Date: 9/2/25 1:16 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC -Sept. 1st- Y-br Chat, 25+ Warbler spp., many more migrants
Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City -
Labor Day Monday, September 1st -
Some Highlights - Yellow-breasted Chat seen well by many observers at north end of the Park, 25-plus migratory American Warbler species, 4 spp of brown-backed-type Thrushes, multiple Red-breasted Nuthatches, 4 spp of Vireos, at least 8 spp of Flycatchers, 6-plus raptor species plus the 3 regular falcon spp, Common Nighthawk, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and Green-winged Teal, N. Shoveler, and multiple Wood Ducks, plus many more migrants and visiting species as well as resident species.
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Blue-winged Teal
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
American Black Duck
Mallard x American Black Duck hybrid
Green-winged Teal - at Turtle Pond, many observers.
feral Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night Heron
Snowy Egret
Green Heron
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Coopers Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Owl
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern -Yellow-shafted- Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Alder-Willow Flycatcher -or Traills-type Flycatcher-
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Northern House Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainsons Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Yellow-breasted Chat - many observers, at the Loch area.
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
-
Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Brewsters-type Warbler -hybrid-
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped -Myrtle- Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
-
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Thanks to the many quiet, courteous observers and photographers, most being supporters and members of not-for-profit bird-conservation organizations and institutions, and many independent bird-seekers, for finds, and reports in non-x alerts and thru eBird alerts with reports, including media placed in the Macaulay Library where both visual and audio may be archived.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
Manhattan
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Date: 9/1/25 3:20 pm From: Deborah Allen <dallenyc...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park NYC, Mon. Sep. 1, 2025: Olive-Sided Flycatcher (4), Blue-winged, Tennessee, Prairie and Other Warblers
Central Park NYC
Monday, September 1, 2025
OBS: Robert DeCandido, Deborah Allen, m.ob.
Highlights: Six Species of Tyrant Flycatchers including Olive-Sided Flycatcher (4), Blue-winged, Tennessee, Prairie and Other Wood Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Canada Goose - 16
Gadwall - 5
Mallard - 13
Mourning Dove - 25-30
Chimney Swift - 2 or 3
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 3
Laughing Gull - 4
Ring-billed Gull - 20-30
American Herring Gull - around 70
Great Black-backed Gull - 1 Reservoir (Deb-early)
Double-crested Cormorant - 3
Great Blue Heron - 1 immature Upper Lobe
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 4 or 5
Downy Woodpecker - 1 immature male Gill Source (Sandra Critelli)
Northern Flicker - 3
Great Crested Flycatcher - 2 (Evodia Field, Upper Lobe Lawn)
Eastern Kingbird - 1 Gill Source (Annie Plum)
Olive-sided Flycatcher - 4 (3 locations) high count for Central Park
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 3
Least Flycatcher - 1 Upper Lobe Lawn
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 1 Maintenance Field (Annie Plum)
Warbling Vireo - 2 (Hernshead, Upper Lobe)
Red-eyed Vireo - 8/10
Blue Jay - 4 or 5
American Crow - 2 Reservoir (Deb-early)
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 3
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 1 Strawberry Fields (Paul Curtis)
Carolina Wren - 1 Strawberry Fields
Gray Catbird - 5 or 6
Veery - 12-16
Swainson's Thrush - 3
Wood Thrush - 1 Gill Source (Bob-early)
American Robin - 10-15
House Finch - family group of 5 with lots of wing-fluttering
Baltimore Oriole - 3
Common Grackle - 5 or 6
Ovenbird - 4 or 5
Northern Waterthrush - 3
Blue-winged Warbler - 1 Shakespeare Garden (Paul Curtis)
Black-and-white Warbler - 3 or 4
Tennessee Warbler - 1 Gill Source (Sandra Critelli)
Common Yellowthroat - 5 or 6
American Redstart - 20-25
Northern Parula - 3 or 4
Magnolia Warbler - 5 or 6
Yellow Warbler - 4
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 3 or 4
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 2 males Ramble
Prairie Warbler - 2 (Tupelo Field, Captain's Bench)
Canada Warbler - 1 Gill Source
Northern Cardinal - 9-11
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1 Oven seen from Point (Sandra Critelli)
--
Deb Allen
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Date: 9/1/25 6:44 am From: John Turner <redknot948...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Stone Bridge Nighthawk Watch
The 9th year of the Stone Bridge Nighthawk Watch, sponsored by the Four Harbors Audubon Society and Frank Melville Park, and located in Setauket, began on August 27th and the total for each of the first five days has been 3, 4, 48, 4, and 21 common nighthawks seen.
So far the most consistent phenomenon has been the two dozen or so chimney swifts flittering and twittering as they feed on the insect hatch coming off the north and south ponds.
We encourage all those with an interest in goatsuckers to visit!
*Directions to Stone Bridge Nighthawk Watch: *Take the Long Island Expressway to Exit 62 (Nicolls Road). Take Nicolls Road north to the end where it joins State Route 25A in a T-intersection (you'll go past signs to Stony Brook University and go under the LIRR trestle right before the intersection). Make a right on SR 25A heading east for just a few hundred yards. Make a left at the next light, heading north on Main Street. Take this to the end passing through three stop signs) At the fourth stop sign look left and you'll see the stone bridge, in front of you is a post office. Make a right and park in one of the many parking spots lining the south side of the road.
John Turner & Patrice Domeischel
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Date: 9/1/25 12:46 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC - Sat.-Sun., 8/30-31 - 25+ Warbler spp., and many more migrants
Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - sightings in the collective from this weekend, to Sunday.
Saturday and Sunday, August 30 and 31st -
More species of birds were reported from Saturday than on Sunday, however there were a few new-for-the-season birds by Sunday, and a slightly different mix of migrants overall in Central Park. This was likely reflected as well in many other parks both in Manhattan and to some extent in some surrounding locations, in and outside of New York County or of N.Y. City.
At least 9 species of flycatchers, at least 5 species of vireos, at least 25 spp. of migratory American warblers, and an increase of many of all of these as well as of some of the other migrants of the southbound-season.
Far-greater numbers of Red-breasted Nuthatches are now occurring, a rather rapid increase in the past week or so. - - - While very far to the north of this N.Y. City region, it is perhaps worth noting that a very early Redpoll was photographed in Lewis County, NY, on 31 August - yesterday, in other words - so whether an outlier, or a hint of something to come, remains to be seen. As most of you will know, all Redpolls forms are lumped now as a single species by the molecular studies which had been recently completed.
The find of Connecticut Warbler at Central Park is somewhat concurrent with multiple others of the species now starting to show in the local area. These birds may give calls, but not song and as is typical, one just-found in Central was excessively skulking, in thick weedy vegetation. Seen in a fenced area, exact location not given. By Sunday, there were still at least 21 species of warblers at Central Park, and being found throughout all of the park, not in only one area, by many observers. More warbler spp were present in Central Park on Saturday, a few of the species not noted again on Sunday.
Migrants are also appearing in all parks and in many smaller greenspaces of this county, including at small gardens, pocket parks, and in some street plantings or trees, with even some much-smaller parks receiving a dozen-plus migrant species on some recent days. Morning-flight, while lighter than midweek of this past week, is ongoing each morning. Nocturnal passages are great, and many many birds have been passing by in the night, literally millions by now in this southbound-season. The Common Nighthawks are continuing each night at some locations in Manhattan, with some also available at Central, while seeming to be more passing by n. Manhattan.
Sightings from 2 days, Aug. 30 and Aug. 31, at Central Park in Manhattan -
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall
Mallard
American Black Duck
feral Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - fairly small numbers were continuing.
Common Nighthawk - all of the past week, mostly dawn and dusk hours.
Chimney Swift - many every day now.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - multiple.
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper - regularly at The Pool.
Laughing Gull - still showing.
Ring-billed Gull
American Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret - all as flyovers.
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Coopers Hawk
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk - few, but still-early.
Red-tailed Hawk
Owl species. No locations.
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - possibly still summered-over individuals, but a few new arrivals may have shown.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Yellow-shafted Flicker - increasing a bit into the weekend.
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
feral Budgerigar - escaped or released.
-
Olive-sided Flycatcher - both Sat and Sunday and in several locations.
Eastern Wood-Pewee - substantially increasing.
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - multiples on all recent days,
Acadian Flycatcher
Alder-Willow Flycatcher also sometimes known as Traills-type Flycatcher, or simply Empidonax-genus flycatcher, of either one of the 2 species.
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe - small increases.
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird - fewer by Sunday but still in the multiple.
-
Yellow-throated Vireo - slight increases.
Blue-headed Vireo - arrivals here by Saturday 8-29, with some also showing by then in several other Manhattan parks, such as Inwood Hill and Riverside-north.
Philadelphia Vireo - arrivals from Friday on thru this weekend.
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo - modest increases.
-
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - still scarce and still a bit early.
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 15-plus occurred by Sunday at Central Park, a rising number of this potentially-irruptive species.
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
House Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Veery - increased further for this entire past week into this weekend.
Gray-cheeked Thrush - small numbers thus far.
Gray-cheeked or Bicknell's Thrush - a small number of thrush sightings by now for which this assignation may be best.Swainsons Thrush - slight increases.
Hermit Thrush - very few, but some are showing, a very very early arrival of any of this species here, before September.
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing - good numbers on passage, not all that many lingering? This species can be seen into winter here, however, as many show on very late passage, and some then may stay.
House Sparrow
House Finch
Purple Finch - scarce, but both Sat. and Sunday.
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow - very low numbers of arriving migrants, in addition to lingering-summering individuals.
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Bobolink - in numbers, in early morning passages.
Orchard Oriole - much scarcer by now.
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
-
Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler - to at least Saturday, 8-30.
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler - to at least Saturday, 8-30.
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler - still increasing thru Sunday.
Connecticut Warbler - some notes are at top, first known-of from Sunday.
Mourning Warbler - multiple each day of this past week and through now.
Common Yellowthroat - ongoing in numbers.
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart - about the most numerous warbler species recently.
Cape May Warbler - fairly good numbers were continuing to be found.
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler - still numerous, especially on passage.
Chestnut-sided Warbler - still in numbers.
Blackpoll Warbler - to at least Saturday, 8-30.
Pine Warbler
Myrtle form of Yellow-rumped Warbler - very slight increase into Sunday.
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilsons Warbler - to at least Saturday, 8-30.
-
Scarlet Tanager - ongoing in modest numbers.
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - slight further increases.
Indigo Bunting - multiple.
Thanks to the many quiet, courteous observers and photographers, some in groups led by and for not-for-profit organizations, and many independent bird-seekers, for finds, and reports in non-x alerts and on eBird alerts with reports, including media placed in the Macaulay Library where both visual and audio may be archived.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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Date: 8/31/25 1:55 pm From: Deborah Allen <dallenyc...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park NYC, Sun. Aug. 31, 2025: 12 Species of Wood Warblers Incl. Tennessee and Blackburnian warblers
Central Park NYC
Sunday, August 31, 2025
OBS: Robert DeCandido, PhD, Deborah Allen, m.ob.
Highlights: Green Heron, 12 Species of Wood Warblers Including Tennessee and Blackburnian warblers.
Canada Goose - 7
Mallard - 10
Mourning Dove - 25-30
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 2 Tupelo Field
Herring Gull - 4 or 5 flyovers
Green Heron - 1 Turtle Pond (Sandra Critelli)
Red-tailed Hawk - 2 (Tupelo Field, Evodia Field)
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 3 or 4
Downy Woodpecker - 1 south side Turtle Pond
Northern Flicker - 2 or 3 Ramble
Great Crested Flycatcher - 2 (Ramble, south side Turtle Pond)
Empidonax Flycatcher - 2
Warbling Vireo - 1 south side Turtle Pond
Red-eyed Vireo - 6-8
Blue Jay - 4 or 5
Carolina Wren - 3
Gray Catbird - 4 or 5
Veery - 18-22
Wood Thrush - 1 Evodia Field (Sandra Critelli)
American Robin - 10-15
House Finch - 4 or 5 Maintenance Field
White-throated Sparrow - 2 south side Turtle Pond
Common Grackle - 4 or 5
Ovenbird - 3
Northern Waterthrush - 2 Ramble
Black-and-white Warbler - 3
Tennessee Warbler - 1 Persimmon Slope
Common Yellowthroat - 3
American Redstart - 8-10
Northern Parula - 2 Ramble
Magnolia Warbler - 5
Blackburnian Warbler - 1 female Boat House Hill
Yellow Warbler - 2 (Gill Source, Castle Overlook)
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 6 or 7
Canada Warbler - 2 (Tupelo Field, Maintenance Field)
Northern Cardinal - 7-9
--
Deb Allen
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Date: 8/31/25 6:42 am From: Gabriel Willow <gabrielwillow...> Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] NYC Area RBA: 29 August 2025 - CORRECTED
Thanks for the correction and update, I thought I was losing it trying to find the shearwater details in the previous email.
I’m disappointed however to see the editorializing on bird name changes. I don’t think this alert is the appropriate place for these personal opinions.
But while we’re doing so, renaming Sargasso Shearwater after its unique and preferred habitat vs. after someone who, their artistic and ornithological merits notwithstanding, was a plagiarist, a fabulist, and a slave-owner was the right choice and a better one for conservation, education, and science.
Bird names change constantly based on taxonomic updates among other things. I don’t hear anyone decrying the loss of ‘Dusky-backed Shearwater’ when the Sargasso/ Borolo/ Little Shearwater complex were disentangled.
I look forward to upcoming name-corrections and to the rare bird alert listing rare birds, and not personal opinions.
Thanks as always for the hard work that goes into maintaining this list.
- Gabriel Willow
> On Aug 30, 2025, at 5:50 PM, Gail Benson <gbensonny...> wrote:
>
> -RBA
> * New York
> * New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
> * Aug. 29, 2025
> * NYNY2508.29
>
> - Birds Mentioned
> SCOPOLI’S SHEARWATER+
> SARGASSO SHEARWATER+
> (Details requested by NYSARC)
>
> Mute Swan
> Common Nighthawk
> Sora
> SANDHILL CRANE
> AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER
> Whimbrel
> HUDSONIAN GODWIT
> MARBLED GODWIT
> WILSON'S PHALAROPE
> RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
> Red Knot
> Stilt Sandpiper
> BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER
> White-rumped Sandpiper
> Pectoral Sandpiper
> Western Sandpiper
> Parasitic Jaeger
> Gull-billed Tern
> Caspian Tern
> Black Tern
> Royal Tern
> Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
> Cory’s Shearwater
> Great Shearwater
> Sooty Shearwater
> Great Shearwater
> Manx Shearwater
> AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
> Olive-sided Flycatcher
> Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
> Red-breasted Nuthatch
> LARK SPARROW
> YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
> Bobolink
> GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
> PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
> CONNECTICUT WARBLER
> Mourning Warbler
> Hooded Warbler
> Bay-breasted Warbler
> Blackpoll Warbler
> DICKCISSEL
>
> If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report
> electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at
> http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm >
> 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: Gail Benson
>
> [~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
>
> Greetings! This is the CORRECTED New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday,
> August 29, 2025 at 11:00 pm. The highlights of today's tape are
> AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, SANDHILL CRANE, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER,
> HUDSONIAN and MARBLED GODWITS, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, WILSON'S and
> RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, SCOPOLI'S and SARGASSO SHEARWATERS, LARK
> SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, GOLDEN-WINGED, PROTHONOTARY and
> CONNECTICUT WARBLERS, DICKCISSEL and more.
>
> Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge continues to be a very productive
> destination despite the continuing higher than desired water level on
> the East Pond. The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN continues usually at the
> north end of the pond, lurking there among the MUTE SWANS, though it
> does go elsewhere on occasion. Decent numbers of shorebirds on the
> pond, especially during high tide, have featured up to 3 each of
> RED-NECKED and WILSON'S PHALAROPES, moving between the north and south
> ends, and a good variety including a couple of MARBLED GODWITS, RED
> KNOT and STILT, WHITE-RUMPED, PECTORAL and WESTERN SANDPIPERS. A SORA
> also continues along the western shore of the south end, and watch for
> GULL-BILLED, CASPIAN and other TERNS there. Also check the West Pond.
