September 30 - Central Park

A dim, gray morning for my AMNH bird walk in the Ramble in Central Park. Fairly quiet birdwise. Bird list follows:

Gadwall (2, Turtle Pond)
Mallard
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler (1, along the Gill)
Common Yellowthroat
Magnolia Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler (1, the Point)              
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Common Grackle
House Sparrow

September 28 - Jones Beach and Jamaica Bay

Spent a fun day birding western Long Island with Ed Eden. We started out by heading out to the West End of Jones Beach where we spent most of the morning in the vicinity of the Coast Guard Station. We arrived about two hours before high tide which was due at 10:30 am. There were hundreds of American Oystercatchers on the island across from the parking lot, however, the only other shorebirds were three Black-bellied Plovers.

Part of the American Oystercatcher flock at Jones Beach, West End                                             © Joseph DiCostanzo

We decided to check the trees along the Coast Guard fence and to walk out to the fishermen's lot by the inlet, checking for landbirds, while the tide came in. There were only a few migrants around, including the first Yellow-rumped Warblers I have seen this fall. When we headed back to check the island, Andrew Baksh, Gail Benson, and Tom Burke were there looking at a lone American Golden-Plover with a small flock of Black-bellied Plovers. Unfortunately, we only had a few minutes to enjoy the bird before the flock flew off, but it meant we did have nice views of the Golden, both on the ground and in flight. Ed and I stayed to watch the island, hoping more shorebirds mike come in on the still rising tide. The shorebirds were joined by a group of twenty or so Sanderlings, but that was about all until numbers of Black Skimmers started coming in. In the end several hundred Black Skimmers were with the oystercatchers on the island and shrinking sandbar.

Very small part of Black Skimmer flock at Jones Beach, West End                                            © Joseph DiCostanzo

A lone Merlin came by, perching briefly in the trees out on the median. After brief checks of the West End 2 lot and the Roosevelt Nature Center we headed to Jamaica Bay.

At Jamaica Bay the East Pond was virtually devoid of shore birds - a handful of Short-billed Dowitchers, Semipalmated Sandpipers and a lone Pectoral Sandpiper. Waterfowl numbers however, are building with both Green-winged and Blue-winged teals present, a couple of Ruddy Ducks, maybe a dozen Northern Pintails (all either females or males in eclipse plumage), a few American Wigeons and best of all a drake Eurasian Wigeon.

September 27 - Inwood Hill Park - Pectoral Sandpiper continues

A beautiful, sunny and birdy fall morning in Inwood. I went out just after 7:00 am and was rewarded with an Indigo Bunting and a Marsh Wren in the Spartina patch in Muscota Marsh. Continuing around the new Columbia park area I watched the Pectoral Sandpiper that has been present since last week fly in and start feeding on the mud in front of the boat launch ramp. I immediately used by cellphone to called Dale Dancis who had already made one failed attempt to see the Pectoral. I caught her as she was heading into Central Park. She said she would hop on the subway and head up to Inwood. Then I called Ann to tell her that she should be able to see the Pectoral from our apartment window. While I was giving her directions to the bird, which was still feeding on the mud in fornt of me, Nadir called from the ridge to say there were lots of migrants in. I let him know I would be up s soon as I could and called Ann back. She had spotted the Pectoral while I was talking to Nadir. At that point, I dashed back to the apartment so that I could also add the species to my apartment list. Later in the day, when the tide came in the Pectoral roosted on the rocks with a bunch of Semipalmated Sandpipers for hours, clearly visible from our apartment window. The Pectoral is number 111 for my apartment list, and not one I ever expected to get for the apartment.

Pectoral Sandpiper and Semipalmated Sandpipers from apartment window                        © Joseph DiCostanzo

Ann and I headed into the park and joined Nadir on the ridge where there were indeed patches of migrants here and there. One of the highlights was, for the second time in my birding career, being able to point into a tree and say, "Nashville, Tennessee" as individuals of these two warbler species fed close to each other. The full list from the morning's birding follows.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Great Egret
Osprey (carrying a fish and later seen perched eating it)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (15)
Pectoral Sandpiper (1)
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo (2)
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Marsh Wren (1, Muscota Marsh)
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler (1, with apparently broken leg))
Nashville Warbler (1)
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Palm Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler (2 - 3)
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting (1, Muscota Marsh)
House Sparrow

