Registrar: Richard Davis Participants: 71 Weather: 60–66 F, wind SW 7–10 mph, overcast Bird Species: 61
Seventy-one participants, including a visitor from California and another from Scotland, gathered under overcast skies for our second-to-last spring-season bird walk. Five groups covered Central Park from Strawberry Fields to the Reservoir, with a heavy focus on the Ramble.
With a Mourning Warbler already reported at the Point, at least one leader led his group there directly. That warbler, a lifer for many, was happily seen by all the groups, as were another ten warbler species in that same location. It was also fun to observe fledgling American Robins and nesting Great Crested Flycatchers and Baltimore Orioles. Species Lists
Birds Canada Goose Wood Duck Mallard Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Black-billed Cuckoo Chimney Swift Laughing Gull Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Double-crested Cormorant Great Egret Black-crowned Night-Heron Osprey Red-tailed Hawk Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Peregrine Falcon Eastern Wood-Pewee Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow House Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Veery Gray-cheeked Thrush Swainson’s Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Cedar Waxwing House Sparrow House Finch White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Eastern Towhee Baltimore Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Black-and-white Warbler Mourning Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Yellow Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Canada Warbler Northern Cardinal
Registrar: Mary Beth Kooper Report by: Tod Winston Participants: 8 Weather: 65–88 F, light southerly winds Bird Species: 60
The Shawangunk Grasslands did not disappoint, and our early arrival allowed us to keep cool (for a while, at least) as we enjoyed a chorus of birdsong. The songs of Bobolinks, Grasshopper Sparrows, and Eastern Meadowlark rang out across the fields, and we quickly got good and often close views of all three target species. We also got great views of a bunch of cavity-nesting species: Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, and House Wren. Overhead and in the distance, raptors included American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk (which also treated us to a close-up), a high-flying Northern Harrier, both Turkey and Black Vultures, and Bald Eagle. A walk to the pond and marsh area netted us some new birds: both Baltimore and (young male) Orchard Oriole, Willow Flycatcher, and an elusive Blue-winged Warbler.
Blue Chip Farms sadly provided a lot more European Starlings than bluebirds, but we did witness a kerfuffle over some sort of mangled prey, involving a Common Raven, American Crow, Turkey Vulture, and (ultimately triumphant) Bald Eagle. We also heard the distant song of several Savannah Sparrows, which for reasons unknown were absent at the grasslands.
A final hike around Liberty Marsh in Wallkill River NWR did not net us some sought-after Sandhill Cranes, but our sweating did pay off with Common Gallinule, another Bald Eagle, and the singing of Marsh Wren, Scarlet Tanager, and Swamp Sparrow–plus a nesting Baltimore Oriole. We hoped to turn an ambiguous Empidonax song into an Alder Flycatcher, but it seemed more likely to be a shortened, odd Willow Flycatcher song variant.
All in all, we tallied 60 bird species between the three stops. You can see our eBird Trip Report and Checklists at https://ebird.org/tripreport/58891.
Species Lists Birds Canada Goose Mute Swan Mallard Mourning Dove Common Gallinule Great Blue Heron Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Northern Harrier Bald Eagle Red-tailed Hawk Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker American Kestrel Eastern Wood-Pewee Willow Flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Purple Martin Tree Swallow Barn Swallow House Wren Marsh Wren Carolina Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Northern Mockingbird Eastern Bluebird American Robin Cedar Waxwing House Sparrow House Finch American Goldfinch Grasshopper Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Eastern Towhee Bobolink Eastern Meadowlark Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Common Grackle Blue-winged Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Yellow Warbler Scarlet Tanager Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Registrar: Steve Holleran Participants: 55 Weather: Cool and sunny, warming to mid 70’s Bird Species: 69
It was a wonderful day with beautiful weather and birds all around! Five groups explored the Park from the Ramble up to the North Woods and reported a total of 69 bird species, including 19 warblers. Some notable sightings included the Tennessee and Mourning Warblers, a Yellow-throated Vireo, and a Summer Tanager.
