Central Park - May 8 - Drizzle and birds

The string of beautiful mornings broke this morning. Four hardy birders on my AMNH walk braved light rain and drizzle and were rewarded with some nice birding. The light rain at 7:00 am gave way to drizzle and then heavy overcast by the end of the walk at 9:00 am. We had a total of 40 species, including a dozen warblers, despite the weather.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Shoveler - a pair lingering on the Lake
Double-crested Cormorant
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 1, by the wooden bridge at Azalea Pond
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo - singing at Hernshead as usual and a couple elsewhere
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - still good numbers around
Veery
Swainson's Thrush - 1, west of Azalea Pond
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush - singing birds around the Ramble
American Robin
Gray Catbird - lots
European Starling
Ovenbird - all over the Ramble
Northern Waterthrush - singing at Hernshead and birds seen in a number of places
Black-and-white Warbler - at least half a dozen
Common Yellowthroat - Hernshead and elsewhere
American Redstart
Northern Parula - all over
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler - male on the south side of Turtle Pond
Chestnut-sided Warbler - 1, on the way up to Belvedere
Black-throated Blue Warbler - all over
Yellow-rumped Warbler - only a very few still around
Wilson's Warbler - 1, south side of Turtle Pond (my first of the year)
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - male at the feeders
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole
House Sparrow

I went into the Ramble again on my own for a couple of hours in the late afternoon. The numbers of Ovenbirds were truly impressive. I encountered more Ovenbirds today than I normally find in an entire spring. I found the Wilson's Warbler again in the same tree as this morning and also added a few more birds for my own day list.

Great Egret -1, Upper Lobe
Chimney Swift - approx. 10 over the Point
Hooded Warbler - male on the Point
Canada Warbler - edge of the Maintenance Meadow (my first of the year)
Indigo Bunting - one calling near the Tupelo Meadow
Swamp Sparrow - 4, scattered around the Ramble