September 26 - Central Park

Quite a change from the previous day's soggy birding in Central Park. Friday was a beautiful fall morning. I was in the park for four hours, from 7:00 - 11:00 am. For the first two hours I was with George McCoy, a birder visiting from South Carolina, then at 9:00 we met the regular Friday AMNH bird walk group for the scheduled Friday walk. Below are the lists of birds encountered during the morning. The first list is for the AMNH 9 - 11 walk. Following that is a list of a few additional species George and I saw on our earlier walk.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Cooper's Hawk (1, over Maintenance Meadow)
Red-tailed Hawk (3, probable migrants seen from near the Belvedere)
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2, coming to the Jewelweed by the Oven)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Blue Jay
American Crow
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Common Grackle
House Sparrow

While there were a number of birds seen on the 9 - 11 walk that George and I did not see during our 7 - 9 walk, there were also a few birds we only saw during our earlier walk. They were:

Eastern Phoebe
Red-eyed Vireo
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Brown Thrasher
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Strawberry Fields)
Black-throated Green Warbler (Strawberry Fields)
Palm Warbler
American Redstart
Northern Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager (Strawberry Fields)
Eastern Towhee
Swamp Sparrow
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

September 25 - Central Park

Four brave, and subsequently damp, participants braved this morning's wind and rain for my Thursday morning AMNH Central Park walk. I wish I could say they were rewarded with some fabulous bird, but alas, things were fairly quiet. For much of the walk, I believe the factor holding down the birds was the dimness as much as the inclement weather. The short bird list follows.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Red-tailed Hawk (Maintenance Meadow)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (one coming into a Jewelweed patch as they have for the last couple of                weeks)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart (1, Rustic Pavilion)
Blackpoll Warbler (1, Rustic Pavilion)
White-throated Sparrow (3, the first I have seen this fall)
Scarlet Tanager (1, Rustic Pavilion)
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1, calling on the Point)
House Sparrow

September 24 - Central Park

Much quieter this morning than yesterday for my regular Wednesday morning AMNH bird walk in the Ramble. The Point seemed to have the most activity of any spot we visited. The full list is below. 

Canada Goose
Mallard
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift (one or two overhead; less than yesterday)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (4; seemed like there was one or more at every Jewelweed patch we                                 checked)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (a few; nothing like yesterday’s flight)
Eastern Wood-Pewee (1, along the Gill)
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (1, the Point; unfirtunately I was the only one in the group to get a good look)
Eastern Phoebe (1, Upper Lobe)
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse (1, the Point)
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1, Maintenance Meadow; the first I have seen this fall)
Swainson's Thrush (scattered individuals)
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher (scattered individuals)
European Starling
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart (including an adult male at the Maintenance Meadow)
Northern Parula (1, the Point)
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler (male at the Point, female by the Upper Lobe)
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1, heard at the Point)
Common Grackle
House Sparrow

September 23 - Inwood Hill Park - Marsh Wren

On the way home I stopped off at the Muscota Marsh area to look for the Pectoral Sandpiper that has been present since Saturday. I did not find that bird, but on the edge of the Spartina grass section I did spot a Marsh Wren lurking in the grass.

September 23 - Central Park

Until the end of October I will also be doing Central Park walks on Tuesday and Friday mornings in addition to my regular Wednesday and Thursday morning walks. This morning was a beautiful, cool morning for the first full day of fall. It was the most birds I have had in Central so far this fall.

Canada Goose (a few on the Lake as usual)
Mallard
Broad-winged Hawk (1, being chased by Blue Jays north of the Point)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift (small numbers overhead)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (at least 3 feeding at Jewelweed in various places)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (2, immatures at the base of the Point)
Northern Flicker (30 - 40 overhead, mostly flying north)
Eastern Phoebe (along the Gill)
Red-eyed Vireo (Maintenance Meadow)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Wren (heard near the Gill)
House Wren (2, Maintenance Meadow and Willow Rock)
Swainson's Thrush (2, Maintenance Meadow and Willow Rock)
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher (2, Maintenance Meadow and Willow Rock)
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing (Maintenance Meadow)
Ovenbird (Hernshead)
Black-and-white Warbler (west of Willow Rock)
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Magnolia Warbler (scattered individuals around Ramble)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (2, Belvedere and north of the Gill)
Blackpoll Warbler (Hernshead)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (female aat the Upper Lobe bridge; male in the Ramble)
Palm Warbler (2, Upper Lobe)
Wilson's Warbler (1, the Point)
Swamp Sparrow (1, Maintenance Meadow)
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (2, Maintenance Meadow)
Common Grackle
House Sparrow