>
> A couple of MARBLED GODWITS were on the flats at Mecox Wednesday, with
> another back at Jones Beach Field 10 today, and an HUDSONIAN GODWIT
> last Sunday visited Cupsogue Beach County Park, where today one BLACK,
> 2 CASPIAN and 125 ROYAL TERNS were present.
>
> Hawk season is beginning, and single SANDHILL CRANES have already
> flown by 2 local watches, the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch at the Butler
> Sanctuary in Bedford Monday and the Quaker Ridge Hawkwatch at the
> Greenwich Audubon Center Tuesday.
>
> Other shorebirds this week featured 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS at Crab
> Meadow Beach in Northport today, single WHIMBRELS out on Jamaica Bay
> Sunday, at Plumb Beach Monday and at Croton Point Park in Westchester
> Thursday, and a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER on the flats Sunday at Great
> Kills Park, where a young GULL-BILLED TERN visited during the week.
>
> Birders on the CRESLI whale-watching boats from Montauk last Sunday
> and Monday enjoyed decent numbers of pelagic birds, their combined
> totals including over 290 WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS, and for the
> SHEARWATERS about 85 CORY’S, 1 SCOPOLI’S, 3 SOOTY, over 130 GREAT, 2
> MANX and 1 SARGASSO plus 2 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and 3 PARASITIC
> JAEGERS. The SARGASSO SHEARWATER is the former AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER
> caught up in the unfortunate recent trend of changing long-established
> bird names.
>
> A LARK SPARROW found Wednesday near Meadow Lake in Flushing
> Meadows-Corona Park was still present there Thursday.
>
> Single YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were spotted in Central Park Sunday and
> Tuesday, with another found deceased Tuesday in lower Manhattan.
>
> A good selection of WARBLERS this week featured single GOLDEN-WINGEDS
> in Central Park Tuesday and Wednesday and another Wednesday in Battery
> Park, a male PROTHONOTARY in Central Park's Ramble Monday, and a
> CONNECTICUT nicely photographed at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye
> today. Decent numbers also included some arriving MOURNING, HOODED,
> BAY-BREASTED, and BLACKPOLL WARBLERS,
>
> This week's large variety of migrants included increasing numbers of
> COMMON NIGHTHAWKS in evening flights, several OLIVE-SIDED and some
> YELLOW-BELLIED and other FLYCATCHERS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BOBOLINK,
> and a few usually coastal DICKCISSELS often noted as they pass
> overhead early on, detected by their distinctive but sometimes
> embarrassing calls.
>
> 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.
>
> - End transcript
>
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>
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Date: 8/30/25 1:48 pm From: Deborah Allen <dallenyc...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park NYC, Sat. Aug. 30, 2025, Tennessee, Mourning, Blackburnian and Other Wood Warblers
Central Park NYC
Saturday August 30, 2025
OBS: Robert DeCandido, PhD, m.ob.
Highlights: 14 Species of Wood Warblers including Tennessee, Mourning, and Blackburnian Warblers, Flycatchers including Least and Yellow-bellied, Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Canada Goose - a dozen flyovers
Gadwall - 1 Reservoir (Deb-early)
Mourning Dove - 30-35
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 3
Herring Gull 5 flyovers, many others at Reservoir
Red-tailed Hawk - 1 adult female Azalea Pond and other locations in the Ramble
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 seen, others heard in Ramble
Downy Woodpecker - 1 Ramble
Northern Flicker - 3
Great Crested Flycatcher - 1 Ramble
Eastern Wood-Pewee - 1 Tupelo Field
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 4
Least Flycatcher - 1 Shakespeare Garden (Deb)
Warbling Vireo - 2 Ramble
Red-eyed Vireo - 8-10
Blue Jay - 4 or 5
Common Raven - heard-only west of Azalea Pond
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 1 Source of the Gill
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 1 Source of the Gill (Edmund Berry)
Carolina Wren - 2 Shakespeare Garden
Gray Catbird - 6-8
Veery - 12-16
American Robin - 10-15
House Finch - 1 male at Evodia Field feeders
White-throated Sparrow - 4
Common Grackle - 4 or 5
Ovenbird - 3
Northern Waterthrush - 4
Black-and-white Warbler - 3
Tennessee Warbler - 1 on the Point (Bob-early)
Mourning Warbler - 1 male Source of the Gill
Common Yellowthroat - 4
American Redstart - 15
Northern Parula - 1 Ramble
Magnolia Warbler - 8
Blackburnian Warbler - 1 east of Maintenance Field (Jordan Spindel)
Yellow Warbler - 1 Tupelo Field
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 6-8
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 3
Canada Warbler - 3
Northern Cardinal - 8-10
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 3
--
Deb Allen
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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: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the CORRECTED New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday,
August 29, 2025 at 11:00 pm. The highlights of today's tape are
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, SANDHILL CRANE, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER,
HUDSONIAN and MARBLED GODWITS, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, WILSON'S and
RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, SCOPOLI'S and SARGASSO SHEARWATERS, LARK
SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, GOLDEN-WINGED, PROTHONOTARY and
CONNECTICUT WARBLERS, DICKCISSEL and more.
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge continues to be a very productive
destination despite the continuing higher than desired water level on
the East Pond. The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN continues usually at the
north end of the pond, lurking there among the MUTE SWANS, though it
does go elsewhere on occasion. Decent numbers of shorebirds on the
pond, especially during high tide, have featured up to 3 each of
RED-NECKED and WILSON'S PHALAROPES, moving between the north and south
ends, and a good variety including a couple of MARBLED GODWITS, RED
KNOT and STILT, WHITE-RUMPED, PECTORAL and WESTERN SANDPIPERS. A SORA
also continues along the western shore of the south end, and watch for
GULL-BILLED, CASPIAN and other TERNS there. Also check the West Pond.
A couple of MARBLED GODWITS were on the flats at Mecox Wednesday, with
another back at Jones Beach Field 10 today, and an HUDSONIAN GODWIT
last Sunday visited Cupsogue Beach County Park, where today one BLACK,
2 CASPIAN and 125 ROYAL TERNS were present.
Hawk season is beginning, and single SANDHILL CRANES have already
flown by 2 local watches, the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch at the Butler
Sanctuary in Bedford Monday and the Quaker Ridge Hawkwatch at the
Greenwich Audubon Center Tuesday.
Other shorebirds this week featured 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS at Crab
Meadow Beach in Northport today, single WHIMBRELS out on Jamaica Bay
Sunday, at Plumb Beach Monday and at Croton Point Park in Westchester
Thursday, and a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER on the flats Sunday at Great
Kills Park, where a young GULL-BILLED TERN visited during the week.
Birders on the CRESLI whale-watching boats from Montauk last Sunday
and Monday enjoyed decent numbers of pelagic birds, their combined
totals including over 290 WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS, and for the
SHEARWATERS about 85 CORY’S, 1 SCOPOLI’S, 3 SOOTY, over 130 GREAT, 2
MANX and 1 SARGASSO plus 2 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES and 3 PARASITIC
JAEGERS. The SARGASSO SHEARWATER is the former AUDUBON’S SHEARWATER
caught up in the unfortunate recent trend of changing long-established
bird names.
A LARK SPARROW found Wednesday near Meadow Lake in Flushing
Meadows-Corona Park was still present there Thursday.
Single YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were spotted in Central Park Sunday and
Tuesday, with another found deceased Tuesday in lower Manhattan.
A good selection of WARBLERS this week featured single GOLDEN-WINGEDS
in Central Park Tuesday and Wednesday and another Wednesday in Battery
Park, a male PROTHONOTARY in Central Park's Ramble Monday, and a
CONNECTICUT nicely photographed at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye
today. Decent numbers also included some arriving MOURNING, HOODED,
BAY-BREASTED, and BLACKPOLL WARBLERS,
This week's large variety of migrants included increasing numbers of
COMMON NIGHTHAWKS in evening flights, several OLIVE-SIDED and some
YELLOW-BELLIED and other FLYCATCHERS, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BOBOLINK,
and a few usually coastal DICKCISSELS often noted as they pass
overhead early on, detected by their distinctive but sometimes
embarrassing calls.
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.
- End transcript
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Date: 8/30/25 6:20 am From: Richard Guthrie <richardpguthrie...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Goose hunting season begins Sept. 1st
Take note that the early Canada Goose hunting season for most of New York State begins Monday, September 1st (September 2nd for Long Island except NYC). The permitted daily “bag limit” is 15 Canada Geese. Oddly enough, shooting crows is still permitted with no bag limits imposed. Crow season also opens on Sept. 1st
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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, August 29th 2025* at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, SANDHILL CRANE, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, HUDSONIAN and MARBLED GODWITS, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, WILSON'S and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, SCOPOLI'S and SARGASSO SHEARWATERS, LARK SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, GOLDEN-WINGED, PROTHONOTARY and CONNECTICUT WARBLERS, DICKCISSEL and more.
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge continues to be a very productive destination despite the continuing higher than desired water level on the East Pond. The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN continues usually at the north end of the pond working there among the Mute Swans though it does go elsewhere on occasion. Decent numbers of shorebirds on the pond have this week, especially during high tide, featured up to 3 each of RED-NECKED and WILSON'S PHALAROPES moving between the north and south ends and a good variety including a couple of MARBLED GODWITS, RED KNOT and STILT, WHITE-RUMPED, PECTORAL and WESTERN SANDPIPERS. A SORA also continues along the western shore of the south end and watch for GULL-BILLED, CASPIAN and other terns there.
A couple of MARBLED GODWITS were on the flats at Mecox Wednesday with another back at Jones Beach field 10 today and an HUDSONIAN GODWIT last Sunday visited Cupsogue Beach County Park where today one BLACK, 2 CASPIAN and 125 ROYAL TERNS were present.
Hawk season is beginning and single SANDHILL CRANES have already flown by 2 local watches, the Chestnut Ridge Hawkwatch at the Butler Sanctuary in Bedford Monday and the Quaker Ridge Hawkwatch at the Greenwich Audubon Center Tuesday.
Other shorebirds this week featured 2 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS at Crab Meadow Beach in Northport today, single WHIMBRELS out on Jamaica Bay Sunday, at Plumb Beach Monday and at Croton Point Park in Westchester Thursday and a BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER on the flats Sunday at Great Kills Park where a young GULL-BILLED TERN visited during the week.
A LARK SPARROW found Wednesday near Meadow Lake in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park was still present there Thursday.
Single YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were spotted in Central Park Sunday and Tuesday with another found deceased Tuesday in lower Manhattan, a building strike victim.
A good selection of warblers this week featured single GOLDEN-WINGEDS in Central Park Tuesday and Wednesday and another Wednesday in Battery Park, a male PROTHONOTARY in Central Park's Ramble Monday, and a CONNECTICUT nicely photographed at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye today. Decent numbers also included some arriving MOURNING, HOODED, BAY-BREASTED, and BLACKPOLL WARBLERS,
This week's large variety of migrants included increasing numbers of COMMON NIGHTHAWKS in the evening flights, several OLIVE-SIDED and some YELLOW-BELLIED and other flycatchers, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, BOBOLINK and a few usually coastal DICKCISSELS often noted as they pass overhead early on detected by their distinctive but sometimes embarrassing calls.
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.
- End transcript
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Date: 8/29/25 1:45 pm From: Deborah Allen <dallenyc...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park NYC, Fri. Aug. 29, 2025: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Least flycatcher, Yellow-breasted Chat
Central Park NYC
Friday, August 29, 2025
Deborah Allen, m.ob.
Highlights: Solitary Sandpiper, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Yellow-throated Vireo, Least Flycatcher, 9 Species of Wood Warblers. In addition, Benny Romero reported a Yellow-breasted Chat at the easternmost cutout at the Loch.
Canada Goose - 31
Wood Duck - 2 males at the Pool
Gadwall - 3
Mallard - 40
Mourning Dove - 4 or 5
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - near the Seep (Dan Stevenson)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 2 or 3 reported at the Loch in Jewelweed
Solitary Sandpiper - 3 at the Pool
Double-crested Cormorant - 1 immature Harlem Meer
Great Blue Heron - 1 immature moved from the Loch to the Pool
Red-tailed Hawk - 2 (1 immature Harlem Meer (Sabina Schumacher), 1 adult flyover (Theo))
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2 (1 heard, 1 juvenile) Loch
Least Flycatcher - 2 (Harlem Meer, Pool)
Yellow-throated Vireo - 1 at the Seep (Caren Jahre)
Blue Jay - 2 Conservatory Garden
American Crow - heard-only
Gray Catbird - 10
Northern Mockingbird - 1 near Conservatory Garden
American Robin - a dozen
House Finch - 1 male at the Seep
American Goldfinch - flock at the Harlem Meer
Song Sparrow - 3
Common Grackle - only a few
Ovenbird - 1 Loch (Sabina Schumacher)
Northern Waterthrush -5-7
Common Yellowthroat - 3 (2 female, 1 hatch-year male)
American Redstart - more than 20
Magnolia Warbler - 1 Loch (Paul Curtis)
Yellow Warbler - 1 female Harlem Meer (Scott Brevda)
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 2 (Loch (Dan Stevenson) and Pool)
Northern Cardinal - 1 male Loch, others heard
--
Deb Allen
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Date: 8/29/25 10:09 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, NYC - to Fri., 8/29 - 29+ Warbler spp., great C. Nighthawk no's, and many many other migrants
Manhattan, N.Y. City - into Friday, August 29th - this is within New York County.
There appears to be no publicly-available record with details of Summer Tanager in any part of this county, including Central Park, nor with any documentation at all, in the past week or any part of this summer in this county. This species was 2nd-hand-reported without text-details to this list-serve, in a Monday report, and is not publicly shown in any listings at all via eBird, nor via iNaturalist for August, in this county. The last known photo-documented sighting of Summer Tanager in a standard archived-data source, for any part of the county was in spring 2025. If links are available to photos or textual notes on the 2nd-hand report made to this list-serve for -August- the actual reporters might provide such. To be more-specific on the photo-documented records in eBird and the Macaulay Library archives for all of New York County - which includes Central Park and all-of-Manhattan, the most recent -searchable- record for all of 2025 of Summer Tanager, was at Tompkins Square Park on May 16th, even if there were other less-documented sightings later into the spring of this year. In Suffolk County, Long Island NY back in -mid-June- there were sightings of Summer Tanager - over 75 miles east of Manhattan and where habitat is considered plausible for potential breeding of that rarer tanager in NY state. Any genuine, documented record of Summer Tanager in August in New York County is unusual, although would not be totally-unprecedented.
. . .
All Buntings being seen in any part of Manhattan have been Indigo Bunting so far this season. Any reports of very-rare vagrant buntings ought to include visual documentation, even a distance-shot by phone being worth making. There are Indigos showing daily in Manhattan, including some males still with reasonably sharp colors and also some potentially-confusing splotchy birds.
---
Contrary to whatever may have been, or was-not, said or seen, by some who -may look at- the BirdCast predictions or live-streaming - Tues.-night into Wed., 8-27 was among the strongest, probably the strongest overnight and morning flight of this month here. Wed.-night into Thursday just a bit less-so, and -all- of this week has featured large flights both nocturnally and into morning hours, and for some species, into the afternoons as well - dependent on specific locality.
In late August, it is RARE that there will NOT be a good to excellent movement of a variety of migrant birds and this is prime-time for diversity in certain passerines, warblers above all, key there being diversity-of-species, rather than ten-million Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers in a month or so from now. Obviously it is also a busy week and time of the season for many other species in multiple families of birds. Good fresh migration also occurred over Wed.-night into Thursday, but was less grounded with the birds in Manhattan for Thurs, as compared to earlier days of this week here.
The lack of nearby tropical-disturbances has allowed for good regional migrations to proceed, and in the north, i.e. parts of far-north NY state, northern New England, and areas of eastern Canada, nighttime low temps have dropped to the 30&rsquo;s F. on multiple nights, followed on with high-pressure weather systems and mainly-favorable winds for birds moving south. The N.F.C. data also bear out these recent excellent flights around the larger region.
