Date: 11/12/26 8:58 pm From: Thomas Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - Nov. 10-12 - Bullocks Oriole (Nov. 10), Canada Warbler & other warblers, Y.-br. Chat, etc.
New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Randalls, Governors, and Roosevelt Islands and the adjacent waters and sky -
For Tuesday, November 10th thru Thursday, November 12th -
The Bullocks Oriole -staying within Morningside Park in Manhattan recently- was last definitively-confirmed from there by multiple observers on November 10th, although it certainly might still be lingering, or possibly moved location in the area, or county. It was sought and searched for by many-dozens on both Wed. and Thursday morning, with no definitive record that was made public with documentation, since Tuesday, Nov. 10th, when seen by many.
A very late, slightly scruffy or simply extremely little-marked first-year Canada Warbler, an apparent late-record eBird-date of that species for this county if accepted and confirmed -was photographed- on Thursday, the 12th, from the area of the so-called Tribeca upland next to the Hudson River on the greenway along Manhattans lower-west side - an exact location for the sighting would be useful to help additional observers who may be in that area. There are some confirmed eBird records of this species in the state for mid-or-later November, but not very many. The last report of this species for N.Y. County seems to be from that very same area of Manhattan -which was accepted in eBird- for September 21st, this year - and was not then photographed but had a textual description suggestive of a first-fall, female in plumage that was not all that immediately obvious to the observer for Canada. The warbler photographed on Nov. 12th could - potentially - be the very same individual, and could also be in a condition where not able to fly well or, perhaps not at all. This species normally would have migrated many many weeks ago, and the known winter range is particularly from northern South America, including Ecuador and Colombia on the lower slopes and edges of the eastern-slope Andes, or so to say not typically on the Pacific-side. The species is sadly not in the best position for where it winters, in some cases affected by changes on the lands it uses in winter. - Referenced scientific and scholarly articles on this subject from the past decade, and from personal comms, and experiences in the region including winter observations of this species on the ground in the 2 nations mentioned.
Multiple Black-and-white Warblers have been showing in this county this week, including at Union Square Park in Manhattan, where on Thursday, Yellow-breasted Chat also showed. The latter species is not that unusual this late, although past the peak of typical-peak migration for fall here, it is one of the multiple species of American-hemisphere warblers that can show and have shown up on December bird counts in the area, including in this county. Other warblers that are now late, but are also fairly often and much more-so than Black-and-white which are being seen thru this week, Common Yellowthroat and Ovenbird, have each been known to overwinter, or at least attempt to, in Manhattan and elsewhere in this country, this city and this region. Additional warbler species seen this week which lingered to Thursday are Palm, Pine, and Myrtle-form Yellow-rumped Warblers, with at least one confirmed sighting of Black-throated Green Warbler but from last Sunday, in Manhattan.
A younger, first-fall-plumaged Red-headed Woodpecker was described from Corlears Hook on the lower-east edge of Manhattan on Thursday, and it is possible that bird could linger there or in the lower-Manhattan area. That species has had a good run of sightings in this county for over one month, and some individuals of the species could be lingering, less-obvious to passersby including birders if in non-adult plumages, which is quite often how lingerers look for part of fall thru winter if and when they do stay on. As always with most birds, it can be worthwhile studying the calls made to be alerted to the presence of the species.
There was still at least one Wood Thrush photographed and lingering at Bryant Park in mid-Manhattan on Thursday. This is late for the species, yet the species has been recorded even in mid-winter, January, February and very-rarely, March in Manhattan, mostly in fairly-mild winters and also in areas of many people who pass thru particular parks and public spaces leaving their crumbs and other bits of food behind as litter, on a daily basis. Bryant Park will have from 50,000 humans per day passing thru and sometimes many more on some days in the late fall thru the end of the year.
Of local interest in the county, Eastern Meadowlark was found on Randalls Island at the old-defunct golf driving range, and among the most-recent of American Tree Sparrows was at Central Park with multiple observers and photographers. That latter species seems to be having a stronger presence so far this fall than the average for this county, and especially-so for Manhattan locations. Also ongoing are Red Fox Sparrows in multiple locations. At least 2 E. Bluebirds were noted at Central Park on Wednesday. That species has been showing well for the last week and also previously in the county. Pine Siskins and Purple Finches have been ongoing in low-to-modest numbers in recent days, while Cedar Waxwings continue to pass thru and some lingering in triple-digit numbers to Thursday. AlSo lingering at multiple locations are Red-breasted Nuthatches. Rusty Blackbird has continued in at least a few locations including, as is typical, at Central Park.
Waterfowl of late has included a Black Scoter sighting from the Hudson River off Dyckman Street and Inwood Hill Park, n. Manhattan and there are at least 17 additional species, likely more by now, of lingering waterfowl in the county as of Thursday sightings. Some waterfowl species are likely to increase in common g days on the arrival of multi-cold fronts with sub-freezing temperatures to our north soon.
Many other species are also still around and passing thru recently. Thanks to many observers and photographers for sightings, alerts, and reports.
