Date: 5/12/25 6:13 am From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - 11 days of May-migration
New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Governors, Randalls, and Roosevelt Islands and the adjacent waters and skies above -
For the first 11 days of May -
Some of the exceptional species seen almost a week or so ago, or longer-ago were noted just prior in a belated recent report, and there have been nightly and daily migrations coming thru. On some nights and early mornings, vastly more birds were passing, than sat or even showed in the county - birds which were simply moving on in good, or fairly-good weather to and-or towards their breeding areas. We have also had some additional arrivals here among the species that do breed in the county, some in small or limited numbers.
More than 165 species of birds have been showing in the county this month by May 11th, and of that number, up to 90 percent of the species have also occurred in or over Central Park, with its far-more-than 1,000 individual observers out watching and many also photographing, in the first 11 days of May. Other locations around the county also have had observers, and a few places were able to get first-time observations of some species. Overall, with some common and numerous migrants we expect each spring, numbers were at-last pocking-up in the most recent days, yet again, there also have been good to very-good passages of many migrants sailing straight on past this county, onwards to breeding destinations. With some species still being seen even to this past weekend such as Pine and Palm Warblers, and Dark-eyed -Slate-colored- Junco, there have been a high diversity of species in the county, with virtually-all of the later-to-migrate species having shown by now, in small to some-higher numbers.
At least 27 species of migrant American warblers were found in the county on Sunday, May 12 and of those many, all of the species were collectively seen within Central Park, while many of the species also occurred on all of the 4 main islands of the county and particularly in a number of the parks of Manhattan. That number included both early and later moving species among the many. Some species such as Bay-breasted and Cape May Warblers are being seen in good to very-good numbers, overall here.
A Chuck-wills-widow was found in the Central Park Ramble on Saturday May 10, by D.J. Ringer, and was later that day viewed and photographed by far more than 100 total observers plus yet more passersby who were curious. By far, the observers were walking independently with many also being affiliated with not-for-profit organizations and institutions, which offer guided bird walks. Thanks to the finder for early alerting thru the Discord bird-reporting app. And thanks to many who were quiet and polite in the throngs which gathered to view this uncommon visitor, a semi-regular bird in spring in the modern era, but most years just one found in any one place in any given year.
Common Nighthawks have been passing and at least some have been observed in the county this month. Being out at dusk or pre-sunrise may assist in observing but some of the sightings are from lucky findings of birds on a roost.
The Northern Saw-whet Owl at Columbia University campus -from May 3rd- is a photographed, confirmed sighting in the archives, and is no longer in place at that location. Up to 17 Purple Sandpipers were found on the rocky shores of Governors Island to at least May 9th. A much-less expected locality for several Purple Sandpipers was reported from Randalls Island on May 10th, American Oystercatcher was also seen again from Randalls as the latter had at least several times this spring, and Randalls on Saturday and Sunday also produced a very nice variety of migrant warblers and other migrants, and again, the Cliff Swallows were present there. A Mourning Warbler was among the many warbler species on Saturday there. Solitary, Spotted, and Least Sandpipers are occurring more widely lately, ongoing thru the past week in some locations. Much more unusual for Randalls are the reports of several Purple Sandpiper, while fully-expected species there continue to include many Spotted in particular.
For all recent days to May 8th and again on May 10th, many observers, and some groups of both dedicated not-for-profit guided walks and impromptu groups, had days of more-than 20 species of warblers in 1 day, most-often with walks extending to some hours of efforts, and a small number of the observers were able to see up to 60, 70, 80 or more species of birds on the day even in just one park. Inwood Hill Park in northern Manhattan had a couple of days with 20-plus species of warblers, and many more migrant species, as well. Many small, and even very-small parks and greenspaces in the county had up to 12 to 15 species of warblers in single days, and a multitude of other migrants. There were more than 20 species of warbler as well for Randalls Island on May 8th, and again for that island on May 10th, even lacking all of the observers that might have been out, and with so many observers covering Manhattans parks or greenspaces on those dates. All of these many migration-observations were also underscored by the excellent flights taking place at night, with vast numbers of birds moving out and into the region and thru this county on most nights, whatever the weather. On some nights in the past ten days, far-more migrants were skirting Manhattan either to avoid moving precipitation or for other reasons, and of course migration was heated in much of the region, with birds making flight on into northern places, on some nights and mornings far to the north and northeast of N.Y. City, and taking in millions of migrants in the wider region.