--
Some excellent, strong migrations have been occurring this week, with many new arrivals and passage-migrants on each day of the week, in a few instances, including modestly-early first-known arrivals of this fall to this county and thus to Manhattan island. Just one example of the strength of some of the daily and nightly migrations are the more than 250 Eastern Kingbirds which flew past Manhattan on their way south, on 1 day - this Tuesday. And that Manhattan-tally PALED in comparison to some other flights seen of same, this week in N.Y. City as well as at some other regional observation-points with morning-flight-watchers or all-day migration-watches. A strong exodus of kingbirds - no species other than Eastern was noted for our county that includes Manhattan, but other -vagrant- kingbird species ought be kept in mind from now to the end of this year, with up to 4 species of vagrant kingbirds and also 2 more vagrant tyrannous-type flycatchers spp. possible in our area. - - - for anyone not sure what are included in the regions possibilities, there are, among species that have shown in the area more than once in recent times - Western Kingbird as the most-regular vagrant, and Couchs, Cassins and Gray Kingbirds all having occurred and of course in other related species, Scissor-tailed and Fork-tailed Flycatchers also have been found in various seasons, including in early fall as well as later in the year over past years in the NYC region.
The Common Nighthawk migration-flights have begun now. With sightings of up to 20-plus birds on Wed, 8-27 in the early evening, and sightings from multiple locations which included the northern end of Manhattan as well as the east side, and from Central Park and some also at lower Manhattan, this was a great new push of these birds which as most know, are seen primarily around the dawn and dusk hours in daytime, and in lucky-occasional finds of a roosting bird here - but most are on the move when sighted this seasonal time of the year. The migrations can go into October here, but prime-time is clearly starting and this will be likely in all of our region, as well as the locality of this reporting. Thanks to those many who were watching for these in recent days-nights and twilights.
Red-breasted Nuthatch sightings, confirmed in eBird for Central Park by earlier this week, had also been starting to have records in other locations in Manhattan this week - and scattered across N.Y. City. The numbers so-far appear to be modest. Time will tell whether the numbers continue to increase for this little partially-irruptive regular migrant.
Of all the species that are and were migrating in August thru Manhattan, the migratory American warblers have some precedence by their diversity and numbers - far more of some of the commonest of these migrants are actually occurring in a day, than some reports can suggest, for example when a single observer or a party of observers reports for-example, 25 American Redstarts in a days or half-days watching at a local park the true full numbers for ALL of Manhattan for that species alone, American Redstart can be into the very-high 100s and more-likely into the thousands per-day. No one observer or small group of observers will see that many in a normal days watching, but in peak-flight time, which has been ongoing this past week, some of these very-numerous migrants are occurring daily by the thousands - and in vastly-higher numbers in nocturnal passage flights, all of which is normal, not exceptional. Even on less-advantageous nights for migrations, the most-common migrant species can be far more numerous than is commonly realized.
For Wednesday a minimum of 27 warbler species were found in Manhattan, and still at least 25 warbler species were seen in Central Park alone for Thursday, 8-28 - by collectively, hundreds of observers, most on their own, in small parties, and some with or leading not-fort-profit guided bird walks of which there are a lot scheduled for there coming several months, all around N.Y. City - see the schedules online of such non-profit orgs as A.M.N.H. - the American Museum of Natural History, and the NYC Bird Alliance, and the Linnaean Society of New York, plus other non-profit organizations which will have scheduled, guided bird and nature walks, which help to directly benefit bird conservation, science education, and natural diversity in N.Y. City and beyond. A high majority of the reports in to birds noted here are from people who support these and other non-profit educational and environmental orgs and institutions.
Fairly-inclusive bird list for the past week, beginning Monday, Aug. 25th, below - for all of Manhattan, with any birds also seen at Central Park here noted with -CP-
Canada Goose -CP- and can be seen almost anywhere where there is water plus open lawn areas, at times. Breeding occurs on Manhattan.
Wood Duck -CP- this is the location where a majority of sightings have been, with on some days in August, up to 7 or more of this species, recently 3 to 4 or more.
Northern Shoveler -CP- a few were still at The Meer this week, not much noted. More are likely to come in soon, in the county - and to Manhattan.
Gadwall -CP- and in multiple other areas of Manhattan where waters are not too disturbed.
Mallard -CP- and a near-ubiquitous presence around Manhattans quieter waters.
American Black Duck -CP- over all of Manhattan, very-modest increases this week.
Mallard x American Black Duck hybrids -CP- occasionally-noticed and also in other waters around Manhattan at times. More-uncommonly other odd ducky-hybrids, and we also have the uncommon, odd non-native waterfowl placed, or escaped at times in some areas around Manhattan.
Wild Turkey - a female was still being seen at times at The Battery, the southern-most park of Manhattan island - this is a long-lingering bird by now.
feral Rock Pigeon -CP- and of course almost everywhere else in Manhattan.
Mourning Dove -CP- and rather common all-around.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo -CP - and in at least several other locations. Modest passage flights. Several for Friday at Central Park, and also in other Manhattan parks to Friday.
Common Nighthawk - CP- especially from northern Manhattan, often a good area to see the species, but also including some sightings IN Central Park, and elsewhere, thru this week. Expected to increase over all of next 2 weeks or more here. The flight for Wed. Late-day was quite strong and was seen by multiple observers in at least several sites. The species was again seen in the multiple and by multi-observers, on Thursday eve., from at least several Manhattan sites.
Chimney Swift -CP- and all around Manhattan - some increases in some areas of Manhattan, a few swarms of over-100 at once, recently.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird -CP- a modest flight here in-over Manhattan , 25+ of these were moving in all of morning hours on Monday, esp. on w. side of Manhattan, still moving well thru all of this week.
Semipalmated Plover - another of this species occurred in northern Manhattan, and the species is moving around the area now, including elsewhere in N.Y. County.
Killdeer - in few locations, and irregular in those at this time of the year.
Least Sandpiper - multiple, but select locations, most but not all in northern Manhattan. This species has occurred in Central Park as well, this and in other summers.
Semipalmated Sandpiper- multiple, but select locations, most but not all in northern Manhattan - some good -documented- sightings also in lower Manhattan, along Hudson River.
Spotted Sandpiper -CP- and in multiple other locations.
Solitary Sandpiper -CP- and in some other locations, ongoing all week at Central Park, into at-least Friday, 8-29.
Greater Yellowlegs - a continuing individual mainly around the mudflats off Inwood Hill Park to at-least Monday, 8-25 - not seen again there after that date.
Laughing Gull - this species has been, on many days this summer, near-COMMON at Central Park, and a generally high number in many areas of Manhattan, for some locations. The HIGHEST numbers for all of Manhattan have been recorded at Central Parks reservoir this summer, to as many as 75 of this gull at once - totally unprecedented in any prior years for that location and fitting-with the high numbers generally being found thru Manhattan on some days and multiple locations, a remarkable increase for this island.
Ring-billed Gull -CP- and in many other areas as flybys, as well as some roosts, both regular and irregular.
American Herring Gull -CP- and in many other locations.
Great Black-backed Gull -CP- and in multiple other locations, primarily on or over waters surrounding Manhattan.
Common Tern - regular this month in some areas, mostly for Manhattan as seen from lower-southern end of the island, also some occasional sightings of much-rarer-here Forster's Tern off parts of Manhattan, not limited to the south end. Any terns should if possible be photo or video-documented in this county. Multiple species are possible but only Common Tern is truly regular and reliably seen for the summer months.
Double-crested Cormorant -CP- and in many many more locations, including regular flyovers.
Great Blue Heron -CP- and in multiple other locations.
Great Egret -CP- and in multiple other locations, most-often as flyovers.
Snowy Egret -CP- and in multiple other locations - and almost all as flyovers.
Green Heron -CP- and in some other locations. Some migrations are also now occurring. Bred again here.
Black-crowned Night-Heron -C.P.- --- N.B. a few reports of Yellow-crowned Night Heron for Central Park and some other -Manhattan- locations were in-error, immature Black-crowned mistakenly taken for the far-less-common Yellow-crowned, for which the one stronghold in this county is still Randalls Island, with only-occasional sightings off lower Manhattan - a rarity in Central Park, not seen there this summer, even though it has -very-rarely- occurred there at times. Yellow-crowned is still a relatively-scarce species all around, while Black-crowned is common and thus is the -default- Night-Heron in this county and in-general around N.Y. City.
Black Vulture - very-regular only as seen from northern Manhattan and occasional elsewhere, in-flight.
Turkey Vulture -CP- and in multiple other locations. Modest movements by some.
Osprey -CP- and in multiple other locations. VERY common now as both migrators and many also still lingering in the area.
Sharp-shinned Hawk -CP- and in a few other locations so far this season.
Coopers Hawk -CP- and in multiple other locations, but not-yet common.
Bald Eagle -CP- and in multiple other locations as flyovers. Some of these sightings are certainly of migrators on the move in the past week.
Broad-winged Hawk -CP- scarce here now, but some quite-early-in-season sightings from Manhattan, possibly of lingering individuals. Also possibly as migrants as the regional flights have started for these in the last week of August. Good records for Central Park thru the week, including some sightings by expert-experienced raptor observers.
Red-tailed Hawk -CP- and in multiple other locations, a regular breeder in this county and on Manhattan.
Owls, continuing in a very few areas.
Belted Kingfisher -CP- and in multiple other locations. Slight increases in migrators.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker -CP- and in at least a few other locations - these are and were over-summering, NON-breeding birds in all summer locations here.
Red-bellied Woodpecker -CP- and in multiple other locations.
Downy Woodpecker -CP- and in multiple other locations.
Hairy Woodpecker -CP- and in some other locations.
Northern-Yellow-shafted form-Flicker -CP- and in multiple other locations.
American Kestrel -CP- and in multiple other locations, many breed in Manhattan.
Merlin - has been recently-reported, with minimal numbers, including at -CP- a species which has vastly increased and expanded its range southward in recent decades, including within NY state.
Peregrine Falcon -CP- and in multiple other locations, a regular breeder in Manhattan, in multiple sites each year.
Monk Parakeet - ongoing in northern Manhattan. Has bred in Manhattan over the past half-century or longer. A regionally-established breeder in multiple counties around NYC, etc.
Olive-sided Flycatcher -CP- and in at least a few other locations, this species was found scantily but daily in this past week. A few vocalizations at times- calls only.
Eastern Wood-Pewee -CP- and in various other locations. Just starting to come in as migrants, increased -a tad- this week.
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher -CP- and in some other locations, this species started to show here in mid-August. NOT RARE here in a proper migration-period, which is upon us now.
Acadian Flycatcher -CP- and in multiple other locations, a species that is regular in Manhattan and has attempted to breed in some sites, including in Central Park in the modern era.
Alder or Willow Flycatcher - sometimes referred to by an older name for the species-pair, Traills Flycatcher - these are moving in recent days or weeks, with some tentatively called to species - almost impossible without any vocalizing. Both species -are likely to be occurring this week- at many locations including in Central Park.
Least Flycatcher -CP and in multiple other locations, many of this species have also been passing thru.
Eastern Phoebe -CP- and in some other locations, still not many, a species that can breed in this county, and rather-rarely in Manhattan.
Great Crested Flycatcher -CP- and in multiple other locations, there was some exodus of this species as other individuals will also be coming thru. Breeds here, including in Central Park.
Eastern Kingbird -CP- and in multiple other locations, good to very good migrations of this species this past week, including flights off both mid-north and lower Manhattan at times.
Yellow-throated Vireo -CP- and in very few other locations. This species has been a scarcely-found breeder in Manhattan, and most of those records are from Central Park. The migrators are arriving here, now into Sept., and have been seen in low-multiple in several locations, including thru this week at Central Park.
Warbling Vireo -CP- and in multiple other locations, with a good movement - the most-common breeding vireo in the county, as well, including many for Central Park. Common as a migrant, in addition to the breeders.
Red-eyed Vireo -CP- and in multiple other locations, also a regularly-breeding species in the larger wooded parks including Central Park, still not at peak-migration just yet. This is a very common migrant, many over the city as nocturnal-migrants and can be truly-enormous numbers at peak date flights.
Blue Jay -CP- and in multiple other locations. Some small movements have been seen.
American Crow -CP- and in multiple other locations.
Fish Crow -CP- and in some other locations - scarce now for Central, but as flybys is still occasional. Breeds in the county.
Common Raven -CP- and in multiple other locations, more regular near, rather than in, Central Park. Breeds within 500 yards of that park and in some additional Manhattan sites.
Black-capped Chickadee -CP- and in multiple other locations. Small upticks in number, still very-early for most movement of this species.
Tufted Titmouse -CP- and in multiple other locations.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow -CP- and in some other locations, but rather scarce just now.
Tree Swallow -CP- and in multiple other locations. Almost all lately are flyovers, some quite high, as is normal for this season.
Bank Swallow - very scarcely-noted but annual and not as rare as is perceived here, at least a few have passed in this week.
Barn Swallow -CP- and in multiple other locations. The most-common swallow of the county by far, and the most-often seen. Many have been on the move.
Red-breasted Nuthatch -CP- and in very few other locations, fresh arrivals in this week - small numbers for now. Worth watching and listening-out for. An irruptive species but also a regularly-seen migrant in most years in highly-variable numbers, so some years -rare- and in some irruptive years, almost-common. Uncommon so far this season, but small increases in keeping with the overall great-migrations of many small passerines now.
White-breasted Nuthatch -CP- and in multiple other locations.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet -CP- first noted by Thursday, 8/28, very-slightly early.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher -CP- and in multiple other locations. Still passing in good numbers, as is expected.
House Wren -CP- and in multiple other locations.
Carolina Wren -CP- and in multiple other locations.
European Starling -CP- and of course almost everywhere else in Manhattan.
Gray Catbird -CP- and in multiple other locations, small numbers have begun to migrate, many also breed in this county and some also overwinter.
Brown Thrasher -CP- and in a few other locations, a scarcely-noticed annual breeder in Central Park and elsewhere, happily being shy and reclusive.
Northern Mockingbird -CP- and in multiple other locations.
Gray-cheeked-type Thrushes -CP- and in other locations, some reported as Gray-cheeked, and likely that species, rather than Bicknells. Either of that closely-related pair of species is -plausible- now. Early, but some of each have been recorded in other years as-early. The main fall-season passages are -expected- in mid to late Sept. in most years around here... we await any visual and-or audio documented August finds. If lucky, some Catharus-genus thrushes may rarely sing a bit, even in fall, while calls would be the more-likely than songs. And flight-calls mostly in nocturnal migrations, for the southbound passage.
Veery -CP- and in multiple other locations. Some increases over this week and maxima to double-digits on one day at Central Park, as an indicator of even-stronger flights. Mid-July reports here were likely to be mis-identified juvenile, just-out-of-nests Wood Thrush sightings, the latter a species that nests in Manhattan, the only thrush of the -brown-backed- types to do so, and never Veery.
Swainson's Thrush -CP- and in some other locations, this species was starting to show up in migration late last week here. Some of the first reports included photo-documentation.
Wood Thrush -CP- and in some other locations. An annually-breeding species of Manhattan, in addition to many migrants.
- - Catharus-thrush-genus reports for -Hermit Thrush- here in Manhattan or in N.Y. City recently or, at all in August, may, or may-not, be properly-identified. Clear photo-documentation would be helpful to determine claims of these in summer, here. Some breed not far away, but not in N.Y. City and usually not migrating much here in very-early fall. The latest-moving of all thrushes excepting Am. Robin that breed in the northeast to make real migrations to Oct-Nov., and also are the one Catharus-genus thrush species to winter in our area quite regularly and successfully in most winters. Photos, please, for any seen in August in N.Y. City. There may be some small movements for some Hermit Thrush quite early but primarily move in later Sept., on thru the end of each year - and even in winter, accordingly with harsher weather by that season.
American Robin -CP- and in multiple other locations.
Cedar Waxwing -CP- and in multiple other locations, some fairly strong movements, but not many big flights of migrators-irruptors so far. Some of the movements recently are of birds in local-regional searches for fruits. This species also breeds in Manhattan in fluctuating numbers each summer and can be a notably-late nester compared to many typical passerines.
House Sparrow -CP- and of course almost everywhere else in Manhattan. Arguably the most-common year-round passerine bird species in Manhattan and many more places.
House Finch -CP- and in many more areas in Manhattan. A regular breeder as well.
American Goldfinch -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan.
Chipping Sparrow -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. A rather scant breeder in the county, including multiple sites on Manhattan including in Central Park.
White-throated Sparrow -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan, all birds in all locations here were over-summered, NON-breeding individuals and small flocks. Arrivals have not been noted here just yet, for the southbound season here.
Song Sparrow -CP- and in multiple other locations. Breeds here, including some at Central Park.
