From my Manhattan Window (12 Viewers)

Pinewood · May 5, 2013

Hello,

I wrote "jackals" in my last post when I meant grackles.

Today, I saw nothing new, but I did get a good view of a prairie warbler. After a long wait, I also spotted a northern flicker and a red bellied woodpecker. Warblers are interesting but for some reason I like creepers, nuthatches and woodpeckers.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · May 5, 2013

Flycatcher

Hello all,

There was another bird, today, which I neglected to mention. I think that i may
have seen a least flycatcher, so I attach a Fuertes image of one.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · May 10, 2013

The carp were spawning

Hello all,

In some respects, this week's best sight, was the spawning carp in Central Park Lake. The shallows had bunches of these big fish splashing and jumping around. One could even smell them: not a fishy smell but the smell of fresh lake fish.

This week has been relatively fallow. Monday was occupied with a lengthy visit to my ophthalmologist. Tuesday morning had to be otherwise occupied. Wednesday was terribly rainy. Yesterday, was very overcast and I was caught in a shower in the middle of my usual walk. However, the rain was part of a warm front, which has brought more birds to the Park. As in the past, your faithful New York correspondent tends to confound black and white warblers with downy woodpeckers.
This morning I spotted a red-eyed vireo, baltimore oriole, black throated green winged warbler, yellow rumped and common yellow throat, the latter is called a [/i]Maryland warbler[/i] in the 1914 Birds of New York by Eaton. The attached images are by Louis Agassiz Fuertes, from The Birds of New York.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Pinewood · May 12, 2013

After the rains, clear and 16ºC

Hello,

More rain and more birds. I am still seeing orioles, common yellowthroats, ruby crowned kinglets and there was a double crested cormorant on the Lake.

However, birds have been moving into the Park. Today, I saw a blackpoll warbler after first confusing it with a black and white warbler. The I saw my first gray catbird of the year. The catbirds will be around for the warm weather. A little later, just north of the Lake, off the Drive I saw a chestnut sided warbler, whose cap is quite yellow and a magnolia warbler. Then my luck and time ran out.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Pinewood · May 13, 2013

8ºC, this morning

Hello all,

It was a cold morning, and my block of flats had no heat, which might have been required, by law, as the heating season ends on Wed. At the Lake, I met a Scotsman who complained of the cold, but I said, "This would be a fine summer's day in Scotland." He responded , "I know, but I was unprepared for the change in weather." You may feel free to add his accent. He had just seen a northern waterthrush by Oak Bridge, so he was a cold but happy bird watcher. I was wearing my tweed sports coat, and a bow tie, at my throat, so I was comfortable.

The gray catbirds are all about, as are the common yellowthroats, black capped night herons and the above mentioned norther waterthrush. I am fairly certain that I saw a female prothonotary warbler as well as an eastern wood peewee[i/b]. Eaton in Birds of New York refers to the bird as a wood pewee. Over the Lake, I am still seeing swallows, maybe even a tree swallow.
Images from paintings by Louis Agassiz Fuertes

Happy bird watching,

Pinewood · May 14, 2013

Even cooler morning: 7ºc

Hello all,

It was a beautiful day. The likelihood that New York will enjoy such enjoyable weather in the next three months is rather small. Unfortunately, the fine weather did not bring me any luck in bird watching. I saw yellowthroats, grackles, a northern waterthrush, night herons and even another oriole. Otherwise, my bag in Central Park was only an alder flycatcher. I attach an image of a Fuertes painting of the bird.

I'l be taking off, for a couple of days.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Pinewood · May 17, 2013

More warblers

Hello all,

In the past two days, there were no excursions to the Park, but each day, I saw a common yellowthroat at my window. Additionally, I saw a thrush-like bird, with prominent markings on a yellow breast. I guess that it was a yellow race norther waterthrush. There is a possibility that it may have been an oven bird, but I did get a good luck at its head or tails. I might have seen a cooper's hawk in flight but the lighting was rather poor. The tail looked bifurcated, which does seem to match anything.

Today, in Central Park, I saw a warbling vireo, a blue headed vireo, another common yellowthroat, and a black and white warbler. New for this season were: Cape May warbler, Wilson's warbler and a worm eating warbler
All images are from paintings by Louis Agassiz Fuertes from The Birds of New York by Eaton; v. 2.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :scibe:

Pinewood · May 19, 2013

More common yellowthroats and

Hello all,

Common yellowthroats have visited the bushes outside my window, twice in two days. While looking at one, red bellied woodpecker also dropped by. More warblers, even if it is only one species, than in any other year.