Governors Island, just south of Manhattan in N.Y. Harbor, has had well-over 100 species of birds come thru or linger this month so far, while the standout species of the month is still the Little Gull found from there on May 4, and not re-found in the county since then - that was following the sighting, also photographed - from off Manhattan of that species on May 2. Regular now at and near Governors Island are Common Terns, and that site - all of that island - may be worth visiting at any time as so many species could potentially turn up, or pass by there.
A Black-throated Gray Warbler -was reported- from Tompkins Square Park in lower-east Manhattan on May 8th, by a solo observer on that date, some textual details were in the eBird report, and follow-up searches took place with a lot more than the typical numbers of birders out to have a look there on that day, and for some more-regulars of that area in following days also, however NO additional notes for that species came. That fair-sized park is regularly watched by a number of birders and photographers, and it contains a fair number of very large trees and some shrubs as well as lawn areas. It attracts warblers and many other migrants at all seasons, as for many many other city parks larger and smaller. If confirmed, any Black-throated Gray Warbler would be, or is, of course an extremely-rare sighting for the county, for N.Y. City, and for the region, although the species is occasionally found in the region, as a vagrant or accidental bird from the west.
On May 1st, an adult-breeding male Blue Grosbeak was found and photographed in Central Park, in the -southern sector- of that park, that report went to eBird and has been confirmed therein. By May 7th, one of that species, in the same plumage -and just-possibly still the same individual bird- was found and seen by many, many observers in the area just-west of the Great Lawn in Central Park, about one mile north of where the species was first-found on May 1. The later sighting had birders coming in all day long and re-finding the rare-ish grosbeak, with many photos also taken. Some of the many many observers including an early party of keen and hardy birders doing a big-big day in that park and having come within one species of 100 on the day. Also on the Blue Grosbeak watch were later observers that included many helping others to get-on the desired species, and to share the sighting, including plenty of independent watchers and some photographers. Blue Grosbeak is an annually-occurring species in the county, but is also a rarity. One of the most recent of multiple Summer Tanagers pushing thru our region, including here in N.Y. County, showed at Inwood Hill Park on Friday, May 9th.
A Kentucky Warbler was found in the Central Park Ramble on May 8th, although seen by relatively few observers. A singing male Mourning Warbler was ongoing at one location in the n. end of Central Park, for at-least one entire week, starting on May 3rd, and into May 9th at the same general area, from when first seen and reported there. This individual Mourning Warbler had been viewed, and heard, by far-more than 300 observers over its stay, and esp. on the date of May 4. There are some other Mournings that also passed thru, not all staying in place for such a span of days. The species may be anticipated as a migrant in any part of the month of May, typically later-May, and in many past years into early June, with some females especially being quite late-moving. Further sightings of Yellow-throated Warblers in Manhattan include one at Central Park to at least May 7th. That species has enjoyed a lot of locations in the county already this year, and not even half-through the month of May yet.
Flycatcher diversity has increased with by now, at least most of the Emoidonax-genus species starting to come in or pass thru, and with more Eastern Wood-Pewees also Olive-sided Flycatchers in the low-multiple, in recent days. Acadian Flycatcher is a species which can be watched for the possibility of breeding in the county. We also were getting a good passage of Eastern Kingbirds as this month has progressed. For so far this month, the Empidonax being found are mainly of 2 or 3 species, and some also have been rather quiet, thus eluding identifications for some birds, thus far. Eastern Phoebe was still around and some, at least in small numbers, might be attempting to nest in some areas in the county. Other nesting species of flycatchers for the county annually include Great Crested Flycatcher and E. Kingbird, as well as E. Wood-Pewee. Many migrant thrush species already have passed thru this county, with Hermit Thrush the most-numerous of all in the past month, and more recently many Wood Thrush with also Swainsons Thrush and Veery being quite numerous. Sightings of Gray-cheeked Thrushes have come in this month, while few if any observers have made notes in the field or had audio recordings suggestive of the rarer of our migrant thrushes - Bicknells, which may be passing thru just about now and would be possible all thru this month, here. Some of the Wood Thrush are setting up for nesting in the county, and all care should be taken around these, and any other native-nesting birds wherever possibly found.
