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, October 23rd 2026* at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, WHITE-WINGED DOVE, WESTERN KINGBIRD, EARED GREBE, GOLDEN EAGLE, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, BLUE GROSBEAK, DICKCISSEL, and more.
Some improvement this week in the variety of rarities appearing locally got a jump start last Sunday with the appearance of a female type RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD visiting the attractive plantings at the Wave Hill Public Garden and Cultural Center in the Bronx. The hummer continues to visit the flower garden at the entrance to the Stephano Conservatory joined there by a RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD but both do also visit other plantings in that area and today in that same general area a female or immature type BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER spent all day feeding in vegetation below the Pergola Overlook. Wave Hill is open daily except Monday.
On Thursday a WHITE-WINGED DOVE was found at Jones Beach West End. The bird moved slowly to the east along the roadway area from the Coast Guard Station towards the park police barracks where it ultimately disappeared around the marsh near the Meadowbrook Parkway. It was not reported today.
A WESTERN KINGBIRD was seen Wednesday and Thursday at Oakwood Beach on Staten Island visiting the tidal marsh area near Fox Beach Avenue. The EARED GREBE was seen last Sunday and Tuesday still on the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.
At inland hawkwatch sites the first of the season's GOLDEN EAGLES have begun to appear overhead as have one or two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS and also noted overhead have been scattered small flocks of PINE SISKINS.
Recent shorebirds have included an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER at Riis Park Sunday, an HUDSONIAN WHIMBREL on Fire Island Saturday and some MARBLED GODWITS visiting the bar off the Coast Guard Station at Jones Beach West End with 5 there last Saturday with numbers dropping less slowly to just one noted yesterday.
ROYAL TERNS made an interesting push up the Hudson River with up to 24 reported on Tuesday off Piermont and Westchester below the Cuomo Bridge and later at least 12 north of the bridge along the Ossining waterfront on Thursday.
AMERICAN BITTERNS were spotted at Plumb Beach Saturday, on Fire Island and Jones Beach West End Sunday and at Great Kills Park Wednesday.
RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS include one still at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye up to Wednesday, one at Davis Park on Fire Island Monday and one in Prospect Park Thursday and LAPLAND LONGSPURS were noted at Plumb Beach Sunday and Monday and at Cedar Beach in Southold Thursday.
A GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was photographed in Franz Sigel Park in the Bronx Saturday, several VESPER SPARROW and NELSON'S SPARROWS were noted during the week and 4 CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS featured birds at Green-wood Cemetery Monday, Calvert Vaux Park Tuesday and on Governors Island and in Elmhurst Park in Queens today.
Three YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS included one again in Bryant Park Monday, several ORANGE-CROWNED and other late warblers were noted. BLUE GROSBEAK was around Kensico Reservoir in Westchester to Tuesday and several DICKCISSELS included birds in Green-wood Cemetery, Inwood Hill Park and Kissena Park in Queens plus others on eastern Long Island,
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.
