Date: 5/15/26 10:11 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC - Friday, May 15 - Bicknells Thrush, Mourning & 22+ addl’ Warbler spp, C. Nighthawks, flycatchers, etc.
Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - Friday, May 15 -
Thru Friday morning, at least one sometimes-vocal Bicknells Thrush was still present for at least a 3rd day in the north end of the park, with again multiple observers, some having recorded the calls and-or soft song-fragments, and many making photos or videos of one of these. There are also some additional putative Bicknells, as there are also, with certainty some Gray-cheeked Thrushes, at least some also vocal at times. The complement of the other Catharus-genus thrush species are also present, including some Hermit Thrushes still passing thru, some Veery, and numerous Swainsons Thrushes all around the park. Wood Thrush is also present, some of which can breed, or attempt to, in this park.
Common Nighthawks are about, including light activity in the wee pre-sunrise hour, into Friday - and even being seen in my old new neighborhood in Manhattan perched right out, as well as some at Central Park, and somewhat likely for other areas by now as well. Also found again for this Friday are both of our annual, expected Cuckoo spp, Black-billed and the usually-more-frequently found Yellow-billed Cuckoos. Including some soft calls heard, mainly from the Yellow-billeds.
Warblers on Friday include all of the most-boreal nesting species with possible exception of Palm or Orange-crowned on this date, but present in the multiple in the park are still Cape May, Bay-breasted, Tennessee, Wilsons, and some more of Blackpoll Warblers, with Mourning Warblers as well in at least several park sectors, mainly north of the latitude of 72nd St, by morning-sightings. Also still present are multiple Hooded, Prairie, and even Worm-eating Warblers, along with the many other spp, coming to at least 22 Warbler spp just for Friday morn, and not taking in sightings from the many other Manhattan parks and greenspaces with very diverse migrants this month, this week, and this day. With such warblers as Magnolia and American Redstart still among the most numerous being found, and Blackpoll warblers still less numerous than some others, we are still as per the calendar just smack-in-the-middle of much of typical May migrations, and with many many more migrants, including more females of many species, yet to pass thru or arrive for nesting.
Good diversity in flycatchers also continues with at least 3 of the five annual Empidonax-genus present in Central again, possibly more. Olive-sided Flycatcher also is still present, with the other more-common, and breed-in-this park flycatcher species.
. . .
Outside of Central Park, a Blue Grosbeak in female plumage had still been present in the so-called pollinator meadow area in Riverside Park, near approximately W. 120-121 Sts., west of Riverside Drive, and just north of the tennis courts in Riverside by those street coordinates, seen and photographed again in the last hour of daylight Thursday, May 14, and possibly still in that area for Friday - or, it may have moved on and out.
Thanks to many hundreds of observers and photographers, including the many on the not-for-profit guided bird walk of the Linnaean Society of New York, in the north end of Central Park on this Friday, many members of which observed the lingering Bicknells Thrush at The Loch, in the morning, and to many more who walked with guides working with and for nonprofit institutions and organizations, including the American Museum of Natural History, and the NYC Bird Alliance which has a full schedule of bird walks and other events all thru the spring and beyond. And thanks also to multiple other walk leaders, participants, and supporters for and with not-for-profit organizations, for many of the sightings on this and many other spring migration days - alerts in the Discord app, as well as via eBird with the Macaulay library for media, have been flying and flowing steadily all of this month, and are continuing to. Some sightings and tips also from others in the field, direct by old-fashioned word of mouth and not all via small screens.
