-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* May 1, 2026
* NYNY2605.01
– Birds Mentioned
TUFTED DUCK
Black-billed Cuckoo
GLAUCOUS GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Iceland Gull
American Bittern
Red-headed Woodpecker
Swainson’s Thrush
Wood Thrush
Pine Siskin
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (Gambel’s-type)
Bobolink
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
KENTUCKY WARBLER
Cape May Warbler
CERULEAN WARBLER
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Prairie Warbler
SUMMER TANAGER
WESTERN TANAGER
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
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, May 1, 2026 at 11:00 pm. The highlights of today’s tape are TUFTED DUCK, WESTERN TANAGER, GLAUCOUS GULL, CLAY-COLORED and Gambel’s-type WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, PROTHONOTARY, ORANGE-CROWNED, CERULEAN and KENTUCKY WARBLERS, SUMMER TANAGER, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.
The drake TUFTED DUCK was last reported at Cammann’s Pond Park in Merrick last Sunday and, similar to most waterfowl, likely has moved on. But a nice surprise was a male WESTERN TANAGER in non-breeding plumage visiting a private feeder in Wading River recently.
It was possibly the immature GLAUCOUS GULL spending much of the winter at or near Bush Terminal Piers Park in Brooklyn that paid a visit to Governor’s Island last Sunday. An ICELAND GULL also continues around Bush Terminal Piers Park, and an adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was photographed at Floyd Bennett Field last Saturday.
An AMERICAN BITTERN was photographed today in Prospect Park, and an adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was photographed Saturday at Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park in Great River, while the Gambel’s-type WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was still visiting Green-Wood Cemetery Sunday, with another found Monday at The Pool in Central Park. Interesting were 2 PINE SISKINS photographed in Prospect Park yesterday.
At least 5 PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS present locally this week featured 1 from last week staying to Monday at Hempstead Lake State Park, a sharp male found Sunday at Sheldrake Lake in Larchmont that was replaced by a somewhat duller bird Tuesday through today, and singles in Prospect Park Wednesday and at a Queens private residence Thursday.
An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was encountered around the waterhole in Forest Park in Queens Tuesday and Wednesday, while on Thursday a CERULEAN WARBLER was found in Prospect Park and a KENTUCKY WARBLER visited Central Park. Other arriving WARBLERS noted this week included CAPE MAY, MAGNOLIA, BLACKBURNIAN, and PRAIRIE.
An impressive influx of SUMMER TANAGERS this week started last weekend with 1 both days at Owls Head Park in Brooklyn and singles Sunday in Central Park and at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, followed by 1 Tuesday and Wednesday in Green-Wood Cemetery and singles Thursday in Prospect Park, Forest Park, and at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx.
A female-type BLUE GROSBEAK was reported in Central Park last Saturday. while other arrivals included BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, WOOD and SWAINSON’S THRUSHES, BOBOLINK and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK.
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