Category: Rare Bird Alerts

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* May. 1, 2020
* NYNY2005.01

– Birds mentioned
BROWN BOOBY+
WHITE-FACED IBIS+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Parasitic Jaeger
Black-legged Kittiwake
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Caspian Tern
Least Tern
MANX SHEARWATER
Northern Gannet
HARLEQUIN DUCK
KING EIDER
Cattle Egret
SANDHILL CRANE
White-rumped Sandpiper
WHIMBREL
Red-headed Woodpecker
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Eastern Kingbird
Great Crested Flycatcher
Seaside Sparrow
BLUE GROSBEAK
SUMMER TANAGER
Bank Swallow
Warbling Vireo
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
Worm-eating Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
Black-throated Green Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Wood Thrush
Veery

– Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, May 1st 2020 at 10pm. The highlights of today’s tape are BROWN BOOBY, SANDHILL CRANE, WHITE-FACED IBIS, MANX SHEARWATER, BLACK-HEADED GULL, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, WHIMBREL, BLUE GROSBEAK, SUMMER TANAGER, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER and much more.

Despite the virus and generally adverse weather patterns migration continues to happen and probably the biggest surprise was an adult BROWN BOOBY found late this afternoon sitting on a fence post in the median of Ocean Parkway at Gilgo. At dusk the BOOBY was still roosting in the median on the west side of Gilgo.

Another surprise was a SANDHILL CRANE photographed Wednesday as it flew over the north end of Central Park.

A WHITE-FACED IBIS was photographed with Glossy Ibis at Captree Island last Tuesday and one was also seen again on Thursday at the Timber Point Golf Course in Great River.

During Thursday’s storm single MANX SHEARWATERS were reported from Robert Moses State Park in the morning and then off Hook Pond in East Hampton in the afternoon. Other highlights from these seawatches included a BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, 1,259 NORTHERN GANNETS, 1 ICELAND and 12 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS at Moses and 3 PARASITIC JAEGERS going by together off Hook Pond. A BLACK-HEADED GULL continuing at Timber Point to Sunday was followed by a full adult visiting Knapp’s Lake at Brockwood Hall Park in East Islip yesterday.

At Orient Point 3 KING EIDER last Sunday were down to 1 female today and the 4 HARLEQUIN DUCKS were last noted Monday.

A WHIMBREL at Timber Point Saturday was followed by 6 Tuesday at Smith Point County Park in Shirley and a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER stayed at Captree Island to Saturday.

On Thursday an ICELAND GULL was seen again in Sheepshead Bay and 11 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were counted at Riis Park. A few reports of CASPIAN TERN included one at Prospect Park Lake Wednesday and 3 at Hempstead Lake State Park today.

A CATTLE EGRET was still around the Down’s Creek area in Cutchogue at least to Wednesday. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues at Central Park’s north end with another found at Connetquot River State Park Tuesday. A BLUE GROSBEAK found Monday at Fort Tryon Park on Manhattan was still present today and the season’s first SUMMER TANAGER appeared at Hempstead Lake State Park Wednesday. A PROTHONOTARY WARBLER lingered at Hempstead Lake to Tuesday with others found Wednesday in Prospect Park and at Fuch’s Pond Preserve in Fort Salonga while a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER continues at Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River with another reported from Central Park’s north end Wednesday.

With a decent influx of migrants during the week some arrivals have included LEAST TERN, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, both GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER and EASTERN KINGBIRD, WARBLING VIREO, BANK SWALLOW, VEERY and WOOD THRUSH, GRAY CATBIRD and BROWN THRASHER and SEASIDE SPARROW.

In addition numerous species of warblers in varying numbers have featured first reports of HOODED, AMERICAN REDSTART, CERULEAN, MAGNOLIA and BLACK-THROATED BLUE and increasing numbers of WORM-EATING, BLUE-WINGED, NASHVILLE, NORTHERN PARULA, PRAIRIE WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN and the like.

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

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Apr. 24, 2020
* NYNY2004.24

– Birds mentioned
BROWN PELICAN+
WHITE-FACED IBIS+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
GLAUCOUS GULL
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Caspian Tern
HARLEQUIN DUCK
KING EIDER
Least Bittern
Tricolored Heron
CATTLE EGRET
Little Blue Heron
Short-billed Dowitcher
Stilt Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
WHIMBREL
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
VESPER SPARROW
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
Scarlet Tanager
Cliff Swallow
Yellow-throated Vireo
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
Worm-eating Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
Black-throated Green Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush

– Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, April 24th 2020 at 10pm. The highlights of today’s tape are BROWN PELICAN, WHITE-FACED IBIS, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, ICELAND GULL, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, WHIMBREL and other shorebirds, CATTLE EGRET, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, VESPER SPARROW, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER and spring migrants.

Early for our region, but always welcome, a BROWN PELICAN was spotted flying by Robert Moses State Park last Saturday morning.

At least one of last week’s WHITE-FACED IBIS at Timber Point Golf Course in Great River visited the marsh by the East Marina a few times last weekend with one of the few small flocks of Glossy Ibis moving around that area. Though a WHITE-FACED was not reported there after Sunday among the other unusual birds during the week were an immature BLACK-HEADED GULL, 2 WHIMBREL and 5 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS present there today. Three additional WHIMBREL were noted on Fire Island east of Smith Point County Park last Sunday.

At Orient Point an immature male KING EIDER joined the female there at least to Thursday and 4 or more HARLEQUIN DUCKS remain as well with an ICELAND GULL stopping by there Thursday. A GLAUCOUS GULL visited Lemon Creek Park on Staten Island last Saturday. An immature BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was spotted off Moses Park Tuesday and some regional LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS starting to gather locally included 16 at Moses Park Tuesday. A CASPIAN TERN was seen Monday and Thursday at Mecox Bay. A decent spring location for this species.

A nice gathering of shorebirds at Captree Island last Sunday featured single STILT, WHITE-RUMPED and LEAST SANDPIPERS and 2 SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS among the GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS there.

During the week single TRICOLORED and LITTLE BLUE HERONS also appeared.

A LEAST BITTERN was a surprise visitor to a City Island backyard last Sunday.

A CATTLE EGRET found Wednesday on Long Island’s north fork was relocated near the Downs Farm Preserve off Route 25 west of Cutchogue on Thursday but not reported today.

Single RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continued this week in Central Park’s north end, at Cunningham Park in Queens and at the Long Pond Greenbelt in Sag Harbor.

A VESPER SPARROW found Monday in Central Park’s north end was followed by a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW present yesterday and today at Sparrow Rock.

At Hempstead Lake State Park a male PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, first spotted last Sunday along the southwestern shore of Hempstead Lake, was still being seen there yesterday. This area is across the road and usually a little south of parking field 1. A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER continues to sing near the entrance to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River. Among the warblers being observed during this past week were such arrivals as OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, WORM-EATING, PRAIRIE and BLACK-THROATED GREEN.

Other arrivals have featured YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, CLIFF SWALLOW, ORCHARD and BALTIMORE ORIOLES and SCARLET TANAGER.

Decent numbers of BROAD-WINGED HAWKS moved by local hawkwatches Wednesday and Thursday.

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

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Apr. 17, 2020
* NYNY2004.17

– Birds Mentioned

WHITE-FACED IBIS+
CAVE SWALLOW+

(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Northern Gannet
American Bittern
Little Blue Heron
Green Heron
Glossy Ibis
Broad-winged Hawk
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet
Short-billed Dowitcher
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Common Tern
Forster’s Tern
Chimney Swift
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
American Kestrel
White-eyed Vireo
VESPER SPARROW
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
Louisiana Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report
electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at
https://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, April 17,
2020 at 10:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are CAVE SWALLOW, WHITE-FACED IBIS, KING EIDER and HARLEQUIN DUCK, ICELAND GULL, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, GRASSHOPPER and VESPER SPARROWS, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER and spring migrants.