An adult Red-headed Woodpecker was seen at Fort Tryon Park on May 8th, a day which featured at least some others of that species on the move thru the region. A very-slightly late Golden-crowned Kinglet was seen and is a confirmed sighting from Central Park on May 7th, and another Golden-crowned Kinglet was seen at Governors Island on May 10th, not a latest-date but later than any of the peak movements of that species here. Ruby-crowned Kinglets are also in short supply by now, after so much migration thru here by the 2 kinglet-species even in April.
Bobolinks have been continuing to pass and at least some are being seen recently on-the-deck at some county locations, typically including on Governors Island and on Randalls Island, with of course some being in aduclt breeding male plumage, as well as female birds coming thru. Our two regular and breeding oriole species have many Baltimore Orioles set up and courting or already-nesting, and there are the more-limited numbers of Orchard Oriole also doing so, plus further passages of those. Purple Finches were still passing through on May 11th, with female-plumaged birds increasingly seen, some of which may also be younger males.
On May 8th, a singing male Cerulean Warbler was seen and heard at Jackie Robinson Park in Harlem, Manhattan - this linear park with a section of woods is not birded by all that many, but of those who do come in to seek birds, we have in those observers some of our keenest local-patch birders and the occasional visitors as well. I was birding in that park - occasionally, not regularly - from the 1990’s to recently, and have had occasionally-notable sightings in that and other adjacent, less-birded Manhattan parks - we thank E. Schumann for the male Cerulean sighting there on May 8th - in the same day, vastly-more observers flocked to the Ramble of Central Park and many of them - well over 100 in all - saw and-or heard a male Cerulean Warbler, always a popular sighting for that park, the more-so if constantly alerted to additional, later-arriving watchers - this individual Cerulean Warbler was seen to bathe and was sometimes seen quite well, for a species that can also be high or deep in tall canopy and thick high foliage, heard as much as seen. The first of confirmed Cerulean Warblers this spring in Central Park had come well over a week earlier, and there are some other April sightings - hearings of the species from this county, making for already a good spring for the species in this county. It is also a species which breeds each year in locations as little as 35-40 miles from Manhattan, and possibly some even a bit nearer than that.
From a prior note made by a reporter to this list-serve on May 7, there seems to have been no follow-up or any further info offered to this list as to a bird -reported as- a --probable-- Swainsons Warbler for Central Park - it would be of interest to hear of any further details on that report given to this list. There are no public reports so far for a Golden-winged Warbler in N.Y. County this year, as-of early morning May 12th, although any reports of that species with any details will be of interest, if made public. There are a number of reports of possible hybrid warbler sightings involving some combo of Blue-winged and partial Golden-winged ancestry, with some reports stressing the Blue-winged-aspect in plumages seen or photographed. There were more than one individual similar birds in the past week or so in this county, with such characteristics, and this is not too rare, for any number of Blue-winged Warblers we may see around this region may show some signs of having hybridized in some past generation, if not in the most-present tense. These hybrid forms are so regular that they were long-ago given two individual persons names - which may or may not continue to be named as-such into the future. A hybrid-type bird most resembling a Blue-winged Warbler was seen and is confirmed in Central Park in the past week - there are no public-confirmed sightings of any of the so-called Lawrences type of hybrid of the 2 closely-related warblers, for this year so far in N.Y. County. Some additional birds of the type sometimes referred to as Brewsters in this warbler-pair hybrid-grouping have been found in this county so far this spring, besides the bird many had seen at one part of Central Park - these additional sightings from elsewhere in the county, also.
A Wild Turkey was still present at The Battery in lower Manhattan, where one has been for a while recently.
Thanks to hundreds and hundreds of observers and photographers for sightings, and reports all via non-x apps, and as-always via eBird with the Macaulay Library for media.
Good ongoing migration and breeding-bird observing to all,
Tom Fiore
manhattan
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