned Larks were noted at Fort Jay on Governors Island. The singleton lark at Randalls was a more-observed individual with more birders headed out to that location on the weekend. Either of these islands, and -select- other sites, including within Manhattan may be worth watching should ice and snow start to melt off, possibly leaving patchy exposed turf or grassy stretches for any sorts of winter field-birds and of course for possible re-entry by waterfowl. This may or may-not start to occur in the coming weeks. A Rusty Blackbird, one of the longer-staying of those trying to winter, has remained at Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan.
Red-shouldered Hawk was again found in a few locations, with several photographed again. A very small number of Turkey Vultures have shown up, in flight at various locations lately. Multiple Bald Eagles continue to be seen, some riding along the ice floes at the Hudson, and at least one moving in that way out to the open NY Harbor. Many of our photographically-inclined birders have had a fine time with the birds-on-ice, these winter eagles of N.Y. County. We have had up to double-digit B. Eagles in view on the river ice at times, and good numbers all-around, in flight, or some perched-up as well. Coopers Hawks also continue their overwinter appearances in many locations of the county. We also have winter-lingering or resident American Kestrels and Peregrine Falcons, as well as the near-ubiquitous Red-tailed Hawks all around the town, with a multiplicity of other raptors of nocturnally active type.
Common Ravens were ongoing and there was also some potential shuffling-around of that species, some seen in small groups or in paired flights along the Hudson and multiple sightings from almost all around the county, with any number seen in and over Manhattan. A Wild Turkey was found on Ellis Island, well west across part of N.Y. Harbor from where the long-staying hen was regular at The Battery, at the s. Edge of Manhattan - it will be interesting should the Battery-turkey no longer be found there.
Some other species still around or typical for winter that were not noted above, are listed below, seen in recent days - Red-throated Loon, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Black Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern -Yellow-shafted- Flicker, Monk Parakeet, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Ruby-crowned Kinglet - in the multiple but not very many by now -, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, European Starling, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, House Finch, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Field Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow - multiple sites, with at least several in parts of Central Park, ongoing, Red Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed -Slate-colored- Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Rusty Blackbird, Common Grackle - and probably at least a few additional species as well.
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With the frigid temperatures of the last week finally moderating briefly this week, some slight thawing began by Monday, and a small amount of movement was seen in the county but this looks to be all very local movement. Snow-cover in parks and other unplowed places is still substantial, with crusts of icy snow. Park paths have been shoveled in some locations, while some are only packed-down - and can be a bit icy in places.
Good February-birding, and thanks to many keen and often-hardy observers and photographers for alerts in Discord, and via many eBird alerts and reports, including the Macaulay Library for media, as well as by good old word-of-mouth.