Yesterday morning, I made quick visit to Central Park, where others saw a Canadian warbler. The only thing I bagged was a wood thrush, which is not bad as there are years when I never see one. I attach a Fuertes image of the wood thrush.

Today, was rainy weather, so I did not visit Central Park. I did stand in the rain at an old cemetery in Lower Manhattan but saw nothing of interest.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · May 21, 2013

Summer is here

Hello all,

High humidity and temperatures in the 20's, Celsius means summer has arrived. This coming weekend is a bank holiday which coincides with the peak of the warbler season.

Yesterday, I saw vireos, a chestnut sided warbler, an egret, a night heron, a white crowned sparrow, grackles and mourning doves. The highlight was a summer tanager. I attach a Fuertes image of the tanager.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · May 24, 2013

10ºC and raining

Hello all,

I thought that I posted this one, but I do not see it. It is so cold, that my there is heat in my block of flats. I thought that heat was not required after the fifteenth of May.

I have had a rather poor week, watching birds. I did see some yellow race waterthrushes and a wood duck was in the Park. These are my favourite but are only occasional visitors. My eye was drawn to the duck, when I saw a sandpiper. My observations were interrupted by an Indian tourist, who wanted me to take a photograph of him and his family. By then the sandpiper was gone but I was pretty sure it was a spotted sandpiper[/], which was confirmed the next day by someone from the American Museum of Natural History who was leading a group.

I attach an image by Louis Agassiz Fuertes from The Birds of New York.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Pinewood · May 27, 2013

9ºC and clear this morning

Hello all,

As usual, I seem to be behind others in the warbler competition. Indeed, in the last few days, I have seen nothing but a yellow warbler. Catbirds and grackles seem to be the most plentiful of birds after starlings, house sparrows and American robins.
However, today I met with some success. While trying to find warblers near Bank Rock Pool, a passerby mentioned something special near the feeders, on the other side of the Ramble. I hastened to the feeders but before I got to them, I saw about 40 people staring up, with "Birding Bob" playing a call and directing everyone to look at a pair of red headed-woodpeckers, very infrequent visitors to the Park.
Immediately after getting a good look at the woodpeckers, a pair of brown cowbirds turned up. . In The Birds of New York The cowbird is well known for pushing eggs out of the nest of other species and depositing its owne egg. Eaton writes, "It parasitizes all our small song and insectivorous species, thereby destroying the whole brood of the foster parent, and in return for a brood of Yellow warblers, vireos, Song sparrows or some other interesting and beneficial species we have one Cowbird as a result of the foster parents' work...it certainly must be reckoned injurious, because the four song birds which would reasonably represent one Cowbird do much more good than the Cowbird to the agriculturist as well as the nature lover."
It was certainly worth the exertion of getting to see these birds. In fact, the last time I saw so many bird watchers turn up in one place was when an indigo bunting appeared, some years, ago.
I attach images of paintings by Louis Agassiz Fuertes from The Birds of New York
Temperatures of perhaps 29ºC are expected, later, this week.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :scribe:

P.S. I should have written 11ºC, for the morning temperature.

Pinewood · May 29, 2013

Edging to tropical heat

Hello all,

The forecast for today is 28ºC, and 32ºC for tomorrow, with unpleasant humidity.

I have only one new bird to report: a great blue heron in Bank Rock Pool, at the north end of the Lake. As usual, I attach a Fuertes image, including both mature and immature birds. I think that I may have been looking at an immature bird.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Pinewood · Jun 5, 2013

Slow going

Hello all,

There has been little to report. Last week, I encountered a juvenile red-tailed hawk, near the shore of Central Park Lake. On Sunday, I had coffee at Bombolini, a purveyor of Italian doughnuts, on Columbus Avenue, only to discover an immature red-tailed hawk, perched on a "fire escape," above my head.
Today, was more of the usual: grackles, mourning doves, and gray catbirds. Twice, today, I did see Baltimore orioles. By chance, as I decided to go to the loo, I happened upon cedar waxwings, near Bank Rock Pool.

According to Eaton, "It is one of our latest birds to nest...The Waxwing is usually voted one the sleekest and softest colored of our birds. Its long pointed crest also gives it a distinguished appearance, and its sedate manner and gregarious habits also attract attention."

