May 17 - Central Park

Three intrepid participants were not deterred by the rainy forecast and joined me for my Thursday AMNH bird walk in Central Park. I wish I could say that the weather forecast proved to be totally wrong and that we enjoyed a lovely spring morning in the park. Though the weather did not turn out to be as bad as the forecast, we did start out in light rain, but it soon let off and most of the walk was done in overcast, threatening skies with occasional spitting rain. We found 37 species, including ten warblers. However, the highlight of the morning was the continuing presence of yesterday's Bicknell's Thrush, once again seen and heard in the vicinity of the feeders in the Ramble. The full list is below.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Herring Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Warbling Vireo
Blue Jay
Veery (2)
Gray-cheeked Thrush (1)
Bicknell's Thrush (1)
Swainson's Thrush (2)
Wood Thrush (1)
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Ovenbird (4)
Northern Waterthrush (2)
Black-and-white Warbler (2)
Common Yellowthroat (5)
American Redstart (2)
Northern Parula (3)
Magnolia Warbler (4)
Yellow Warbler (4)
Blackpoll Warbler (1)
Wilson's Warbler (2, a relatively cooperative male was on the Point)
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow (2, lingerers)
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole
House Sparrow

At lunchtime I went back into the park at West 93rd Street and headed over to the Reservoir to look for a Cliff Swallow that was being reported there. Not only did I find the Cliff Swallow (new for my New York County list), but I also spotted a lone Bank Swallow (also new for my county list) with the group of swallows over the north end of the Reservoir. The bridle path south was alive with warblers and other birds. Indeed, on this lunchtime walk I found 47 species including fourteen warblers. Of the 47 species, 21 were species i had not found on my morning walk. They are listed here: Turkey Vulture (1, flyover), Red-tailed Hawk, Spotted Sandpiper (1, edge of the reservoir), Ring-billed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Chimney Swift, Eastern Wood-Pewee (1), Least Flycatcher (1), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (1), Tree Swallow (6), Bank Swallow (1), Barn Swallow (8), Cliff Swallow (1), Cedar Waxwing (5), Tennessee Warbler (1), Bay-breasted Warbler (9), Blackburnian Warbler (1), Chestnut-sided Warbler (1), Black-throated Blue Warbler (3), Yellow-rumped Warbler (2), and Brown-headed Cowbird.