Swamp Sparrow -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan, all birds in all locations here were over-summered, NON-breeding individuals, but very-scant arrivals could be starting to trickle in.
- Lincolns Sparrow was again seen at Bryant Park in mid-Manhattan thru Thursday, and this species at that location is likely still an over-summering individual, or even two. Most of these were not yet on migrations, however at any date soon, some may be coming in.
Eastern Towhee-CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. This species has bred in Manhattan including as a rarer breeder at Central Park.
- Yellow-breasted Chat - the one record earlier this week, for Central Park, with photo by R. Li, was placed in eBird and Macaulay Library, and -on that day- seen by no other obs. There are some additional -reports- for Central Park, but seemingly only the 1 sighting with publicly-accessed photo-documentation, and, also some sightings from elsewhere in Manhattan. There was also a bird that died after a window-strike in lower west side Manhattan. In addition to these sightings, the species was recorded in multiple areas of the wider region, mid-week and after, a flight of the species in-general having taken place. Skulkers of this species can linger.
Bobolink -CP- and some on migration passage in other locations, most as is typical in morning-flight, including some high-up. Knowing the calls can be helpful. Not-rare on passage!!
Orchard Oriole -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Breeds in Manhattan annually in low numbers. Recently passing in some diurnal migrations as well.
Baltimore Oriole -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. A fairly-common breeder in any of the larger parks and some smaller sites. Many also migrating in recent days, particularly on the morning of Wed., 8/27 - more than just-a-few, with some reports suggesting fairly good flights of these for end of August, and very much so in the broader region. This species has a long-extended fall movement pattern, and some also can and do winter here, successfully in some milder winters.
Red-winged Blackbird -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Recently passing in some diurnal migrations as well.
Brown-headed Cowbird -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Recently passing in some diurnal migrations as well.
Common Grackle -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Recently in some movements, as well.
-
Ovenbird -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Increased this week, and likely to increase further in coming weeks. Seen now in dozens of sites in Manhattan. At least a few also hads summered here, all those being NON-breeders for Manhattan.
Worm-eating Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Increased modestly this week, a species which often starts migrating-south in early summer each year. This was seen in July as well, on southbound migrations.
Louisiana Waterthrush -CP- and very-scantly elsewhere in Manhattan. Migrating-south now for many weeks - thru all of our region.
Northern Waterthrush -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Fairly numerous on some recent days in morning flight, and more-so in ongoing nocturnal passages.
- - Golden-winged Warblers -CP- 4 or more different individuals have occurred in Manhattan, with a bright adult male at Central Park on Tuesday. Photos are in Macaulay Library. There also were sightings of female-type-plumaged birds on Wed., from at least 2 locations including Central Park and Battery Park, the latter initially thought to have been a hybrid-type which are certainly more than possible every year on migration spring or fall, and are thought to be on the increase regionally. And for the Tuesday adult-male at the Loch area of C.P., there was unfortunately a limited number of observers able to view that individual, yet it was still re-sighted again in same area to at least mid-afternoon, and possibly was moving into woods in both slopes around the Loch, after initial sightings and photos, from the Loch -or Ravine- itself. A very nice showing in any event of this typically-uncommon warbler for recent Manhattan-migrations. It will be interesting to see if more perhaps show, in this season here. We sometimes have had just one bird of this species reported per-season here in some years. Golden-winged is species of concern throughout its range, more-so than, for comparison in populations for all of the world-range, Prothonotary Warbler which is simply near northern end of range in NY.
Blue-winged Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Some modest increases, this species was moving for much of August already.
Black-and-white Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Fairly numerous on some recent days in morning flight, and more-so in ongoing nocturnal passages.
- - Prothonotary Warbler - the one seen Monday, 8-25 at -Central Park- was found and seen ONLY by a relatively-few independent observers, not on or by any group bird-walks. Not re-found at all the following days. This species is rarer in fall in most years than in spring here, but has been increasingly found in the southbound season here in the modern era.
Tennessee Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan.Small numbers on some recent days in morning flight, and more-so in nocturnal passages, and now strongly-increasing.
Nashville Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Becoming a bit more regular by Wed. in both passage, morning-flights, and in the habitats in various places of Manhattan.
Mourning Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan, this species is a bit overlooked due to its habits, but many more have been passing than the sighting-reports are showing, and the last week of August is and always-has-been a prime week in the migration of this species for this area. Up to five-plus per day have been occurring in Manhattan this week, and that is likely a very-limited percentage of all in the area now. Some of the drop-ins may linger a while, and can be confiding at times, in some locations. Possible in any location, and confirmed reports are in from at least 6 parks in Manhattan by Wed., 8-27 - with more than that likely for all areas. This is a species that may require close and patient seeking, the quiet-observers may get to see well.
Common Yellowthroat -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. This species attempts breeding annually in this county, many recently seen are migrants. Strong increases lately.
Hooded Warbler -CP- and scantly elsewhere in Manhattan. At least several in various plumages have been at Central Park in recent days. Increasing this week including nocturnally. In Central Park, adult-male-plumaged and female-plumaged Hoodeds have been observed daily, including sightings in the Ramble area and in that parks n. end.
American Redstart -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. This species started to increase to near-common in some areas, and has been common on-passage nights and early-mornings.
Cape May Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. This species has been moving well in all of the region recently, and we are aware of some regional flight which started more than ten days before the date of this report, which is on Aug. 29th. There were at least ten of these in Central Park alone by Thursday, and likely more, as well as sightings elsewhere.
Northern Parula -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Increased this week.
Magnolia Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Modest increases for the first part of this week.
Bay-breasted Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. This species was on the increase all thru the region by Tuesday, and further increasing in subsequent days, as passing early morning-flight birds, as some drop-ins to the island, and especially as migrators passing over in the night.
Blackburnian Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. This species has been passing thru for weeks.
Yellow Warbler -CP - and elsewhere in Manhattan. Still a very-common passage migrant. Also breeds annually in small-ish numbers on Manhattan and elsewhere in this county. High numbers are still passing thru nightly.
Chestnut-sided Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Started to increase over the past week or so, with more - even many-more, by Tuesday and Wednesday.
Blackpoll Warbler -CP- and perhaps-scantly so far elsewhere in Manhattan. First arrivals by Wednesday, but may have been in morning-flight here over Manhattan by Tuesday.
Black-throated Blue Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Increased this week.
Palm Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan, so far very-limited and same in passage. First noted here by Wednesday, of the so-called yellow-form, so far.
Pine Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Increasing all thru this week.
Yellow-rumped -Myrtle form- Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan, first noted by Tuesday, with slightly more passing by Wednesday. NOT at all early for first-arrivers in southbound migrations, not to be confused with the much-stronger peak-time flights of this species, which are still to move in the coming weeks.
Prairie Warbler-CP - and elsewhere in Manhattan. Has been found in at-least a dozen Manhattan parks and greenspaces in the past week - increased this week.
Canada Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. Increased this week.
Wilson's Warbler -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan. At least slight uptick and now not-unexpected. This species can show a modest but lengthy season in autumn in this area. In Central Park by Thursday, at least 6 of this species were present, including more than 2 adult males in the Ramble area of that park, also some in other locations in Manhattan.
-
Scarlet Tanager -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan, increasing by the day, and by nightly passages also. ALL of the documented tanagers -thus far- this season were this species.
Northern Cardinal -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan, with a good increase by Wed., also seen daily in prior days this week.
Indigo Bunting -CP- and elsewhere in Manhattan.
Thanks to the hundreds and hundreds of keen, quiet, reliable observers and photographers who include leaders and participants on not-for-profit guided bird-walks as well as many independent seekers of birds, for many reports, finds, re-finds, and all of the documentation by many, with the Discord app for alerts and as-always in eBird with the Macaulay Library for multiple-media-format archiving of data. Thanks also to some fine ornithologists who have been tracking this past weeks migrations in a still-more-scientific way, and are working recently, quietly and unobtrusively, in our birder-midst, here in Manhattan.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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Date: 8/28/25 12:27 pm From: Deborah Allen <dallenyc...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park NYC, Thu. Aug. 28, 2025: 17 Species of Wood Warblers, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Central Park NYC
Thursday, August 28, 2025
OBS: Robert DeCandido, PhD, m.ob.
Highlights: 17 Species of Wood Warblers, Eastern Phoebe, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
Canada Goose - 8
Wood Duck - 3 in eclipse plumage
Mallard - 15
Mourning Dove - 30-40
Chimney Swift - 3 or 4
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 2 (Tupelo Field, Shakespeare Garden)
Laughing Gull - 3
Ring-billed Gull - 2 Reservoir
American Herring Gull - 11
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1 Captain's Bench
Northern Flicker - 4
Empidonax Flycatcher - 1 Tupelo Field
Eastern Phoebe - 1 Maintenance Field
Warbling Vireo - 1 or 2 Ramble
Red-eyed Vireo - 10-12
Blue Jay - 4 or 5
American Crow - 1 heard-only Ramble
Cedar Waxwing - flyover flock of 12 Maintenance Field
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 2 (Pinetum, south side of Turtle Pond)
Carolina Wren - 1 Tupelo Field
Gray Catbird - 6-8
Veery - 15-20
American Robin - 20-25
Song Sparrow - 1 immature Maintenance Field
Common Grackle - 4 or 5
Ovenbird - 3 or 4
Northern Waterthrush - 5 or 6
Blue-winged Warbler - 1 male Maintenance Field
Black-and-white Warbler - 4 or 5
Common Yellowthroat - 2 or 3
American Redstart - 12-14
Cape May Warbler - 2 Shakespeare Garden
Northern Parula - 1 Ramble
Magnolia Warbler - 5 or 6
Blackburnian Warbler - 2 (Tupelo Field, Captain's Bench)
Yellow Warbler - 3
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 6-8
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 3 or 4
Prairie Warbler - 1 south side of Tupelo Field
Black-throated Green Warbler - 1 Tupelo Field
Canada Warbler - 2 or 3
Wilson's Warbler - 1 male Maintenance Field
Northern Cardinal - 6-8
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 1 hatch-year male
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Deb Allen
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Date: 8/26/25 10:52 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC - Tues., 8/26 - G-w Warbler, and in lower Manhattan: deceased Chat
Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - Tuesday, August 26 -
A bright male Golden-winged Warbler is being seen at the Loch area in the northern part of the park, thanks among others to J. Lowden for early photo-documented eBird reporting. The warbler was still being seen later on Tuesday.
....
Sadly, a Yellow-breasted Chat was found deceased in lower west Manhattan today, probably a window strike victim.
Other reporting to come.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
Manhattan
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Date: 8/25/25 12:18 pm From: Deborah Allen <dallenyc...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC, Mon. Aug. 25, 2025: 7 Species of Wood Warblers, Summer Tanager, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Central Park, NYC
Monday August 25, 2025
OBS: Robert DeCandido, PhD, m.ob
Highlights: Laughing Gull, Summer Tanager, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, 7 Species of Wood Warblers including Prothonotary Warbler.
The Summer Tanager was reported by Wolfgang Demisch at the Gill Overlook; the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was reported by Alice Deutsch at Swampy Pin Oak; the Prothonotary Warbler was reported at Azalea Pond and the Gill Overlook (fide Scott Brevda).
Canada Goose - 6
Mallard - 10
Mourning Dove - 30-40
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1 Strawberry Fields
Laughing Gull - 1 flyover Turtle Pond
Herring Gull - 4 or 5 flyovers
Double-crested Cormorant - 1 Lake
Black-crowned Night-Heron - 1 adult west side of the Lake
Red-tailed Hawk - 1 adult Turtle Pond
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 3 or 4
Downy Woodpecker - 2 or 3
Northern Flicker - 4 or 5
Great Crested Flycatcher - 2 or 3 (Turtle Pond, Ramble)
Red-eyed Vireo - 4 or 5
Blue Jay - 10-12
Carolina Wren - 2 West Drive near Ladies' Pavilion
Gray Catbird - 12-14
American Robin - 15-20
American Goldfinch - 1 male Balcony Bridge
Baltimore Oriole - 1 female Azalea Pond
Common Grackle - 6-8
Ovenbird - 4 or 5
Northern Waterthrush - 8
Black-and-white Warbler - 2 or 3
American Redstart - 3 or 4
Northern Parula - 1 Azalea Pond
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1 Swampy Pin Oak
Northern Cardinal - 6-8
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Deb Allen
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Date: 8/25/25 12:00 pm From: Deborah Allen <dallenyc...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park NYC, Sun. Aug. 24, 2025: 12 Species of Wood Warblers, plus Yellow-breasted Chat
Central Park NYC
Sunday, August 24, 2025
OBS: Robert DeCandido, PhD, Deborah Allen, m.ob.
Highlights: 12 Species of Wood Warblers, plus Yellow-breasted Chat. The chat was photographed by Ruogu @lirgGaming at Belvedere Castle before it flew to the island in Turtle Pond.
Canada Goose - 6
Mallard - 10
Mourning Dove - 25-30
Herring Gull - 8-10 flyovers
Double-crested Cormorant - 1 Turtle Pond
Osprey - 1 flyover Belvedere Castle
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 2 or 3
Downy Woodpecker - 2 or 3
Great Crested Flycatcher - 3
Warbling Vireo - 2 (Tupelo Field, Shakespeare Garden)
Red-eyed Vireo - 3 or 4
Blue Jay - 4 or 5
American Crow - heard on west side
Carolina Wren - 2 south side of Turtle Pond
Gray Catbird - 5-7
American Robin - 20-25
White-throated Sparrow - 4
Red-winged Blackbird - 1 female Belvedere Castle
Common Grackle - 8-10
Ovenbird - 6-8
Northern Waterthrush - 5-7
Black-and-white Warbler - 2 or 3
Hooded Warbler - 1 female (Mugger's Woods, Tupelo, and Humming Tombstone)
American Redstart - 6-8
Northern Parula - 1 or 2 Ramble
Magnolia Warbler - 1 Swampy Pin Oak
Yellow Warbler - 4
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 2 or 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler - 1 female east of Maintenance Field
Prairie Warbler - 2 (Belvedere Castle, Ramble)
Canada Warbler - 1 female Swampy Pin Oak
Northern Cardinal - 8-10
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Deb Allen
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Date: 8/24/25 9:18 pm From: <marciaaabrahams...> <marciaaabrahams...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Don't miss the next Queens County Bird Club meeting on Wednesday, September 17th at 7:30 PM, featuring Jay Koolpix "A Bald Eagle Family in Nassau County"
The next Queens County Bird Club meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 7:30 PM at the Alley Pond Environmental Center, 229-10 Northern Blvd, Douglaston, NY 11362.
Journey into the heart of an extraordinary Bald Eagle family living right here in Nassau County. Through striking photos and captivating videos, witness the devoted parents fortify their nest, share tender moments, and deliver an impressive variety of meals to their growing young. Watch as two downy eaglets transform into powerful fledglings—stretching their wings, taking daring first flights, and ultimately soaring off to begin lives of their own.
Jay Koolpix is a renowned nature and bird photographer based in Nassau County, New York. After retiring over a decade ago, he immersed himself in bird photography, dedicating extensive time to observing and capturing avian behavior.
Beyond photography, Jay contributes to environmental education. In collaboration with the South Shore Audubon Society, he established the annual $2,000 Jay Koolpix Environmental Scholarship.
Jay also engages with the community through his multimedia bird presentations, sharing insights into bird behavior and photography.
Through his photography and educational initiatives, Jay Koolpix fosters a deeper appreciation for nature and wildlife within the community.
Please be prompt and ring the bell to be let in since there won't be any coverage at the front desk.
Marcia AbrahamsVP/Programs CoordinatorQueens County Bird Clubhttps://qcbirdclub.org/Email: <MarciaAAbrahams...>
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Date: 8/24/25 12:04 pm From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan incl. Central Park, NYC - Sat.-Sunday, 8-23 and 8-24 - 24 Warbler spp, O-s. Flycatchers, many more migrants
Manhattan, N.Y. City - Saturday and Sunday, August 23rd-24th -
We are in Common Nighthawk season again, with some birds passing on Saturday eve. over the Hudson River off the Manhattan-side and perhaps others showing by now… worth a look to the sky and esp for those observers out and about at very early and later hours. Also on the move and expected to increase are Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, and Chimney Swifts in fair to occasionally higher numbers. Hummingbirds also may be lingering in a number of locations with nice flowers that attract them and it is continuously worth a second look in case of a -chance- for any vagrant hummingbird species, plausible from now to end of year.
