Date: 4/11/24 4:24 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] New York County, NYC - many migrants - thru Wed., 4/10
New York County, in N.Y. City and includes Manhattan, Governors, and Randalls islands and the skies above as well as adjacent waters visible from, or part-of the county. Also in some sightings may include sightings from boats on the water, in a county that is fully surrounded by salt waters of the harbor, and by brackish waters of the very-tidal Hudson river and various estuary and feeder waters and former creeks, marshes, etc. back in the old old old days, that is in Manahatta times.
Thru all of Wednesday, April 10th - NotaBene, skip past all the prelim-para. for a simpler, lightly annotated list of some of the recent sightings.
At least one Purple Sandpiper was still present at Pier 26 in lower Manhattans west shoreline on the Hudson river to April 9th, thanks to -among other recent observers- of the species here, A. Evans of Manhattan.
Bonapartes Gulls are moving lately in the region, and one reported from the NY Harbor for Wed., 4/10 via a Statue-of-Liberty boat ride is not at all surprising - most of that species ought now to be in a nice spring plumage, but a variety of plumages could still be possible, even if many will be coming into alternate - breeding type plumage. This species also will occur along the local rivers, and is possible in various waterbodies including those located in Central Park, so be looking out, if at all interested in gorgeous smaller gulls. The Laughing Gulls are also around in recent weeks and more will be moving in and thru - some are in pretty nice plumage about now, that are showing in parts of this county while non-adults can also be seen as well as wintry-looking birds.
For the reliabilty-note-takers, a photograph of a Blue-headed Vireo, seen by multitudes by Wed., April 10th in the Central Park Ramble of Manhattan is added below, with thanks to B. Saunders - and the Macaulay Library archive, this bird, seen and positively ID'd first by smaller numbers of observers in the same area on Tuesday - April 8th, and then noticed by MANY observers which was when MANY of the fresh arrivals had first seen daylight in the county - that was April 9th! - after a super nocturnal-migration-night from Monday April 10, post eclipse and after sundown, to Tuesday morn' which dawned to a LOT of birds for a LOT of the region having arrived, including in particular parts of Manhattan in the county in which it is located. Observers of the first-of-spring vireo -in this county- by Wed. morning included multiple members of the Linnaean Society of New York, many of the members, volunteers and other folks from what had been called the NYCAS - NY City Audubon, as well as ornithologists and many, many more from our county, and from beyond its borders... https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/617190445
There were among the many additional arrivals by Tuesday April 9, these warblers - a few rather early, and in-line with very few other rather-early arrivers in the migratory American warbler family - known as the Parulidae - see this link associated with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology etc. for a nice overview of ALL the -New World- or American warbler genera and groupings for all of this hemisphere, many of course are resident in the tropical, subtropical and temperate non-North American parts of this great hemisphere - https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/paruli1/cur/introduction For arrivals which were extra-early in N.Y. County we know of, so far - Yellow Warbler and Northern Parula, and --at-least reports--- of a -few- others. Further, there was a Black-and-white Warbler at Central Parks north end, singing-away too, in addition to the four species being seen much more widely this week and previously - Palm in good numbers by Tuesday, all seeming to be of the expected yellow-form which is the breeding-form of the greater northeastern quadrant of North America, and Pine in good numbers as well, also a nice additional push of Louisiana Waterthrushes for Tuesday, the 9th, with even a few showing in Manhattan sites NOT in Central Park, although at least 8 of ---that one--- waterthrush-species, and possibly more of -that one waterthrush species-, occurred in that one park on that day - some of those having moved on as did various other Tuesday-observed migrants, on their way again by Wed., in the changing weather.
