Category: Rare Bird Alerts

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Feb. 21, 2020
* NYNY2002.21

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

Red-necked Grebe
Common Gallinule
Razorbill
Black-legged Kittiwake
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Canvasback
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
HARLEQUIN DUCK
KING EIDER
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Rough-legged Hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Baltimore Oriole
Boat-tailed Grackle
Vesper Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
Orange-crowned Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Wood Thrush
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 21st 2020 at 9pm. The highlights of today’s tape are TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, VARIED THRUSH, PAINTED BUNTING, THICK-BILLED MURRE, BARNACLE GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and more.

The TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, first seen on Sunday the 9th in Northwest Harbor north of East Hampton, was still present along Three Mile Harbor Drive today. Look especially around the fruit bearing trees in the vicinity of 56 Three Mile Harbor Drive and near a small turnout marked by a small park sign bearing the initials SLPOA. Also listen for the bird occasionally calling.

In Brooklyn two excellent winter passerines also remain with the Prospect Park VARIED THRUSH continuing in the Nethermead through today and the PAINTED BUNTING at Brooklyn Bridge Park noted as recently as yesterday around Pier 5.

Out at Montauk Point for the third Sunday in a row a THICK-BILLED MURRE was spotted off the restaurant at the point. This time though the MURRE remained floating a short distance offshore rather than disappearing and has continued to swim around the point providing excellent views right through today. Among the other birds out there have been some RAZORBILLS with 270 counted Monday and early in the week on Sunday and Monday one or two BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES reported well offshore. Completing the Montauk area a drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was spotted last Sunday in a Common Goldeneye flock on Lake Montauk as viewed from South Lake Drive still there Monday. On Tuesday the BARROW’S and Goldeneye flock had moved farther north on the lake. One or two RED-NECKED GREBES also remain off Culloden Point with one also off Montauk Point Monday and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, perhaps the one initially seen on the Christmas Count, was around the traffic circle at the point near the Camp Hero turnoff on Monday.

The Riverhead area BARNACLE GOOSE was spotted today with Canada Geese east of Horton Avenue and south of Sound Avenue while the Rye area GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was still present today on the Rye Brook Pond off Bowman Avenue.

A female KING EIDER as well as up to 4 HARLEQUIN DUCKS were present off Orient Point at least to Monday and the Shinnecock female KING EIDER was reported again Tuesday on the east side of the inlet. The young male HARLEQUIN DUCK was noted in Sheepshead Bay at least to Wednesday with a BLACK-HEADED GULL still being seen there through yesterday and one or two RAZORBILLS were noted this week off Canarsie Pier as well as Fort Tilden and Breezy Point. Single ICELAND GULLS were noted in Sheepshead Bay to Monday and on the Central Park Reservoir to Wednesday joined there by a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL last Saturday. Other LESSER BLACK-BACKEDS visited Coney Island Beach to Monday and Jones Beach West End Tuesday. Another BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was seen off Robert Moses State Park Tuesday and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK continues in the Cedar Beach area with COMMON GALLINULE seen again on the Bellmore Mill Pond last Saturday.

A nice count was the 380 CANVASBACK present on the Mill Pond in Waterville last Sunday. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER and a female BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE continue in Central Park with a VESPER SPARROW still on Randall’s Island Monday. A WOOD THRUSH in Central Park Thursday was quite interesting.

On Staten Island the CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was still at Moravian Cemetery Monday and single YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were uncovered at Great Kills Park Saturday and Cemetery of the Resurrection Monday.

Other notable passerines have included some lingering EASTERN PHOEBES, ORANGE-CROWNED, PINE and PALM WARBLERS and CHIPPING SPARROWS and a feeder visiting BALTIMORE ORIOLE Sunday.