Unlike last Thursday night, Friday and Saturday nights saw nocturnal and early-next-mornings migration which locally was -relatively- reduced for many species, as birds continued moving well in the broader region, especially inland, farther from the coast. There was also some exodus of migrants which had been around here from earlier last week into perhaps Friday, but moved on by Friday. In the broader region, millions of migrants have been moving on, the norm for this month especially as we enter this last week of August.
Olive-sided Flycatcher was again in Central Park, in the Ramble area as well as northern part of the park at least into Saturday, and in a few other larger parks. A very few migrant Catharus-genus thrushes have been arriving and passing in addition to Veery and in addition to the one species that breeds in Manhattan, Wood Thrush, with the only definite sightings so far of Swainsons Thrushes, a bit early but hardly an unusual first-of-southbound season arrival, for a species that like many others may be starting to show in larger numbers in a week or two. Other thrush species have been reported with a relative paucity of, or with no details.
At least 24 migratory American warbler species -all of these species being seen in Central Park- included male plumaged Hooded at the north end of the park Sat, in addition to the several other Hoodeds elsewhere that day in Central. First-of-season Bay-breasted Warbler was a new or very recent arrival by Sunday, Aug. 24th. Some warbler species showed modest increases for Sunday, such as Prairie, Pine, and Common Yellowthroat.
Many migrants are showing up in smaller parks and green spaces, while the park with 100-times more observers -that is Central- had as could be expected, an advantage in more birds being found by the hundreds of watchers out at all hours from dawn to dusk and some after that hour. Inwood Hill Park among some other of the larger parks has been receiving good diversity of migrants and with a smaller number of observers, has objectively been faring as well as any location on the island of Manhattan for migration recently. Inwood Hill Park was again the area of a continuing Greater Yellowlegs, while some other shorebirds were moving on, however the same set of species was still around in select locations into this weekend, such as Solitary, Spotted, and Least Sandpipers.
A good passage of E. Kingbirds for Saturday, with more than 80 going by at some locations over a period of 6-plus hours, and evidence that they were moving thru in other parts of the city and this county, as well. Also moving, but far more lightly were some orioles, including both Orchard and Baltimore Orioles on morning flight. A lighter flight by Sunday but there were still some of these species on the move, esp. noticed from Manhattan. More species starting to show light increases have included Indigo Bunting and Scarlet Tanager, each being found in all of the larger parks of Manhattan in recent days, and for some, into this weekend.
Thus far there were no additional, newer reports of Golden-winged Warbler after the sightings in the Central Park Ramble of Friday, 8-22. It was learned that some Cape May Warblers were already on the move in this region, near Manhattan, as early as Aug. 18th, and those sightings that came in later days were not exceptionally-early - these are for limited numbers, not the peak-flights of the southbound-season which, presumably, are yet to be noted in this area.
The extraordinary - for the location - numbers of Laughing Gulls continued to show in Central Park at the reservoir for this summer, with again high counts of 50 or more at one time there, although at some times of day, far fewer may be noticed - all gulls come and go regularly thru each day at that location.
Warbler species seen -in the multiple- are listed below, all having been sighted in Central Park thru the weekend, and many species also elsewhere.
Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Thanks to the many birders and photographers both birding independently and on walks led by and for not-for-profit organizations which support sound science, conservation, and advocacy for natural diversity in this city and also beyond - and who have offered sightings and alerts via non-x apps such as Discord, and as-always via eBird with the Macaulay Library for media-archiving, both visual and auditory, and also as-ever, to good old in-person word on various sightings and photo-sharing.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for *Friday, August 22nd 2025* at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are SANDWICH TERN, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, BLACK-NECKED STILT, MARBLED GODWIT, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, BAIRD'S and UPLAND SANDPIPERS and other shorebirds, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, GOLDEN-WINGED and other warblers, DICKCISSEL and more.
A few SANDWICH TERNS found last Friday on the flats at Cupsogue Beach County Park were both still present there last weekend but have not been seen since.
The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN continues at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge where it is most often seen at the north end of the East Pond though it does also wander occasionally about the refuge or around the northern end of Jamaica Bay. While the conditions on the East Pond are not ideal for shorebirds a nice variety of shorebirds has been present recently and the East and West Ponds have been productive around high tide. Last Sunday for the Shorebird Festival a MARBLED GODWIT showed up on flats just south of the West Pond disappearing once the tide rose. While the ponds have been producing such shorebirds as a WILSON'S PHALAROPE on the East Pond Saturday and Monday, a WHIMBREL over the East Pond Saturday and such species as PECTORAL, STILT, WHITE-RUMPED and WESTERN SANDPIPERS and one or two LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS among the more expected birds and the variety at the bay doesn't stop there with a SORA noted regularly along the southwest side of the East Pond and continued presence of a couple of GULL-BILLED TERNS mostly at the south end of the East Pond, a visiting CASPIAN TERN or two and a BLACK TERN on the East Pond Sunday to Tuesday. Jamaica Bay is certainly worth a visit despite the high water especially during the two to three hours before and after high tide but be careful of walking the edges of the East Pond.
Other local shorebirds featured a BLACK-NECKED STILT noted for a short while Tuesday on the bar off the Jones Beach West End Coast Guard Station before it flew off.
Also noteworthy was an UPLAND SANDPIPER dropping down at Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn last Friday the 15th.
Out at Cupsogue the variety of birds there also featured a LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER Saturday and two CASPIAN TERNS Tuesday while single BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS were spotted at Plumb Beach in Brooklyn Sunday and at Robert Moses State Park field 2 Monday.
RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continue out in the Calverton area especially along the Paumanok Trail off Schultz Road near Jones Pond in Manorville.
Recent landbird migrants have featured single OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS in Green-wood Cemetery and Prospect Park as well as in the Bronx and YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHERS have also been mentioned.
While the increasing variety of warblers featured a GOLDEN-WINGED spotted in Central Park today as well as such species as WORM-EATING, TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, MOURNING, HOODED, CAPE MAY and WILSON'S and a DICKCISSEL was heard moving over Coney Island Creek Park in Brooklyn early this morning.
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.
- End transcript
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Date: 8/23/25 1:08 pm From: Deborah Allen <dallenyc...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park NYC, Sat. Aug. 23, 2025: 14 Species of Wood Warblers, Great Crested and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers.
Central Park, NYC
Saturday, August 23, 2025
OBS: Robert DeCandido, PhD, Deborah Allen, m.ob.
Highlights: 14 Species of Wood Warblers, Great Crested and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers.
Canada Goose - 12
Mallard - 10
Mourning Dove - 40-60
Chimney Swift - 5-10
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1 Laupot Bridge (Ryan Serio)
Herring Gull - around 50
Double-crested Cormorant - 1 Reservoir
Red-tailed Hawk - 1 flyover
Red-bellied Woodpecker - 4 or 5
Downy Woodpecker - 6 or 7
Northern Flicker - 2 Ramble
Peregrine Falcon - 1 flyover (Ryan Serio)
Great Crested Flycatcher - 5 or 6
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - 2 (Gill Overlook and Azalea Pond)
Red-eyed Vireo - 10-12
Blue Jay - 6-8
Cedar Waxwing - 13
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2 Ramble
Carolina Wren - 1 Stone Arch
Gray Catbird - 4 or 5
Veery - 1 Warbler Rock (Deb)
American Robin - 20-25
American Goldfinch - 1 male Persimmon Slope
Baltimore Oriole - 3 or 4
Common Grackle - 3 or 4
Ovenbird - 3
Worm-eating Warbler - 1 Warbler Rock
Louisiana Waterthrush - 1 Gill Overlook
Northern Waterthrush - 3 or 4
Blue-winged Warbler - 2 or 3
Black-and-white Warbler - 5 or 6
Common Yellowthroat - 1 female Iphigene's Walk
Hooded Warbler - 1 Evodia Field (E. J. Bartolazo)
American Redstart - 20-25
Northern Parula - 2 or 3
Yellow Warbler - 2 or 3
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 4 or 5
Prairie Warbler - 1 female Ramble (Bob-Early)
Canada Warbler - 2 Ramble
Northern Cardinal - 6-8
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Deb Allen
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Date: 8/22/25 4:55 pm From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, NYC - 25+ Warbler spp, incl. G-w Warbler, etc. & other migrants
Manhattan, N.Y. City - Friday, August 22nd -
This report might have covered earlier days of this week, however a large fresh arrival of migrants came in over Thursday night into Friday, a vast majority of the migrators simply kept on moving in the night to first hours of the morning, but a good many and very-nice diversity for some, especially the migratory American warblers, were seen by many observers in the collective on the day.
A highlight for those present to observe it was a Golden-winged Warbler in the heart of the Central Park Ramble, just-about right on-time as an initial southbound migrant that species for this area.
The tally of 25 or more warbler species was achieved in Central Park, in the collective, while many observers out and about were able to find more warblers in that park, and in multiple other parks, especially the larger wooded ones such as Inwood Hill, Riverside and several others, and particularly in some areas not far from freshwater sources, while migrants also could be found foraging in a lot of places - including some in the smaller parks and greenspaces.
Other birds moving fairly well again included some of the flycatchers which do not breed in Manhattan, such as some Empidonax, including Yellow-bellied and Least Flycatchers, and a slightly stronger movement of migrating E. Kingbirds. Also beginning to show were slightly more of Veery, and the possibility that some of other Catharus thrush species are starting to arrive.
For the warbler-wave, a list pertaining just to Friday is below- includes all of Manhattan while, thanks to so many watchers, Central Park as is typical had a high -collective- tally.
Ovenbird - multiple in Manhattan, and multiple in Central Park for Friday, 8-22.
Worm-eating Warbler- multiple in Manhattan, and multiple in Central Park for Friday, 8-22.
Louisiana Waterthrush - small numbers still pushing along. Central Park still had several on Friday.
Northern Waterthrush multiple in Manhattan, and multiple in Central Park for Friday, 8-22.
Golden-winged Warbler - Friday, 8-22 - female-like plumage, Ramble of Central Park, multiple observers.
Blue-winged Warbler - multiple in Manhattan, and multiple in Central Park for Friday, 8-22.
Black-and-white Warbler - multiple in Manhattan, and multiple in Central Park for Friday, 8-22.
Tennessee Warbler - multiple in Manhattan, and multiple in Central Park for Friday, 8-22.
Nashville Warbler - small numbers thus far. A few in Central Park, again.
Mourning Warbler - small numbers thus far. A few in Central Park, again.
Common Yellowthroat - multiple in Manhattan, and multiple in Central Park for Friday, 8-22.
Hooded Warbler - several, including one in adult-male-like plumage in Central Parks Ramble, many observers.
American Redstart -multiple in Manhattan, and multiple in Central Park for Friday, 8-22.
Cape May Warbler - several, including multiple fly-bys, this is not an exceptionally early movement for modest numbers of these. Central Park, and elsewhere.
Northern Parula - multiple in Manhattan, and multiple in Central Park for Friday, 8-22.
Magnolia Warbler - modest numbers in Manhattan, including at least several at Central Park, Friday.
Blackburnian Warbler - modest numbers in Manhattan, including at least several at Central Park, Friday.
Yellow Warbler - Northern forms, as is expected. - numerous passage migrators and also many in many areas, including plenty at Central Park.
Chestnut-sided Warbler - modest numbers in Manhattan, including at least several still at Central Park, Friday.
Black-throated Blue Warbler - increased in the overnight into Friday, and multiples in Manhattan, same as for just Central Park.
Pine Warbler - small numbers thus far. A few in Central Park, again.
Prairie Warbler - modest numbers in Manhattan, including at least several at Central Park, Friday.
Black-throated Green Warbler - small numbers thus far. A few in Central Park, this is slightly early.
Canada Warbler - multiple in Manhattan, and multiple in Central Park for Friday, 8-22.
Wilsons Warbler - very few, on early side for this month.
Additional to the above, some observers are continuing to find singles or small groups of Forsters Tern around Manhattans watery edges, while Common Tern is still the most-regular for much of the season here, and most of those tend to be seen from the southern half of Manhattan, with best possibilities from nearer to N.Y. Harbor and its associated waterways along lower Manhattan. Some shorebirds still being seen included Greater Yellowlegs, and more of Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, and Least Sandpiper.
A wide variety of other migratory species are also being seen this week, many of them into Friday, as well and a lot more migration looks likely in coming days, especially early next week. A Broad-winged Hawk has been lingering in Central Park, mainly in and around the Ramble area, for many days by now. This was concurrent with a few other sightings of the species in Manhattan over the past week or so, a slightly-early period for those migrants to show up in this location. There had been and might continue to be a bit of earlier movement by that small raptor species, although the main southward migrations are still highly likely in mid to late September across the broader region.
The outlier-to-this-area tropical system that passed far-east of any parts of New York City - Hurricane Erin - seemed to bring essentially no storm-waif or storm-driven birds into this county of which Manhattan is a part.
Thanks to many observers and photographers for sightings and reports, many thru eBird alerts and reports with the Macaulay Library for media, as well as in the Discord for this area.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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Date: 8/18/25 7:35 am From: Thomas Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, NYC - into 8/17 - shorebirds and other migrators
Manhattan, N.Y. City - to Sunday, August 17th -
Six Semipalmated Plovers came in to Inwood Hill Parks larger mudflat on Sunday, 8-17, seen by multiple observers at this location in northern Manhattan. Meanwhile also on Sunday, at least 2 Semipalmated Plovers showed on the Sherman Creek mudflats - see next paragraphs also.
Sherman Creek and elsewhere in Manhattan have been receiving both Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers in recent days or more, including to just-now. Solitary Sandpipers were showing in fewer locations, those including in Central Park, while Spotted Sandpipers were again found in multiple sites and locations of Manhattan and surrounding watery-ways. Killdeer mostly as-is-typical here, in a few locations where they are fairly-regular.
A Greater Yellowlegs showed in the mudflats off Inwood Hill Park on Friday, 8-15 and continued into Sat and Sunday, 8-16-17, with multiple observers - possibly the same, or a different individual to the one seen in preceding days last week at Sherman Creek Parks mudflats - these locations not all that far apart in as-the-bird-flies distance, both in northern Manhattan. At Muscota Marsh area alongside Inwood, at W. 218th St., Marsh Wren was still being detected into Sunday.
The first of Veery sightings for the county and for Manhattan -of the entire summer- came on Friday, Aug. 15th with at least several in several parks on the day, including Central Park, Inwood Hill Park, and Riverside Park-north. Earlier-summer notes had no attendant documentation for exceptional-date for this county. There are just fair numbers and diversity of migratory warblers for Sunday, at some sites up to ten or so species, a bit lower than had been only one or two days prior, suggestive that birds had been moving on.
There has in any case been regular overnight migration and good morning-flight as well, still showing some seeming bias in this county to the western fringes of the county - the Hudson River area. Some flycatchers in addition to Eastern Kingbirds on the move were continuing to arrive, including slightly more Empidonax-genus, all too many remaining fairly quiet here for the southbound-season which is typical. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been lingering in select locations, with only rather modest passages in the last few days.
Some other species starting to return in increased numbers - all being found in multiple sites in Manhattan, including in Central Park in recent days, were Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting, and tougher-to-detect right now with local-breeders still lingering - more E. Kingbirds. There have been light flights of Bobolinks, and at least some orioles have been moving - the longer-distance movers now being Orchard Oriole, rather than the numerous Baltimores. For Sunday morning at least, the most-numerous of early-moving warbler species was Northern Yellow Warbler - our usual form in migrations here. Some other species showed modest ongoing movements such as American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, and a few more in higher numbers than most of the rest of the tribe, part of that via N.F.C., and also in early-in-day sightings. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are ongoing or still passing thru in mostly low numbers here. For Friday morning, from Thurs. night, American Redstart was the predominant migratory warbler in-flight for nocturnal flight, in particular passing this island.
