-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Apr. 14, 2023
* NYNY2304.14
– Birds Mentioned
MOTTLED DUCK+
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE+
SWAINSON’S HAWK+
SMITH’S LONGSPUR+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
Red-necked Grebe
Long-billed Dowitcher
Willet
Iceland Gull
American Bittern
LEAST BITTERN
GOLDEN EAGLE
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Yellow-throated Vireo
Purple Finch
RED CROSSBILL
Pine Siskin
Vesper Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
Northern Waterthrush
Orange-crowned Warbler
Hooded Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at http://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 14, 2023 at 8:00 p.m.
The highlights of today’s tape are SMITH’S LONGSPUR, MOTTLED DUCK, WESTERN TANAGER, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, reports of SWALLOW-TAILED KITE and SWAINSON’S HAWK, GOLDEN EAGLE, LEAST BITTERN, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, RED CROSSBILL, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER and more.
This Friday morning a nicely plumaged SMITH’S LONGSPUR, likely a first-year male, was found on the northwestern ballfields at Randall’s Island Park. The bird moved around the area for a while, seemingly skittish in the heat, but shortly after noon flew off towards the Bronx Kill and could not be relocated thereafter.
The drake MOTTLED DUCK was still present late Friday afternoon on Avon Lake in Amityville, where it is often seen towards the south end of the lake, best viewed from East Lake Drive since it at times is concealed in vegetation on the lake’s west side.
A WESTERN TANAGER visiting a private Brooklyn feeder for a short while was last noted on Tuesday, and last Friday’s female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen at Croton Point Park again briefly in flight Monday morning but not thereafter.
Two interesting raptor reports this week, both from Wednesday, mentioned a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE flying over Sayville on Long Island and an adult light-phase SWAINSON’S HAWK on Staten Island heading northeast over Eltingville a little southwest of Great Kills Park. The KITE follows a Dutchess County report from late last week.
An immature GOLDEN EAGLE was photographed Monday over the Paumanok Trail near Jones Pond off Schultz Road in Manorville, this location also still hosting up to seven RED CROSSBILLS recently.
A LEAST BITTERN was spotted at City Island in the Bronx last Saturday, and an AMERICAN BITTERN visited Central Park’s Ramble today.
An immature ICELAND GULL was still present at West Harlem Piers Park in northern Manhattan last Sunday, and two LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS continued visiting the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at least to Tuesday, while a RED-NECKED GREBE was noted out on Gardiner’s Bay yesterday.
The Marine Park RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was still present in Brooklyn yesterday, continuing near the intersection of Stuart Street and Avenue T.
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER continues at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River, where they do nest and should not be harassed at all, and another was spotted in Prospect Park yesterday.
Single VESPER SPARROWS were present in Central Park Tuesday and on Randall’s Island today, and several overwintering ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS continue locally.|
Among more recent arrivals into our region have been WILLET, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, SEASIDE SPARROW, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and a male HOODED WARBLER in Central Park from Monday. Also moving through as they head back north have been some PURPLE FINCHES and a few PINE SISKINS.
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