oct 7
Central Park bird list for today:
Fantastic!!!! I spent from 9:00AM to 2:30PM birding the northern end of Central Park with a group that has been meeting regularly for 24 YEARS. They were wonderful people and excellent birders and really, I cannot imagine a better experience while in the park. No odd encounters today, and there were moments when it felt like we were in a wildlife refuge instead of the middle of a city of 8 million people. Weather was a bit chilly, light winds, and sunny. Warblers were a bit on the low side (with Blackpolls and Palms showing up, you know the end of migration is near), but sparrows had suddenly appeared in huge numbers. The list from today (67 species):
Canada Goose
WOOD DUCK (2)
Gadwall
Mallard
Ruddy Duck (2)
Double-crested Cormorant
Turkey Vulture
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Herring Gull (American)
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
Eastern Wood-Pewee (1)
Eastern Phoebe (good numbers, both juvenile and adult)
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
BROWN CREEPER (3)
WINTER WREN (4 – and the only wren I saw today)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (tons)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (tons)
GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH (1)
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
BROWN THRASHER (1)
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler (both male and female)
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler (Yellow)
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Ovenbird
Common Yellowthroat
SCARLET TANAGER (1)
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
FIELD SPARROW (1)
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow (fairly good numbers, <100)
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow (hundreds – maybe 300+)
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (2, both juvenile)
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored)
Northern Cardinal
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK (1, female)
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
BALTIMORE ORIOLE (late – 1, juvenile male)
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
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I am of two minds about this list: GREAT for you of course, but, personally: GROAN!!!
(pardon me while I wander off mumbling obscenities)
Mark
What’s crazy is that if I had had more time, I could have walked down to the Ramble area and picked up maybe 10 or 15 more – the Turkey is still here (has been finishing up a molt), as is a suspiciously-out-in-the-open Connecticut Warbler (perhaps sick). So there are some obvious misses (RB Gull) and some rarities…
Wait! A Connecticut Warbler was there and you DIDN’T go for it??????? My, aren’t we getting blase!!! What’s the thought on the Turkey? Countable or released? How close is the nearest wild population? One teeny tiny consolation prize for me (no, not a matched set of Samsonite luggage and a home version of our game) was after my last disconsolant post I went downstairs to viciously chop veggies and there was an imm. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK at my feeder, uncommon in that exact location. OK, not a big freakin’ list like yours, granted, but I will take what I can eek out of this small yard.
Mark, wood, cheese and children
Hey. Nice list. I wondered if you had seen the CT warbler yet. If I weren’t leaving town, I would call in sick tomorrow. I don’t have the CT.
re: RB Grosbeak: good yard bird, anyway!
re: CT Warbler: I’m such an idiot, but just assumed it wouldn’t be seen today. Once I got home I really had to do some work here. I’m going back early tomorrow, but am not holding my breath.
Yesterday, people had the CT and a Mourning. A two-Oporonis morning. Hate them, not me!
re: Turkey: I think this one is legit – it appeared, started a heavy molt, and I’m assuming will move on once it’s through. I’m amazed someone hasn’t snagged it for a meal – maybe a deposed Wall-Streeter?
re: bevson: thanks for commenting!
check out her blog: http://behindthebins.wordpress.com/
and while I’m a blog-pluggin’: http://gremlinthecat.blogspot.com/
someone should send that baby snapping turtle pic to cute overload STAT.
sorry, I’ll stop for now, but via @sfraser on Twitter, for our monkey thread:
http://tinyurl.com/3fxypp
Swamped here but wanted to thank Mark for the Gittens reference. Hope to be back tonight or tomorrow with a surfing/birding anecdote if things calm down.