Staten Island with Seth Wollney, 10/08/2022

Registrar: Judy Rabi
Participants: 8
Weather: Sunny, 59-62 degrees, winds north by northwest 8-15 mph
Bird Species: 71

We started our day at Conference House Park on the southeastern edge of Staten Island. As we walked the paths of the park we spotted many species of warblers, including Cape May, Blackpoll, Nashville, and Pine. There were also a variety of other song birds: Purple Finch, Indigo Bunting, Lincoln Sparrow, Belted Kingfisher, etc. While we did see a Swainson’s Thrush, we were surprised that at this date not a single Hermit Thrush was seen. Several species of raptors, including Bald Eagle (mature and immature), Merlin, American Kestrel, migrating Sharp-shinned Hawks, and Osprey were spotted. A Green Heron, well hidden behind a tree in a marshy area, was present. One of the most interesting sights, seen each year, was the incredible number of migrating Blue Jays pirouetting through the sky in wave after wave. At the Conference House itself, Seth shared with us the history of this 18th-century home, as well as that of other significant historical figures and sites on Staten Island. From the Conference House we made our way to Great Kills. We were more than excited to see two Common Nighthawks here, one flying very high and the other quite low and missing its tail.

Our last stop was Miller’s Field. This year only one shorebird was seen at the pond, a Semipalmated Sandpiper, missing part of its left leg. A rewarding end to our day were the White-crowned and Clay-colored Sparrows feeding among more common sparrows.

A huge thank you to Seth whose incredible birding skills and knowledge of the flora, fauna, and history of Staten Island added so much to our birding experience.

Species Lists

Birds
Brant
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Mallard
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Great Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Green Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow 
House Finch
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-crowned Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Black-and-white Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Indigo Bunting

Randall’s Island Partnership Walk with LatinoOutdoors NYC with Rochelle Thomas, 10/8/2022

Registrar: Mary Beth Kooper
Participants: 3
Weather: Clear skies, 50 – 55°F, Moderate NW wind
Bird Species: 53

Species List

Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Mourning Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Tufted Titmouse
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Magnolia Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Dickcissel

Central Park–East Side with Janet Wooten, 9/27/2022

Registrar: Janet Wooten
Participants: 16
Weather: Sunny, 64F, WSW winds, 10mph
Bird Species: 56 species (+2 other taxa)

A beautiful late September morning yielded wonderful birding. Along our usual route from the Boathouse to Evodia field, we spotted our first Eastern Towhee of the season, a female, and a Gray-cheeked Thrush. We moved on to the Maintenance Meadow where we were treated to close views of warblers including Nashville, Magnolia, Tennessee, Chestnut-sided, Northern Parula, Ovenbird, and American Redstart. Brown Thrashers bolted through the trees and Northern Flickers streaked through the air.

Our next stop was Tupelo Meadow. Right away, two rare Yellow-billed Cuckoos flew in together, offering excellent views! American Robins and Gray Catbirds surrounded a Rose-breasted Grosbeak in the Tupelo tree while several Swainson’s Thrushes and a Wood Thrush foraged on the ground below.

We stopped at the Overlook in the Ramble, where Cape May, Black-and-white, and Black-throated Blue Warblers chased insects with a small Empidonax flycatcher that could have been a Least Flycatcher. We also noted our first Central Park Yellow-rumped Warblers of the season here.

As we headed towards the Swedish Cottage, we could hear a Red-breasted Nuthatch call. On our way to Sparrow Rock we spotted another Yellow-Billed Cuckoo near the Delacorte Theatre!

We concluded the walk at the Pinetum with nice views of Pine and Blackpoll Warblers, and several Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. With a tally of 14 warbler species and satisfying views of three Yellow-billed Cuckoos, our field trip was a success. You can view the detailed checklist here.

Species Lists

Birds
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Herring Gull
Larus sp.
Double-crested Cormorant
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Empidonax sp.
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Winter Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson’s Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Baltimore Oriole
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Butterflies
Monarch
Cabbage White
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Central Park with Alice Deutsch, Kevin Sisco, and Will Papp, 9/27/2022

Registrar: Steve Holleran
Participants: 37
Weather: Perfect
Bird Species: 69

On a gorgeous fall morning we set out in three groups and found a total of 69 bird species, including 18 warblers. Several Yellow-billed Cuckoos were spotted, and one lucky group had repeated sightings of a Summer Tanager near the Shakespeare Garden. 