Species Lists
Birds Canada Goose Gadwall Mallard Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Chimney Swift Spotted Sandpiper Laughing Gull Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Double-crested Cormorant Great Egret Black-crowned Night-Heron Osprey Red-tailed Hawk Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Eastern Wood-Pewee Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow House Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Veery Swainson’s Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Cedar Waxwing House Sparrow House Finch American Goldfinch White-throated Sparrow Eastern Towhee Baltimore Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Black-and-white Warbler Tennessee Warbler Mourning Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Yellow Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Canada Warbler Wilson’s Warbler Summer Tanager Scarlet Tanager Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Registrar: Miriam Rakowski Participants: 13 Weather: Cloudy, then sunny in the afternoon, temperatures 66-75; winds SW 2– 8 mph Bird Species: 50
As soon as we arrived at the parking area near the foot of Doodletown Road, we heard Yellow Warblers singing and saw a kingbird and a male Orchard Oriole. Doodletown, an abandoned Colonial village, attracts a wide host of nesting migrants. We heard multiple Cerulean Warblers, and even saw a few. The Scarlet Tanagers and Baltimore Orioles were singing and showing themselves off splendidly in their bright breeding plumage. Certainly we heard many more birds than we saw.
Species Lists
Birds Canada Goose Wood Duck Mallard Mourning Dove Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Red-tailed Hawk Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Eastern Phoebe Eastern Kingbird Yellow-throated Vireo Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Tree Swallow Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Carolina Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Wood Thrush American Robin Cedar Waxwing American Goldfinch Eastern Towhee Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Common Grackle Worm-eating Warbler Blue-winged Warbler Hooded Warbler American Redstart Cerulean Warbler Magnolia Warbler Yellow Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Scarlet Tanager Northern Cardinal
Butterflies Morning Cloak Cabbage White Juvenal’s Duskywing
Six groups (some with more than one leader) headed out to Strawberry Fields and then dispersed, with some going to Falconer’s, the Croquet Courts, and the Ramble, others heading toward Triplets’ Bridge and the Shakespeare Garden, and some travelling from the Ramble to the Reservoir and all the way to the North End, spending nine hours in the Park!
Highlights included 21 species of warbler, including Worm-eating, Blackburnian, Tennessee, Wilson’s and Cape May; as well as the Red-headed Woodpecker that had been reported in the Loch, a Lincoln’s Sparrow, and some White-crowned Sparrows.
Species Lists
Birds Canada Goose Gadwall Mallard American Black Duck Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird American Coot Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Double-crested Cormorant Great Egret Green Heron Black-crowned Night-Heron Osprey Bald Eagle Red-tailed Hawk Red-headed Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Peregrine Falcon Least Flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Barn Swallow Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher House Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Northern Mockingbird Veery Swainson’s Thrush Hermit Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Cedar Waxwing House Sparrow House Finch American Goldfinch Chipping Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco White-crowned Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln’s Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Eastern Towhee Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Ovenbird Worm-eating Warbler Louisiana Waterthrush Northern Waterthrush Blue-winged Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Tennessee Warbler Nashville Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Cape May Warbler Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Yellow Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Prairie Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Wilson’s Warbler Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak
John guided us on Haven Road, the Nature Trail, and the Horseshoe Trail and parking area. Birds were singing everywhere. John shared the history of the development of the Marsh with us as well as some of the changes in birds’ breeding patterns and populations. We saw Bald Eagles soaring and their nest. Yellow Warblers were everywhere. A special treat was the Cerulean Warbler. John led us up and down the road until we all had good views of it.
Some of us followed John’s suggestions for the afternoon and birded the Deli fields and Stop Sign Trails.
It was a wonderful day!
Species Lists
Birds Canada Goose Wood Duck Mallard Ring-necked Duck Mourning Dove Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird Common Gallinule Solitary Sandpiper Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Broad-winged Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Northern Flicker Merlin Least Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Ruby-crowned Kinglet White-breasted Nuthatch Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Gray Catbird Eastern Bluebird Veery Swainson’s Thrush American Robin American Goldfinch Chipping Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Eastern Towhee Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Common Grackle Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Blue-winged Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Cape May Warbler Cerulean Warbler Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Yellow Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Palm Warbler Pine Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Prairie Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Canada Warbler Northern Cardinal
One could sense the excitement in the air when we met this morning to begin our bird walk. Rumors were abounding about what was being seen in Strawberry Fields, so at 7:30 am, that is where all five groups headed. It did not disappoint. Bird species seen there included Least Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Northern Parula, and American Redstart. After spending some time in Strawberry Fields, the groups split up and departed, each to different parts of the park. As you can see from the bird list, it appears that every bird species present in the Park was seen by at least one of the groups. All in all, it was a glorious morning.
Species List Birds Canada Goose Northern Shoveler Gadwall Mallard Bufflehead Ruddy Duck Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Yellow-billed Cuckoo Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Double-crested Cormorant Green Heron Osprey Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker American Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Least Flycatcher Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Ruby-crowned Kinglet Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Blue-gray Gnatcatcher House Wren Winter Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Veery Hermit Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Cedar Waxwing House Sparrow House Finch American Goldfinch Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow Lincoln’s Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Eastern Towhee Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Ovenbird Louisiana Waterthrush Northern Waterthrush Blue-winged Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Tennessee Warbler Nashville Warbler Common Yellowthroat Hooded Warbler American Redstart Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Yellow Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Palm Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Prairie Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Scarlet Tanager Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Registrar: Evelyn Huang Participants: 40 Weather: 49-63° F; clear, mostly sunny; light winds from the north Bird Species: 60
Due to the high number of registrants, our leader Ursula arranged for a second group to go out with Michelle and Evelyn, and we were able to have 40 participants (including the leaders). The first group set off from 108th Street and Central Park West at 7:30 am and the second group departed 7:45, following the same route. Ursula had thoughtfully mapped a route that started with the less well-known birding hotspots and ended at the popular Loch and Pool.
Both the weather and the birds favored us. The sunny spring morning started out brisk and warmed to the mid-60s by early afternoon. Many new species of warblers seem to have arrived overnight, as the day before had been pretty quiet, with few birds in the park.
The route started with the Great Hill (and bathrooms) and proceeded to cover the Children’s Glades, the South Blowdown, the Pool, the Balancing Rock, the Jughandles, the East Blowdown, the High Meadow, the Lily Ponds, the Block House, the Loch, the Wildflower Meadow, the Grassy Knoll, the Compost Pile, the Nursery, the Conservatory Garden (another bathroom opportunity), the Harlem Meer, the Green Bench, and, again, the Loch and the Pool.
At the Great Hill, one group saw a Blue-winged Warbler, and the other group the first of three Scarlet Tanagers they would see that day; it was a good sign for the rest of the walk. At the Balancing Rock, both groups found Blackburnian and Prairie Warblers, as well as a Black-throated Green Warbler and a Northern Parula. Eastern Towhees appeared in good numbers, and there were numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets throughout the walk. After emerging onto the road from the Block House, Ursula’s group found a Yellow-throated Vireo. Although the second group searched for it, they did not see the Vireo, but they did see a Blue-winged Warbler, which they had not found at the Great Hill. Everyone saw the Green Heron which had been at the Loch a few days, and also Black-throated Blue Warblers and an Ovenbird. Although we searched for the Hooded Warbler that had been seen at the Loch by others earlier that morning, we did not find it. At the Conservatory Garden, we found a Wood Thrush and House Wren and ate the lunch or snacks we’d brought while admiring the secret tulip garden under the wisteria trellises. From there we also got some good views of the Red-tailed Hawk’s nest on the Terence Cardinal Cooke building at 105th Street and Fifth Avenue, where two adult hawks were on their nest, one clearly feeding at least one chick.
We ended the walk a little after 1 pm. Half the participants having left earlier, the two groups had earlier merged into one group of 20 birders, who all expressed satisfaction with a very enjoyable day of birding.
Thanks to all the avid birders who participated and a huge thanks to Ursula and Michelle for sharing your expertise and knowledge of the North Woods with us.
Species Lists
Birds Canada Goose Mallard Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Chimney Swift Ring-billed Gull Double-crested Cormorant Great Egret Green Heron Red-tailed Hawk Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Tree Swallow Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher House Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Veery Hermit Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Cedar Waxwing House Sparrow House Finch American Goldfinch Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Eastern Towhee Baltimore Oriole Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Common Grackle Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Blue-winged Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Northern Parula Blackburnian Warbler Yellow Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Palm Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Prairie Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Scarlet Tanager Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak
