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: Ben Cacace
BEGIN TAPE
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for *Friday, September 25th 2026* at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are EARED GREBE, WHITE IBIS, SEDGE WREN, LEACH'S STORM-PETREL, AMERICAN AVOCET, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW and LARK SPARROWS, SUMMER TANAGER, BLUE GROSBEAK, DICKCISSEL, and more.
Still lingering at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, the EARED GREBE was spotted as recently as Tuesday on the West Pond and 3 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS were found on Bay Island south of the West Pond last Saturday. Over on the East Pond, which is still dealing with too high a water level, the AMERICAN AVOCET was noted at the north end both last Saturday and again today. Other shorebirds did include a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and a WESTERN SANDPIPER, a couple of CASPIAN TERNS continue, and along the pond edges there have been up to 4 SORAS and a VIRGINIA RAIL. An immature WHITE IBIS visited the Tobay JFK Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary Saturday and the SEDGE WREN spending time on private property in Manhasset was still there Tuesday along with a LARK SPARROW.
A couple of very interesting birds in western Long Island Sound began Wednesday with the appearance of a couple of LEACH'S STORM-PETRELS spotted off City Island in the Bronx. These birds were difficult to see generally due to distance and a very wind-blown water offshore. It did include one with a broken wing that was retrieved by a boat visiting Hart Island. This excitement continued Thursday and Friday as well both from Belden Point on City Island and by birders at Nassau sites like Stepping Stone Park that provide views into Eastchester Bay east of the Throgs Neck Bridge. These waters likely will continue to be rough this weekend but the conditions are also presumably responsible for the juvenile BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE photographed off Belden Point Friday afternoon. Another LEACH'S STORM-PETREL was noted Thursday from Governors Island looking towards New Jersey and a STORM-PETREL was also spotted moving east well off Rye Thursday afternoon. A BLACK TERN was off City Island Sunday.
An AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER visited Piermont Pier Sunday to Wednesday and another was at Five Island Park in New Rochelle Wednesday. Two BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS were at Breezy Point last Saturday where 75 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS and 3 CASPIAN TERNS were also present and a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER was at Heckscher State Park field 7 Saturday and Tuesday with a WILSON'S PHALAROPE at that spot yesterday.
An AMERICAN BITTERN visited Prospect Park Lake last Saturday and 98 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were counted at Robert Moses State Park last Sunday.
Notable landbirds this week, not a great one for migration, included a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW at Brooklyn Bridge Park Saturday and 2 GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS at Randall's Island Tuesday plus a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT at the Welwyn Preserve in Glen Cove Wednesday. Warblers included an ORANGE-CROWNED plus a few CONNECTICUT and HOODED. Reports of SUMMER TANAGER came from Hempstead Lake State Park Saturday, at Randall's Island Sunday and Central Park much of the week and BLUE GROSBEAKS were encountered in Green-wood Cemetery Saturday, Fort Tilden Monday and Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay Wednesday while DICKCISSELS featured birds at Pelham Bay Saturday and Green-wood Wednesday and at the Lenoir Preserve and the Kensico Reservoir in Westchester today.
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.