September 22 - Inwood Hill Park - Pectoral Sandpiper and Bald Eagles

On Saturday afternoon when word reached me that there was a Pectoral Sandpiper in the Muscota Marsh area, Ann and I were on the road down to Cape May, NJ to try for the Whiskered Tern. We had stopped in Brooklyn at Calvert Vaux Park to see the Western Kingbird found there in the morning before heading over the Verrazano Bridge for the run south. We were successful with the kingbird, but alas missed the tern in Cape May by ten minutes. Back in 1993 Ann and I missed North America's first Whiskered Tern in Delaware by about 10 seconds, hearing a birder say, "There it goes!" as we arrived. I did get to see this one last Monday when I went down with Sean Sime, but Ann couldn't go then because of a doctor's appointment. She has at least seen the species some years back when we were in Bulgaria. We got back home too late on Sunday night to look for the Pectoral Sandpiper so I went out this morning, hoping it might still be around. On my check of the rocks at Muscota Marsh, I found about 15 Semipalmated Sandpipers, but no Pectoral. I did a quick walk up on to the ridge to see if the northerly winds had brought anything in. The woods were fairly quiet, but I did spot three immature Bald Eagles going over headed south. On the way out of the park, I decided to make one more check of the rocks by the Boathouse and was rewarded with nice views of the Pectoral.

Pectoral Sandpiper                                                                                         © Joseph DiCostanzo      

After work, Dale Dancis came up in the late afternoon and around sunset I joined her for another look. At first we couldn't even find any Semipalmated Sandpipers, but then spotted a few clustered close to the shore as the in-coming tide reduced the available mudflats. We only saw about eight individuals when suddenly a much larger group took over from some hidden spot along the edge of the rocks. I spotted the Pectoral in among them, but unfortunately in the failing light Dale didn't get on it before the birds disappeared around the bend to the east. Perhaps it will still be around tomorrow.

September 19 - Inwood Hill Park

It what has become a familiar refrain the last few days, it was a beautiful morning, this time in Inwood Hill Park, but there was not a lot of bird activity evident. I only found four warblers this morning, but one was a Bay-breasted, so that was nice. Also, the fall sparrow migration gave some evidence of starting. My morning list follows.

Canada Goose
Wood Duck (My thanks to Nadir Souirgi for giving me a call to let me know about the male Wood Duck he found at the west edge of the lagoon north of the soccer fields in from 218th Street. This is definitely a rare species in the park.)
Mallard
Great Blue Heron (2, on the Lagoon; again thanks to Nadir)
Great Egret (1)
Osprey (2)
Red-tailed Hawk (3)
Spotted Sandpiper (1, Lagoon)
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (1, Jewelweed near the Shorakkopach Rock)
Belted Kingfisher (1)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
White-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Bay-breasted Warbler (1, middle pine grove on the ridge)
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Chipping Sparrow (1, fenced weedy area on the soccer fields)
Savannah Sparrow (1, fenced weedy area on the soccer fields)
Northern Cardinal
Common Grackle
House Sparrow

September 18 - Central Park

Another beautiful morning in the Ramble for my Thursday AMNH bird walk group (7 - 9 AM). It was not as busy as I would expect on such a lovely mid-September morning, but it was definitely busier than yesterday morning. The most activity was in the Maintenance Meadow and around the Azalea Pond. The full list is below.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift (overhead in various places)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Maintnenance Meadow)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee (actively flycatching west of the Azalea Pond)
Blue-headed Vireo (Cherry Hill south side of Bow Bridge)
Warbling Vireo (west of Azalea Pond)
Philadelphia Vireo (After hearing of a report of one on Cherry Hill we went over to look for it. We had no luck with the Philly, so we headed back over the Bow Bridge into the Ramble. I briefly spotted the bird high in a tree just north of the Bow Bridge. Unfortunately, I was the only one in the group to see the bird.)
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse (north and south of Bow Bridge)
Carolina Wren
Swainson's Thrush (west of Azalea Pond feeding on berries high in the trees)
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher (Maintenance Meadow)
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing (lone immature by the Upper Lobe)
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Magnolia Warbler
Prairie Warbler (Maintenance Meadow; clearly a different individual than the dull bird seen yesterday at the Oven.)
Scarlet Tanager (Male by the bridge at the Upper Lobe; a female in the Maintenance Meadow.0
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (scattered individuals)
Common Grackle
House Sparrow

September 17 - Central Park

A beautiful morning for my Wednesday morning Central Park bird walk. However, the birds did not match the fabulous weather with only a few individuals of surprisingly few species. The list follows.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift (over the Lake)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (the Oven at the base of the Point)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Willow Rock at the base of the Point)
Swainson's Thrush (scattered individuals)
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher (Willow Rock at the base of the Point)
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing (Upper Lobe)
Northern Waterthrush (Azalea Pond)
Black-and-white Warbler (The Point)
American Redstart (The Point)
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler (sw of Willow Rock at the base of the Point)
Prairie Warbler (Willow Rock at the base of the Point)
Scarlet Tanager (Belvedere)
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (The Point)
Common Grackle
House Finch
House Sparrow

September 11 - Central Park

It was a mostly gray, overcast morning for my Thursday Central Park AMNH bird walk. The birds were few and far between. However, the morning was saved by a single bird - an immature Red-headed Woodpecker by the Oven at the base of The Point. Almost certainly this is the individual that has been seen around the Ramble for the last several days. The full list for the 7:00 - 9:00 AM walk follows.