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. 14, 2020
* NYNY2002.14 

– Birds Mentioned

BARNACLE GOOSE+
THICK-BILLED MURRE+
TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE+
VARIED THRUSH+
PAINTED BUNTING+
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Canada Goose
TUNDRA SWAN
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Red-necked Grebe
American Woodcock
Razorbill 
Black-legged Kittiwake
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Rough-legged Hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
SEDGE WREN
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW

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, February 14, 2020 at 9:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are  TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE, VARIED THRUSH, PAINTED BUNTING, SEDGE WREN and YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, THICK-BILLED MURRE, BARNACLE and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, TUNDRA SWAN, EURASIAN WIGEON, KING EIDER and HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW and more. 

The list of unusual passerines in our area increased by one last Sunday when a TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE was spotted north of East Hampton.  Found initially in the Northwest Harbor area along Three Mile Harbor Drive, this elusive bird was also seen on Monday and Wednesday, the latter along Three Mile Harbor Drive up near Old House Landing Road.  Fortunately, the SOLITAIRE has been calling, which helps in locating it.

The Prospect Park VARIED THRUSH was seen as recently as yesterday in the Nethermead section of the park, often near the ravine.

The Brooklyn PAINTED BUNTING also continues at Brooklyn Bridge Park, moving between Piers 3 to 5, noted yesterday at the Pier 5 uplands.

A SEDGE WREN at Arshamomaque Ponds Preserve out on the North Fork east of  Southold has not been encountered recently, though is likely still present, and a YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was reported again Saturday and Monday in a large blackbird flock along Sound Avenue in Calverton, this flock occasionally stopping by the Lewin Farm at 723 Sound Avenue.

Also lingering recently has been a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW seen again Sunday and Wednesday at Moravian Cemetery on Staten Island.

Last Sunday morning at Montauk Point a THICK-BILLED MURRE was spotted flying by the north side of Montauk Point, where one had also been present the previous Sunday.  Also recorded at Montauk over last weekend were counts of up to 85 RAZORBILLS and 16 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES.  Another 45 RAZORBILLS were counted off Breezy Point last Sunday.

A BARNACLE GOOSE out in the Riverhead area was seen Sunday with Canada Geese along Route 105 south of the Northville Turnpike.

Beside the GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE continuing in the Rye area of southern Westchester, another was spotted again Saturday on Shorts Pond off Scuttlehole Road in Watermill.  In that area as well were the two TUNDRA SWANS, seen Thursday east of Head of Pond Road in Watermill.

A drake EURASIAN WIGEON visited Lloyd Neck Beach in Lloyd Harbor last Sunday.

Two drake KING EIDERS were spotted off Culloden Point in Montauk last Sunday, and at least one was still there Wednesday.  A female KING EIDER remains on the east side of Shinnecock Inlet.

The Brooklyn HARLEQUIN DUCK was still in Sheepshead Bay at least to Monday, and four were still off Orient Point Wednesday.

BLACK-HEADED GULLS were noted at Sheepshead Bay Monday and Brooklyn Bridge Park today, at West Meadow Wetlands Preserve in Stony Brook Monday, and at Georgica Cove Hollow Sunday.

Recent Central Park Reservoir visitors have included an ICELAND GULL through Thursday and a LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at least to Tuesday, with others of each continuing in the area..

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK continues in the Tobay to Gilgo area, RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS remain in Central and Pelham Bay Parks, among others, three RED-NECKED GREBES were off Montauk Park Saturday, and wonderfully, AMERICAN WOODCOCK are now displaying.

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. 07, 2020
* NYNY2002.07 

– Birds Mentioned

BARNACLE GOOSE+
THICK-BILLED MURRE+
VARIED THRUSH+
PAINTED BUNTING+
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD+

(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Canada Goose
TUNDRA SWAN
KING EIDER
Common Eider 
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
American Bittern
Rough-legged Hawk
Common Gallinule
Razorbill 
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
Red-headed Woodpecker
SEDGE WREN
Chipping Sparrow
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
VESPER SPARROW
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat


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, February 7, 2020 at 9:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are PAINTED BUNTING, VARIED THRUSH, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, SEDGE WREN, THICK-BILLED MURRE, BARNACLE and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE,  TUNDRA SWAN,  BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER and HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, CLAY-COLORED, GRASSHOPPER and VESPER SPARROWS and more.

