April 29 - Central Park

Another beautiful morning in the park for my wednesday AMNH bird walk group. Bright and sunny, however the winds were from the northeast so there was no big movement of migrants. Still there were plenty of birds to keep everyone interested. The highlights of the morning were a male Prairie Warbler at Hernshead when we started (another was heard near the end of the walk by the Rustic Shelter in the Ramble) and a Wilson's Snipe feeding slong the south side of Turtle Pond. Claude Bloch told me about the snipe when we were up at Belvedere Castle. We had to take a circuitous route through the Shakespeare Garden to the north side of Turtle Pond because tree pruners had several of the paths closed off. Finally, from the dock on the north side of Turtle Pond, after some searching we spotted the snipe feeding on the shoreline on the south side. The full list of forty species is below.

Canada Goose
Wood Duck (2 males on the Lake)
Mallard
Northern Shoveler (pair feeding on the Lake)
Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night-Heron (2)
Cooper's Hawk (an immature was bathing in the water in the Oven by the Point)

immature Cooper's Hawk bathing, 04-29-2015, Central Park

Wilson's Snipe (1, Turtle Pond)
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue-headed Vireo (2-3)
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee (1)
Tufted Titmouse (1)
White-breasted Nuthatch (1, heard)
Carolina Wren (1, singing)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (several)
Hermit Thrush (3)
American Robin
European Starling
Northern Waterthrush (2, Hernshead and one singing by the Point)
Black-and-white Warbler (2-3)
Common Yellowthroat (female in Maintenance Meadow)
Palm Warbler (seemed to be all over the ramble)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (also all over)
Prairie Warbler (1-2; Hernshead early and one singing by the Rustic Shelter)
Eastern Towhee (2)
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1, male along the Gill)
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird (pair, Evodia Field)
House Finch (2, males, Belvedere
American Goldfinch (feeders)
House Sparrow

Finally, there was a large patch of flowers in the wet area by Loupot Bridge that Lenore Swenson wondered if they were Marsh Marigolds. I took some pictures to identify them at home later. They do appear to be Marsh Marigolds.

Marsh Marigolds 04-29-2015 Central Park