A situation that can arise in every year, with the earlier arrivals in either of 2 migratory seasons is the issue of distinguishing the 2 species of Waterthrush that will each, eventually, pass through our area, and both reliably occur in this county - with - - - eventually - - - Northern becoming the far-more common of the 2 species, while Louisiana, although a bit increased from numbers of long-ago on-passage -thanks to a steady range-extension a bit north to northeastward from long-ago known range limits- this concerns some of the earliest of annual-in-spring reports that will show, both oinline and word-of-mouth, and even with photos taken by observers - its a good idea to add-on a video clip whether a bird seen is singing or calling, or is silent... with the 2 species of waterthrush, even visual behaviors in a migration stopover may offer strong clues to identity - as to which of the two is being observed. The Louisiana Waterthrush is without-fail and virtually without exception the earlier-documented in spring arrivals of the 2 species, over decades and decades of observation and even thru regional banding efforts of older days and in modern era times, by photos and videos for documentation, as well as sound-files. The first Northerns to be reported are -rightly- subject to some scrutiny. A nice easy primer on distinguishing these two expected migrant warblers is here -
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Waterthrush/species-compare/ Note to the above, some Northerns can lack spotting in the throat, but almost all Louisiana Waterthrush will lack the throat-spotting. And, that spotting can be indistinct, or simply, hard to detect, on some Northern Waterthrushes throats - even in many photos. It cant be relied on as a sole character on which to base an ID-decision for these 2 rather-similar looking warbler species. Take note -and record if possible- any calls or song, and also the length of the bill, the color of the legs and whether that color is strongly stained with mud and etc., and other features of the plumage. However, in many lengthier observations, it may be possible - with experience - to get a strong idea on ID, by simply observing the behavior of a warbler of one of these species, in particular when one is feeding. Northern is almost exclusively more of a metronome with the tail-bobbing, while the Louisiana has a tendency to sashay with the tail moving side to side a bit as it also has an up-down movement - all being relative however and this is why more experience, more observation over time, helps to get these two species down in ones repertoire of birding skills. So we have this issue again, this month, and this week at least 1 Northern Waterthrush has been reported, and even with photos made. -I have my own opinions, while the sightings I refer to will be or have been reviewed by hardworking reviewers, and the choice of acceptance -or not yet- made. The likelihood by date alone tends to Louisiana and yet, by that factor ONLY, there are in modern times especially, some earlier-than-anticipated spring arrival records with adequate documentation for Northern. And, conversely there are a vast number of Louisiana Waterthrush that may be taken for the other. I would triple-check the -length of bill-, on photos that show that well, and see about the chance for one-or-other of the 2 species. Northern Waterthrush is shorter billed than Louisiana Waterthrush. If you have worked with these 2 species in the field by holding them -gently as any good bander will- you may have seen after checking 100s or 1000s of these 2 waterthrushes that it is pretty rare to get to a Northern with a longer bill than virtually all Louisianas have. And when there is such, that measurement is likely to be in TENTHS of a millimeter. This feature on the living and moving bird out while watching can be observed, for a lengthy enough observation - more experience with these does help, but a quick glimpse may or may not answer the question of the -which waterthrush ID issue- that comes along every spring.
For those wondering, at least locally, the nocturnal and diurnal migrations were both FAR stronger and more-diverse for Mon. night April 8th into Tuesday, than for the 24 hours later on Tues. night to Wed., the 10th. This was seen not only thru on-the-ground and in-the-air observations, but also in radar imagery, and thru NFC - nocturnal flight calls as recorded on both nights in this NYC region. Also around in New York County thru Wed. April 10th are a few Common Yellowthroats, and unless more evidence shows otherwise these now look to be birds that may have wintered either right in this county, or nearby and had been a bit overlooked thru weeks and weeks in sometimes small patchy habitats such as smaller parks, greenspaces including community-gardens, and the like. The same might be for a very few Ovenbirds, one or more of which definitely wintered successfully in Manhattan this past winter.
Of the Myrtle also-known-as to many as a form of Yellow-rumped Warblers around in smallish numbers just now, these are all likely to be individuals that wintered not-far from here, and not part of a mass arrival of that species which will be seen starting later this month locally. There are a number of Orange-crowned Warblers around this week and it is clear so far, all are in sites and areas of some of those sites where individuals of that species had been wintering. It is very possible that a few more species of warbler might be found - revealed - in the next few days in the county and if so, chances are high that such finds might have actually arrived in the local area by Tuesday, the 9th, only to be noticed as of a later date.
Here are some of the many additional birds showing in the county this week, esp. since Tuesday, April 9th - including some of those noted above - with those species denoted with -CP- having been found in Central Park, which may include many many birds also showing in other locations in the county by now.
Red-throated Loon - one that has been in -CP- reservoir for a very long time is being watched as a possible rescue and rehab. individual, which seems to some to be showing signs of ill-health.
Common Loon - multiples of these are on the move this month, and that was certainly so on Tuesday. Also in -CP-
Great Cormorant -still showing in a few select sites in the county...
Double-crested Cormorant - very large increases, arrivals this week - includes also -CP-.
Great Blue Heron -CP- and in and from many more locations.
Great Egret -CP- and from many other locations, some are flyovers.
Snowy Egret - increased a lot on Tuesday and Wed., April 9th - 10th, some flybys for -CP- too but still more for Randalls Island and as flyovers in many locations, on a typical flyway or paths by which many move by in season.