A wee more of N. Shovelers came in by Sat., 8-16 with some at Inwood Hill Park area as well as again at Central Park, these the only waterfowl to have moved in much here, since the bit of Wood Duck movement earlier, the latter mainly noticed for Central Park. The female Wild Turkey was still around Battery Park in lower Manhattan to Sunday. Some raptors seen fairly widely this week and to Sunday included Ospreys and Bald Eagles. The flights of Broad-winged Hawk have already been on in recent days in the immediate region, mainly to the west of this island, as is usual. Some other raptors are also being noticed, including the 2 resident-falcon species of this city and also a modest selection of other resident raptorial birds which are active in day or by night. Common Ravens also continue to be seen and heard in multiple areas of Manhattan, as has been increasingly possible for all recent years - the species has bred successfully again here, this year.
--
Giant Swallowtail is among the uncommon-here species of butterfly that have been showing in Manhattan, including in Central Park, recently, other species have included Cloudless Sulphur, American Snout, Common Buckeye, and Fiery Skipper in addition to White M Hairstreak mentioned previously in a report here.
Good observations to all, thanks to many finders - observers - photographers for a broad variety of birds and some of the other wildlife on, over, and near Manhattan island. Many reports and alerts via non-x alerts and as always from eBird reports, including the Macaulay Library for media - both visual and auditory.
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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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, August 15th 2025* at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are SANDWICH TERN, WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL, WHITE IBIS, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, RED-NECKED GREBE, SCOPOLI'S SHEARWATER and more.
But first we very sadly mention the recent passing of our good friend Lloyd Spitalnik. An enthusiastic, long-time regional birder, a very devoted husband and an exceptional bird photographer. In remembrance of Lloyd do yourself a favor and visit his website: https://www.lloydspitalnik.com/
Locally 2 SANDWICH TERNS, an adult with accompanying immature, appeared today on the flats at Cupsogue Beach County Park in the midst of 32 ROYAL TERNS.
Yesterday a boat about 20 miles south of the Hamptons encountered a WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL among the group of roughly 250 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS while last Sunday a boat south of Montauk produced 2 SCOPOLI'S SHEARWATERS among the 30 CORY'S and 120 GREAT SHEARWATERS and 150 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS encountered offshore.
Three immature WHITE IBIS were still visiting Oakwood Beach on Staten Island last Saturday but only one was reported there yesterday and today at the marsh off Delwit Avenue.
The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN visiting Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge was seen at the north end of the East Pond last weekend and was back there again today. There is still ankle high water at both the south and north ends of the East Pond so visitors should travel carefully when visiting there. The mud can be slippery and tricky to negotiate but there are paths at both ends that will get you to the pond's edges. Also seen lately on the East Pond have been a LEAST BITTERN and a SORA around the south end, both GULL-BILLED and CASPIAN TERNS and the expected variety of shorebirds including PECTORAL, WHITE-RUMPED and STILT SANDPIPERS though in lower than usual numbers. A WHIMBREL was out at Ruffle Bar in Jamaica Bay last Sunday.
Among the few LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS in the region were 7 at Breezy Point last Sunday and scattered CASPIAN TERNS included the one at Jamaica Bay and 2 at Playland Park in Rye today and one at Plumb Beach Wednesday.
Somewhat early was a nicely plumaged RED-NECKED GREBE appearing off Piermont Pier in Rockland County on Wednesday and southbound warblers appearing locally this week included BLACKBURNIAN, CHESTNUT-SIDED and BLACK-THROATED BLUE.
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.
- End transcript
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Date: 8/16/25 4:05 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Central Park, NYC - 8/15 - 19 migrant Warbler spp., etc.
Central Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - Friday, August 15th -
While other locations in N.Y. County also had some freshly-arrived migrant arrivals on Friday, a bit more reporting came from Central Park with its 100-plus observers and-or photographers out from sunrise thru dusk. The most obvious push of any groups of migrants for Central, and as-expected in terms of diversity, were of migratory American warblers - of at least 19 species found on the day. In some other Manhattan parks there were also new arrivals of various sorts, and perhaps a slight edge in migrant-diversity the locations more westerly, according to overall reports noted. For example, some areas in Riverside Park did better than those same sites in preceding days, for newer arrivals.
At Central Park, Friday was the first day of the southbound-season with more than 15 warbler spp. in the Ramble and central vicinity of the park, while as had often been, the northern half of Central still had a slight edge in noted warbler species, and perhaps in overall numbers of total -migrant- birds as well, incuding newer arrivals.
Warblers found at Central Park, on 8-15 alone-
Ovenbird - multiple locations.
Worm-eating Warbler - multiple locations.
Northern Waterthrush - many locations.
Blue-winged Warbler - many.
Black-and-white Warbler - many, slightly more than the previous 2 days.
Tennessee Warbler - at least 2 in 2 disparate locations.
Nashville Warbler - 1, north woods.
Mourning Warbler - at least 2, at least one in Ramble and at least one in north end of park.
Common Yellowthroat - multiple locations.
Hooded Warbler - several.
American Redstart - many, more than in recent days,
Northern Parula - multiple, an uptick again from the past few days here.
Magnolia Warbler - 1, Ramble area.
Blackburnian Warbler - multiple locations.
Yellow Warbler - many.
Chestnut-sided Warbler - multiple
Black-throated Blue Warbler - several, in male-type and female-type plumages.
Prairie Warbler - several.
Canada Warbler - multiple.
More than 90 total species of native and wild birds, many of them migrants, showed in or over Central Park on Friday, including some on morning-flight, the flight partially quite early and fairly-high. Near the park, earlier in the pre-dawn hours of Friday, N.F.C. - nocturnal flight calls showed that a good many and diverse migrants were passing, in the overnight thru early morning and that the flight may have had a westerly component relative to the roughly south-north alignment of the length of Manhattan island, and its adjacent surrounding waterways - which here means it was possible the Hudson river and closer-by experienced more flight esp in early Fri. morning, than elsewhere in this county.
More on the varied species -additional to warblers- in a future report. Thanks to many observers and photographers for sightings and reports, all via non-x alerts and as-always via eBird with the Macaulay Library for media archives.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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Date: 8/15/25 6:43 pm From: Andrew Baksh <birdingdude...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Jamaica Bay Update, including the East Pond
Salutations all,
I wanted to share a brief update following yesterday’s meeting with Minka
Sendich, the Acting Superintendent of Gateway National Recreation Area.
During our discussion, I raised several key issues, including the
management of the East Pond water levels, the overgrowth around the West
Pond, and ways to enhance the visitor experience through improved
sightlines and access.
While I won’t go into every item covered, I can say the conversation was
productive. I was firm yet respectful in presenting our concerns, and Minka
listened attentively, offering her insights throughout. We agreed that
there is much to be done, but that collaboration and communication will be
crucial in correcting some of the past mistakes. More to follow as we
collaborate in addressing some of the concerns.
*East Pond Update:*
The North End West Side trail has been cleared. Although water levels
remain higher than ideal, it is currently possible to walk up the pond with
caution and waterproof boots. Be aware that water is ankle-deep in most
areas, and several sections are soft and muddy.
With high water levels concentrating shorebirds into limited areas,
disturbance is a genuine concern. Please use good judgment and avoid
pushing birds off feeding and roosting areas unnecessarily, particularly
where they’re favoring shallow zones and mudflats.
Today, I walked up to Dead Man’s Cove on a rising tide without issue.
However, I chose not to go beyond that point so as not to disturb the birds
gathered at Gull Point, where several Caspian Terns were loafing.
Highlights from the north end walk included 3 *Caspian Terns* and 3
*Gull-billed
Terns*. Juvenile shorebirds observed included Short-billed Dowitchers,
Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, and Least, Semipalmated, and Stilt
Sandpipers.
I did not see the continuing *American White Pelican*; it may be more
easily located early or late in the day. With more birds arriving each day,
we're hopeful for a strong showing at the upcoming Shorebird Festival this
Sunday.
*In Memoriam:*
On a more somber note, I was deeply saddened to learn of Lloyd Spitalnik’s
passing this week. Pat and Shai beautifully captured his spirit. Although I
did not know Lloyd as well as some of you, every interaction I had with him
was positive. Beneath his often-gruff exterior was a generous and
knowledgeable man who was always willing to share his photography
expertise. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and friends.
Warm regards,
Andrew
--
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*"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery; none but ourselves could free
our mind." ~ Bob Marley*
*"Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but
manifestations of strength and resolution." ~ Khalil Gibran*
*"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the
ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own
abhorrence." ~ Frederick Douglass*
Date: 8/15/25 8:23 am From: Thomas Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, NYC - thru 8/14
Echoing Pat Lindsay and Shai Mitras thoughts to this list, I also am saddened by the passing of birder Lloyd Spitalnik. And while all of his activities in birding and supporting that in countless ways, and all of the many friends he leaves are in my mind, what really touched my heart all through the years of knowing Lloyd was his devotion and his candor in showing and living the love and care of and for his beloved wife Sandy Spitalnik, of whom he regularly and unhesitatingly said sometimes in public, and oftener in private - She is my guiding star in all things. Lloyd may have occasionally appeared gruff to the new birder, but few had such a warm and loving inner life and his work for birds and birding also did reflect that in many ways. R.I.P., and sympathies to his family and close friends.
- - - - - - -
Manhattan, N.Y. City - thru Thursday, August 14th -
There was a bit of briefly-heated searching by multiple birders for possible crossbills, briefly-reported -in one place in Central Park, Manhattan-this past Tuesday, with no new details emerged as-of now. This is still useful, to make a note, as a moderate to modest swell of sightings in places where Red Crossbill probably had not bred, or where they likely have not, has been noted in parts of the northeast including into and thru our tri-state region, referring to the area closest to N.Y. City in 3 states, and of course in multiple counties in each of 2 states, perhaps only at Cape May in N.J. so far. The most-likely, of the 2 potential crossbill species, for any place south of breeding-territories of the less-likely species -that LESS-likely almost-always here, being White-winged- would be Red Crossbill, in one of its forms which are mainly told by vocalizations - if heard well and recorded. Red Crossbills have been irrupting to some extent in northeastern states, presuming that not all recent sightings of those Reds in the broader region were of locally-breeding birds, such as sightings recently from New Jersey or from various southern to central New England locations. Virtually no WW Crossbill reports have -yet- been made from areas far away from where they may have, or definitely bred this year, in northern forest areas. The season is of course extremely-young for these sorts of irruptives, and it all bears watching.
- - - -
There has been a nearly-continual flow of migrants thru the wider region and some of that for recent days has been a bit deflected into the interior rather than straight along the coastal parts, particularly as regards much of N.Y. County in both nocturnal passages and in some of the morning-flight in recent days. Good numbers and fair diversity were still found in NFC - Nocturnal Flight Calls - and to the west of N.Y. City in some regular migration-watch locations. In part, local winds and broader or higher steering-winds may have played their part, but all bird migrations are far more complex than is often realized. Many many shorebirds have of course been on the move in their multitudes, regionally and across this continent and all over most of the planets fly-ways.
Nice arrivals for Thursday, 8-14 in the county and for Manhattan appear to be mainly of the same mix of species that were being found in recent days and some over past weeks. A lot of fresh migration did occur in the overnight leading in to Thursday 14th.
In tern-movement observed IN Manhattan, a flock of 8 Forsters Terns seen crossing west to east one day this week, by the Spuyten Duyvil waterway at the northern tip of Manhattan was an uncommon find in terms of numbers of that species, perhaps these being slightly storm-driven, while at the same time this is peak-season for tern movements in general all around the region.
At Muscota Marsh, adjacent to Inwood Hill Park-proper on W. 218 St., a Marsh Wren was photographed, showing possible indication of being in young or even juvenile plumage. By Tuesday, 8-12, a Greater Yellowlegs appeared at Sherman Creek Parks mudflats -this is a tidal location, along the Harlem River) in northern Manhattan, multiple observers ultimately were able to see and document this one, also seen to Wed, and Thursday, 13th-14th there. This was at least the 8th shorebird species to show for the latter half of this summer in -or from- Manhattan, with also of course some sightings on the other 3 major islands of the county - Randalls. Governors, and Roosevelt islands. Least and Spotted Sandipers as well as Killdeer were the most-numerous and there also were additional Semipalmated and Solitary Sandpipers.
Laughing Gulls have continued to show very well around Manhattan with a good number often appearing at Central Park, mainly in the reservoir for some times each day. Common Terns are ongoing with some sightings from the shores of Manhattan, most of all in the vicinity of or near N.Y. Harbor.
Modest numbers of E. Kingbirds were moving in the past week but hardly enough to make much of an impression on most observers in this area. Many species already noted as moving south thru the first half of August were still on the move in this county, and more-broadly. For some species those movements on a daily -or nightly- basis are subtle for now.
A female Wild Turkey that had not been reported in a while was seen on Saturday, Aug. 9th by several observers at Battery Park in lower Manhattan, and again to at least Aug. 12th, photos also made available to the Macaulay Library, this is generally presumed to be the same individual that had been on Roosevelt Island and sundry times in Manhattan-east over the past year-plus. This species which has scantly bred in this county, in Manhattan in the modern era, is generally a rarity in the county, and is not known to have bred in any very recent years.
Some additional warblers came thru, although none were new species of the countys southbound-season. Canada, Blackburnian, and Chestnut-sided were among the recent Warbler spp. showing a small uptick. At least 6 additional warbler spp. continued lingering or passing in some numbers, including -American-Northern Yellow, and Black-and-white Warblers, American Redstart, and N. Waterthrush in particular, as well as Ovenbird and Blue-winged Warblers. Common Yellowthroat also was showing a modest increase. By Wed., 8-13, at least 15 spp. of migratory American warblers were in Manhattan and reported by multiple observers - with about ten of those species being very widely-reported from a number of locations, as-usual especially from Central Park in Manhattan. A modest proportion of the birds being found lately are lingering-on for some days, and a fair percent are new or more-recent drop-ins, while as usual, some individual migrants may be only fly-by passage migrants and some are perhaps in a particular location just 1 day - applied to many species and not just the migratory warblers here.
- -
Although not unexpected there, a tally of at least 4 Yellow-crowned Night Herons for Randalls Island on Wed. was respectable, still the most-reliable site for that species in N.Y. County, with Randalls located in the East River estuary to westernmost Long Island Sound, just-east of Harlem in Manhattan. And, while a bit late to be reported to this list, a Cliff Swallow sighted at Governors Island -M. van den Boogerd- in N.Y. County waters just south of Manhattan, a putative migrator, was confirmed with eBird for Aug. 7th there, quite notable for that island, which has had very few prior records of that hirundine in the modern era.
More will be reported in coming days on migrations across this county, as some further seekings and sightings take place.
Good birding to all - and thanks to many observers and photographers who have been out and about, some in rather warm weather at times, in the past week, finding birds and giving reports via non-x alert systems and as-always in eBird with the Macaulay Library for media archives.
Tom Fiore
Manhattan
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Date: 8/15/25 8:09 am From: Thomas Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, NYC - thru 8/14
Echoing Pat Lindsay and Shai Mitras thoughts to this list, I also am saddened by the passing of birder Lloyd Spitalnik. And while all of his activities in birding and supporting that in countless ways, and all of the many friends he leaves are in my mind, what really touched my heart all through the years of knowing Lloyd was his devotion and his candor in showing and living the love and care of and for his beloved wife Sandy Spitalnik, of whom he regularly and unhesitatingly said sometimes in public, and oftener in private - She is my guiding star in all things. Lloyd may have occasionally appeared gruff to the new birder, but few had such a warm and loving inner life and his work for birds and birding also did reflect that in many ways. R.I.P., and sympathies to his family and close friends.
- - - - - - -
Manhattan, N.Y. City - thru Thursday, August 14th -
There was a bit of briefly-heated searching by multiple birders for possible crossbills, briefly-reported -in one place in Central Park, Manhattan-this past Tuesday, with no new details emerged as-of now. This is still useful, to make a note, as a moderate to modest swell of sightings in places where Red Crossbill probably had not bred, or where they likely have not, has been noted in parts of the northeast including into and thru our tri-state region, referring to the area closest to N.Y. City in 3 states, and of course in multiple counties in each of 2 states, perhaps only at Cape May in N.J. so far. The most-likely, of the 2 potential crossbill species, for any place south of breeding-territories of the less-likely species -that LESS-likely almost-always here, being White-winged- would be Red Crossbill, in one of its forms which are mainly told by vocalizations - if heard well and recorded. Red Crossbills have been irrupting to some extent in northeastern states, presuming that not all recent sightings of those Reds in the broader region were of locally-breeding birds, such as sightings recently from New Jersey or from various southern to central New England locations. Virtually no WW Crossbill reports have -yet- been made from areas far away from where they may have, or definitely bred this year, in northern forest areas. The season is of course extremely-young for these sorts of irruptives, and it all bears watching.