Canada Goose
Gadwall (2 pair on Turtle Pond)
Mallard
Double-crested Cormorant (Turtle Pond)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (coming into some Touch-me-not flowers at the Oven)
Red-headed Woodpecker (immature at the Oven)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
Wood Thrush (Azalea Pond)
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Northern Waterthrush (the lower Gill)
Black-and-white Warbler (the Point)
Common Yellowthroat
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird (Belvedere)
Baltimore Oriole (base of the Point)
House Finch
House Sparrow

September 10 - Central Park

A beautiful, cool morning for my Wednesday, 7 - 9 am AMNH Central Park bird walk. Despite the cool temperatures and lovely weather, we had to work for our birds. The winds were from the northeast overnight, better than a southerly wind, but still not ideal in the fall. The bird list follows:

Canada Goose
Gadwall (2, Azalea Pond)
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift (1, over Maintenance Meadow)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (west if the Oven)
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (2, west side of the Point)
Warbling Vireo (1, singing at Hernshead)
Red-eyed Vireo (several)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Belvedere Castle and the Oven)
Hermit Thrush (1, seen by Evelyn south of Azalea Pond)
Wood Thrush (Azalea Pond)
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Northern Waterthrush (Azalea Pond)
Black-and-white Warbler (Azalea Pond)
Common Yellowthroat (Azalea Pond)
American Redstart (Azalea Pond and the Point)
Magnolia Warbler (Upper Lobe)
Canada Warbler (Azalea Pond)
Wilson's Warbler (Upper Lobe)
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Azalea Pond)
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

September 4 - Central Park

Another beautiful morning for my first Thursday Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. Central Park bird walk of the fall. As on September 3, the most activity was in the Maintenance Meadow. The full list follows:

Canada Goose

Mallard

Rock Pigeon

Mourning Dove

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Maintenance Meadow)
Chimney Swift (over Maintenance Meadow)

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downy Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

“Traill’s” type Empidonax flycatcher (Maintenance Meadow)

Red-eyed Vireo (Maintenance Meadow)

Blue Jay

Black-capped Chickadee (Maintenance Meadow)

Carolina Wren

Veery (several, Maintenance Meadow)

Swainson's Thrush (Maintenance Meadow)
American Robin

Gray Catbird

Northern Mockingbird (Maintenance Meadow)

European Starling

Ovenbird (Upper Lobe)

Northern Waterthrush (Azalea Pond)

Common Yellowthroat

American Redstart (Maintenance Meadow)

Northern Parula (Maintenance Meadow and Azalea Pond)
Magnolia Warbler (Maintenance Meadow and Azalea Pond)

Scarlet Tanager (Maintenance Meadow)

Northern Cardinal

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Maintenance Meadow)

Common Grackle

House Sparrow

September 3 - Central Park

Wednesday, September 3 was my first American Museum of Natural History Central Park bird walk for the fall. It was a lovely morning, but relatively quiet bird-wise. The most active areas were the Maintenance Meadow and the Azalea Pond. The morning's list follows:

Canada Goose

Wood Duck (4 on Turtle Pond)

Mallard

Red-tailed Hawk

Rock Pigeon

Mourning Dove

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Maintenance Meadow and perhaps the same bird north of the Azalea Pond)

“Traill’s Flycatcher” (Maintenance Meadow)

Warbling Vireo (Maintenance Meadow)

Red-eyed Vireo (Maintenance Meadow)

Blue Jay

Carolina Wren

American Robin

Gray Catbird

Cedar Waxwing (2, Upper Lobe)

Ovenbird

Common Yellowthroat

American Redstart

Magnolia Warbler (Maintenance Meadow and Azalea Pond)

Chestnut-sided Warbler (1, Azalea Pond)
Prairie Warbler (Maintenance Meadow)

Canada Warbler (1, Azalea Pond)

Northern Cardinal

Common Grackle

Baltimore Oriole (Maintenance Meadow)

House Finch

House Sparrow