Date: 4/5/24 11:35 pm From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, N.Y. City - Friday, 4/5 - V. Rail, woodpecker report, Central Park sightings...
A report came thru for Friday, April 5th of a Pileated Woodpecker seen at Morningside Park, which is fairly small for such a bird, but has some habitat that could be utilized by the largest of our woodpeckers - rare, but actually more regular in particular season on Manhattan island than commonly realized, most of past reports are from the more-northern wooded areas and especially from areas adjacent to or not-far from the Hudson river shore and nearby. The Friday report gives a straightforward descriptor of this large species, and this is about prime-time locally for this species to be more mobile, as some are now starting to get interested in courtship and finding or marking off territory, and, as that occurs, some of the younger birds of the species may become -dislodged- from an area where they had been feeding. All adjacent areas, which would easily include Central Parks northern parts and also much of Riverside Park and, more-typical with this species, a number of larger parks in northern sections of Manhattan might all be checked - smaller parks as well - including any tell-tale fresh signs of fallen wood-chips and such on larger or other suitable trees.
In more definite, and repeat-news, the Virginia Rail at Bryant Park in mid-Manhattan was still there all day and into evening hour on Friday, April 5th, lingering on now for some days.
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Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - Friday, April 5th -
Up to 75+ species of birds were recorded in Central Park and skies-above just on April 5th, by -collectively - far more than 100 observers, many independently birding, not an unusually large number for a day, even an after-earthquake-jitters day -!!- locally, and even in blustery cooler early spring weather ahead of a weekend. The waterthrush as noted below was alerted via the groupme system which a vast many birders use now and in preference to some other, less-used-now older forms of bird alerts - and, again - and as-ever, increasingly thru alerts and regular reports to the eBird system, which takes in the Macaulay Library for archiving photos, videos, and audio-sound files.
For a reliable report of most-any bird and often, and its accompanying photographs or even the occasional videos and audio files - from a hugely-popular and constantly-birded location, as Central Park is - one often need look no further than reporting in eBird, and, as just one sample, an array of photos added to the Macaulay Library via that - here is one such, of a Louisiana Waterthrush, which report and photo came thru in mid-day of April 5th - about 2 hours after the tremor from the regions earthquake which was centered in north-central New Jeresy and widely noted all around the greater NYC region and a bit beyond. Thanks to A. Simmons for this photo and report. https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/616955855
That particular waterthrush was among at-least 4 warbler species seen on the day -by various many observers- for Central Park, and, as is typical, by multiple and reliable reporters. Additional photographs were taken - by many- of many of the birds seen there on the day. The other 3 warbler spp. additional to the waterthrush were Palm, Pine, and Myrtle Warblers, again found on Friday at Central Park.
Northern Rough-winged Swallows were again seen over Central Park water-bodies, some at the Meer and by multiple observers on Friday - also seen over Central Park, and from many, many other locations over Manhattan were numbers of Turkey Vultures on their migrations and also Ospreys in the multiple, moving across throughout Friday. Some other raptors seen from Manhattan also included multiple Northern Harriers, and some other raptor species on the move, not-least including multiple Bald Eagles.
A further report Central Park note of interest was that of a ---possible tern sighting--- flying thru on Friday, however it may be that it was -one that got away too quickly- ... Terns of any species are unusual for Central Park and it is also still a bit on the early-ish side for most species in our region - but, in the realm of at-least-possibilities are several tern species. -N.B., a couple of early but confirmed Common Tern sightings came on April 5th to the southwestern-most county in NY state, via eBird. Early, but not altogether unprecedentedly.-
Good birding - and thanks as always to all of the many keen and quiet observers who find, and report so many sightings, and do so reliably,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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