Black-crowned Night-Heron - increases, including for -CP-, some as ever are seen best in twilight and overnights.
Black Vulture - modest numbers again, compared with the next more-numerous vulture sp.
Turkey Vulture -CP- and from many other locations, almost-all are flyovers but - Inwood Hill Park etc. can have roosts of this and possibly may get the rarer Black Vulture roosting now and then as well. The species has even rarely roosted in Central Parks northern end, in past years.
Canada Goose
Atlantic Brant -CP- as flybys and in many more locations, unclear if all movement lately is rather local and staging-up. This is a regular wintering bird of the county and can be found into the multi-thousands on some high-count migration days of spring - not always sought by a lot of watchers, here.
Mute Swan - ongoing at typical site which can be viewed from locations that see parts of the East River in, or from,, this county.
Wood Duck -CP- and a goodly number also migrating by.
Gadwall -CP- and in many, many other county locations.
American Black Duck -CP- and some in scattered areas, including a good amount of movement.
Mallard -CP- and almost anywhere a duck might possibly be in this county.
Blue-winged Teal - flybys, but rare in general as sitting-ducks in this county, about-annual anyhow though, and some occurrences over many decades can be of one or two which may linger from a few hours to a few days, rarely much longer. This has been a key week for movements of the species in our region and beyond as is fully expected.
Northern Shoveler -CP-
Northern Pintail -CP- and a few additional flyover or flyby sightings, not a lot.
Green-winged Teal -CP- as have been for months and months, and also a few sightings elsewhere.
Greater Scaup - at least one observed off Manhattan to April 8th, on the Hudson river, where still very possible, along with other waters, such as in the N.Y. harbor area.
Lesser Scaup - the last very definite sightings by many and including photos was of a hen, to April 7th on the -CP- reservoir where that individual female scaup had been for a good while.
Bufflehead -CP- and many still around overall.
Hooded Merganser -CP- and a few sightings from elsewhere such as to April 10th at Randalls Island.
Red-breasted Merganser -CP- and multiples in some other locations this week. Some are on the move.
Ruddy Duck -CP- and a very few elsewhere this week in N.Y. County.
Osprey -CP- also all around the county now, and many - that is MANY - on migration northward this week.
Bald Eagle -CP- and seen from many more county locations on the move this week.
Northern Harrier -CP- and much-more-so from other locations - a great day of movement on Tuesday, 9th.
Sharp-shinned Hawk -CP- and in and from many more locations.
Cooper's Hawk -CP- and in and from many more locations.
Red-shouldered Hawk - a relative few still being seen and reported.
Broad-winged Hawk - first found on Tues. April 9th, and not at all early by the overall migrations of the species this spring.
Red-tailed Hawk - -CP- and all around the county, many are at nest-sites now.
American Kestrel -CP- and in and from many more locations, some are at nest-sites now.
Merlin -CP- and, in and from some more locations.
Peregrine Falcon -CP- and in and from many more locations, with many at nest-sites now.
Virginia Rail - NOT being seen any longer at a location where one had been lingering in Manhattan.
American Coot -CP- and, in very few other locations.
Purple Sandpiper - as noted at the top of this report, to at least April 9th for Manhattan.
Killdeer - from a few sites, mainly those known as regular for this species within the county.
- - - - .N.B, both Solitary Sandpiper, and Spotted Sandpiper have been seen, reliably NORTH of N.Y. City recently - as have a good variety of other shorebird species just for within NY state.
American Woodcock -CP- and, from some more locations in the county, this week.
Laughing Gull -CP- but still uncommonly there, and from more locations elsewhere in the county just now. Increases are getting a bit more obvious for those seeking these.
Bonaparte's Gull - a solid report for April 10th - more are very possible in the county as this month goes on.
Ring-billed Gull -CP- and, in and from many more locations.
American Herring Gull -CP- and in and from many more locations.
Great Black-backed Gull -CP- and in and from many more locations.
- - - - - - N.B. the following are moving into NY state this week - Common Tern, Forster's Tern and Caspian Tern - and any of those is at-least a possibility - all ought to be well photographed or video-d for this county.
feral Rock Pigeon - all over the county, pretty hard to miss in Manhattan!
Mourning Dove -CP- and in and from many more locations.
Monk Parakeet - this species has been documented in as many as a dozen locations this spring, with reports into April 10th and more sightings sure to follow. Photos are most helpful esp to eBird reviewers.
Owls continued a few select sites in the county.