- - - -
There has been a nearly-continual flow of migrants thru the wider region and some of that for recent days has been a bit deflected into the interior rather than straight along the coastal parts, particularly as regards much of N.Y. County in both nocturnal passages and in some of the morning-flight in recent days. Good numbers and fair diversity were still found in NFC - Nocturnal Flight Calls - and to the west of N.Y. City in some regular migration-watch locations. In part, local winds and broader or higher steering-winds may have played their part, but all bird migrations are far more complex than is often realized. Many many shorebirds have of course been on the move in their multitudes, regionally and across this continent and all over most of the planets fly-ways.
Nice arrivals for Thursday, 8-14 in the county and for Manhattan appear to be mainly of the same mix of species that were being found in recent days and some over past weeks. A lot of fresh migration did occur in the overnight leading in to Thursday 14th.
In tern-movement observed IN Manhattan, a flock of 8 Forsters Terns seen crossing west to east one day this week, by the Spuyten Duyvil waterway at the northern tip of Manhattan was an uncommon find in terms of numbers of that species, perhaps these being slightly storm-driven, while at the same time this is peak-season for tern movements in general all around the region.
At Muscota Marsh, adjacent to Inwood Hill Park-proper on W. 218 St., a Marsh Wren was photographed, showing possible indication of being in young or even juvenile plumage. By Tuesday, 8-12, a Greater Yellowlegs appeared at Sherman Creek Parks mudflats -this is a tidal location, along the Harlem River) in northern Manhattan, multiple observers ultimately were able to see and document this one, also seen to Wed, and Thursday, 13th-14th there. This was at least the 8th shorebird species to show for the latter half of this summer in -or from- Manhattan, with also of course some sightings on the other 3 major islands of the county - Randalls. Governors, and Roosevelt islands. Least and Spotted Sandipers as well as Killdeer were the most-numerous and there also were additional Semipalmated and Solitary Sandpipers.
Laughing Gulls have continued to show very well around Manhattan with a good number often appearing at Central Park, mainly in the reservoir for some times each day. Common Terns are ongoing with some sightings from the shores of Manhattan, most of all in the vicinity of or near N.Y. Harbor.
Modest numbers of E. Kingbirds were moving in the past week but hardly enough to make much of an impression on most observers in this area. Many species already noted as moving south thru the first half of August were still on the move in this county, and more-broadly. For some species those movements on a daily -or nightly- basis are subtle for now.
A female Wild Turkey that had not been reported in a while was seen on Saturday, Aug. 9th by several observers at Battery Park in lower Manhattan, and again to at least Aug. 12th, photos also made available to the Macaulay Library, this is generally presumed to be the same individual that had been on Roosevelt Island and sundry times in Manhattan-east over the past year-plus. This species which has scantly bred in this county, in Manhattan in the modern era, is generally a rarity in the county, and is not known to have bred in any very recent years.
Some additional warblers came thru, although none were new species of the countys southbound-season. Canada, Blackburnian, and Chestnut-sided were among the recent Warbler spp. showing a small uptick. At least 6 additional warbler spp. continued lingering or passing in some numbers, including -American-Northern Yellow, and Black-and-white Warblers, American Redstart, and N. Waterthrush in particular, as well as Ovenbird and Blue-winged Warblers. Common Yellowthroat also was showing a modest increase.By Wed., 8-13, at least 15 spp. of migratory American warblers were in Manhattan and reported by multiple observers - with about ten of those species being very widely-reported from a number of locations, as-usual especially from Central Park in Manhattan. A modest proportion of the birds being found lately are lingering-on for some days, and a fair percent are new or more-recent drop-ins, while as usual, some individual migrants may be only fly-by passage migrants and some are perhaps in a particular location just 1 day - applied to many species and not just the migratory warblers here.
- -
Although not unexpected there, a tally of at least 4 Yellow-crowned Night Herons for Randalls Island on Wed. was respectable, still the most-reliable site for that species in N.Y. County, with Randalls located in the East River estuary to westernmost Long Island Sound, just-east of Harlem in Manhattan. And, while a bit late to be reported to this list, a Cliff Swallow sighted at Governors Island -M. van den Boogerd- in N.Y. County waters just south of Manhattan, a putative migrator, was confirmed with eBird for Aug. 7th there, quite notable for that island, which has had very few prior records of that hirundine in the modern era.
More will be reported in coming days on migrations across this county, as some further seekings and sightings take place.
Good birding to all - and thanks to many observers and photographers who have been out and about, some in rather warm weather at times, in the past week, finding birds and giving reports via non-x alert systems and as-always in eBird with the Macaulay Library for media archives.
Tom Fiore
Manhattan
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Date: 8/15/25 7:41 am From: Thomas Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, NYC - thru 8/14
Echoing Pat Lindsay and Shai Mitras thoughts to this list, I also am saddened by the passing of birder Lloyd Spitalnik. And while all of his activities in birding and supporting that in countless ways, and all of the many friends he leaves are in my mind, what really touched my heart all through the years of knowing Lloyd was his devotion and his candor in showing and living the love and care of and for his beloved wife Sandy Spitalnik, of whom he regularly and unhesitatingly said sometimes in public, and oftener in private - She is my guiding star in all things. Lloyd may have occasionally appeared gruff to the new birder, but few had such a warm and loving inner life and his work for birds and birding also did reflect that in many ways. R.I.P., and sympathies to his family and close friends.
- - - - - - -
Manhattan, N.Y. City - thru Thursday, August 14th -
There was a bit of briefly-heated searching by multiple birders for possible crossbills, briefly-reported -in one place in Central Park, Manhattan-this past Tuesday, with no new details emerged as-of now. This is still useful, to make a note, as a moderate to modest swell of sightings in places where Red Crossbill probably had not bred, or where they likely have not, has been noted in parts of the northeast including into and thru our tri-state region, referring to the area closest to N.Y. City in 3 states, and of course in multiple counties in each of 2 states, perhaps only at Cape May in N.J. so far. The most-likely, of the 2 potential crossbill species, for any place south of breeding-territories of the less-likely species -that LESS-likely almost-always here, being White-winged- would be Red Crossbill, in one of its forms which are mainly told by vocalizations - if heard well and recorded. Red Crossbills have been irrupting to some extent in northeastern states, presuming that not all recent sightings of those Reds in the broader region were of locally-breeding birds, such as sightings recently from New Jersey or from various southern to central New England locations. Virtually no WW Crossbill reports have -yet- been made from areas far away from where they may have, or definitely bred this year, in northern forest areas. The season is of course extremely-young for these sorts of irruptives, and it all bears watching.
- - - -
There has been a nearly-continual flow of migrants thru the wider region and some of that for recent days has been a bit deflected into the interior rather than straight along the coastal parts, particularly as regards much of N.Y. County in both nocturnal passages and in some of the morning-flight in recent days. Good numbers and fair diversity were still found in NFC - Nocturnal Flight Calls - and to the west of N.Y. City in some regular migration-watch locations. In part, local winds and broader or higher steering-winds may have played their part, but all bird migrations are far more complex than is often realized. Many many shorebirds have of course been on the move in their multitudes, regionally and across this continent and all over most of the planets fly-ways.
Nice arrivals for Thursday, 8-14 in the county and for Manhattan appear to be mainly of the same mix of species that were being found in recent days and some over past weeks. A lot of fresh migration did occur in the overnight leading in to Thursday 14th.
In tern-movement observed IN Manhattan, a flock of 8 Forsters Terns seen crossing west to east one day this week, by the Spuyten Duyvil waterway at the northern tip of Manhattan was an uncommon find in terms of numbers of that species, perhaps these being slightly storm-driven, while at the same time this is peak-season for tern movements in general all around the region.
At Muscota Marsh, adjacent to Inwood Hill Park-proper on W. 218 St., a Marsh Wren was photographed, showing possible indication of being in young or even juvenile plumage.By Tuesday, 8-12, a Greater Yellowlegs appeared at Sherman Creek Parks mudflats -this is a tidal location, along the Harlem River) in northern Manhattan, multiple observers ultimately were able to see and document this one, also seen to Wed, and Thursday, 13th-14th there. This was at least the 8th shorebird species to show for the latter half of this summer in -or from- Manhattan, with also of course some sightings on the other 3 major islands of the county - Randalls. Governors, and Roosevelt islands. Least and Spotted Sandipers as well as Killdeer were the most-numerous and there also were additional Semipalmated and Solitary Sandpipers.
Laughing Gulls have continued to show very well around Manhattan with a good number often appearing at Central Park, mainly in the reservoir for some times each day. Common Terns are ongoing with some sightings from the shores of Manhattan, most of all in the vicinity of or near N.Y. Harbor.
Modest numbers of E. Kingbirds were moving in the past week but hardly enough to make much of an impression on most observers in this area. Many species already noted as moving south thru the first half of August were still on the move in this county, and more-broadly. For some species those movements on a daily -or nightly- basis are subtle for now.
A female Wild Turkey that had not been reported in a while was seen on Saturday, Aug. 9th by several observers at Battery Park in lower Manhattan, and again to at least Aug. 12th, photos also made available to the Macaulay Library, this is generally presumed to be the same individual that had been on Roosevelt Island and sundry times in Manhattan-east over the past year-plus. This species which has scantly bred in this county, in Manhattan in the modern era, is generally a rarity in the county, and is not known to have bred in any very recent years.
Some additional warblers came thru, although none were new species of the countys southbound-season. Canada, Blackburnian, and Chestnut-sided were among the recent Warbler spp. showing a small uptick. At least 6 additional warbler spp. continued lingering or passing in some numbers, including -American-Northern Yellow, and Black-and-white Warblers, American Redstart, and N. Waterthrush in particular, as well as Ovenbird and Blue-winged Warblers. Common Yellowthroat also was showing a modest increase.By Wed., 8-13, at least 15 spp. of migratory American warblers were in Manhattan and reported by multiple observers - with about ten of those species being very widely-reported from a number of locations, as-usual especially from Central Park in Manhattan. A modest proportion of the birds being found lately are lingering-on for some days, and a fair percent are new or more-recent drop-ins, while as usual, some individual migrants may be only fly-by passage migrants and some are perhaps in a particular location just 1 day - applied to many species and not just the migratory warblers here.
- -
Although not unexpected there, a tally of at least 4 Yellow-crowned Night Herons for Randalls Island on Wed. was respectable, still the most-reliable site for that species in N.Y. County, with Randalls located in the East River estuary to westernmost Long Island Sound, just-east of Harlem in Manhattan. And, while a bit late to be reported to this list, a Cliff Swallow sighted at Governors Island -M. van den Boogerd- in N.Y. County waters just south of Manhattan, a putative migrator, was confirmed with eBird for Aug. 7th there, quite notable for that island, which has had very few prior records of that hirundine in the modern era.
More will be reported in coming days on migrations across this county, as some further seekings and sightings take place.
Good birding to all - and thanks to many observers and photographers who have been out and about, some in rather warm weather at times, in the past week, finding birds and giving reports via non-x alert systems and as-always in eBird with the Macaulay Library for media archives.
Tom Fiore
Manhattan
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Date: 8/15/25 5:51 am From: Ken Gale <nuffsaid...> Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Passing of Lloyd Spitalnik
Patricia, is he related to Betty Brookshire McGrath?
As for Lloyd, whom I knew better, "gruff humor" is a good description. I think more tame than Lloyd himself might have described his sense of humor. :-) When we did our shorebirds episode of Eco-Logic on July 30, Lloyd was with Don in one of the photos on our promotional meme. Lloyd and I both ate at the same East Side pizza place, Gino's. I used to run into him a lot, but less lately. I asked the staff about him a few weeks ago and they said he'd been in recently. I'll tell them he passed when they reopen on the 21st. Does anyone know about his wife Sandy? From what Lloyd said, she wasn't well, either. Must be that aging thing.
Happy bird day, Ken www.ecoradio.org
When the air or water are clean, thank an environmentalist. If not, become one. 'Nuff Said!
On 8/14/2025 8:45 PM, John Turner wrote: > Speaking of sad news I wanted to alert the birding community to the > passing of Bob McGrath. Not only was Bob an excellent birder, teacher, > and naturalist, he was active in advancing bird conservation through > his many efforts to preserve the LI Pine Barrens. He and his myriad > tattoos will be missed! > > John Turner > > On Thu, Aug 14, 2025 at 12:34 PM Patricia Lindsay > <gelochelidon...> wrote: > > It is with sadness that we note the passing of Lloyd Spitalnik > earlier this week. Although we were aware that he had been facing > some health issues, we had not been in touch recently and were > surprised by this terrible news. > > Although less active in recent years, Lloyd was for decades a > prominent, deeply respected, and much loved figure in the New York > birding community, especially noted for his world-class > photography. He will be greatly missed, not only for his talents, > but for his sharp wit and gruff humor. Always a key figure at the > Jamaica Bay Shorebird Festival, which this year will be held on > Sunday, 17 August, Lloyd will be there this time in our thoughts > and in our hearts. We are not yet aware of funeral or remembrance > details, but wanted to share this sad news with the greater > birding community. > > Patricia Lindsay and Shai Mitra > Bay Shore, NY > --
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Date: 8/14/25 5:46 pm From: John Turner <redknot948...> Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] Passing of Lloyd Spitalnik
Speaking of sad news I wanted to alert the birding community to the passing
of Bob McGrath. Not only was Bob an excellent birder, teacher, and
naturalist, he was active in advancing bird conservation through his many
efforts to preserve the LI Pine Barrens. He and his myriad tattoos will be
missed!
John Turner
On Thu, Aug 14, 2025 at 12:34 PM Patricia Lindsay <gelochelidon...>
wrote:
> It is with sadness that we note the passing of Lloyd Spitalnik earlier
> this week. Although we were aware that he had been facing some health
> issues, we had not been in touch recently and were surprised by this
> terrible news.
>
> Although less active in recent years, Lloyd was for decades a prominent,
> deeply respected, and much loved figure in the New York birding community,
> especially noted for his world-class photography. He will be greatly
> missed, not only for his talents, but for his sharp wit and gruff humor.
> Always a key figure at the Jamaica Bay Shorebird Festival, which this year
> will be held on Sunday, 17 August, Lloyd will be there this time in our
> thoughts and in our hearts. We are not yet aware of funeral or remembrance
> details, but wanted to share this sad news with the greater birding
> community.
>
> Patricia Lindsay and Shai Mitra
> Bay Shore, NY
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
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Date: 8/14/25 9:34 am From: Patricia Lindsay <gelochelidon...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Passing of Lloyd Spitalnik
It is with sadness that we note the passing of Lloyd Spitalnik earlier this week. Although we were aware that he had been facing some health issues, we had not been in touch recently and were surprised by this terrible news.
Although less active in recent years, Lloyd was for decades a prominent, deeply respected, and much loved figure in the New York birding community, especially noted for his world-class photography. He will be greatly missed, not only for his talents, but for his sharp wit and gruff humor. Always a key figure at the Jamaica Bay Shorebird Festival, which this year will be held on Sunday, 17 August, Lloyd will be there this time in our thoughts and in our hearts. We are not yet aware of funeral or remembrance details, but wanted to share this sad news with the greater birding community.
Patricia Lindsay and Shai Mitra Bay Shore, NY
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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: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, August 8, 2025
at 11:00 pm.
The highlights of today's tape are WHITE IBIS, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN,
BLACK-NECKED STILT, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER and WHIMBREL, CASPIAN and
GULL-BILLED TERNS, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.
A few WHITE IBIS have continued in our area, but most recent sightings have
been limited to Staten Island. The 3 immatures frequenting Oakwood Beach
were still present at least to Wednesday, often visiting the marsh just
west of Delwit Avenue, and 2 were spotted last Sunday a little to the
south, flying over Great Kills Park.
The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was still at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge today,
continuing to roost with the many MUTE SWANS at the north end of the East
Pond. Given the continuing high water condition on the East Pond, the
PELICAN is probably best looked for from the northeast corner of the pond
near the area by the outflow valve, but also be aware that the PELICAN does
at times go for short flights, including over towards the West Pond, but
seems to return to the SWANS at the north end. The East Pond is continuing
to drain, but the level remains notably higher than desired – some good
news, though, is that access paths to the south end have been cleared and
are ready for use once the water level drops suitably. Out in the Bay
south of the West Pond, 7 WHIMBRELS were present on Yellow Bar Hassock last
Sunday, and 1 or 2 GULL-BILLED TERNS continue to visit both ponds. A LEAST
BITTERN was a fortuitous find at the East Pond last Sunday, while
shorebirds tend to be scattered and have also been congregating around the
southeast corner of the West Pond.
