Watch Hill, Fire Island with Paul Sweet, 9/25/2021

Registrar: Nancy Shamban
Participants: 16
Weather: Sunny and beautiful, in the mid 70s
Bird Species: 52

The group met in Patchogue, LI, where we took the ferry to Watch Hill for a lovely day with the very knowledgeable Paul Sweet and two of his friends, who also contributed expertise. We birded for about five hours, including a lunch break, mostly on a boardwalk that encircles a salt marsh. And guess what was hiding there? Saltmarsh Sparrows! We got some very good looks at them.
The rest of the time was spent on the beach, observing lots of Sanderlings and a Common Eider that flew right past us. This was a really special trip.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Mallard
Common Eider
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Sanderling
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull 
Great Black-backed Gull
Royal Tern
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Osprey
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Merlin
Eastern Phoebe
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Brown Creeper
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Sparrow genus Spizella sp.
Saltmarsh Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Palm Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Indigo Bunting

Butterflies
Cabbage White
Cloudless Sulphur
American Copper
Monarch

Odonates
Common Green Darner
Black Saddlebags
Seaside Dragonlet

Others
Praying Mantis
Seaside Grasshopper

Mammals
White-tailed Deer
Dolphin sp.

Central Park with Alice Deutsch, Kevin Sisco, Janet Wooten, and Richard Lieberman, 9/21/2021

Registrar: Steve Holleran
Participants: 65
Weather: Cool and sunny, warming to low 70’s
Bird Species: 57

While numbers were down from last Tuesday morning’s spectacular outing, our four groups logged a total of 57 species, including 12 warblers, plus hummingbirds, an Osprey, and Cedar Waxwings. Recent arrivals, such as Brown Creeper, White-throated Sparrows, and Lincoln’s Sparrows, offered signs of things to come.

Species Lists 

Birds 
Canada Goose
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Osprey
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Peregrine Falcon
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Swainson’s Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing 
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
White-throated Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Palm Warbler
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Prospect Park with Tom Stephenson, 9/19/2021

Registrar: Crystal Thiele
Participants: 17
Weather: Clear, warm
Bird Species: 56

After meeting Tom Stephenson near the Grand Army entrance at 7:30 am, we first headed to the Rose Garden and the Vale of Cashmere; they were both very birdy, giving us good looks at many warblers. From there, we crossed Nellie’s Lawn to the Picnic House. The Sparrow Bowl nearby had several flycatchers, including Eastern Wood-Pewees and a Least Flycatcher. Behind the Well House, we saw a Lincoln’s Sparrow and a very cooperative Tennessee Warbler.

The Lake was quiet, so we headed to the Peninsula, where we saw more warblers, but the activity had mostly finished for the day. Looping north via the Lullwater, we encountered a frustrating thrush that wouldn’t give us good enough views to identify it, as well as our first Northern Waterthrush of the day.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Wood Duck
Mallard
Green-winged Teal
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Alder/Willow Flycatcher sp.
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Veery
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
White-throated Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Mammals
Eastern Chipmunk
Eastern Gray Squirrel

Herps
Red-eared Slider

Butterflies
Cabbage White
Eastern Tailed Blue
Monarch 

Odonates
Common Green Darner
Slaty Skimmer
Wandering Glider

Other Insects & Invertebrates
Cicada sp. (h)
Cricket sp. (h)
Orb Weaver Spider sp. & web

Green-Wood Cemetery with Rob Jett, 9/18/2021

Registrar: Barbara Saunders
Participants: 16
Weather: 75 degrees F, sunny and clear, 4 mph northerly winds
Bird Species: 49

Birding in Green-Wood Cemetery is always a delight, especially in September. On this sunny morning, trip leader Rob Jett led us up grassy ridges, around weathered monuments, and through leafy, wooded areas in search of fall migrants. Although it seemed a slow day, we ultimately glimpsed 49 bird species! We all agreed the Yellow-billed Cuckoo was a treat to see—first, silhouetted against the sky, and then in full view. We later spied many warblers—American Redstarts, Common Yellowthroats, Northern Parulas, and Palm Warblers, to name a few—all busily hunting for insects. Unfortunately, last week’s Townsend’s Warbler had moved on, but after much patient watching, we were rewarded with a Blue Grosbeak in the trees and grass just east of Sylvan Water—a female type, but since some observers noted blue on the wings, it was likely a young male.

Always an awesome sight, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds zipped from flower to flower in their quest for nectar. And, of course, Green-Wood wouldn’t be Green-Wood without the multitude of Monk Parakeets screeching away in their massive stick “condo” above the cemetery’s main entrance. Towards the end of our morning, another highlight was the beautiful American Kestrel perched atop a cross—a fitting guardian of Green-Wood. Happily exhausted, we all agreed it was a great early fall day of birding in this diverse and bird-rich gem of Brooklyn.


Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Herring Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Monk Parakeet
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Yellow-throated Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (h)
House Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Swainson’s Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch (h)
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Yellow-breasted Chat
Brown-headed Cowbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Blue Grosbeak

Butterflies
American Lady
Sachem Skipper
Monarch
Eastern Tailed-blue
Cloudless Sulphur
Cabbage White
Painted Lady
Black Swallowtail
Spicebush Swallowtail
Orange Sulphur

Odonates
Familiar Bluet
Common Green Darner
Blue Dasher

Herps
Red-eared Slider
Snapping Turtle
Italian Wall Lizard

Mammals
Eastern Gray Squirrel

Central Park with Richard Lieberman, Will Papp, Kevin Sisco, and Janet Wooten, 9/14/2021

Registrar: Kristin Ellington
Participants: 58
Weather: Clear and sunny, warming to 75 degrees; westerly winds at 14 mph
Bird Species: 75

What a wonderful day in Central Park, with many seasoned and several newer birders gathered to witness the wonder of fall migration. The four LSNY groups birded for almost five hours, starting at Strawberry Fields and moving on to Hernshead, Triplets Bridge, the Shakespeare Garden, Belvedere Castle, Tupelo Meadow, Azalea Pond, the maintenance field, and the Ramble. Along the way, we noted a total of 75 species, including an exciting 21 warblers, five flycatchers, four thrushes, a Black-billed Cuckoo and an early Lincoln’s Sparrow. 


Species List 
Canada Goose
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Osprey
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Peregrine Falcon
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Empidonax sp.
Great Crested Flycatcher
White-eyed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Alley Pond Park and Kissena Park with Alan Drogin, 9/11/2021

Registrar: Miriam Rakowski
Participants: 9
Weather: 64-78 degrees, sunny, winds SW 3-7 mph
Bird Species: 48

We began at Alley Pond Park on a sunny, beautiful morning. We saw a good variety of fall migrants: several Northern Parulas and Red-eyed Vireos bobbed in the sun, chasing insects, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were feeding in the Jewelweed.

Because of the recent intense rains, the pine-tree area was flooded, creating a shallow pool. It attracted many warblers to drink and bathe, allowing us close looks at Northern Waterthrush, Magnolia Warbler, and American Redstart, among others. Later on we saw a Scarlet Tanager and a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, both in the very same tree.

At Kissena Park, we watched a Blackburnian Warbler darting about in the crown of tall oak tree. Near the lake, we saw an array of other warblers, including a Blackpoll—a first sighting this fall for many.

Species Lists

Birds
Canada Goose
Mute Swan
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ring-billed Gull
Great Blue Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Great Crested Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Butterflies
Black Swallow Tail
Monarch
Cabbage White

Rockefeller State Park Preserve with Anne Swaim, 9/8/2021

Registrar: Vicki Seabrook
Participants: 8
Weather: Sunny, low 80’s, southern winds, 5-14 mph
Bird Species: 48

Our first Linnaean field trip to Rockefeller State Park started right on time at 7:30am. We had lots of good looks at many birds beginning with Cedar Waxwings in the parking lot. We walked several of the wide, carriage trails and experienced beautiful scenic views. It was a lovely day and a lovely walk, led by Anne Swaim, executive director of Saw Mill River Audubon.

Species Lists

Birds
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Eastern Phoebe
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
House Wren
Carolina Wren
Gray Catbird
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
House Finch
American Goldfinch
Baltimore Oriole
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
Bay-breasted Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal

Central Park with Richard Lieberman, Kevin Sisco and Janet Wooten, 9/7/2021

Registrar: Debbie Mullins
Participants: 44
Weather: 65 degrees, clear, winds NW, 3 mph 
Total Species: 45

This outing was the first of this year’s fall migration walks in Central Park. After the summer hiatus, we were excited to be back in the park and to have a lovely cool and clear day. To ensure that participants were safely distanced from one another, we divided into three groups and birded Strawberry Fields, Turtle Pond, Shakespeare Garden and the Ramble. Warblers began passing through New York City in August, so it was not a surprise that we observed 11 warbler species, as well as other migrants and year-round resident birds. Unfortunately, the invasive spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) has reached Central Park and several were seen on the walk.

Species List 

Birds 
Canada Goose
Mallard
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Gull Species
Red-tailed Hawk 
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Empidonax Species
Great Crested Flycatcher
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
White-breasted Nuthatch
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Veery
Swainson’s Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
Baltimore Oriole
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Ovenbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler 
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal