-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Aug. 8, 2025
* NYNY2508.08
– Birds Mentioned
WHITE IBIS+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)
Mute Swan
BLACK-NECKED STILT
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER
WHIMBREL
GULL-BILLED TERN
CASPIAN TERN
Royal Tern
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
Least Bittern
Red-headed Woodpecker
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
Ovenbird
Worm-eating Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Canada Warbler
BLUE GROSBEAK
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, August 8, 2025 at 11:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are WHITE IBIS, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, BLACK-NECKED STILT, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER and WHIMBREL, CASPIAN and GULL-BILLED TERNS, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.
A few WHITE IBIS have continued in our area, but most recent sightings have been limited to Staten Island. The 3 immatures frequenting Oakwood Beach were still present at least to Wednesday, often visiting the marsh just west of Delwit Avenue, and 2 were spotted last Sunday a little to the south, flying over Great Kills Park.
The AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was still at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge today, continuing to roost with the many MUTE SWANS at the north end of the East Pond. Given the continuing high water condition on the East Pond, the PELICAN is probably best looked for from the northeast corner of the pond near the area by the outflow valve, but also be aware that the PELICAN does at times go for short flights, including over towards the West Pond, but seems to return to the SWANS at the north end. The East Pond is continuing to drain, but the level remains notably higher than desired – some good news, though, is that access paths to the south end have been cleared and are ready for use once the water level drops suitably. Out in the Bay south of the West Pond, 7 WHIMBRELS were present on Yellow Bar Hassock last Sunday, and 1 or 2 GULL-BILLED TERNS continue to visit both ponds. A LEAST BITTERN was a fortuitous find at the East Pond last Sunday, while shorebirds tend to be scattered and have also been congregating around the southeast corner of the West Pond.
A great find out at Shinnecock back on Friday, August 1, was a BLACK-NECKED STILT spotted at a small pond in the marsh just east of the Ponquogue Bridge.
Great Kills Park also produced some nice shorebirds, especially the molting adult AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER found on the mud flats last Saturday, followed by the three WHIMBREL there Wednesday.
A GULL-BILLED TERN was noted at Floyd Bennett Field Thursday, and among the various reports of CASPIAN TERNS were singles at Plumb Beach Saturday, Jamaica Bay Sunday, and Pelham Bay Park Thursday, along with 9 at Piermont Pier Thursday. ROYAL TERN numbers continue to build slowly along the coast.
A couple of RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were noted again this week along the Paumanok Trail near Jones Pond in Manorville, this off Schultz Road, and BLUE GROSBEAKS continue nearby there in Calverton.
Among the few early migrants this week were an OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER in Prospect Park Thursday, as well as a few species of WARBLERS, including OVENBIRD, WORM-EATING, both LOUISIANA and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES, BLUE-WINGED, BLACK-AND-WHITE, PRAIRIE and CANADA.
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