As spring migration slowly increases in intensity, certainly one very unexpected visitor was a CAVE SWALLOW spotted Tuesday morning moving west over the dunes at Robert Moses State Park Field 2. With a few down in Cape May, New Jersey recently, this report definitely provides a very unusual seasonal record for this species locally. Determining which race it was would be quite interesting.

On Wednesday a WHITE-FACED IBIS was picked out in a group of GLOSSY IBIS at the Timber Point Golf Course in Great River. Later that day, as the IBIS flocks moved around the area, a second WHITE-FACED was also tentatively identified. This golf course is currently closed, and we do not know what their future policy will be regarding visiting birders.

Out at Orient Point the two female KING EIDERS were still present last Sunday, when another female was identified as it flew past Robert Moses State Park in a Scoter flock.

The five HARLEQUIN DUCKS at Orient Point last Sunday were down to four today, and the Sheepshead Bay male was still around last Saturday.

An ICELAND GULL also visited Sheepshead Bay on Saturday, this followed by one in the Riis Park-Fort Tilden area on Monday and one off Orient
Point today.

Some LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS included one on Central Park Reservoir and three at Floyd Bennett Field on Monday and one at Croton Point Park in Westchester today.

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was still at Central Park’s north end today, and the one in Cunningham Park in Queens was observed on Tuesday, both birds now in nice adult plumage.

A survey Tuesday at Freshkills Park on Staten Island, where access is restricted, did produce four GRASSHOPPER and three VESPER SPARROWS as well as an estimated fifty AMERICAN KESTRELS.

Single AMERICAN BITTERNS were noted along Dune Road and at Big Reed Pond in Montauk this week, and good numbers of NORTHERN GANNETS were still in western Long Island Sound earlier this week, with over five hundred counted off Playland Park in Rye late Tuesday afternoon.

A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER has been singing recently at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River since last Saturday, with another noted again Sunday at Connetquot River State Park nearby.

An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen again at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on Tuesday, while among other species of WARBLERS appearing locally in very limited numbers so far have been BLUE-WINGED, NORTHERN PARULA and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, along with more YELLOW, BLACK-AND-WHITE and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH and the now common PALM, PINE and YELLOW-RUMPED.

Other migrants making appearances or in slightly increasing numbers this week have included CHIMNEY SWIFT, SOLITARY and SPOTTED SANDPIPERS, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, WILLET, FORSTER’S TERN and only a very few COMMON TERNS, LITTLE BLUE and GREEN HERONS, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, WHITE-EYED VIREO, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK and INDIGO BUNTING.

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

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Apr. 10, 2020
* NYNY2004.10

– Birds Mentioned

VARIED THRUSH+
PAINTED BUNTING+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

KING EIDER
Common Eider
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Lesser Yellowlegs
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Forster’s Tern
Northern Gannet
Broad-winged Hawk
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Purple Martin
Bank Swallow
House Wren
Marsh Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
Chipping Sparrow
VESPER SPARROW
Orchard Oriole
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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, April 10,
2020 at 9:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are VARIED THRUSH, PAINTED BUNTING, KING EIDER and HARLEQUIN DUCK, GLAUCOUS and ICELAND GULLS, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, YELLOW-THOATED and ORANGE CROWNED WARBLERS, VESPER SPARROW and more.

With an increasing number of spring arrivals raising anticipation of migration to come, it is still a few overwintering birds that provide this week’s rarity highlights. The VARIED THRUSH in Prospect Park was spotted on Tuesday near the Upper Pool, its recently most favored location. In addition, Brooklyn on Tuesday also produced another sighting of a PAINTED BUNTING, this at the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center.

Among the waterfowl, two female KING EIDERS were present in the COMMON EIDER flock lingering off Orient Point at least to Tuesday, while up to five HARLEQUIN DUCKS also continuing there were seen through Wednesday. The male HARLEQUIN DUCK visiting Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay was reported again today.

Also in Brooklyn, a GLAUCOUS GULL was spotted at Floyd Bennett Field Sunday, followed by one at Coney Island Creek Wednesday, both locations also producing ICELAND GULL sightings Wednesday. Other ICELAND GULLS included two at Playland Park in Rye and one at Croton Point Park last Sunday and one at Miller Field on Staten Island on Wednesday. Last Sunday’s large Gull gathering at Playland Park also included two adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS plus a count of over 650 NORTHERN GANNETS, this species occurring in unusually large numbers recently in western Long Island Sound. This total, however, would never approach Long Island south shore numbers, where over 4,000 were estimated in Fire Island Inlet yesterday.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS featured one still in Central Park’s north end today, one in Cunningham Park in Queens to Tuesday, and one at Wolfe’s Pond Park on Staten Island Monday.

A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was reported singing at Connetquot River State Park , a known breeding site, on Wednesday, and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was at the Salt Marsh Nature Center Wednesday.

Six reports of VESPER SPARROW included two at Caumsett State Park Tuesday, and singles on Tuesday at Floyd Bennett Field, Hillview Reservoir in Yonkers and Nissequogue River State Park in Kings Park, along Hulse Landing Road Wednesday, and at Lenoir Preserve in Yonkers last Saturday.

Among the recent migrants have been a few LESSER YELLOWLEGS, some FORSTER’S TERNS as of Wednesday, and a few BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, mostly inland.

Various arriving passerines, generally as expected, have included BLUE-HEADED and WHITE-EYED VIREOS, PURPLE MARTIN and BANK SWALLOW, HOUSE and MARSH WRENS, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, HERMIT THRUSH and CHIPPING SPARROW. An ORCHARD ORIOLE was reported singing on Long Island Sunday, and among the WARBLERS joining already present PINE, PALM and YELLOW-RUMPED have been some LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH, BLACK-AND-WHITE and YELLOW, with just one or two of
OVENBIRD, NASHVILLE and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT.

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.

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Apr. 3, 2020
* NYNY2004.03

– Birds mentioned
WESTERN SANDPIPER+
VARIED THRUSH+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Red-necked Grebe
Razorbill
Glaucous Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Harlequin Duck
King Eider
American Bittern
Green Heron
Dunlin
Sanderling
Willet
Spotted Sandpiper
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Red-headed Woodpecker
Vesper Sparrow
Barn Swallow
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Black-and-White Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush

– Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, April 3rd 2020 at 9pm. The highlights of today’s tape are VARIED THRUSH, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, GLAUCOUS GULL, ICELAND GULL, WESTERN SANDPIPER, VESPER SPARROW and a few early migrants including YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO and BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER.

In Prospect Park the VARIED THRUSH was present through yesterday now seemingly favoring the area around the edge of the Upper Pool.

The female KING EIDER was still off Orient Point Wednesday two days after the 4 HARLEQUIN DUCKS were last noted there. The Brooklyn HARLEQUIN DUCK was still at Sheepshead Bay Tuesday and a pair of HARLEQUINS were spotted Thursday at Smith Point County Park in Shirley.

Rather unexpected was an adult GLAUCOUS GULL seen from Coney Island Creek Park in Brooklyn late Tuesday morning this followed by an ICELAND GULL on a light pole at Ceasar’s Bay Bazaar. Another another ICELAND was at Smith Point County Park on Thursday.

WESTERN SANDPIPER was seen again Monday in a large DUNLIN and SANDERLING flock at Nickerson Beach and a RED-NECKED GREBE was off Plumb Beach Brooklyn on Tuesday.

Out at Cupsogue County Park last Tuesday 17 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were counted along the beach and 4 RAZORBILLS were spotted offshore while an AMERICAN BITTERN was still along the Dune Road last Sunday.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS locally featured the one still at the north end of Central Park on Wednesday and another remaining in Cunningham Park in Queens through yesterday.