Two lingering Brooklyn highlights feature the female-type PAINTED BUNTING present at least to Wednesday near Pier 4 at Brooklyn Bridge Park and the VARIED THRUSH continuing up to Wednesday around the Nethermead in Prospect Park.

A female-type YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen briefly Sunday in a large foraging flock visiting cornfields off Stephen Hands Path north of Sag Turnpike in East Hampton.

A SEDGE WREN, perhaps the one initially found late last December, has been heard and occasionally seen briefly from Sunday through Wednesday at the Arshamomaque Pond Preserve east of Southold on the North Fork.

Last Saturday afternoon a THICK-BILLED MURRE was spotted on the ocean swimming west off Jones Beach Field 6 and then Sunday morning was seen for a short while along the shoreline and off the seawall on the east side of Jones Inlet before disappearing.  Another THICK-BILLED MURRE appeared off Montauk Point last Sunday morning along with a few RAZORBILLS.

A BARNACLE GOOSE was noted last Saturday on the Riverhead sod fields in a CANADA GOOSE flock located off Osborn Avenue south of Sound Avenue.

Today a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE appeared on the ballfields at Valmont Village Park in Commack with some CANADA GOOSE, and another remains in the Rye area in southern Westchester.

Two TUNDRA SWANS were again on Sagg Pond in Bridgehampton Sunday, with presumably the same two on fields off Cook’s Lane in Watermill last Saturday.

A drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was still off Crab Meadow Beach in Northport last Sunday, while last Saturday a pair of BARROW’s occurred off the 3 Mile Harbor side of Sammy’s Beach in East Hampton, with the male noted through Monday.

The female KING EIDER was still along the east side of Shinnecock Inlet with COMMON EIDER through Tuesday, usually best viewed from the east side but also sometimes visible from the west side of the Inlet.

The young male HARLEQUIN DUCK was still around Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn today, and up to four continue off Orient Point, with two or more also around Jones Inlet, often at the Point Lookout jetties.

In Brooklyn an adult BLACK-HEADED GULL visited Prospect Park Lake last Saturday, with sightings also at Sheepshead Bay over last weekend and at Riis Park in Queens today.

An ICELAND GULL also continues to visit Sheepshead Bay, with another appearing on Central Park Reservoir last Saturday.

High counts of RAZORBILLS this week featured thirty off Breezy Point Sunday and six at Riis Park today.

A COMMON GALLINULE was still at Mill Pond Park in Bellmore Tuesday, one or two AMERICAN BITTERNS have been seen regularly off Dune Road west of Shinnecock Inlet, and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was spotted at the Calverton grasslands last Saturday.

Single RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were still in Central Park and Pelham Bay Park at least to Monday.

A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was present with CHIPPING SPARROWS at Moravian Cemetery on Staten Island Sunday and Monday, a VESPER SPARROW continued on Randall’s Island at least to Sunday, and a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW was still at Playland Park in Rye Wednesday.  

Among this week’s WARBLERS were a couple each of NASHVILLE and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and three ORANGE-CROWNEDS.

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
* Jan. 31, 2020
* NYNY2001.31

– Birds mentioned
THICK-BILLED MURRE+
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN+
BARNACLE GOOSE+
PAINTED BUNTING+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Razorbill
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
GLAUCOUS GULL
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
BLACK-HEADED GULL
EURASIAN WIGEON
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
HARLEQUIN DUCK
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
BRANT (subspecies “BLACK” BRANT)
Pink-footed Goose (deceased)
Tundra Swan
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
VESPER SPARROW
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
Nashville Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Palm 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/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, January 31st 2020 at 9pm. The highlights of today’s tape are PAINTED BUNTING, VARIED THRUSH, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, THICK-BILLED MURRE, BARNACLE GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, “BLACK” BRANT, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, ICELAND GULL, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, VESPER SPARROW and more.

This week there have been no reports of the PAINTED BUNTING at Jones Beach but the Brooklyn female plumaged PAINTED BUNTING was seen a few times at Brooklyn Bridge Park spotted Tuesday and Wednesday around Pier 3 after having been noted near Pier 5 last Sunday.

The VARIED THRUSH in Prospect Park remains around the Nethermead Arches and Ravine continuing to be elusive but still being found their with patience through today.

The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN visiting the Sayville area from Thursday the 23rd was seen Saturday and Sunday around the ponds at the San Souci County Nature Preserve on the north side of Montauk Highway just east of Old Broadway Avenue. The PELICAN was flying about regularly and has not been reported since Sunday though possibly still in the area.

Last Saturday’s storm did drive a THICK-BILLED MURRE or two into Long Island Sound with one noted Saturday in Port Jefferson Harbor this followed on Sunday by one photographed near the bridge at Pelham Bay Park adjacent to the landfill and another just beyond the New York line at Greenwich Point in Connecticut. There have been no reports since Sunday.

Last Saturday also produced some RAZORBILLS with 36 counted from Jacob Riis Park and 15 noted off Montauk Point. Single RAZORBILLS occurred off Coney Island Beach in Brooklyn last weekend and off Floyd Bennett Field Thursday and also off Staten Island during the week with one still off Playland Park in Rye today.

It was presumably the same two TUNDRA SWANS from Hook Pond last week that visited Sagg Pond in Bridgehampton last Sunday and as recently as yesterday. Four single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were noted this week including at Van Cortlandt Park at least to Wednesday, in the Rye area through today, at Sunken Meadow State Park yesterday and on Short’s Pond off Scuttlehole Road in Watermill from Wednesday on. BARNACLE GOOSE was not reported this week but should be looked for at Belmont Lake State Park and in the Riverhead Canada Goose flocks. The previously noted deceased PINK-FOOTED GOOSE was, we’ve learned, shot in Mattituck on December 7th and is bound for the American Museum of Natural History. A “BLACK” BRANT subspecies was spotted flying up to Floyd Bennett Field and then back out into Jamaica Bay on Thursday. A drake EURASIAN WIGEON continues around the Mill Pond in Centerport. Also noted farther up Centerport Harbor at Fleet’s Cove Beach Park on Sunday and the female was seen again Saturday at Bush Terminal Piers Park in Brooklyn. A drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE continues in the Common Goldeneye flock at Crab Meadow Beach north of Northport and a female was in Orient Bay off the East Marion causeway Tuesday. On Wednesday the immature male HARLEQUIN DUCK was still at Sheepshead Bay and 2 were at the Point Lookout jetties.

Of the gulls an adult BLACK-HEADED visited Sagg Pond Tuesday, a GLAUCOUS was seen Saturday and Thursday around Shinnecock Inlet, ICELAND included immatures on Central Park Reservoir Sunday and in Sheepshead Bay all week. A few LESSER BLACK-BACKED are scattered about the area and 4 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES were off Montauk Point last Saturday.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continue on Central Park’s north end and in Queens southeast of Forest Park with another seen today at Pelham Bay Park.

Continuing are a VESPER SPARROW on Randall’s Island and a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW at Playland Park in Rye.

Among several ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS continuing locally was one seen today at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in company with single NASHVILLE WARBLER and PALM WARBLERS.

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
* Jan. 24, 2020
* NYNY2001.24

– Birds mentioned
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN+
BARNACLE GOOSE+
PAINTED BUNTING+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Red-necked Grebe
Razorbill
Iceland Gull
BLACK-HEADED GULL
EURASIAN WIGEON
HARLEQUIN DUCK
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE (deceased)
TUNDRA SWAN
Rough-legged Hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Boat-tailed Grackle
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
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/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, January 24th 2020 at 9pm. The highlights of today’s tape are PAINTED BUNTING, VARIED THRUSH, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, BARNACLE GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, plus an apparent deceased PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, TUNDRA SWAN, EURASIAN WIGEON, HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW and more.

A female plumaged PAINTED BUNTING at Jones Beach was seen as recently as Wednesday in the shrubbery around the Children’s Playground that is next to the parking lot for the Gatsby Restaurant. This parking lot is off eastbound Ocean Parkway just west of the circle around Jones Beach water tower. Though the Brooklyn Bridge Park BUNTING was not reported this week the VARIED THRUSH in Prospect Park, after going unobserved for awhile, was refound Monday and seen daily through today still in the vicinity of the Nethermead Arches and Ravine.

Yesterday an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was spotted on Mill Pond in Sayville located on the north side of Montauk Highway. Today the PELICAN was moving around a bit returning a couple of times to Mill Pond but later in the day it seems to have settled onto the pond at the San Souci County Nature Preserve located a little east of Mill Pond but also on the north side of Montauk Highway.

We have received word of a PINK-FOOTED GOOSE shot by a hunter recently, the carcass on its way apparently to the American Museum of Natural History. But we as yet have no details.

BARNACLE GOOSE continues to visits Belmont Lake State Park roosting there overnight and seen on the lake at various times during the day. Out on eastern Long Island in the Riverhead area another BARNACLE GOOSE has been traveling with Canada Geese being seen at a few sites from the Northville Turnpike on Route 105 sod fields to areas further west including Doctor’s Path around Reeves Avenue and even as far as Hulse Landing Road. Perhaps more than one BARNACLE GOOSE is involved. Recent GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE include one today with a Snow Goose on Van Cortlandt Park lake in the Bronx these birds perhaps relocating from the Rye area, a group of 4 on Amawalk Reservoir in northern Westchester today, one in the Riverhead area recently and one at Hook Pond in East Hampton earlier in the week.. Two TUNDRA SWANS were also on Hook Pond on Tuesday. A female EURASIAN WIGEON was spotted again today at Bush Terminal Piers Park and the young male HARLEQUIN DUCK was still present today in Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay with 4 also continuing at Orient Point.

An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL remains around the sand spit off the Jones Beach West End Coast Guard Station with another still at Brooklyn Bridge Park Tuesday. ICELAND GULLS were noted this week in Brooklyn around the Sheepshead and Gravesend Bay area and at the Brooklyn Bridge Park with a report today also from Central Park Reservoir.

The occasional RAZORBILL has been appearing along the Brooklyn shoreline and 2 were reported off Pelham Bay Park today with many more along the Atlantic shore.

Single ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS continue along Ocean Parkway in the Captree area and around the Riverhead sod fields, a COMMON GALLINULE was still on the Bellmore Mill Pond Wednesday, a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues in Central Park’s north end and only a few RED-NECKED GREBE reports include singles at Breezy Point and Brooklyn’s Dead Horse Bay and at Montauk’s Culloden Point.

Amongst the interesting passerines were a LAPLAND LONGSPUR at Nickerson Beach last weekend, a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW remaining at Playland Park in Rye, a female BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE continuing in Central Park’s north end and up to 3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS together in the Willow Lake section of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park this week.

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
* Jan. 17, 2020
* NYNY2001.17 

BARNACLE GOOSE+
ATLANTIC PUFFIN+
PAINTED BUNTING+
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD+

(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Canada Goose
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
Common Eider 
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Common Goldeneye
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
NORTHERN FULMAR 
Rough-legged Hawk
Common Gallinule
DOVEKIE 
Razorbill 
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
BLACK-HEADED GULL
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Eastern Phoebe
Tree Swallow
Veery
Chipping Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Common Yellowthroat
Wilson’s Warbler

– Birds Mentioned

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, January 17, 2020 at 9:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are PAINTED BUNTING, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, DOVEKIE plus a boat trip that also included ATLANTIC PUFFIN, NORTHERN FULMAR and BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, BARNACLE and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK and EURASIAN WIGEON, BLACK-HEADED, GLAUCOUS and ICELAND GULLS, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, some lingering passerines and more.

