A rank beginner in New York, New York (1 Viewer)

[Pinewood]

The warblers are turning up in many places, not just the more heavily wooded areas of the Park. Today, I saw a black and white warbler, a pine warbler and maybe a magnolia warbler.
The tempetature was about 30ºC, or 85ºF, which is still rather warm but I look forward to autumn, or fall, as most Americans say.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[Jos Stratford]

I've now long returned from my few days in your fine city, many good birds seen and nothing but a pleasure to have been there. A few thanks are in order to many an unknown birder in Central Park who pointed me towards the Maintanence Field or whereever and even bigger thanks to Luke up in Connecticut for the day there.

Less thanks to American Airlines, so kind of you to fail to tag my baggage correctly, so it had a free trip round Europe instead of returning straight home!


If anyone fancies a read of a foreigner's take on your fair city, take a look at my website - click here

 

[ceasar]

Great review, Jos! I've book marked it.
Bob

 

[Pinewood]

The Lake is again being drained but the Park is being visited by many species. I have seen peewees, a crested flycatcher, another unidentified large flycatcher, magnolia warblers, chestnut sided warblere, veeries, male American redstarts, yellow warblers, and prairies warblers in the last few days, with very little effort.

Someone tried directing me to a female ruby throated hummingbird but I think that I was looking at the wrong bird.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[Merlin]

Arthur,
It sounds good to me.

regards
Merlin

 

[Pinewood]

As the the Upper Lobe of Central Park Lake has been pumped out, the sandpipers are returnng. Today, single solitary sandpiper, although there were northern waterthrushes, common yellow throats and other warblers, nearby.

Here is an nice image of a northern waterthrush from the BF Gallery:

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=109986

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

 

[Pinewood]

Today's highlight may be the return of white throated sparrows to the Park, another sesonal change. Indeed, they are present in great number. At Hearnshead, a palm warbler and a phoebe caught my attention.
Here is a link to the BF gallery for a nice image of the eastern phoebe:

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=145388

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[dolphinbride]

Arthur,
Nice to hear the White Throated Sparrows have returned to the Park. I have yet to see one here, they have been frequent winter visitors in past years, marking perhaps a different seasonal change...! Much hawk movement though, with many "frozen" birds on the property after returning home from work today.
Warm regards,
Kristina

 

[Pinewood]

Other things have kept me busy, of late, but I just about crossed Manhattan from west to East through Central Park, yesterday. I did a little excursion in the Park, on a rather warm day, which showed me nothing terribly new. There were a few common grackles about, after an absence.
Again, I noticed an Eastern phoebe, at Hernshead, near the mudflat that was the northern end of the Lake. It seemed to have caught a fly, while watching it. Here is an image from the BF Gallery:
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=145388

There were warblers about but I had my best view of a black and white warbler at Wagner's Cove. Here is an image of one from the Gallery:
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=108071

Incidentally, I was using a ten year old Swift Audubon. My Zeiss is superior but this binocular provides very nice views.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

 

[Pinewood]

I did not mention, in my previous post, that the dam has been rearranged, so that it crosses the Lake from Hearnshead, east to the Ramble. The dam had been offshore along much of the Ramble but it is now about 75 meters long, with the north end of the Lake muddy and attracting sandpipers. Today, I saw a solitary sandpiper. I have also seen common yellowthroats and palm warblers, of late. Two days ago, I saw my first indigo bunting, a female. Also song sparrows are about and phoebes are hanging around the mud, perhaps in hope of finding flies.
A common but secretive bird turned up, today: a winter wren. I recall seing one, only once before.
Here is an image from the BirdForum gallery:
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=108273

At my windowsill, a gray catbird appeared, today, where I do not remember seeing one, before.
I should have mentioned that my Tuesday walk was interrupted by the location shot for the film version of Sex in the City

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[Pinewood]

What a surpise!

The north end of Central Pakr Lake was flooded but it has been pumped out. Today's walk brought nothing of interest.

However, yesterday moring, less than an hour after sunrise, I glanced out my window, where bushes grow and saw something on the ground. From the size, I thought that it might be a mourning dove. Even in the deep shadows from the apartment blocks, I realized that I was off the mark. When it turned its head to me, I saw a long bill and realised that it was an American woodcock, one for my life list. Previously, I had been chasing after reported ones in Central Park but this one came to me.
Here is an image from the BF gallery of one seen, pretty much on my patch:

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=21054

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :t:

 

[Pinewood]

There are more types of birds, around. In the last few days, I have seen a red bellied sapsucker, a downy woodpecker, a brown thrasher, white throated, song, and swamp sparrows, junco, ruby crowned kinglets, palm warblers, northern waterthruses, a gadwall, a hermit thrush and a blue headed vireo.
Here is a link to an image in the BF Galley of a blue headed vireo:
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=49559

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[Pinewood]

An uncommon Park sighting

There is still an occasional warbler, plenty of white throats, song sparrows and hermit thrushes. My usual walk has been blocked by fencing in preparation for the New York Marathon on the fourth, prox.
Today, I heard that some Virginia rails had been introduced by a rehabilitator. Sure enough, I spotted one along a stream which feeds the northern end of the Lake, one for my life list.
Here is an image from the Bird Forum Gallery, which shows the bird in similar habitat to what I saw.
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=95687

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[Dave Hall]

Hi Arthur Great to hear that your still getting birds moving through the park been away birding the last 3 weeks so just catching up with your reports keep them coming

Dave

 

[Pinewood]

Yesterday, I saw the Virginia rail, again. While I was looking over the drained part of the Lake, where there has been a great deal of bulldozing and earth moving, I spotted a red tailed hawk, flying low. I then noticed a half dozen raptors in the distance. Another bird watcher said that they were turkey vultures, another bird for my list, except that I really did not see any field markings. Rather she identified the birds by the wing configuration in flight.

This image from the Gallery has the same wing position:
here

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe:

 

[Tero]

Good going on the rail, I do not have one, just a Sora.

Turkey vultures will get easier. I no longer need binoculars for them. The only distinction in some areas is to separate from black vultures.

 

[Pinewood]

No Virginia rail, today, but there was a juvenile red tailed hawk, in trees, near the Lake. I also spotted a marsh wren for a moment. This would be one for my list but someone else identified it and i had only a fleeting glimpse.
Here is an image from the Gallery:
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=156347

Happy bird watching,
Arthur

 

[vrsmith1954]

Pier 17 Buzz!

Hi you NY Guys. I have just got back from a weekend in NY (I live in Bristol UK) and had a great time. I was lunching at Pier 17 yesterday (29th) just off South Street. It was nice and warm so we went al fresco. Half way thru our meal I saw this great bird just drop out the sky and crash onto the boardwalk. It looked initially like a juvenal gull, brown and white markings, white underbelly. It hit the walk with such force, it must be dead, i thought. A crowd grew and eventually security cordoned the area off. We were waiting for someone to clear the mess up when after about 1/2 hour later, blow me if the thing didn't get up, shake it's head and hop to a nearby railing. On closer inspection it looked like some kind of buzzard (english type not NA). It stayed on the railing all afternoon, obvioulsy recovering - i must have had a hell of headache!!!! Any news of this event your end? Why it just fell out the sky is a mystery unless it mistookthe wooden boardwalk for soething else, but what?|8.|

 

[Pinewood]

Hi you NY Guys. I have just got back from a weekend in NY (I live in Bristol UK) and had a great time..Half way thru our meal I saw this great bird just drop out the sky and crash onto the boardwalk. It looked initially like a juvenile gull, brown and white markings, white underbelly. It hit the walk with such force, it must be dead, i thought. A crowd grew and eventually security cordoned the area off... On closer inspection it looked like some kind of buzzard (English type not NA)...Any news of this event your end? Why it just fell out the sky is a mystery unless it mistookthe wooden boardwalk for something else, but what?|8.|

Hello,

I am glad that you had great time in Gotham. Birds are always injuring themselves, in this town. My friend saw a dead Coopers hawk which might have hit a plate glass window.
As for your mystery bird, I suggest posting the query on the mystery bird on the bird identification thread.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :hi:

 

[Pinewood]

Autumn is certainly here

As the New York Marathon made the Park very unfriendly to my bird watching and my other commitments, I had a good look in the park, for the first time in a week. Of particular note was a ruddy duck on the Lake and my first tufted titmouse for quite a while. A hairy woodpecker turned up at the Lake's shore.

Two mornings, ago, a northern mockingbird, was at the front of my apartment block. I suspect that I shall be seeing it, or another one, on occasion, for many weeks.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur :scribe: