LeConte’s Sparrow - October 8, 2024

I haven’t added to this blog in over two years, but I thought I would try to start up again. I thought the best report to start with is what was this past year’s best bird in Inwood Hill Park. That honor easily goes to the LeConte’s Sparrow found near the fenced in area on the north side of the soccer fields at the northern end of the park. Unsurprisingly, the bird was first thought to be a Saltmarsh Sparrow. (Really, who thinks of LeConte’s in NYC?) Allen and Karina Greene, who first spotted the bird, got the word out and even though it was late in the day a few of us rushed in to see it - after all, Saltmarsh Sparrow is a great bird for Inwood. Though a number of us got to the spot we were not having any luck finding the bird until Allen and Karine returned and Karina again spotted the bird. Though the bird was skulky, cameras clicked away. We all thanked Karina for finding the bird. It was now after sunset and getting dark. When I got home I was still trying to download my pictures from my camera (the battery had died) when I received a message from Allen that Liam Brock was looking at his pictures at home and was suggesting the bird was a LeConte’s Sparrow! When I finally got my pictures downloaded, I checked them and messaged back that Liam was right. It was a LeConte’s! This was only the second time I had seen this species in New York State. 

I recently told Allen and Karina they still need to find us a Saltmarsh Sparrow for Inwood.

LeConte’s Sparrow,  October 8, 2024, Inwood Hill Park