A great find out at Shinnecock back on Friday, August 1, was a BLACK-NECKED
STILT spotted at a small pond in the marsh just east of the Ponquogue
Bridge.
Great Kills Park also produced some nice shorebirds, especially the molting
adult AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER found on the mud flats last Saturday, followed
by the three WHIMBREL there Wednesday.
A GULL-BILLED TERN was noted at Floyd Bennett Field Thursday, and among the
various reports of CASPIAN TERNS were singles at Plumb Beach Saturday,
Jamaica Bay Sunday, and Pelham Bay Park Thursday, along with 9 at Piermont
Pier Thursday. ROYAL TERN numbers continue to build slowly along the coast.
A couple of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were noted again this week along the
Paumanok Trail near Jones Pond in Manorville, this off Schultz Road, and
BLUE GROSBEAKS continue nearby there in Calverton.
Among the few early migrants this week were an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER in
Prospect Park Thursday, as well as a few species of WARBLERS, including
OVENBIRD, WORM-EATING, both LOUISIANA and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES,
BLUE-WINGED, BLACK-AND-WHITE, PRAIRIE and CANADA.
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.
- End transcript
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Date: 8/8/25 4:38 pm From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - to 8/8 - 18+ Warbler spp., O.-s. Flycatcher, other migrants & lingering birds, etc.
That old-or-young Fork-tailed Flycatcher might be working its way back-south from New England as the latest find is from Maltby Lakes area north of West Haven, CT -Connecticut- on,Thursday and Friday, 8-7 and 8-8. Hundreds of NYC area birders recall the occurrence of a Fork-tailed Fly, at Randalls Island in N.Y. County NYC from this spring, and almost certainly that individual had traveled northeast along the coastal plain to a plain-in-Maine for a part of the summer, that bird seemingly gone after July 16th in the site in southern Maine it had occupied for a good while. The Maltby Lakes CT Fork-tailed has been viewed by many dozens this Friday, after the discovery there on Thursday by Connecticut birders C.L. and M.V.
- - - -
New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Governors, Randalls, and Roosevelt Islands and the adjacent waters and skies above -
into Friday, Aug. 8th-
Migration has been ongoing, even as winds on some recent nights have been either minimal, or less-than-ideal for birds that were passing thru the region to land in this county. A wider diversity of migrants has been pushing south, as is somewhat expected by the first week in August. Outside of the shorebirds moving well -around the region and much of the continent- the migratory American warblers are doing much as they always have, with diversity and numbers of the group both picking up in the month of August - this is the month when the peak-diversity of warblers moves thru N. America, both on first-exiting some of the breeding areas, and for many species, for exiting N. America entirely enroute to -and for various species, reaching- their so-called winter grounds, which may for some species be where more than 6 or 7 months of a year is lived.
The overall numbers of individuals in the American warbler tribes may be a bit higher by Sept. andf can still be impressive for numbers into October, but the diversity of species drops in most of the U.S. and all of Canada or other northern places by mid-Sept., and at least a few species have mainly completed their exodus from the north before Sept. arrives. Of all the migrant warblers, Yellow Warbler has lately, and as-expected, been the most-numerous in both overnight passages and on morning-flight passage, and that is likely so not just for this county, by observations, but for many surrounding counties. On the increase for some other warbler spp have been American Redstarts, while N. Waterthrush continue at a good, expected strong pace. Black-and-white Warbler has been reported a lot, and in some sites, these have been the same 10 or 12 individual birds lingering a while, although some passage on morning-flight has, like most of other warblers noted in this report, been seen and detected as well. N.F.C. -nocturnal flight call- detection has been fairly good for the general southbound migrations, even in nights with passing rains in the region.
At least 7 Wood Ducks were present at Central Park by Wed., 8-6, of which not more than three individuals had been present there continuously earlier in the summer. At least 2 N. Shovelers came in to Central Parks reservoir by Thursday but if they stayed there are no new reports, so far.
By Wed., the 6th, also arriving as a southbound migrant was Olive-sided Flycatcher, not vocal but on typical exposed perch in a part of Central Park where somewhat regular. This is just a tad earlier than the anticipated arrivals of the species. More Blue-gray Gnatcatchers have been coming along, still not near-peak for those.
Shorebirds continued coming thru this county and-or lingering in some sites here this week, particularly Least, Semipalmated, and Spotted Sandpipers. Solitary Sandpiper was also still being found.
Birds noted for this week in N.Y. County - with an added note of -C.P.- for all those seen within Central Park or as fly-bys there. The list below is not necessarily complete to all sightings of the county since this August 1st.
Canada Goose -C.P.-
Mute Swan - few, seen mainly from sites looking on to the East River estuary, and from Randalls Island areas.
Wood Duck -C.P.- the most-regular site where this species is seen about all-year-long in this county.
Northern Shoveler -C.P.- new for the season, this week.
Gadwall -C.P.- and regular in the county in summer, at some locations.
Mallard -C.P.- and quite regular in many other locations.
American Black Duck -C.P.- some are near0-regular in summer, but may be non-breeders in this county.
hybrid Mallard x American Black Duck -C.P.- not all that often-recorded, but regular in the county, with various odd permutations of mallardisms.
feral Rock Pigeon -C.P.- and ubiquitous in this county overall.
Mourning Dove -C.P.- and near-ubiquitous in this county overall.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo -C.P.-
Chimney Swift -C.P.- many locations, some are moving in addition to the flocks that may be lingerers, and some breeders, and thus roosting all summer in SOME sites.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
Killdeer - in select locations where some are semi-regular, on three islands, in Manhattan mostly in northern parts in summer.Least Sandpiper -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
Semipalmated Sandpiper - several locations, including at least three sites in Manhattan, also at Governors Island.
Spotted Sandpiper -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Solitary Sandpiper -C.P.- and in some additional locations.
Laughing Gull -C.P.- and in multiple other locations - this species has been more-regular this summer in this county.
Ring-billed Gull -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
American Herring Gull -C.P.-and in multiple other locations.
Great Black-backed Gull -C.P.-and in multiple other locations.
-- Least Tern, Caspian Tern, and Forsters Terns have all been reported in the past week or so in this county, while Common Tern continues as the one expected and regular summer tern species here. --
Double-crested Cormorant -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Great Blue Heron -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
Great Egret -C.P.- and especially as fly-bys, in multiple other locations.
Snowy Egret -C.P.- and especially as fly-bys, in some other locations.
Green Heron -C.P.- and in some additional locations. Nested at Central Park again this summer.
Black-crowned Night-Heron -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - most sightings are from Randalls Island, where fairly reliable in multiple seasons.
Black Vulture - multiple from a number of locations, particularly -but not only- seen from northern Manhattan.
Turkey Vulture -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Osprey -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Cooper's Hawk -C.P.- and some other locations in this past week.
Bald Eagle -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Red-tailed Hawk -C.P.- and in many-dozens of other locations.
Owls - ongoing multiple sites.
Belted Kingfisher -C.P.- and more-so in various other sites, at some fairly regular lately.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - summering in a few locations, including a few in Central Park, more in other Manhattan locations - this is not that unusual for the species, all these being NON-breeders here.
Red-bellied Woodpecker -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Downy Woodpecker -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Hairy Woodpecker -C.P.- and in other locations.
Northern - Yellow-shafted - Flicker -C.P.- and in other locations.
American Kestrel -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Peregrine Falcon -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Budgerigar - one, in Manhattan - a not-rare escapee, seen nearly every year in this county in the modern era.
Monk Parakeet - usual few in Manhattan, including those along the Hudson River greenway-north, and elsewhere.
Olive-sided Flycatcher -C.P.- very-slightly-early, but consistent with some having moved south in the past week.
Eastern Wood-Pewee -C.P.- and in other locations.
Acadian Flycatcher -C.P.-
Willow Flycatcher - ongoing in at least 2 locations, observed more at Governors Island in recent days and weeks.
Alder or Willow Flycatcher -C.P.- - and some in a few other locations -silent birds- ID to species undetermined.
Least Flycatcher -C.P.- and in a few other locations.
Empidonax sp. -C.P.- and multiple other locations - still relatively few, but an uptick in the county for this week.
Eastern Phoebe -C.P.- and rather few overall so far, not especially early for 1st south bounders, but vastly more will be coming in many weeks to come.
Great Crested Flycatcher -C.P.- and in some other locations, including on both Randalls and Governors Island, each of which could support breeders, as Manhattan long has in select parks.
Eastern Kingbird -C.P.- and in many other locations. Some morning flight, and that is expected to pick up as this month goes along.
Yellow-throated Vireo -C.P.- - early by a bit, for the county where a very-scarcely-noted breeder, this one suspected to be a passage migrant headed south.
Warbling Vireo -C.P.- and in many other locations. Breeds in a lot of locations in this county.
Red-eyed Vireo -C.P.- and in many other locations. Breeds in a number of locations in this county.
Blue Jay -C.P.- and in many other locations.
American Crow -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Fish Crow-C.P.- and in some other locations.
Common Raven -C.P.- and in a fairly impressive number of other locations in the county - a report of up to 8 in flight together on 8-8, which is interesting.
Black-capped Chickadee -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
Tufted Titmouse -C.P.- and in other locations, this species a bit more common this summer than the prior, although chickadees happily lingered for some sites thru the summer.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow -C.P.- and in some other locations.
-- Purple Martin has again been reported from Governors Island but the type of report noting 1 individual often wants some visual documentation - there are plastic decoy-birds there. --
Tree Swallow -C.P.- and in many other locations, some of which are typically flyovers.
Bank Swallow -C.P.- very scant, but some have been moving - this species usually needs some focus on hirundines for a day of potential success in finding, as all are passage migrants here.
Barn Swallow -C.P.- and in many other locations - the nearly-default, all-season-long common swallow in this county.
— Cliff Swallow - reported this week, and quite possible, but due to county-paucity of records, ought to be visually documented, when possible.—
White-breasted Nuthatch -C.P.- and in other locations.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher -C.P.- and overall, multiple arrivals and passage migrants this week.
House Wren -C.P.- and in other locations.
Marsh Wren - ongoing -into- this week at Inwood Hill Park, on Manhattan.
Carolina Wren -C.P.- and in multiple other locations.
European Starling -C.P.- and ubiquitous in this county overall.
Gray Catbird -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Brown Thrasher -C.P.- and in a few other -known- locations this summer.
Northern Mockingbird -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Wood Thrush -C.P.- and in select other locations where the species breeds.
American Robin -C.P.- and in many other locations.
Cedar Waxwing -C.P.- and in many other locations, some staying and some moving around.
House Sparrow -C.P.- and ubiquitous in this county overall.
House Finch -C.P.-and in many other locations.
American Goldfinch -C.P.- and in other locations.
Chipping Sparrow -C.P.- and in multiple other locations. The species breeds in the county in small numbers, including in Central Park.
White-throated Sparrow -C.P.- and many more locations where these have summered as NON-breeders.
Song Sparrow -C.P.- and in many other locations. Breeds in the county.
Lincoln's Sparrow - still in at least 1 site, where it likely summered, and is never a breeder here.
Swamp Sparrow -C.P.- and in a few more locations, where presumed only summering through.
Eastern Towhee -C.P.- and in some other locations - and a rather-scant breeder in this county.
Bobolink -C.P.- and a few additional locations, esp. at Governors Island.
Orchard Oriole -C.P.-and in general, a few migrants have moved, plus locally-breeding birds continuing.
Baltimore Oriole -C.P.- and multiple other locations.
Red-winged Blackbird -C.P.- and multiple other locations.
Brown-headed Cowbird -C.P.- and multiple other locations.
Common Grackle -C.P.- and multiple other locations.
-
Ovenbird -C.P.- and in a number of other parks and sites where the species had NOT summered.
Worm-eating Warbler -C.P.- few other locations, for this week, present again in Central Park this Friday.
Louisiana Waterthrush -C.P.- few other locations for this week.
Northern Waterthrush -C.P.- and multiple other locations, including some not immediately by water.
Blue-winged Warbler -C.P.- and a few more locations for this week.
Black-and-white Warbler -C.P.- and far-more than a dozen other locations in the county, plus morning-flight sightings.
Tennessee Warbler - 1 at Central Park by Wed., Aug. 6th - not at all unprecedented in first week of August in this park, or this county.
Mourning Warbler -C.P.- Friday, 8-8, in the northwest woods. Not notably-early, but possibly a first-of-southbounder season here.
Common Yellowthroat -C.P.- and multiple other locations, some of these being migrators, in addition to some summering-breeding.
Hooded Warbler -C.P.- still scant - and still slightly early.
American Redstart -C.P.- and multiple other locations - these are among the warblers in motion headed south this week. A very few may have also summered thru.
Northern Parula -C.P.- and a few other locations - with some that seemed to have summered in a very few sites in this county, most others would still be a little early.
Blackburnian Warbler -C.P.- and a few other locations.
Yellow Warbler -C.P.- and multiple other locations - these are among the warblers in motion headed south this week, in large numbers including in morning flights.
Chestnut-sided Warbler -C.P.- still scant and still slightly on the early side.
Pine Warbler -C.P.- few.
Prairie Warbler -C.P.- few, however a small number also on morning and nocturnal flights in the past week-plus.
Canada Warbler -C.P.- still scant, but a slight uptick this week - not unexpected by now in this county.
-
Scarlet Tanager -C.P.- still few, a species that sometimes lingers long into summer in this county, but has not been fully documented nesting here in the modern era.
Northern Cardinal -C.P.- and multiple other locations.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak -C.P.- few.
Indigo Bunting -C.P.- and in a very few other locations in the county, some out-of-the-way for most birders. A species that has tried breeding in the county in the past.
More sightings as more birds continue to arrive and pass in this county. In the past week, a majority of sightings, and reports, for this county came from Manhattan, as reflected in the above notes. Thanks to all who found birds, and reported sightings in non-x alerts and as-always in eBird with the Macaulay Library for media archiving.
Good birding to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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Date: 8/5/25 8:14 am From: Andrew Baksh <birdingdude...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Update on East Pond Conditions – Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Salutations All:
In response to the numerous inquiries I have received, I am writing to
provide you all with an update on the current conditions at the *East Pond*
of *Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge* in Queens, NY, as well as ongoing efforts
to address the challenges we’ve encountered this season.
As many of you know, the annual drawdown of the East Pond is essential to
coincide with the arrival of southbound migrating shorebirds.
Unfortunately, this year we have encountered significant issues due to
problems with the pond’s drainage mechanism. While the *National Park
Service* is fully aware of the situation and has been working to rectify
it, their efforts have been constrained by limited budgets and staff
resources.
The good news is that the pond is indeed draining; however, the rate at
which this is happening falls short of what is required for optimal habitat
conditions, which we achieved in 2024. Over the past weeks, I have been in
regular communication with management, who remain committed to resolving
the problem and restoring the pond to the standards we witnessed in 2024. I
have strongly *emphasized* that it is *unacceptable* for a newly engineered
drainage apparatus to fail in only its second year of operation, and
management is actively pressing the vendor to address and remedy the
situation.
While it is possible that the pond will not return to its 2024 condition in
the immediate term, I want to reassure all of you that every effort is
being made to resolve these issues. Due to the elevated water levels, trail
maintenance has also been delayed, as I have had to wait for specific areas
to dry before beginning work. It also did not help that the AQI (Air
Quality Index) has not been good for outdoor work in recent times,
particularly in sweltering heat. However, I am pleased to share that I have
nearly completed clearing the Southend trails and will continue working to
improve access as conditions allow.
Thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued commitment to our
birding community. I will keep you updated as the situation evolves and
welcome any offline questions or concerns you may have.
With best regards,
Andrew
--
*"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. Be that candle." ~ AB*
*"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery; none but ourselves could free
our mind." ~ Bob Marley*
*"Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but
manifestations of strength and resolution." ~ Khalil Gibran*
*"I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the
ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own
abhorrence." ~ Frederick Douglass*
