Category: Rare Bird Alerts

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* June 10, 2022
* NYNY2206.10

– Birds Mentioned

BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK+
WHITE-WINGED DOVE+
BLACK-NECKED STILT+
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD+
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT+
WHITE-FACED IBIS+
MISSISSIPPI KITE+
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

King Eider
Rock Pigeon
Whimbrel
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
Roseate Tern
ARCTIC TERN
Great Shearwater
Cory’s Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
BROWN PELICAN
Least Bittern
Red-headed Woodpecker
Grasshopper Sparrow
Yellow-throated Warbler
SUMMER TANAGER
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, June 10, 2022 at 8:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are slightly extralimital NEOTROPIC CORMORANT and SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER, BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK, WHITE-WINGED DOVE, MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD, BROWN PELICAN, ARCTIC TERN, WHITE-FACED IBIS, BLACK-HEADED GULL, BLACK-NECKED STILT, MISSISSIPPI KITE, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, SUMMER TANAGER, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.

A great week for unusual birds locally and even slightly extralimitally, with a NEOTROPIC CORMORANT continuing along the Newburgh waterfront and an adult SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER visiting the Stony Hill Farm EEC just across the Hudson River in Wappingers Falls yesterday and today.

On Long Island, four BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS were seen today along Willets Creek in West Islip, though pinning them down may be an issue, as they were last seen moving south.

At Jones Beach West End, a WHITE-WINGED DOVE was spotted near the restrooms yesterday, associating with the ROCK PIGEON flock, and has continued there today.

Also, among the many shorebirds feasting on Horseshoe Crab eggs there has been a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, still present today, though wrongly referred to on last week’s tape as a Wilson’s Phalarope.

Another MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD sighting involved one moving east past Robert Moses State Park last Saturday, while two BROWN PELICANS seen along the coast featured one going east past Nickerson Beach on Tuesday followed by one headed west off Robert Moses State Park today.

Nickerson Beach has also attracted a nice variety of TERNS, including an ARCTIC seen briefly last Saturday, when an adult BLACK TERN was also present, plus occasional ROSEATE and GULL-BILLED TERNS as well as a few LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS in various plumages.  A CASPIAN TERN was photographed off Inwood Hill Park last Tuesday.

At Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge an adult WHITE-FACED IBIS was photographed at the south end of the East Pond, where a first summer BLACK-HEADED GULL was also present, both of these seen on Tuesday along with an apparently lingering LEAST BITTERN, another of which was still at Prospect Park last weekend.

A BLACK-NECKED STILT was present last Saturday and Sunday on the bay side at Tiana Beach off Dune Road in Hampton Bays, and a WHIMBREL stopped by Breezy Point on Monday and Tuesday.

A drake KING EIDER was reported in Reynolds Channel off Atlantic Beach last Saturday.

Offshore in the Atlantic, as viewed from Robert Moses State Park on Thursday, a few CORY’S and GREAT SHEARWATERS have begun appearing along with continuing SOOTY SHEARWATERS, but unfortunately some deceased Shearwaters have also been found along ocean beaches from Moses out to Montauk.

Indicating that some continue in our region, on Wednesday a MISSISSIPPI KITE flew west by the Audubon Center in north Greenwich, headed towards Westchester.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continue along the Paumanok Trail off Schultz Road in Manorville and at the Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Westchester.

YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER is still present at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River, and the Calverton Grasslands continue to host a male SUMMER TANAGER, a few BLUE GROSBEAKS and several GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS.

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

RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* June 3, 2022
* NYNY2206.03

– Birds Mentioned

BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK+
BLACK-NECKED STILT+
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD+
NEOTROPIC CORMORANT+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

MARBLED GODWIT
Red Knot
White-rumped Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
WILSON’S PHALAROPE
LITTLE GULL
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Black Tern
Roseate Tern
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
Sooty Shearwater
Double-crested Cormorant
Red-headed Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Acadian Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Grasshopper Sparrow
Mourning Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
SUMMER TANAGER
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, June 3, 2022 at 11:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are a slightly extralimital NEOTROPIC CORMORANT, MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD, BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK, BLACK-NECKED STILT and other shorebirds including MARBLED GODWIT and WILSON’S PHALAROPE, LITTLE and ICELAND GULLS, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, SUMMER TANAGER, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.

Last Saturday an adult NEOTROPIC CORMORANT was identified on the Hudson River up in Newburgh and has continued in that area through today.  The bird has spent much of its time on the Newburgh side of the river but also does cross over to the Beacon waterfront.  When seen, the bird is often perched on pilings or other waterside structures, usually with some DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS.  In Newburgh the bird is often somewhere between the Ferry Terminal or south of there near the Global tanks off River Road; while in Beacon it is usually near the Ferry Terminal on the east side of the river.  When there, check with other birders as to the Cormorant’s whereabouts, and be careful when on the roadways.

Two reports of MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD on Long Island last weekend involved a bird seen Sunday from a fishing boat in Great South Bay a few miles west of Smith Point around noon time, this following what was believed to be this species off Brighton Beach in Brooklyn about 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

The BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK was still being seen at Miller Field on Staten Island at least to yesterday.

