From my Manhattan Window (4 Viewers)

Pinewood · Jan 16, 2014

A Cooper hawk, everyday

Hello all,

Today, the morning temperature was 3ºC, which made the day seem like March.

Sunday, Monday and today, I was out and about. Each day, I have seen red-bellied and downy woodpeckers, those Baltimore orioles, brown creepers. One day brought a pair of creepers, a cooper hawk, and house finches. Two of the three days, goldfinches and juncoes, also turned up, with one appearance of a white breasted nuthatch. Today was also a good day for northern cardinals[/b[. The Lake and Turtle Pond have yet to defrost, with just a little patch on the Lake for mallards and shovel[l]ers.

All images by Lois Agassiz Fuertes

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

A2GG · Jan 16, 2014

Sounds like a nice day you had there Arthur. Nice to have Orioles
staying around in the winter...that's a pleasant surprise. I'm still hoping to see a Brown
Creeper this winter.

Pinewood · Jan 16, 2014

Annabeth2 said:
Sounds like a nice day you had there Arthur. Nice to have Orioles
staying around in the winter...that's a pleasant surprise. I'm still hoping to see a Brown
Creeper this winter.

Hello AnnaBeth,

Those orioles are the talk of the Park as their appearance in January is so unusual. The creepers are also odd. I have seen more creepers in the past two weeks, than in the previous nine years. The absence of titmice and the paucity of chickadees is another peculiarity for this season.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

A2GG · Jan 16, 2014

Pinewood said:
Hello AnnaBeth,

Those orioles are the talk of the Park as their appearance in January is so unusual. The creepers are also odd. I have seen more creepers in the past two weeks, than in the previous nine years. The absence of titmice and the paucity of chickadees is another peculiarity for this season.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

The Brown Creeper would be a new one for me.
I recently read that Creepers will show up sporadically.
They could be absent for a long time in a given area and
then show up in high numbers one year. So, your experience
with the Creeper makes sense. I haven't seen
any in my area at all. There was one reported at the local
park near my job, so hopefully I'll get lucky and have a chance
to see this peculiar and interesting bird.

Pinewood · Jan 20, 2014

Hello,

Everyday, I have been to the Park, I have seen white breasted nuthatches, goldfinches, downy woodpeckers, white throated sparrows, juncoes, cardinals,raptors, blue jays, house finches, etc. Yesterday, I saw brown creepers, after a short absence. Everyday but yesterday, I saw those orioles, but they were reported as being around just before I and a cooper hawk arrived . Friday, I saw a Carolina wren, which I had heard, earlier in the week, and a black capped chickadee. Yesterday was a bit trying as a cooper hawk was around, scaring off birds and I had to truncate my visit, before going off to Philadelphia, but I did see a fox sparrow. Yesterday was also made trying by a relatively noisy group of bird watchers.
All images by Lous Agassiz Fuertes from Birds of New York

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Pinewood · Jan 24, 2014

Hello all,

Monday, I did get to see that male Baltimore Oriole, again. Several raptors turned up, both aloft and in the trees: red-tailed and cooper hawks. Monday also brought brown tree creepers. Tuesday, I had to attend a union meeting of retired teachers, so I did not go to the Park. By the time, I got on the Metro to go to the meeting, it had started snowing, continuing until Wednesday morning, with accumulations of 27 cm. There was no possibility that the footpaths would be cleared on Wednesday, while Thursday started off at about -13ºC, so I did not go to Central Park.
This morning, it was -12ºC, hardly an improvement but I took to the paths, gingerly, as there was packed snow but little ice. The Lake was completely frozen with not a duck nor a goose to be seen. The first birds were blue jays, grackles, northern cardinals, a female downy woodpecker and white-throated sparrows. Then I saw a Carolina wren, recognized by its eye stripe. At the feeders, were goldfinches, house finches, more downy woodpeckers, a brown creeper, a red-bellied woodpecker and juncoes. I waited for a while but did not see any orioles, although a Park regular assured me that they were still around. Given that the temperature had not risen, I decided to head home before I suffered, anymore. I have not seen any nuthatches for a while.
All images by Louis Agassiz Fuertes.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

KC Foggin · Jan 24, 2014

I must say Arthur, your posts always bring me back to my New York days and I still miss New York a lot

Pinewood · Jan 24, 2014

KCFoggin said:
I must say Arthur, your posts always bring me back to my New York days and I still miss New York a lot

Hello KC,

At your service.

I was going to write that I am a bit envious of your weather, but I read that you are enjoying -1ºC, so I am not so envious.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

etudiant · Jan 24, 2014

The Orioles were just a bit belated, but both male and female showed nicely around 1PM.
They are staying alive thanks to the NYC Audubon volunteers that put out a steady flow of orange sections along with lots of peanut butter/shortening mix. It seems the shortening allows these birds to eat the nutritious peanut butter without it sticking to their bills. As there is no relief in sight from the cold, the feeders are now the only hope for these birds. An illustration of the pressure the birds are under is given by the experience of a local photographer today in Central Park: a Carolina Wren hopped into his hand, hoping to find some edible tidbit.

Pinewood · Jan 28, 2014

Hello Étudiant,

Yes, that Carolina wren approached me, on Sunday. Alas, I had no tidbits for the bird.

In spite of yesterday's -10ºC morning, I ventured out. I tarried, at the feeders, for about 20 minutes, where I did see the wren, goldfinches, house finches, downy and red bellied woodpeckers, brown creepers, juncoes, a black capped chickadee and a white breasted nuthatch. Although I did see cardinals and blue jays, I saw neither mourning doves nor the orioles.

Today when I was out during 3ºC weather, I saw no chickadees, no nuthatches and no Carolina wren, but both orioles turned up. In such warm weather, I was able to linger, for a little longer.
I fear that today's thaw, which will be followed by frigid weather, may make the footpaths far too treacherous, for me. The packed snow may become glazed with ice, which is not safe unless I have some steel cleats.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :brains:

etudiant · Jan 28, 2014

Pinewood said:
Hello Étudiant,

Yes, that Carolina wren approached me, on Sunday. Alas, I had no tidbits for the bird.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :brains:

Wow, good on you, Arthur! You've had a rare experience.
It has certainly been a rough period for our birds. A robin was mixing it up yesterday with a horde of House Sparrows, scarfing down bits of nuts, something I've never seen them do before.

Pinewood · Jan 29, 2014

Hello all,

More freezing weather, rather colder than normal, embraces New York. Last night, we had a cm.of snow on the ground as the temperature was -10ºC, 14ºF, when I arose. Central Park Lake has one small unfrozen spot, underneath Oak Bridge,where a lone shoveller paddled. The ice near the bird had raccoon tracks leading to a culvert. Blue jays, grackles, white throated sparrows, cardinals and downy woodpeckers are still to be seen, in the Park. At the feeders, the Baltimore orioles, more downy, and red bellied woodpeckers, juncoes, goldfinches, house finches, brown creepers, and the occasional white breasted nuthatch and occasional fox sparrow turn up. Yesterday, one mourning dove made an appearance, at the feeders.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :egghead:

Pinewood · Jan 31, 2014

Almost freezing

Hello all,

It was just about-2ºC, this morning and it as already reached the freezing point. Grackles are seen in great numbers in the Park and mourning doves have returned, as well, joining our blue jays, white throated sparrows, downy woodpeckers and cardinals as our common winter birds. Every couple of days, I do see a hawks, like yesterday's red-tailed juvenile. Yesterday, I saw a hairy woodpecker, for the first time, in weeks, making them less common than red-bellied woodpeckers, which I seem to see, every other day. Today's black capped chickadee, means that bird has been turning up more often. At the feeders, juncoes, goldfinches, house and finches, those amazing orioles and brown creepers are rather frequent, even daily visitors, in most cases. I do see black capped chickadees, and fox sparrows, every couple of days.
All images by Louis Agassiz Fuertes.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · Feb 7, 2014

Grackles, galore

Hello all,

I did get out, on Sunday, when the temperature rose to 6 or 7ºC, but Monday, we were hit with some 22 cm., or more of snow. I did not bother trying to go to the Park, during the snowfall. On Tuesday and Wednesday, it was too icy for my foot ware. Yesterday and today, I put on my miniature steel cleats and headed out to the feeders. There is a small spot on the Lake, free of ice, where a culvert empties, and the ducks gather, keeping it clear. There were shovel[l]ers, mallards and Canadian Geese. On Wednesday, someone reported a gadwall, and today someone thought that a barnacle goose had been seen, on the Reservoir, which would be surprising as they are vagrants.

There are plenty of grackles about, along with blue jays, northern cardinals and white throated sparrows. On Sunday, I saw mourning doves but not today. At the feeders, those orioles are still turning up for the orange slices. Other birds seen there, include juncoes, white breasted nuthatches, a pair, yesterday, brown creepers, a pair on Sunday, house finches, goldfinches and downy woodpeckers. However, I did see a red bellies woodpecker, today. Red-tailed hawks are common, both in the trees and aloft. I pointed out two, on Sunday, to visitors from Ireland. I mentioned that I had an email friend in County Wicklow, but they were from the North. When I asked, "Londonderry?" They said, "Derry." Geography can be troublesome.

I attach a photograph of the San Remo, a very pricey block flats, on Central Park West. I live more than a kilometre, away, in a less tony part of Manhattan.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Pinewood · Feb 9, 2014

Some good ones

Hello all,

I was out, today, when it was -4ºC, negotiating the icy paths of Central Park, before the next snowfall. Before I got to the feeders I saw white throated sparrows, blue jay and mourning doves. Then saw something reddish go by. Rather than dismissing it, I put my binoculars on what seemed to be an early hermit thrush. Across the Lake was the usual grouping of mallards, Canada geese, and shovel[l]lers, but I saw something unusual, a rather dark duck. Later, I got to that side of the Lake and saw a lone American black duck. Still heading to the feeders, I saw more grackles and a red bellied and a downy woodpecker. Someone, from New Mexico, pointed out a woodpecker on a trunk with which he was unfamiliar. It turned out to be a male yellow bellied sapsucker. At the feeders, I heard a nuthatch, and saw a male Baltimore Oriole, three brown creepers, and a pair of fox sparrows, as well as juncoes, goldfinches and house finches.
Even though only a few cms. of snow are expected, tonight, ice and an early appointment may keep me from the Park, tomorrow.
All images by Louis Agassiz Fuertes from Birds of New York

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Pinewood · Feb 17, 2014

Plenty of ice, but nothing new

Hello all,

The appointments with physicians, snowfalls and icy paths have kept visits to the park, at a minimum. A pair of mourning doves, appeared at my window, on a a day when I did care to risk the icy paths. On Tuesday, I did see a nuthatch and a hermit thrush, again. The Lake is practically frozen over, but there were reports of hooded mergansers, at the Reservoir. Étudiant told me that the several black ducks were seen at the Azalea pond and that the Carolina wrens were still about. Otherwise, today's visit to the Park had nothing new: grackles, downies, brown creepers, house finches, those orioles, goldfinches, juncoes and two fox sparrows.
However, I did take time, today, to point out birds to a new bird watcher, a youngster from Washington, D.C., which I thought was very good use of my time.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · Feb 21, 2014

Hello,

I have seen that Carolina wren. again. Brown creepers make daily appearances, as do downy woodpeckers. I have seen those orioles, almost daily. White breasted nuthatches turn up often, about as often as red bellied woodpeckers appear. Fox sparrows were seen once, since my last posting. The second best bird of the week was a black capped chickadee. I am fairly sure that I saw another American black duck, across the Lake. Fewer mourning doves, are around, although a pair turned up, at my window, right after the last snow, on Tuesday, but northern cardinal,blue jays, white throated sparrows and grackles abound.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :scribe:

Pinewood · Feb 24, 2014

The temperature rose above 10ºC!

Hello all,

Since Tuesday, New York has been enjoying a thaw. Yesterday, the paths in Central Park were almost ice free, except at the feeders, where I had to walk, carefully, in some places. Yesterday was odd, I saw neither a northern cardinal nor a blue jay. Today, only one blue jay and no northern cardinals. White throated sparrows, grackles and mourning doves were quite plentiful.
At the feeders, I was happy to see male and female white breasted nuthatches, and a glimpse of the Carolina wren, house finches and goldfinches, as well as brown creepers. For a change, on both days, I saw a black capped chickadee. Today, I looked at the orange slices, and thought I saw an odd piece of orange. The male oriole's chest matched the color of the citrus fruit, as it was taking some nourishment. The female was nearby. Downy woodpeckers were there, as well as juncoes.

Yesterday, on my way to the feeders, I notice a the usual congregation of waterfowl, across the Lake, just south of Hernshead,, west side of the Lake. I thought that there might have been a black duck, so I investigated. There was no black duck but plenty of shovel(l)ers and mallards. Then I saw a wood duck, near the shore, some meters farther south. It slipped out of sight, so I followed the path to where I could get a better view and found two male
and one female wood ducks. Today, there was only a male wood duck.

All images by Louis Agassiz Fuertes from The Birds of New York

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Pinewood · Feb 26, 2014

A cardinal!

Hello all,

Tuesday and today, northern cardinals turned up, again. So did one fox sparrow. Apparently, an American kestrel had a good meal of a fox sparrow, in the last few days. I was a bit incredulous, as I thought American Kestrels were insectivore, first, then small rodents, like mice. There is a nest of them about a km., from my home near a famous food store, which makes sense. I also thought that there may have been some confusion with a merlin, which was seen in the Park, but Étudiant assured me that kestrels do go after small birds. They are also known as sparrow hawks, so go and know.
Yesterday, I saw a cooper hawk and red tailed hawks, in trees and aloft. Tree creepers, both orioles, and the Carolina wrens, in fact two of them, yesterday. There are still plenty of downy woodpeckers, grackles, juncoes and mourning doves, as well a few white breasted nuthatches.
It started to snow, this morning, which made me flee the Park, but it clear, now.
I took the photograph of the wren, with my iPod Touch, on a tree, where it was nibbling peanut butter and shortening, put out by some kind soul. The other images are by Louis Agassiz Fuertes.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :egghead:

Pinewood · Mar 3, 2014

More Snow on the Way

Hello all,

The temperature, this morning, was -3ºC, and snow is expected, tonight.

First, a note on waterfowl. From Sunday to Friday, I saw up to three male wood ducks, and two females, among the mallards and shovel[l]lers, on the Lake, but today, none were to be seen. I did see an American black duck, today.
I have been seeing those orioles, off and on. Downy woodpeckers, mourning doves, house finches,goldfinches, blue jays, brown creepers, cardinals, again, as many as three fox sparrows and grackles are everyday, at the feeder. I have been waiting at the feeders, until I see white breasted nuthatches, every time I visit. I am fairly certain that I had one sighting of a hairy woodpecker. Thursday, I probably saw a female red winged blackbird because today I saw three males, my first of the year.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

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