Among some recent arrivals, and certainly unexpectedly early, was a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO seen well as it flew near Mott Lane in Bellport Tuesday afternoon.. A BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER at Central Park’s Tanner’s Spring Thursday morning was also rather early joining some widespread PINE and a few LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH and PALM and YELLOW-RUMPED as the first warblers returning to our region.

Out east an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen again Saturday at the Sound Avenue Nature Preserve west of Roanoke Avenue in Riverhead.

A VESPER SPARROW was photographed at the Lenoir Preserve in Yonkers on Monday.

Also appearing this week were a GREEN HERON in Prospect Park Tuesday, a SPOTTED SANDPIPER on the Central Park Reservoir and WILLETS along the south shore of Long Island while a small number of BARN and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS also joined local TREE SWALLOW gatherings..

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

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Mar. 27, 2020
* NYNY2003.27 

– Birds Mentioned

VARIED THRUSH+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

SNOW GOOSE
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Northern Gannet
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Glossy Ibis
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
SANDHILL CRANE
American Oystercatcher 
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Laughing Gull
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Eastern Phoebe
Purple Martin
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
House Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
American Pipit
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
VESPER SPARROW
Rusty Blackbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
Common Yellowthroat
Pine Warbler

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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, March 27, 2020 at 10:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are SANDHILL CRANE, VARIED THRUSH, KING EIDER and HARLEQUIN DUCK, ICELAND GULL, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, VESPER SPARROW and more.

With SANDHILL CRANES recently returning to the northeast and breeding sites used in recent years, it was nice to have a pair at least pass through our region, as happened yesterday when two flew over a home in Croton-on-Hudson in northern Westchester and were shortly thereafter spotted moving east over Croton Dam Park.  Hopefully more will follow.

An unconfirmed report of the Prospect Park VARIED THRUSH near the Nethermead Arches on Monday was this week’s only mention of any exceptional passerine, perhaps appropriate given the restrictive conditions we must now abide by.

But signs of Spring do persist.  On the warbler front a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH first noted in Prospect Park last Sunday was followed by another in Central Park today, while at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens an overwintering ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was joined today by a singing COMMON YELLOWTHROAT.  A list of other passerines just now arriving or currently showing increases in numbers include many more EASTERN PHOEBES, the first NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS, PURPLE MARTINS and HOUSE WRENS, plus GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, BROWN THRASHER and GRAY CATBIRD, CHIPPING SPARROW, EASTERN TOWHEE, AMERICAN PIPIT, RUSTY BLACKBIRD and PINE WARBLER.  And found today as part of a reasonable early flight was a VESPER SPARROW at Captree Island, while two wintering at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center off Yaphank Avenue were still present last Saturday.

Other arrivals have featured a few SNOWY EGRETS joining some GREAT EGRETS, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, more GLOSSY IBIS and AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHERS, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, with two LESSER YELLOWLEGS recently on Staten Island, and certainly more LAUGHING GULLS and DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS.

Among the waterfowl the female KING EIDER was still present today off Orient Point, where the four HARLEQUIN DUCKS were last noted on Wednesday; the HARLEQUIN DUCK in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn continued at least to yesterday.  120 SNOW GEESE flew over Rye yesterday.

An ICELAND GULL was at Jacob Riis Park Monday, and two LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were present at Floyd Bennet Field Monday, with singles also noted at at least eight other sites this week.

The Ocean Parkway ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was spotted at Cedar Beach last Saturday, and one flew over Marshlands Conservancy in Rye Sunday.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continue in Central Park’s north end and at Cunningham Park and the Long Pond Greenbelt in Sag Harbor.

Very unexpectedly, a fairly large incursion of NORTHERN GANNETS into western Long Island Sound began yesterday and continued through today.  Yesterday, around 200 GANNETS were seen moving west past Rye late in the day, with similar numbers today; presumably following bait fish, along Long Island’s north shore a swarm was noted yesterday off Cedar Point in East Hampton and today an estimated 2,000+ flew by Sunken Meadow State Park, with well over 700 moving back east off Stamford, CT late in the afternoon.  Quite unusual numbers away from the Atlantic Ocean!

Please note that there are currently recording issues with the RBA, which hopefully will be resolved soon. 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

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Mar. 20, 2020
* NYNY2003.20

– Birds mentioned
WESTERN SANDPIPER+
PAINTED BUNTING+
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE+
VARIED THRUSH+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Razorbill
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Laughing Gull
HARLEQUIN DUCK
KING EIDER
Glossy Ibis
Great Egret
Clapper Rail
Piping Plover
American Oystercatcher
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
Osprey
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
VESPER SPARROW
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER

– Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/…

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: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, March 20th 2020 at 9pm. The highlights of today’s tape are PAINTED BUNTING, VARIED THRUSH, TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, WESTERN SANDPIPER, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, VESPER SPARROW and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER plus a few new migrants.

Given the turmoil we’ve been subjected to recently it’s great to have three of our best over wintering species reappear locally. On Thursday morning the female type PAINTED BUNTING was spotted at Plumb Beach in Brooklyn, a new location for this species this winter but perhaps involving an individual visiting previously in the borough or maybe a little farther afield. This bird was found in the dune scrub in front of the parking lot off the Belt Parkway and lingered there into the afternoon.

In Prospect Park the VARIED THRUSH was seen midweek through today along the path to the boathouse and especially near the split Osage Orange tree.

Out on the South Fork of Long Island the TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE was spotted again last Saturday in the SLPOA Nature Preserve off Three Mile Harbor Drive. This site in Northwest Harbor is marked by a small white sign with the SLPOA initials on it.

With waterfowl numbers seriously dropping the female KING EIDER at least stayed to Wednesday off Orient Point where the four HARLEQUIN DUCKS continue through today. The Brooklyn male HARLEQUIN DUCK still around Sheepshead Bay last Sunday seemed more advanced than the one dropping by Plumb Beach on Thursday. The female HARLEQUIN was spotted out in Shinnecock Inlet last Sunday.

Last Sunday a WESTERN SANDPIPER, presumably a wintering bird, was identified in a large concentration of Sanderlings and Dunlin at Nickerson Beach and was spotted again there today. PIPING PLOVER and AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER are also now present at that site and elsewhere.

A RAZORBILL was spotted off Breezy Point last Sunday.

A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL visited Jones Beach West End last Saturday perhaps our last report from that location for awhile and two more were at Smith Point County Park yesterday.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was still along Ocean Parkway last Saturday while Wednesday found RED-HEADED WOODPECKER still visiting the north end of Central Park and Cunningham Park in Queens. Also continuing have been a VESPER SPARROW at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center to Monday and an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER visiting the suet feeder at the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton to Wednesday.

Among recent arrivals have been CLAPPER RAIL, GREAT EGRET and more LAUGHING GULLS, an OSPREY plus 7 GLOSSY IBIS out in Holbrook Long Island today.

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

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Mar. 13, 2020
* NYNY2003.13

– Birds Mentioned

CACKLING GOOSE
Blue-winged Teal
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Piping Plover
American Woodcock
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Bald Eagle
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Eastern Phoebe
Tree Swallow
Eastern Bluebird
American Pipit
VESPER SPARROW
Rusty Blackbird
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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, March 13,
2020 at 9:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, CACKLING GOOSE, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, VESPER SPARROW, ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER and a few spring arrivals.

Once again the March doldrums, with the many winter departures not yet replaced by a nice variety of spring arrivals.

On the waterfowl front, with many now headed north, the female KING EIDER at Shinnecock Inlet was not reported after last Sunday, while the female at Orient Point was noted to Wednesday, with the four
HARLEQUIN DUCKS at Orient still around the rocks off the point today. The young male HARLEQUIN DUCK has continued to visit Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn up through yesterday.

Also still present in the area at least to last Saturday was the CACKLING GOOSE wintering at Arthur J. Hendrickson Park in Valley Stream. A few BLUE-WINGED TEAL are among the inbound migrants.

