Date: 3/28/26 1:37 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, N.Y. City - w/ Central Park - Fri., 3/27 - Bonapartes Gulls (H. River), Palm, Pine, Y.-r. Warblers, 2 Swallow spp., etc.
Manhattan, N.Y. City - with Central Park, and other sites in Manhattan -
Friday, March 27th -
4 Bonapartes Gulls were seen and photographed -K. Becker- off the western end of Dyckman St. along the Hudson River at northern Manhattan on Friday. These and other species of gull may be moving over coming weeks.
The Northern Rough-winged Swallows seen thru Friday at the Harlem Meer in Central Park were first noted and well-photographed there as of March 23, with many observers and photographers since then, as well as the more-usual this early Tree Swallows. The swallows there have sometimes been easier to see, sometimes not. More of these species will of course be arriving. Photos, including from March 23, were placed in the Macaulay Library for media and are publicly accessible.
By Friday, multiple Palm Warblers of the yellow form had arrived on Manhattan with sightings from Central Park, Inwood Hill Park, Riverside Park, and at least a few other sites in Manhattan. For Central Park alone, a minimum of 7 individual Palms were scattered around various areas. Pine Warblers have been found in Central Park all week and still showing in multiple areas on Friday, with a very few Myrtle-form Yellow-rumped Warblers also being around, not necessarily new arrivals. A Louisiana Waterthrush which had arrived earlier this week was not re-found by Friday despite a bit of extra searching. The species will of course be regular in just a week or so all around, especially at Central Park with its multitude of small streams and waterfalls. One such flowing stream is within the C.P. Zoo grounds. Two of the streams are north of 106th St.
Of other birds showing some additional increases, Chipping Sparrows were up to more than 25 for all of Central Park by Friday, with a small flock ranging around the NE sector of the park, especially on the north sides and vicinity of the N. Meadow ballfields and adjacent knoll, where Field Sparrow was also present, along with many Song Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos. Swamp Sparrows were slightly increased as well by Friday. Red Fox Sparrows were still present and some singing by all these, as well as widespread White-throated Sparrows, was heard. Savannah Sparrow has been scarce but was again present. Also piping-up from a few areas in Central were Eastern Towhees, seen in multiple areas.
Rusty Blackbirds have continued at a few locations, the most-watched certainly one or more in the Central Park Ramble all this week. Some of these have been singing a bit at times. Golden-crowned Kinglets were still quite numerous in multiple Manhattan areas, with several dozen present spread all thru Central Park. Ruby-crowned Kinglet have been much less numerous since their spring arrivals have not really started yet. One slightly early Blue-gray Gnatcatcher has shown at Central Park by this week, and one was still present there on Friday. As already noted to this list, Hermit Thrushes increased a bit this week, with sightings in many more locations, esp. from the larger parks including Central Park, than had overwintered in these areas.
Great Egrets persisted at Central Park all week, a few fairly regular at the northern waterbodies. The species has also shown elsewhere on and over Manhattan. Great Blue Herons also were persisting in Central Park and some elsewhere, with some flyovers also being seen. The numbers of Black-crowned Night Herons in Central Park have increased with up to 8 or more present on recent days, including some roosts with up to 6 or more visible at once. These also have been found elsewhere in Manhattan just recently. Belted Kingfisher has appeared in Central Park, but more-regularly had been seen elsewhere this month. A Wild Turkey has continued on and on at Battery Park, at the s. end of Manhattan.
At the Central Park reservoir, still up to NINE Red-breasted Mergansers were lingering, as were at least 5 Common Mergansers. Other ducks lingering on at Central Park included Green-winged Teals, Wood Ducks, N. Shovelers, Gadwall, American Black Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads, Ruddy Ducks, and of course plenty of Mallards. Off on the rivers or the harbor, as watched from Manhattan, both Red-throated and Common Loons were still around and increasing numbers of Double-c reacted Cormorants have been arriving. Sightings of Great Cormorant were fewer and farther-between, at least as seen from Manhattan. American Coot was still present, including at Central Park.
Fish Crows are around recently making themselves heard at times, and Common Ravens are ongoing, with some appearing at Central Park at times. The Raven pair at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine have made a nest again, and others around Manhattan are likely engaged in similar activity by now. American Crows are regular and occasionally numerous around Manhattan. Owls of at least 5 species have been present within the past week.
Below are birds seen in Central Park on Friday, by hundreds of observers and photographers.
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
American Black Duck
Mallard x American Black Duck hybrid
Green-winged Teal
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck
feral Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
American Coot
Killdeer - mainly n. Manhattan.
American Woodcock
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night Heron
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Coopers Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern -Yellow-shafted- Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - from 3-23, photographed at Central Park on that day and since.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Winter Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Red Fox Sparrow
Dark-eyed -Slate-colored- Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Rusty Blackbird
Common Grackle
Northern Cardinal
Palm Warbler - all of the yellow form - in multiple areas on Friday.
Pine Warbler - in multiple areas in Central Park.
Yellow-rumped -Myrtle- Warbler - relatively few.
- - Louisiana Waterthrush earlier in the week, not found by Friday. - -
Many ornamental plants at Central Park and elsewhere in Manhattan have been budding and some blooming, including a number of the early varieties of cherry trees. Willow trees have been unfurling leaves, some trees and shrubs also at least started to show leaf-buds and many more are in flower by now. The Cornus mas trees in many areas are startling to bloom, and many Magnolia trees as well. At the Ramble, some planted native wildflowers had begun to bloom, including some Hepatica.
Insects that came out especially by Thursday when temparatures reached 75 F. At Central Park included Mourning Cloak and E. Comma butterflies, and there were a variety of small moths, bees, flies, beetles, bugs and other insect spp. being noticed as well as spiders - which are arachnids, not insects.
Good birding and thanks to many observers and photographers for reports via the Discord birding app, and via eBird with the Macaulay Library for media.