An exquisite BLACK-NECKED STILT, possibly the bird previously on eastern Long Island, appeared last Saturday at the Lido Beach Passive Nature Area at Point Lookout.

With lots of shorebirds now feasting on Horseshoe Crab eggs at sites like Jamaica Bay and Jones Beach West End, highlights among them have included a MARBLED GODWIT at Little Egg Marsh in Jamaica Bay south of the Wildlife Refuge on Wednesday and a male WILSON’S PHALAROPE on the sand spit at Jones Beach West End today.  Among other shorebirds reported recently have been some WHITE-RUMPED and one or two WESTERN SANDPIPERS and groups of RED KNOTS.

A first winter LITTLE GULL was spotted on Sagg Pond in Bridgehampton last Sunday, and an ICELAND GULL was still at Mecox Monday. Scattered LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS included 7 at Cupsogue today and three last
Saturday at Nickerson Beach, where a BLACK TERN also appeared Saturday and GULL-BILLED and ROSEATE TERNS continue to visit.

Also along the coast recently, especially when winds have had a southerly component, there have been consistent sightings of SOOTY SHEARWATERS and WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS, usually more regular as you go east on Long Island but also seen as far west as Breezy Point.

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER visited Central Park Monday.

A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was an interesting find in Battery Park last Sunday, and, as the migration comes to a quick end, other later WARBLERS still moving through have included a decent number of MOURNING, a KENTUCKY or two and some BAY-BREASTED.

Flycatchers have included OLIVE-SIDED plus YELLOW-BELLIED, ACADIAN and ALDER.

A BLUE GROSBEAK visited Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn Wednesday, and others continue out in the wonderful Calverton grasslands, where a SUMMER TANAGER and some GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS have also been present lately

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.

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* May. 27, 2022
* NYNY2205.27

– Birds mentioned
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK+
BLACK-NECKED STILT+
ATLANTIC PUFFIN+
BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL+
BLACK-CAPPED PETREL+
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD+
MISSISSIPPI KITE+
BICKNELL’S THRUSH+
TOWNSEND’S WARBLER+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
RED PHALAROPE
DOVEKIE
LITTLE GULL
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Royal Tern
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
Leach’s Storm-Petrel
Cory’s Shearwater
Great Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Manx Shearwater
BROWN PELICAN
Cattle Egret
Red-headed Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Acadian Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Nelson’s Sparrow
Mourning Warbler
KENTUCKY WARBLER
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
SUMMER TANAGER
BLUE GROSBEAK

– Transcript

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: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, May 27th 2022 at 11pm. The highlights of today’s tape are MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD, a pelagic trip that included BLACK-CAPPED PETREL, DOVEKIE, ATLANTIC PUFFIN and RED and RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, TOWNSEND’S WARBLER, WESTERN TANAGER, BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK, BROWN PELICAN, BLACK-NECKED STILT, LITTLE GULL, MISSISSIPPI KITE, KENTUCKY and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS, SUMMER TANAGER, BLUE GROSBEAK and others.

The young MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD was spotted soaring over Long Island’s north fork Tuesday afternoon and followed for several hours as it moved between Greenport and Orient especially around Truman’s Beach in the East Marion to Orient causeway but unfortunately it was not refound Wednesday but there is a rumor though that a FRIGATEBIRD was seen today in the vicinity of Gardiners Island presumably in Gardiners Bay but unfortunately rather vague information.

Sunday evening the American Princess left Brooklyn headed for deep waters around Hudson Canyon compiling a nice list of pelagic birds before returning Monday evening. Sightings included 5 RED and 6 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES, a DOVEKIE and 2 ATLANTIC PUFFINS, 3 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, 1 BAND-RUMPED, 2 LEACH’S and 137 WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS, 5 BLACK-CAPPED PETRELS and 3 CORY’S, 1 GREAT, 31 SOOTY and 4 MANX SHEARWATERS. While cetaceans featured a pod of Striped Dolphins among others. Both SOOTY SHEARWATERS and WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS are also now appearing along Long Island’s south shore.

A male TOWNSEND’S WARBLER found in Green-wood Cemetery last Friday was also seen there Saturday and Brooklyn added a breeding plumaged male WESTERN TANAGER in Prospect Park near the Maryland Monument on Wednesday.

The Staten Island BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK was still at Miller Field today and a BROWN PELICAN was spotted last Saturday and Sunday in lower New York Bay off Great Kills Park.

A BLACK-NECKED STILT was on the south fork at Scallop Pond Preserve in North Sea but last reported on Tuesday and an immature LITTLE GULL was photographed Wednesday at Lemon Creek Park on Staten Island.

Multiple sightings of MISSISSIPPI KITE early in the week included birds over Central Park Saturday and Monday, another over Green-wood Cemetery last Saturday and singles Monday by Kensico Reservoir in Westchester and also at Sterling Forest over in Orange County.