A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was noted on Central Park Reservoir again last Saturday, with another at Shinnecock Sunday, and this is one species that should be increasing in numbers along the coast in a few weeks.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was still along Ocean Parkway in the Cedar Beach area on Wednesday.

A trio of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS includes one remaining at the north end of Central Park today, another seen recently through today around the southeastern section of Cunningham Park on Queens, and a third visiting the Long Pond Greenbelt out in Sag Harbor at least to Wednesday.

A VESPER SPARROW has continued at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center on the west side of Yaphank Avenue through last weekend.

Besides the ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER still present yesterday at the feeders of the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton, two were spotted at Hendrix Creek in Brooklyn Sunday, and another was in Alley Pond Park yesterday.

Among recent arrivals, two PIPING PLOVERS appeared at Smith Point County Park Wednesday, and AMERICAN WOODCOCK are now displaying at numerous appropriate locations.

On the raptor front, a few more OSPREYS have been spotted this week, and some BALD EAGLES as well as both TURKEY and BLACK VULTURES have been moving through.

Other landbirds on the move recently have included more EASTERN PHOEBES and TREE SWALLOWS and small numbers of AMERICAN PIPITS and EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, as well as some RUSTY BLACKBIRDS appearing in Central, Prospect and other local parks.

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

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Mar. 06, 2020
* NYNY2003.06

– Birds Mentioned

PACIFIC LOON+
THICK-BILLED MURRE+
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE+
VARIED THRUSH+

(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
American Bittern
Osprey
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
Common Gallinule
American Woodcock
DOVEKIE
Razorbill
BLACK-HEADED GULL
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Eastern Phoebe
Tree Swallow
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Eastern Meadowlark
Orange-crowned Warbler
Palm Warbler

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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, March 6, 2020 at 9:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are VARIED THRUSH, TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, DOVEKIE and THICK-BILLED MURRE, PACIFIC LOON, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, HARLEQUIN DUCK and KING EIDER, BLACK-HEADED and ICELAND GULLS, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and more.

With more movement among over wintering birds and earlier arriving spring species now taking place, it’s not surprising that our winter rarities would also continue to disperse. Our last report of the VARIED THRUSH in Prospect Park comes from the Nethermead last Saturday, while the TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE out in East Hampton was last seen along Three Mile Harbor Drive last Sunday, so they, like the Painted Buntings previously, may have moved on.

This movement, though, can produce some nice surprises, even if brief. Out at Montauk Point last Sunday a DOVEKIE landed off the restaurant but remained in sight only until it dove, and later an adult PACIFIC LOON was identified off Culloden Point.

The THICK-BILLED MURRE also continued fairly close to shore at least to Tuesday off Montauk Point, where diminishing numbers of birds did feature counts of 47 RAZORBILLS Saturday and 20 on Sunday. Two ICELAND GULLS, 1 an adult, were also present Sunday on the west side of the entrance to Lake Montauk. 

Among the lingering unusual waterfowl, the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in the Rye area was last seen on Monday, but the young male HARLEQUIN DUCK at Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn was still around yesterday, and the 4 off Orient Point have continued through today.

The female KING EIDER at Orient Point, however, has not been seen since Sunday, though the female KING EIDER usually on the east side of Shinnecock Inlet made it to mid-week.

An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL was seen a few times in Sheepshead Bay at least to Wednesday, with a sighting at Riis Park last Saturday, while the immature ICELAND GULL was noted in Sheepshead Bay at least to Sunday and also on Prospect Park Lake on Monday.|

Single LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS occurred at several locations, including Central Park Reservoir Sunday and Wednesday and in Coney Island Monday, and single RAZORBILLS were spotted off Breezy Point Saturday and Canarsie Pier Monday.

