Central Park - Apr 16 - COLD!

It was an extremely pretty morning in the Ramble for my AMNH bird walk this morning, but it was perhaps the coldest morning walk I have led in the nearly twenty years I have been doing the Central Park walks for the Museum. In addition to the temperature being below freezing (about thirty), there was also snow and ice on the ground from last night's weather.

edge of Tupelo Meadow                                              © Joseph DiCostanzo

Despite the cold, we were able to find a few spring birds. Our total list was 30 species. We have Evelyn Huang to thank for our only warblers which she spotted on the south side of the Bow Bridge as we walked west from the Point. A few of the group had seen a Palm Warbler earlier from the Point, but most of us missed that one. The full list is below.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Shoveler - approx. 25 on the Lake
Great Egret - one, flying south
Red-tailed Hawk - on the San Remo
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - male west of the Point
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker - several
Blue Jay
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - one on the Point
Golden-crowned Kinglet - one by the Oven
Hermit Thrush - one
American Robin
European Starling
Palm Warbler - one or two depending on whether the first one seen from the Point was
                    the same one at the south end of the Bow Bridge
Yellow-rumped Warbler - one south end of Bow Bridge
Chipping Sparrow - Maintenance Meadow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole - dull male that has been at the feeders this winter
House Finch - at the feeders
American Goldfinch - at the feeders
House Sparrow

I am keeping my fingers crossed for the return of spring.

[UPDATE: I noticed in the afternoon that I had left off the flyover Great Egret. I have added it above increasing our total to 30.]