I attach an image by Louis Agassiz Fuertes from Eaton's Birds of New York, v. 2, 1914.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

Pinewood · Jun 14, 2013

Rain and more rain

Hello,

We have had quit a bit of rain in the last week, and I have had some appointments to keep. In any case nothing new to report. The best sighting I have had has been three black crowned night herons in one spot! They broke up and went their own ways, very quickly.

While I was looking at them, a couple of tourists from the Great Smoke passed by. When I identified the birds they were surprised as they did not look "their herons." I said they were in the same family as gray herons but they were still herons.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · Jun 18, 2013

Turtle encounter

Hello,

Nothing much to report about birds, but I met something unusual on the paths. About 70 meters from the Lake, I spotted a box turtle, laying eggs. To get to that spot, not far the Lennon Memorial, the turtle had to cross the Drive and a hill about 7 meters in height! I have strong doubts about appropriate the location was for eggs but I leave that to nature.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · Jun 26, 2013

Two to report

Hello everyone,

Summer is slow going and I get a lot slower when the temperature exceeds 30ºC, which has been happening, of late. It is also slow going when it comes to seeing new birds.

Today, I saw a slightly uncommon birds, two house finches. I am not able to provide an image by Fuertes because they were not known in New York, in his time, as the bird was introduced around 1940.

Yesterday, i also saw bronzed grackles, which are far less common than the purple grackles. I attach an image by Fuertes, from The Birds of New York

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · Jul 11, 2013

Hello,

It is summer time and there is been nothing new to report. Today, I saw mourning doves, gray catbirds, mallards and a double crested cormorant on the Lake, black crowned night herons, northern cardinals and perhaps a carolina wren. The walk is good for me, leaving me with a question: Do I watch birds for the exercise or do I take the exercise to watch bird?

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · Jul 22, 2013

Hello all,

I have been avoiding being outside. When I awake, before 6 AM, and the temperature is already 26ºC, with the possibility of going to 37ºC, as has happened in the past week, it is time to find air conditioning. Last Thursday, I was outside, but in the shade, at midday. I nearly collapsed and I had a difficult time rehydrating.
Yesterday, was still hot and humid, but an early walk brought two rewards. First was a male Baltimore oriole whose tail was rather more yellow than the orange of its breast. At Oak Bridge, I saw a bird whose silhouette suggested flycatcher but whose size and white tipped tail meant kingbird, which I had not seen for years. Actually, there were several flying around.
I attach an image by Louis Fuertes Agassiz, from The Birds of New York.
Please note that the red in the crown is rarely visible.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

Pinewood · Jul 25, 2013

Waterthrush, barely at the end of July?

Hello all,

Wednesday morning was rather agreeable, so I resumed my excursions. Triplets Bridge, crosses a little stream which runs to the lake, near West 78th Street. On one side of the bridge, there is the source, and on the other a run of 75 metres to the Lake, but it is not the principle source of water for the Lake, which is filled from the mains.

As I crossed the bridge, I saw a bird with rather yellow, striped underparts and a line over the eye, at the edge of the rill. It was working its way first upstream to the source than downstream. I identified it as a northern waterthrush. According to Eaton, a century, ago, it would migrate to New York State, from April 26th to between May 21 and 29 and "In the fall, southward movement begins from the 1st to 19th of August...and in some localities not until the 1st to the 7th of September"-Eaton. Birds of New York State, 1914, v. 2 pp. 438-439. The northern waterthrush does not nest in this part of the state.

So this would be a very early sighting, indeed. Although it is not my habit to post birds, previously reported, I will again post a Fuertes image.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

etudiant · Jul 25, 2013

Pinewood said:
Hello all,

Wednesday morning I saw a bird with rather yellow, striped underparts and a line over the eye, at the edge of the rill. It was working its way first upstream to the source than downstream. I identified it as a northern waterthrush. According to Eaton, a century, ago, it would migrate to New York State, from April 26th to between May 21 and 29 and "In the fall, southward movement begins from the 1st to 19th of August...and in some localities not until the 1st to the 7th of September"-Eaton. Birds of New York State, 1914, v. 2 pp. 438-439. The northern waterthrush does not nest in this part of the state.

So this would be a very early sighting, indeed. Although it is not my habit to post birds, previously reported, I will again post a Fuertes image.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

A wonderful resource is the NYC Bird Report (http://nycbirdreport.com), pulled together as a labor of love by Mike Freeman. It collates all the sightings in NYC's major birding areas over the 2003-2007 period.
Northern Water Thrush sightings for Central Park are as early as July 16 and as late as June 25, for fall and spring migrations respectively.

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