-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Jan. 19, 2024
* NYNY2401.19
– Birds Mentioned
PURPLE GALLINULE+
PACIFIC LOON+
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD+
TOWNSEND’S WARBLER+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
Greater White-fronted Goose
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
Harlequin Duck
MARBLED GODWIT
Long-billed Dowitcher
RED PHALAROPE
PARASITIC JAEGER
DOVEKIE
Razorbill
Black-legged Kittiwake
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Red-headed Woodpecker
Peregrine Falcon
Lapland Longspur
“Audubon’s” Yellow-rumped Warbler
BLUE GROSBEAK
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/goodreport.htm
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44<at>nybirds<dot>org
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin – Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compiler: Tom Burke
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, January 19, 2024 at 11:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are TOWNSEND’S WARBLER, MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD, WESTERN TANAGER, PURPLE GALLINULE, PACIFIC LOON, RED PHALAROPE, EURASIAN WIGEON, KING EIDER, DOVEKIE, BLACK-HEADED and GLAUCOUS GULLS, MARBLED GODWIT, PARASITIC JAEGER, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.
Among the lingering rare passerines, the TOWNSEND’S WARBLER in Riverdale was spotted both last Saturday and Sunday along West 231st Street just west of Independence Avenue, usually appearing in evergreens especially along the north side of the street, but there have been no sightings of the MacGillivray’s Warbler since January 7th.
Out at Heckscher State Park the MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was still feeding along the median strip between Field 8 and the Park Cottages as of Monday, but the storm may have forced it to move on.
The WESTERN TANAGER has become much more elusive at Jones Beach West End though still present at least to Wednesday near the Coast Guard Station. The “AUDUBON’S” YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER also remains in the same area through today.
On the rather bizarre side, a photo surfaced of an immature PURPLE GALLINULE that last Saturday apparently landed on the parking lot at the Sam’s Club in Medford, though we have no idea what happened to the bird subsequently. As a note, a PURPLE GALLINULE rescued in Westchester on November 13th was rehabilitated at Green Chimneys and has recently been driven to Florida for release – thanks, Steve!
A nice find was a PACIFIC LOON spotted yesterday around Mill Basin on the north side of Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn; it was relocated there today, though usually seen at quite a distance.
Other unexpected birds included a RED PHALAROPE photographed off Montauk Point on Monday, that same day finding a PARASITIC JAEGER off Jones Beach West End.
The recent stormy conditions have also produced several sightings of DOVEKIES, including four off Breezy Point Saturday and another in Jones inlet Sunday, but somewhat startling was a pair of PEREGRINE FALCONS capturing DOVEKIES near Smith Point County Park in Shirley and carrying them to the parking lot to be consumed – at least five DOVEKIES were dispatched in this manner.
A couple of GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were seen on Tung Ting Pond in Centerport on Wednesday, and a drake EURASIAN WIGEON continues on the main pond at Connetquot River State Park as of today, with another still on Long Creek in Mattituck last Sunday.
The young male KING EIDER plus over 50 RAZORBILLS were at Montauk Point Sunday, and several HARLEQUIN DUCKS include up to eight around the Jones Inlet and Point Lookout jetties as well as nine off the Ditch Plains beach Monday.
Some MARBLED GODWITS were still around Jones Beach Field 10 recently, and four LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were at Smith Pond in Rockville Centre Sunday.
A BLACK-HEADED GULL continues around Jones Beach, with another at Sunken Meadow State Park Monday. Two BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES occurred off Montauk Point Monday, a GLAUCOUS GULL has been spotted several times around Sheepshead Bay, and a few ICELAND GULLS have been appearing lately.
Among a few wintering RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were singles today at Willowbrook Park on Staten Island and Blydenburgh County Park in Smithtown.
A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was still at Smith Point County Park last Saturday, and the Edgemere BLUE GROSBEAK was still at Rockaway Beach Monday.
To phone in reports call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
– End transcript
