April 28 - Inwood Hill Park - YCNH continues

A gray, cool day with intermittent light rain. However, the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron first found by Nathan O'Reilly last week continues around the edge of the bay north of the soccer fields. Nathan also found a Spotted Sandpiper by Muscota Marsh this morning, a first for the season. Also arriving today were Orchard Orioles and Warbling Vireos north of the soccer fields.

April 27 - Inwood Hill Park

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron found by Nathan O'Reilly a few days ago was still present Saturday morning. I ran into a couple of birders who said they also saw the Horned Lark, but it had shifted over to the baseball fields along Seaman Avenue. Danny Karlson and I did a walk up onto the ridge and found it pretty quiet. Our list of 26 species is below.

Canada Goose  2
Mallard  4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  3
Ring-billed Gull  15
Herring Gull  2
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  1

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron roosting - 04/27/2019 - Inwood Hill Park

Black Vulture  2 flying south over the soccer fields

Black Vulture (bad photo) - 04/27/2019 - Inwood Hill Park

Red-bellied Woodpecker  1
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  2
Blue Jay  6
Tree Swallow  1
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
House Wren  1
Carolina Wren  2
American Robin  4
Northern Mockingbird  1
European Starling  3
American Goldfinch  2
White-throated Sparrow  4
Savannah Sparrow  1
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Northern Cardinal  4
House Sparrow  5

April 26 - Inwood Hill Park - Nathan O'Reilly hotstreak continues

Two days ago I wrote about the hotstreak Nathan O'Reilly has been on in the past week in finding good birds in Inwood Hill Park. He continued the streak this morning when he found a Horned Lark on the soccer field at the north end of the park. Nathan kindly texted me and I was able to join him and Nadir in enjoying the bird. It was a very pale individual, which I suspect means it is one of the inland or western races. I am going to do some research on subspecies to see if this can be pinned down.

April 25 - Central Park

A beautiful morning with bright blue, crystal skies for my Thursday AMNH bird walk. We found 37 species with five warblers. Though it was our best Thursday morning yet, we did have to work for the birds. Hopefully, the warbler numbers will increase sharply in the coming weeks.

Canada Goose  2
Mallard  4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  7
Herring Gull  3
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Black-crowned Night-Heron  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  2
Blue-headed Vireo  2
Warbling Vireo  1
Blue Jay  8
Tufted Titmouse  1
Red-breasted Nuthatch  2
Brown Creeper  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  5
Hermit Thrush  2
Wood Thrush  1
American Robin  15
European Starling  12
House Finch  4
Purple Finch  1
American Goldfinch  5
Chipping Sparrow  5
Field Sparrow  2
White-throated Sparrow  12
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Brown-headed Cowbird  1
Common Grackle  5
Northern Waterthrush  1
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Common Yellowthroat  2
Northern Parula  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  4
Northern Cardinal  6
House Sparrow  6

April 19/23 - Inwood Hill Park - Nathan O'Reilly hotstreak

I have done a lot of birding in Central Park in recent weeks and less than I usually do in Inwood. However, I must mention the hot streak Nathan O'Reilly has been on a hot streak in the park over the last week. On April 19, Nathan found a Marsh Wren along the shore of the bay north of the soccer fields at the north end of the park. Marsh Wrens probably occur annually in the park but they are easy to miss and are not regularly reported. (most reports are in the fall.) I know that park regular Danny Karlson also saw the wren on the 19th. On April 22, Nathan found two Blue Grosbeaks on the soccer fields. On a day of intermittent rain, a number of other birders got to see one, or both of the grosbeaks, thanks to Nathan's report - I got to see one of them in the late afternoon after getting home from work. On the evening of April 23, Nathan found a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron roosting in a tree west of Muscota Marsh in the park. He emailed me at 6:35 pm, but I was not logged into my email at the time. Luckily I did check my email about an hour later and saw his message. With light failing under a heavy overcast, I grabbed my binoculars and ran outside where I met a birder who told me he had just seen the Yellow-crown fly from the mudflats onto the grass lawn west of Muscota Marsh. I spotted the Yellow-crown after a quick scan of the grass. This was I believe my 213th species for Inwood Hill Park. Thanks, Nathan. May your streak continue!

April 24 - Central Park

Bright blue, crystal clear skies for my Wednesday AMNH bird walk group. It was our best morning yet, though as always, you hope for more. We found 40 species including five warblers.

Canada Goose  4
Mallard  6
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  4
Mourning Dove  6
Chimney Swift  2
Herring Gull  2
Double-crested Cormorant  4
Black-crowned Night-Heron  1
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Belted Kingfisher  1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  2
Blue-headed Vireo  4
Blue Jay  8
Tufted Titmouse  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  3
Hermit Thrush  1
Wood Thrush  1  (I heard one call once by the feeders)
American Robin  12
Gray Catbird  1
European Starling  6
House Finch  1
Purple Finch  1
American Goldfinch  4
Chipping Sparrow  3
Field Sparrow  1
White-throated Sparrow  12
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Brown-headed Cowbird  1
Common Grackle  3
Ovenbird  1
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Northern Parula  1
Yellow Warbler  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler  1
Northern Cardinal  4
House Sparrow  18

April 19 - Central Park (afternoon)

At lunchtime I went back into Central Park to make another attempt to see the Yellow-throated Warbler I had chased with Paul's group in the morning. This time I was successful. A birder said she had seen the bird high in a tree a few minutes earlier, but there was no sign of it now. Over the next ten minutes or so other birders arrived also looking for the bird. Word was the warbler had also been seen south of the 86th Street transverse. We all stood around watching and talking. Suddenly, I saw a bird flying in over the transverse from the south. I raised my binoculars and watched it fly in, then yelled to everyone it was the Yellow-throated. It was a bit distant for my camera, but I did get some recognizable photos.

Yellow-throated Warbler 04/19/2019 Central Park

I headed back south through the park and took a few more bird pictures.

Northern Shoveler 04/19/2019 Central Park reservoir

Mallard 04/19/2019 Central Park Turtle Pond

Palm Warbler preening 04/19/2019 Central Park

White-throated Sparrow preening 04/19/2019 Central Park

April 19 - Central Park

This morning I led Paul Sweet's Friday morning AMNH Central Park bird walk since was unable to do it today. It was a very pleasant morning, weatherwise, but a bit disappointing for birds. We made a dash up to the bridle path south of the Reservoir to look for a Yellow-throated Warbler. Unfortunately, we did not see the bird. The time spent on that cahse is why the species list is only 27 species (see below)

Canada Goose  2
Gadwall  2

Gadwall 04/19/2019: Turtle Pond

Mallard  4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  4
Herring Gull  4
Double-crested Cormorant  2
Black-crowned Night-Heron  1
Red-tailed Hawk  3
Red-bellied Woodpecker  2
Downy Woodpecker  1
Northern Flicker  2
Blue Jay  10
Tufted Titmouse  2
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
Brown Creeper  2
American Robin  12
European Starling  8
White-throated Sparrow  18
Song Sparrow  2
Eastern Towhee  1
Red-winged Blackbird  1
Common Grackle  5
Louisiana Waterthrush  1

Louisiana Waterthrush 04/19/2019 Tupelo Meadow

Pine Warbler  1
Northern Cardinal  5
House Sparrow  10

April 18 - Central Park

The latest in a string of cool, disappointing mornings for my Thursday AMNH bird walks in Central Park. We did find 36 species and finally got one warbler species. Our morning's tally has been creeping up each week. Maybe next week spring will finally arrive in earnest.

Canada Goose  4
Mallard  6
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  6
Herring Gull  1
Double-crested Cormorant  1
Great Egret  1
Red-tailed Hawk  2
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  4
Northern Flicker  3
Blue Jay  10
American Crow  1
Black-capped Chickadee  2
Tufted Titmouse  4
White-breasted Nuthatch  1
Brown Creeper  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  5
Hermit Thrush  2
American Robin  12
European Starling  10
House Finch  1
American Goldfinch  6
Chipping Sparrow  3
Field Sparrow  2
Fox Sparrow  1
Dark-eyed Junco  1
White-throated Sparrow  40
Swamp Sparrow  1
Eastern Towhee  2
Red-winged Blackbird  2
Common Grackle  5
Black-and-white Warbler  1
Northern Cardinal  6
House Sparrow  30

April 17 - Central Park

A beautiful morning in the Ramble for the Wednesday AMNH morning walk. Finally a few warblers (3). A Cooper's Hawk north of the feeders, spotted by Evelyn, was one of the highlights of the 27 species found.

Canada Goose  2
Northern Shoveler  2
Mallard  8
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)  2
Mourning Dove  5
Cooper's Hawk  1
Red-tailed Hawk  1
Red-bellied Woodpecker  3
Downy Woodpecker  2
Northern Flicker  2
Eastern Phoebe  1
Blue Jay  10
Black-capped Chickadee  1
Tufted Titmouse  2
White-breasted Nuthatch  2
Brown Creeper  2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet  6
Hermit Thrush  3
American Robin  18
Brown Thrasher  1
European Starling  17
House Finch  2
American Goldfinch  6
Chipping Sparrow  6
Field Sparrow  2
White-throated Sparrow  25
Song Sparrow  1
Eastern Towhee  2
Red-winged Blackbird  1
Brown-headed Cowbird  1
Common Grackle  2
Louisiana Waterthrush  1
Black-and-white Warbler  3
Palm Warbler  3
Northern Cardinal  5
House Sparrow  30