Belted Kingfisher -CP- and in and from some other locations.
Red-bellied Woodpecker -CP- and from many more locations.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker -CP- and from many more locations. -CP- and from many more locations - these showed a nice big increase on April 9th.
Downy Woodpecker -CP- and from many more locations.
Hairy Woodpecker -CP- and from some more locations.
Yellow-shafted Flicker -CP- and from many more locations - a major flight for Tuesday with many-hundreds going past all parts of the county on that morning, April 9th, and subsequent additional sightings all-around. -A major increase this week.-
Eastern Phoebe - the one-and-only definitively IDd flycatcher species in the county thru April 10th, with many all over including of-course Central Park, and vastly more locations by now.
Blue-headed Vireo - as noted, FIRST found on April 9th, and then seen by many more as-of April 10th at Central Parks Ramble area. Some photos are now in the Macaulay Library archives, too. -- And, n.b. for another species of Vireo which has now shown in N.Y. City, White-eyed, which also happens to be a species that both nests in some areas within that city and also has attempted to overwinter in same, some years with mixed success... one to be listening and watching out for.--
Northern Raven -CP- and in multiple other locations as flyovers - and also nesting now, in Manhattan.
Blue Jay -CP- and from many more locations. Increased, with a good many on diurnal passage as well as lingerers and locals.
American Crow -CP- and from many more locations.
Fish Crow -CP- -BUT- most are from other locations.
Tree Swallow -CP- and from many more locations.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow -CP- and from many more locations.
Barn Swallow -CP- and from many more locations.
Black-capped Chickadee -CP- and from various other locations.
Tufted Titmouse -CP- and from other locations.
Red-breasted Nuthatch -CP- and from at least a few other locations.
White-breasted Nuthatch -CP- and from many more locations.
Brown Creeper -CP- and from many more locations.
Carolina Wren -CP- and from many more locations.
- - - - - - House Wren - some have been reported already - while early yet, possible, and-however to help anyone reviewing such sightings, high res. photos, video and sound-files of singing will help a lot. Some sightings can be of Winter or less-commonly of Carolina Wrens, which 2 latter species were present in New York County in all weeks of this past winter, in various locations.
Winter Wren -CP- and from more locations.
Golden-crowned Kinglet -CP- and from many more locations.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet -CP- and from many more locations - a modest increase for April 9th, etc.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher -CP- and some more locations. The arrivals of April 9th were good, but the main arrivals of this species are yet to show here.
Hermit Thrush - - -CP- and from many more locations - April 9th featured a very strong arrival in much of the region, including to well-north of this county. In Manhattan, on that date, there were 1000s yes thousands of this species of thrush in the air on passage in overnight, from Monday night and at-least many hundreds ON the ground, ie also in shrubs, trees etc etc thru Manhattan for April 9th - this is based in part on NFC Nocturnal Flight Calls as well as on-the-ground truthing by 100s of dedicated observers all around the county. PS, if you saw a brown-backed thrush in this county on April 9th, you were watching a Hermit Thrush. A few of these have sung a little in the small hours as well as in some places at true-dusk hour. Calls were much more frequent and, of course there is that characteristic tail-pump, although that alone can be seen now and then with other birds - including other thrush species, even if rare to be seen in the precise way as the Hermit Thrush handles that behavior.
American Robin -CP- and from many more locations, with plenty doing a first nesting already, as well as plenty of passage migrators and stop-overs just lately.
Gray Catbird -CP- and from some more locations - interesting that, as April came along more of these seem to have been revealed in the county - but not a great many as we will be seeing soon enough. And some of the seeming increases recently involve a LOT more birder activity locally just lately...
Northern Mockingbird -CP- and from many more locations.
Brown Thrasher -CP- and from many more locations - a nice fresh arrival for April 9th and onward, with many on territories, some of those known-traditional sites, as well as many that may be just passage stop-overs right now. Plenty of singing.
European Starling - near ubiquitous in this county, city.
American Pipit - at least one and likely a few or more, back on April 7th, an uncommonly noted but annual passage migrant. One definitively flew thru CP, that is Central Park in Manhattan on the 7th - calling nicely as it did so.
Cedar Waxwing -CP- and from various other locations. Some that essentially overwintered may have just moved-on recently. Far more will show in the month of May here.
House Sparrow - ubiquitous and can be a pest to some of our native breeding-birds at this time.
Eastern Towhee -CP- and from various other locations.
Chipping Sparrow -CP- and from various other locations - a nice further increase this week.