Of the 2 female-plumaged PAINTED BUNTINGS recently in our area, the one at Brooklyn Bridge Park was seen as least to Tuesday around Pier 5, while the one at Jones Beach was still around the shrubbery by the playground just east of the Gatsby Restaurant and the West Bathhouse on Wednesday.

A female-type YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD reappeared Wednesday out in the Riverhead area, being seen in a large mixed Blackbird/Starling flock around the eastern section of Reeves Avenue east of Roanoke Avenue.

A DOVEKIE was seen inside Shinnecock Inlet last Sunday, with another reported Tuesday off Smith Point County Park in Shirley.

A fishing boat last Saturday out of Brielle, New Jersey, venturing into waters along the New York/New Jersey boundary, encountered hundreds of DOVEKIES as well as an ATLANTIC PUFFIN, some RAZORBILLS, 3 NORTHERN FULMARS and a few BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES.

RAZORBILLS have been occurring along the Atlantic Coast from Breezy Point and Riis Park out to Shinnecock and other Eastern Long Island sites; 1 also appeared in Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn mid-week, with a couple off Rye Playland in Long Island Sound recently..

A BARNACLE GOOSE continues to roost on the pond at Belmont Lake State Park, and another has been traveling in the large flock of CANADA GEESE around the Riverhead sod fields, especially near Route 105 or off Doctors Path to the west.  The fields near Osborne Avenue further west produced a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Tuesday, while another continues in the Rye area of Westchester, often on a pond off Bowman Avenue or on Playland Lake.

A drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE remains in a COMMON GOLDENEYE flock off Crab Meadow Beach in Northport, the flock often off the western sector of the beach, and a female BARROW’S was spotted again Sunday in Montauk’s Fort Pond Bay.

A female KING EIDER was found Saturday in a COMMON EIDER flock in Shinnecock Inlet that was near the rocks off the parking lot on the East side of the inlet – it was still reported there Tuesday.

A drake HARLEQUIN DUCK also continues around the Shinnecock Inlet jetties, with others around Jones Inlet and off Orient Point, and an immature male was still at Sheepshead Bay today.

A drake EURASIAN WIGEON was still on the Centerport Mill Pond Wednesday.

Adult BLACK-HEADED GULLS as recently as Wednesday were noted at Brooklyn Bridge Park and at Sheepshead Bay as well as around the spit off the Coast Guard Station at Jones Beach West End..

A GLAUCOUS GULL was spotted off the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge last Sunday, while ICELAND GULLS were noted at Sheepshead Bay, Floyd Bennett Field, Jacob Riis Park and out at Shinnecock Inlet.

Two LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were at Coney Island Beach Sunday.  

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was still along Ocean Parkway near Tobay today.

A COMMON GALLINULE remains on Mill Pond off Merrick Road in Bellmore, and a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was still at Central Park’s north end today..

A number of Passerines hanging out locally may be unfortunately in for a jolt with this upcoming storm; these include a VEERY and a COMMON YELLOWTHROAT in Bryant Park, a couple of VESPER SPARROWS on Randall’s Island, and a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW at Playland Park in Rye as well as a few EASTERN PHOEBES, TREE SWALLOWS, CHIPPING SPARROWS and the like.  The WILSON’S WARBLER in Prospect Park was last reported last Sunday.

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
* Jan. 10, 2020
* NYNY2001.10 

– Birds Mentioned

BARNACLE GOOSE+
THICK-BILLED MURRE+
VARIED THRUSH+
PAINTED BUNTING+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Cackling Goose
Canada Goose
EURASIAN WIGEON
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Bufflehead
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
Bald Eagle
Northern Goshawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Common Gallinule
Razorbill 
BLACK-HEADED GULL
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Snowy Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Red-headed Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Tree Swallow
House Wren
Snow Bunting
Vesper Sparrow
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
Yellow-breasted Chat
Orange-crowned Warbler
Wilson’s 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, January 10, 2020 at 9:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are PAINTED BUNTING, VARIED THRUSH, BARNACLE and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE and HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED, GLAUCOUS and ICELAND GULLS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, a belated THICK-BILLED MURRE and more.

Two lingering PAINTED BUNTINGS, both in female plumage though possibly immature males, were still present in our area today.  One has been visiting Brooklyn Bridge Park, where some other highlights today featured a continuing adult BLACK-HEADED GULL and three ICELAND GULLS, two of them adults.   The other BUNTING remains at Jones Beach State Park, often feeding along the edge of a small playground on the ocean side of the parking lot for the Gatsby Restaurant, which is next to the West Bathhouse just west of the Jones Beach water tower.

The VARIED THRUSH found December 29th in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, delighting birders when visible near the Nethermead Bridge, has not been reported since Tuesday, though it might still remain in the area.

A BARNACLE GOOSE continues to roost on the lake at Belmont Lake State Park; it has been fairly consistently seen in the morning, though it might at times be hidden for a while and will periodically fly out with CANADAS to feed elsewhere.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE remains in the Rye area, today appearing again on Playland Lake.  CACKLING GEESE were reported from at least seven different locations this week, including Hendrickson Park in Valley Stream and at Belmont Lake.

A EURASIAN WIGEON continues on the Mill Pond in Centerport on the north side of Route 25A. 

Two BARROW’S GOLDENEYES last Monday included a drake off Crab Meadow Beach in Northport and a female in Montauk’s Fort Pond Bay, both of these lingering birds, and on Tuesday another drake was spotted off Orchard Beach in Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx.

Last Sunday a young male HARLEQUIN DUCK was found in Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay, accompanying some BUFFLEHEAD off Emmons Avenue, and it was still present there today.  Other HARLEQUINS include a few around the jetties on either side of Jones inlet, one at the Shinnecock inlet jetties, and at least four continuing at Orient Point.

Another adult BLACK-HEADED GULL remains at Jones Beach West End, usually on the east side of the spit off of the Coast Guard station or even further down towards the Meadowbrook Bridge.

A GLAUCOUS GULL was spotted Saturday near the Ponquogue Bridge at Shinnecock, and other ICELAND GULLS in the Brooklyn area were noted near the HARLEQUIN DUCK in Sheepshead Bay Sunday and at Bush Terminal Piers Park Monday.

A few LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS are scattered about.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was still in the Cedar Beach area Tuesday, with another off Hulse Landing Road in Calverton last Sunday.

A COMMON GALLINULE continues among the variety of birds using the Bellmore Mill Pond off Merrick Road today.

On Wednesday RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were still at Central Park’s north end and Forest Park in Queens.

A few VESPER SPARROWS included one on Randall’s Island Tuesday, and a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW continues by Playland Lake in Rye.

Birds at Breezy Point Tuesday included 9 RAZORBILLS, 2 RED-NECKED GREBES, a BALD EAGLE, 8 TREE SWALLOWS and 12 SNOW BUNTINGS.

The Prospect Park WILSON’S WARBLER was last reported Sunday, and several ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were noted this week.

Two previously unreported Christmas Counts were Central Suffolk with 115 species on December 27th, featuring a THICK BILLED MURRE and 150 RAZORBILLS, 1 SNOWY and 6 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, and Quogue Watermill with 109 species on December 15th, including EURASIAN WIGEON, NORTHERN GOSHAWK, SNOWY and NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, EASTERN PHOEBE and HOUSE WREN. 

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
* Jan. 3, 2020
* NYNY2001.03

– Birds mentioned
WESTERN GREBE+
BARNACLE GOOSE+
PAINTED BUNTING+
TOWNSEND’S WARBLER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Red-necked Grebe
Razorbill
GLAUCOUS GULL
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
BLACK-HEADED GULL
EURASIAN WIGEON
Blue-winged Teal
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Common Eider
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE
American Bittern
Piping Plover
Barn Owl
Short-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Snowy Owl
Eastern Phoebe
Common Raven
Baltimore Oriole
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
Grasshopper Sparrow
SUMMER TANAGER
Nashville Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Yellow-breasted Chat
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, January 3rd 2020 at 8pm. The highlights of today’s tape are TOWNSEND’S WARBLER, PAINTED BUNTING, VARIED THRUSH, WESTERN GREBE, BARNACLE GOOSE, PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, ICELAND GULL, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, SUMMER TANAGER and much more.

An excellent array of rarities this week and it all began on the Southern Nassau Christmas Count held on Saturday December 28th which reported a high 135 species including 2 new to the all time count. On Saturday morning a female plumaged PAINTED BUNTING, possibly a young male, was spotted at Jones Beach State Park. That bird was still present today from Ocean Parkway just west of the Jones Beach water tower enter the parking lot for the Gatsby Restaurant, walk to the small playground on the ocean side of the parking lot and search especially the shrubby area on the north side of the playground where the BUNTING is often quietly eating goldenrod seed heads.

Later on Saturday afternoon a TOWNSEND’S WARBLER was found at Philip B. Healey Beach Park in Massapequa at the end of Florence Avenue. The warbler visited the few pine trees in the park through Sunday. It was also reported briefly on Monday and Wednesday but with no continuous sightings those 2 days despite intensive searching. Other notable finds on the Southern Nassau were HARLEQUIN DUCK around Jones Inlet, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, RED-NECKED GREBE, COMMON GALLINULE at Mill Pond Park in Bellmore, 99 RAZORBILLS, BLACK-HEADED GULL at Jones Beach West End, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL, AMERICAN BITTERN, NORTHERN, BARN and SHORT-EARED OWLS, SNOWY OWL during the count period, 16 COMMON RAVENS, NASHVILLE WARBLER and 3 ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT plus a count period GRASSHOPPER SPARROW.

Last Sunday in Prospect Park a VARIED THRUSH was uncovered and photographed and happily was still present today. The THRUSH can be quite elusive but today was again near the Nethermead Bridge towards Binnen Pool on the ravine side of the bridge.

On Wednesday afternoon a WESTERN GREBE was located on the ocean off the Point Lookout jetties on the west side of Jones Inlet. The bird drifted towards the inlet but could not be relocated on subsequent days.

Another PAINTED BUNTING and our area’s fifth since early November was found Sunday at Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn Heights. This BUNTING also still present today near Pier 5.

The Smithtown Christmas Count last Friday netted 106 species with a PINK-FOOTED GOOSE reported from Sunken Meadow State Park seen on the water course on the west side of the entrance bridge. Other count highlights included 7 COMMON EIDER, 2 RED-NECKED GREBES, 12 RAZORBILLS, BLACK-HEADED GULL, 4 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, EASTERN PHOEBE, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, BALTIMORE ORIOLE and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER.

Seen on the Orient Count last Saturday were 4 HARLEQUIN DUCKS at Orient Point, a PIPING PLOVER and a feeder visiting SUMMER TANAGER.

The BARNACLE GOOSE roosting at Belmont Lake State Park was still around Tuesday and one was spotted today in Riverhead east of Horton Avenue and north of Reeves Avenue. A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was at Hook Pond in East Hampton yesterday with another remaining in the Rye area. A drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE is back at Crab Meadow Beach in Northport with Common Goldeneye west of the beach and a HARLEQUIN DUCK is also at Shinnecock Inlet. Recent EURASIAN WIGEON have been at Mill Pond in Centerport and Avon Lake in Amityville.

Sixty-seven RAZORBILLS were counted off Breezy Point Wednesday, a GLAUCOUS GULL visited Jones Beach field 10 Wednesday, a few ICELAND GULLS are around and BLACK-HEADED GULL has been seen recently at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Setauket Harbor.

A LAPLAND LONGSPUR pwas found with Horned Larks at Jones Beach West End Wednesday.

YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS continue at Bellmore’s Mill Pond Park and at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye.

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