Central Park - May 1 - The birds have arrived!

What a difference a day makes! Six of the regulars on my Thursday morning AMNH bird walk were not intimated by the forecasts for more rain and were rewarded by a great morning. The walk started out with heavy, gray, low clouds - almost a mist - but it never actually rained. After yesterday's near record rainfall many paths were flooded. I have never seen the Lake so high. But we did get the first significant migration morning of the spring. We had a total of 39 species.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Shoveler - still 6 on the Lake
Double-crested Cormorant
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Kingbird - 1, on the Point (thanks to Anders Peltomaa)
Blue-headed Vireo - several
Warbling Vireo - 1, singing west of the Maintenance Meadow (which we did not go into because
                            of the flooding
Blue Jay
House Wren - 1, singing near the Upper Lobe
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - scattered individuals
Wood Thrush - 1, west of the Azalea Pond
American Robin
European Starling
Ovenbird - 2, seen and calling by Azalea Pond
Northern Waterthrush - 2 heard, Upper Lobe and the Oven
Black-and-white Warbler - 2
Common Yellowthroat - 1, singing at Hernshead
American Redstart - 1, adult male on the Point
Yellow Warbler - 1, male singing on the Point
Palm Warbler - several
Yellow-rumped Warbler - scattered all over
Prairie Warbler - 2, between Hernshead and Bank Rock Bridge and one singing west of Azalea
Black-throated Green Warbler - 2, males east of Upper Lobe
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - 3, males below the weather Station
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole - 1, south of Tupelo Meadow (thanks to Chris Cooper)
House Finch - feeders
American Goldfinch - feeders
House Sparrow

We also heard about a number of other birds from other birders, including: Great Crested Flycatcher, Blue-winged Warbler, Northern Parula, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, and Indigo Bunting.

I got back into the park in the afternoon and tried unsuccessfully for the Yellow-throated Warbler. I did get to see the Blue-winged and Worm-eating warblers within a few feet of each other in the Maintenance Meadow. By the afternoon it was in the 70's with a bright blue sky.