Field Sparrow -CP- and from various other locations.
Savannah Sparrow -CP- and from various other locations, still rather scant as most are yet to show up, and are expected later on in numbers.
Red Fox Sparrow -CP- and from various other locations - catch these while you can still see and hear the species in our area, and from N.Y. County. Typically, all-gone-north by May 1st and most depart here earlier than that.
Song Sparrow -CP- and from various other locations.
Lincoln's Sparrow - a few wintered-over and continue to be found or re-found in this county. Some have not been noted in particular locations for many weeks but are being uncovered again, often by very keen observers.
Swamp Sparrow -CP- and from various other locations - incereased again, this week.
White-throated Sparrow -CP- and from various other locations with more movements this week.
Slate-colored Junco -CP- and from various other locations - some were also moving-on north...
Northern Cardinal - -CP- and from various other locations.
Red-winged Blackbird -CP- and from various other locations - the younger males and females are also here now...
Rusty Blackbird -CP- and from various other locations - with those in a few locations, esp from Central Park having had many photos and some video and audio as well.
Common Grackle -CP- and from various other locations.
Brown-headed Cowbird -CP- and from various other locations.
- - - - Baltimore Oriole - sought by some of us, from 1 recently-reported location, but not seen just lately, it seems.
Purple Finch -CP- and some other locations, in small numbers.
House Finch -CP- and many other locations.
American Goldfinch -CP- and many other locations in still modest numbers overall. More are expected to show on passage.
- -
Orange-crowned Warbler - multiple locations including at least several in Manhattan, ALL of these sightings thru Wed., April 10th are in or very-near sites where the species had definitively overwintered. That does not exclude the chance of a few, or any newly-passing birds of this species but odds are strongly on individuals that successfully wintered thru here. And, again - VASTLY more observers are out-and-about in all of the county this month.
Northern Parula -CP- singing male seen by April 9, early-ish but not un precedented. And not reported for a few reasons until now. In the north sector of Central Park not far from a restroom location.
Yellow Warbler - - - -CP- very early and-but with the interesting coincidence that the sighting of a single individual comes from quite near where the extraordinary one of last December was found in the park, at the far north end.
Myrtle -alsoknownas- --Yellow-rumped-- Warbler - very modest numbers in -CP- and elsewhere.
Pine Warbler -CP- and from many more locations, this species was already in fair to good numbers in multiple sites before April 9th, and by then, was also on passage in the nights and in a variety of locations, including at least some in small urban spaces and places, pocket parks and community gardens, churchyards, and the like along with the multiple sightings in the big parks of the county, also seen on both Randalls and Governors Islands and perhaps out in smaller isles too - Statue of Liberty??
- - - - - - - - Prairie Warbler - at least 1 report, but with a song-only reported, one would like to have a recording available, some of our Field Sparrows have been singing at times, for one possibility...
Palm Warbler - of the yellow form, as-expected most now - -CP- and from many more locations. This species was very numerous by April 9th - and certainly will also be increasing in numbers on passage here soon.
Black-and-white Warbler - A photo, for April 9th at Central Park - and this species had multiple-reliable-observers - the link to Macaulay Library archives for a sighting of a species that can be fully expected to show in early to mid-April in this county is here - thanks to A. Tey with others -
https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/617195558 Ovenbird - -CP- and very few other locations of Manhattan. The Central Park bird as with all of the others has successfully overwintered, and has been in the southeast sector for that individual, while a few others are known from points-south in the county. NO known new-spring arrivals yet.
- - - - Northern Waterthrush - see extensive notes and link to ID-advice web page above. This is a trickier species for some, more-so than realized. - - - If singing... an audio recording would help any reviewers to know that an early-bird is of this species, or is not. - - -
Louisiana Waterthrush -CP- and from some other locations. Some have been singing and more have given calls. This is the expected species of the two waterthrushes right now, this first ten day period in April. We can expect some to continue to pass thru this county for some weeks still and, esp in our modern era, a few may be found well-past when the majority are in breeding areas, some of which are not far at all from N.Y. City - indeed there are some that will breed within less than ten miles from this city.
Common Yellowthroat - the few being found recently are somewhat likely to have managed to overwinter - and escape being detected for a while. Notes as to plumage-condition as well as crisp photos may or may not be useful in that respect.
- - -
and certainly some additional species that have been in, over, around N.Y. County in the past few days. Thanks greatly to so many keen observers and many photographers who have been finding and reporting on sightings of a lot of great migration happenings.
Good birdng to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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