A few lingering birds featured a COMMON GALLINULE remaining on Mill Pond in Bellmore at least to Sunday, AMERICAN BITTERN continuing along Dune Road, a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK still along Ocean Parkway in the Gilgo area last weekend, and a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER becoming more adult-like while it resides in Central Park’s north end.

A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was seen again Sunday at the Cemetery of the
Resurrection on Staten Island.

An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER recently snacking on suet feeders at the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton was joined there in that park last Sunday by an EASTERN PHOEBE, 10 EASTERN MEADOWLARKS and a PALM WARBLER.

A few signs of spring recently include increasing movements of AMERICAN WOODCOCK, EASTERN PHOEBE and TREE SWALLOW and an OSPREY in Rye today.

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

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Feb. 28, 2020
* NYNY2002.28

– Birds mentioned
THICK-BILLED MURRE+
BARNACLE GOOSE+
PAINTED BUNTING+
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Red-necked Grebe
Common Gallinule
BLACK GUILLEMOT
Razorbill
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
BLACK-HEADED GULL
EURASIAN WIGEON
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
HARLEQUIN DUCK
KING EIDER
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Cackling Goose
American Bittern
Rough-legged Hawk
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Eastern Phoebe
Orange-crowned Warbler
VARIED THRUSH

– Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/…

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: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February 28th 2020 at 9pm. The highlights of today’s tape are VARIED THRUSH, PAINTED BUNTING, TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, BLACK GUILLEMOT, THICK-BILLED MURRE, BARNACLE GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER and more.

Of the standout passerines present locally the VARIED THRUSH was reported as recently as yesterday in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park occurring in the Nethermead often on the hillsides near the arches. The PAINTED BUNTING at Brooklyn Bridge Park was last Sunday seen ranging from Pier 5 over to Pier 3 and the Greenway Terrace and later back to Pier 5. One assumes the possibility of two different individuals has been addressed.

Out in the East Hampton area the TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE was still present in Northwest Harbor along Three Mile Harbor Drive near number 56 and the small park designated by a sign bearing the initials SLPOA. This bird does call occasionally.

Out at Montauk Point last Monday a birder watching the THICK-BILLED MURRE on the ocean by the lighthouse was also treated to a BLACK GUILLEMOT landing off the restaurant and remaining visible for a short while. Neither the MURRE nor the GUILLEMOT have been reported since Monday but could still be around. A RED-NECKED GREBE was off the point Saturday. The western Long Island BARNACLE GOOSE was seen on Belmont Lake State Park last Saturday afternoon and again on Sunday therefore continuing in that area. The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in the Rye area was still present today on the Rye Brook Pond off Bowman Avenue. A few CACKLING GEESE include one found Sunday at Frank Melville Memorial Park and Mill Pond in Setauket north of Old Field Road.

A drake EURASIAN WIGEON was seen Sunday at West Neck Beach in Lloyd Harbor. A drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was still around the south end of Lake Montauk last Sunday seen from West Lake Drive but also try South Lake Drive to locate the GOLDENEYE flock. Also on Montauk a drake KING EIDER was seen again from Culloden Point last Sunday while single females, also continuing birds, were present with Common Eiders Saturday at Shinnecock Inlet and to Monday at Orient Point where 4 HARLEQUIN DUCKS also remain. The immature male HARLEQUIN DUCK was still present today in Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay where both the adult BLACK-HEADED GULL and an immature ICELAND GULL visited last Sunday. LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were noted in Brooklyn during the week at Coney Island Beach and Floyd Bennett Field and a few RAZORBILLS remain along the shore including 2 Monday well inside Jones Inlet at the fishing piers and another Sunday at Canarsie Pier.

AMERICAN BITTERNS continue along Dune Road and a COMMON GALLINULE was still on the Mill Pond in Bellmore Wednesday. A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK remained in the area of Cedar Beach along Ocean Parkway through last weekend and another was spotted at Orient Point Sunday. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER has continued into this week at the north end of Central Park while EASTERN PHOEBES were noted at at least 6 different locations. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was visiting the suet feeder at the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton at least to Wednesday.

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