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Empidonax sp.
Eastern Phoebe
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Swainson’s Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Baltimore Oriole
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Beginners Walk, Central Park North Woods with Linda LaBella and Evelyn Huang, 9/25/2022

Registrar: Evelyn Huang
Participants: 9
Weather: 61°F; mostly cloudy, light SW winds
Bird Species: 37

The group met at the entrance to Central Park’s North Woods at 103rd Street and Central Park West. We started by reviewing use of binoculars, field guides, and field marks. We walked down to the north end of the Pool area, where we found a lot of bird activity, including Scarlet Tanagers and a Prairie Warbler, as well as Magnolia Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, and Northern Waterthrushes. We walked to the southern end of the Pool, and then proceeded into the Loch. We ended the walk a little after 11 am at the Loch Overlook, where we saw two Brown Thrashers. 

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Gadwall
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Double-crested Cormorant
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Common Grackle
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Family Walk with Eric Ozawa, 9/24/2022

Registrar: Amanda Bielskas
Weather: Beautiful early fall day
Participants: 7
Bird species: 35

This was the first LSNY Family Walk, hopefully we will offer one again. We met on the Great Hill, near the restrooms at 10:30am and since the area was quite birdy we stayed up there for a while. On the Great Hill we observed several warbler species, a Brown Thrasher, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and had several kettles of Broad-winged Hawks flyover. We then walked down to the Pool and through the paths of the Loch before circling back to our starting point. We totaled 35 species for the morning and fun was had by all!

Species Lists
American Redstart
American Robin
Baltimore Oriole
Black-and-white Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blue Jay
Broad-winged Hawk
Brown Thrasher
Canada Goose
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chimney Swift
Common Grackle
Common Yellowthroat
Double-crested Cormorant
Eastern Phoebe
Gray Catbird
Gray-cheeked Thrush
House Sparrow
Magnolia Warbler
Mourning Dove
Northern Cardinal
Northern Flicker
Northern Waterthrush
Peregrine Falcon
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Swainson’s Thrush
Tennessee Warbler
White-throated Sparrow
Winter Wren
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Watch Hill, Fire Island with Paul Sweet, 9/24/2022

Registrar: Nick Dawson
Participants: 10
Weather: 65 F, sunny, breezy
Bird species: 66

A small but hardy bunch of participants braved the trek from the five boroughs to the Watch Hill Ferry Terminal in Patchogue, where we embarked on the boat taking us to Fire Island. On board, we were treated to good looks at Royal Terns, and a Belted Kingfisher and a (seemingly ailing) Common Loon were the waiting to welcome us as we made landfall.

On the island itself, our leader Paul Sweet guided us around a mix of different habits, all offering up a different menu of birds. In small groups of trees, we saw an array of foraging warblers, including Cape May and Pine, while other migratory passerines included Rose-breasted Grosbeak and an injured Scarlet Tanager which some of the group took back to Wild Bird Fund in Manhattan! On the beach, our gull haul included almost as many Lesser Black-backed as the much more common Great Black-backed, a rare situation particular to Fire Island. Overhead, we saw Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Peregrine Falcom, American Kestrel and Bald Eagle, while one Merlin after another passed through — sometimes hunting, sometimes not — on their migratory journeys south. In the marshy area of Watch Hill, we had lingering looks at a number of Saltmarsh Sparrows, but were unable to see any of its Ammospiza cousin, the Seaside Sparrow, which was being too furtive to be evident. Other highlights included a brace of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and a Great Cormorant in amongst a slew of Double-cresteds.

Species List

Birds
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Mallard
Green-winged Teal
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Forster’s Tern
Royal Tern
Common Loon
Great Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Fish Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tree Swallow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
White-throated Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Fall Migration at Randall’s Island with Andrew Farnsworth, 9/21/2022

Registrar: Mary Beth Kooper
Participants: 8
Weather: 64 – 73°F, light NW wind
Bird Species: 43

We were very fortunate to have Andrew Farnsworth lead this walk for our organization. Andrew directs the BirdCast Project, a collaboration between ornithologists and computer scientists to forecast bird migration. Our field trip got off to an exciting start when participant Junko Suzuki found a first for the county—a Buff-breasted Sandpiper—before the trip even began! We were treated to great views of this special visitor to the county, and for several in our group, it was a life bird. While we were watching it, a Peregrine Falcon flew over, and the sandpiper froze still on the grass. Andrew explained that this was typical behavior for this species: freezing in place when it senses danger, rather than flying off.

After some time spent examining and learning about the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, we started exploring the northeastern end of the island. We soon found some Savannah Sparrows, and Andrew helped us focus on certain features (short tail and crisp breast streaking) in order to quickly differentiate this sparrow from the more commonly seen Song Sparrow (longer tail, coarser breast streaking).

After covering the northeastern part of the island we headed west, walking down to Little Hell Gate Marsh and then up to the north side of the Freshwater Wetlands. Finally, we walked back to the fields in the northeast to end the trip, after seeing a nice variety of species and learning a great deal from our expert leader.

Species List

Birds
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Laughing Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
House Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal