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, March 27,
2026 at 11:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are TRUMPETER and TUNDRA SWANS,
EURASIAN WIGEON, KING EIDER, BLACK-HEADED and GLAUCOUS GULLS,
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, RED CROSSBILL, GAMBEL’S
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW and more.
The New York City TRUMPETER SWAN visiting the East River since late
February was last reported Wednesday the 25th in Brooklyn off the
North 5th Street Pier and Park, where it and an accompanying MUTE SWAN
had spent most of the week up to that point.
A TUNDRA SWAN found last Friday at Moravian Cemetery in central Staten
Island stayed there through Saturday but moved on Sunday morning.
A drake EURASIAN WIGEON noted March 13th off Shirley was seen again
Sunday with a group of AMERICAN WIGEON in Bellport Bay off Shirley
Beach on the west side of Shirley.
An immature male KING EIDER was spotted again Sunday near Shinnecock
Inlet and a little west of there near the Ponquogue Bridge,
accompanying a flock of COMMON EIDER, while a female COMMON EIDER was
unusual Monday off Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx.
A BLACK-HEADED GULL in virtually full breeding plumage was seen up to
Thursday at Frank Melville Memorial Park and Pond in Setauket, this
north of Old Field Road.
An immature GLAUCOUS GULL was seen last weekend at Bush Terminal Piers
Park and nearby Bush Army Terminal Pier 4, with 1 also at Staten
Island’s Miller Field last Sunday, and lingering ICELAND GULLS were
noted at both Bush Terminal Parks above as well as at Calvert Vaux
Park Tuesday and Jerome Reservoir in the Bronx Wednesday.
A LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, perhaps wintering, was photographed along
Dune Road on Tuesday, and single RED-NECKED GREBES included 1 off
Breezy Point Saturday and 1 continuing off Floyd Bennett Field at
least to Tuesday.
An adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye.
A small group of RED CROSSBILLS was encountered today near Jones Pond
off the Paumanok Trail in Manorville; this species has nested in this
area before, so please do not disturb them. Access to the area is
from Schultz Road.
An immature GAMBEL’S-type WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW continues in
Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery.
Some arrivals noted during the week have featured PECTORAL SANDPIPER,
LESSER YELLOWLEGS, GLOSSY IBIS, NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED and BARN
SWALLOWS, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH.
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.
