Date: 4/24/26 5:38 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC - Thursday, 4/23 - many migrants
Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City -
Thursday, April 23rd -
A Chuck-wills-widow was first found by independently-walking birders, and shared to the Discord birding app, with good initial discussions on ID points. At least 300 bird observers eventually came around to the Azalea Pond area in the Ramble of Central Park to view, or also photograph this caprimulgid. Multiple leaders and groups with not-for-profit institutions and organizations that offer guided bird walks, all of them based in conservation science, education, outreach in natural diversity and wise leadership regularly in spring, were present to observe the nightjar on its day roost. The total numbers of observers were of course not there all at one time.
On Thursday overall, the northern third of Central Park was the slightly more active for freshly arrived migrants and other birds, by comparison to other areas in the park. However all sectors of the park contained some migrants, and observers made it to all sections, including the southern end of the park, through the day. Well over 100 species of wild birds were found in Central on the day, here are just some of the many highlights-
All birds listed below were seen by multiple observers and seen perched, or in the case of some raptors, in flight.
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Green-winged Teal - ongoing at The Pool, also had wintered there.
Bufflehead
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Chuck-wills-widow - as noted at top.
Chimney Swift - multiple and seen from multiple areas in the park.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - few, but including some feeding.
Spotted Sandpiper
Laughing Gull
Black-crowned Night Heron
Snowy Egret - this species mainly in low flyover passes, esp seen from this parks northern half in season.
Green Heron
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Coopers Hawk
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk - northbound migrations are near peak.
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Northern -Yellow-shafted- Flicker - many migrants, as well as fairly-scarce breeders.
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Eastern Phoebe - still passing thru.
Great Crested Flycatcher - multiple observers in the past several days, of multiple birds.
Eastern Kingbird
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo - several, most being seen in the northern half of the park.
Blue-headed Vireo - still passing thru.
Eastern Warbling Vireo - multiple, and a species that breeds very commonly here.
Red-eyed Vireo - few, and still slightly-early.
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow - these and the other swallows listed are being seen daily in the multiple.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet - getting scarcer by
Red-breasted Nuthatch - multiple, but not that many.
Brown Creeper - getting scarcer.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Northern House Wren - multiple, some singing.
Winter Wren - scarcer by now.
Carolina Wren
Gray Catbird - some migrant arrivals lately showing in more and more areas.
Brown Thrasher - multiple, some singing.
Veery - one or two - and ideally still needing photos or video-audio for ID.
Hermit Thrush - for now still the most numerous of the brown-backed thrush species.
Wood Thrush - increased, and by now with many many observers and photographers.
Cedar Waxwing - still in low numbers around this park.
Purple Finch - being found daily, often photographed, in multiple locations in the park. This species of migrant finch has increased to double-digit numbers on Thursday just at Central Park, and far more are on the move.
American Goldfinch - regular in multiple locations now.
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
- Red Fox Sparrow - last seen in the park last weekend, perhaps moved on. Any sightings suspected to be of Fox Sparrow from now to October should be photographed or video recorded if possible. Other forms besides Red Fox Sparrow are remotely possible, and have been documented out-of-season in this park in the past.
Dark-eyed -Slate-colored- Junco - getting scarcer by now.
White-crowned Sparrow - few, and still on the slightly early side of spring for these.
White-throated Sparrow - abundant in many areas, singing often.
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole - more arrivals, some singing, in many locations by now.
Rusty Blackbird
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Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Northern Yellow Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped -Myrtle- Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
NOTE, all of the above 18 warbler species were present in the northern half of Central Park on Thursday. A few other species of American warblers may also have been in that area of the park.
-
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
- the above many migrants are just some of the birds seen on Thursday at Central Park, by many many hundreds of observers and photographers - all alerts and reports coming in thru the Discord birding app, and via eBird, with the Macaulay Library for media. Also some notes offered by word-of-mouth.