Nickerson Beach hosted an ICELAND GULL Monday and Wednesday and a GULL-BILLED TERN also on Monday with another GULL-BILLED noted at Plumb Beach Wednesday. A ROYAL TERN visited Dune Road last Saturday and a CATTLE EGRET dropped in on Miller Field Monday.

Reports of RED-HEADED WOODPECKER Thursday came from Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Westchester, at Connetquot River State Park and at the Paumanok Trail off Schultz Road in Manorville.

KENTUCKY WARBLERS this week included one in Prospect Park Monday and another at the Westmoreland Sanctuary in Westchester Tuesday while a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER continued at Bayard Cutting Arboretum and Connetquot River State Park. Warbler numbers this week did include a few MOURNING WARBLERS.

Mature male SUMMER TANAGERS were found in Forest Park Wednesday and at Connetquot River State Park Saturday through Wednesday and BLUE GROSBEAKS remain in their one stronghold out at the very productive and valuable Calverton Grasslands.

Other migrants this week still featured OLIVE-SIDED plus YELLOW-BELLIED, ALDER and ACADIAN FLYCATCHERS and various thrushes included GRAY-CHEEKED and BICKNELL’S.

NELSON’S SPARROWS have appeared coastally.

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

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* May. 20, 2022
* NYNY2205.20

– Birds mentioned
BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK+
BLACK-NECKED STILT+
MISSISSIPPI KITE+
BICKNELL’S THRUSH+
TOWNSEND’S WARBLER+
PAINTED BUNTING+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Whimbrel
Red Knot
White-rumped Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Parasitic Jaeger
LITTLE GULL
Iceland Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Roseate Tern
Royal Tern
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
BROWN PELICAN
Red-headed Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Acadian Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Philadelphia Vireo
Prothonotary Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Summer Tanager
Blue Grosbeak

– Transcript

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: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, May 20th 2022 at 11pm. The highlights of today’s tape are TOWNSEND’S WARBLER, BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK, BLACK-NECKED STILT, MISSISSIPPI KITE, BROWN PELICAN, PAINTED BUNTING, LITTLE GULL and much more.

Despite a rather poor week for migration in general, with overall numbers remaining somewhat depressed and spotty, some very nice rarities did appear perhaps easier to find given fewer birds overall.

Today a male TOWNSEND’S WARBLER was spotted in Green-wood Cemetery in Brooklyn with birders able to track this singing bird as it moved about in tall oaks near Cypress and Grape Avenues.

On Staten Island a BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK was found Wednesday by a wet area at Miller Field. The duck was still present on the ballfield by New Dorp High School today.

A BLACK-NECKED STILT, first noted Wednesday out on the south fork, has continued through today at the Scallop Pond Preserve in North Sea north of Southampton. The STILT has been frequenting the marshy area just south of K Road.

A few sightings of MISSISSIPPI KITE this week started last Saturday with one over Inwood Hill Park in northern Manhattan followed by one on Staten Island Tuesday spotted over Mount Loretto Unique Area. Subsequent reports noted one at Tackapausha Nature Preserve in Massapequa on Wednesday and then perched along Middle Country Road in Ridge Friday afternoon. Hopefully more will follow.

The season’s first BROWN PELICAN was spotted Thursday flying east off Smith Point County Park in Shirley.

A female plumaged PAINTED BUNTING, discovered Thursday in Central Park’s north end, apparently disappeared quickly before other birders could be notified.

An immature LITTLE GULL was photographed Wednesday at Nickerson Beach. Last Sunday a little movement on the ocean off Robert Moses State Park included the season’s first WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS and 2 PARASITIC JAEGERS. An ICELAND GULL visited Sagg Pond last Saturday while notable terns this week featured a GULL-BILLED at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, a ROSEATE at Breezy Point and a ROYAL at Plumb Beach, all last Sunday, plus single CASPIAN TERNS at Prospect Park Lake Sunday and Randall’s Island today.

Increasing numbers of shorebirds included a WHIMBREL at Smith Point County Park as well as some WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, RED KNOTS, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS and others.

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER visited Hempstead Lake State Park Wednesday and 3 were at the Paumanok Trail location next to Jones Pond off Schultz Road in Manorville today.

Flycatchers featured some OLIVE-SIDED plus ACADIAN, ALDER and YELLOW-BELLIED among the empidonax.

A BICKNELL’S THRUSH was still singing in Central Park’s north end Monday, one of a few noted or suspected locally and decent numbers of PHILADELPHIA VIREOS were reported this week.

Warblers included PROTHONOTARY at Riverside Park and at Alley Pond Park last weekend and KENTUCKYS in Prospect Park Saturday and in Forest Park Tuesday as well as several MOURNING and many BAY-BREASTED. Besides in Calverton, BLUE GROSBEAKS were noted at Connetquot River State Park and at the Brookhaven Lab and at least 5 SUMMER TANAGERS included birds in Central Park, Tompkins Square Park and Randall’s Island.

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

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* May 13, 2022
* NYNY2205.13

– Birds Mentioned

CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW
Eastern Whip-poor-will
GLAUCOUS GULL
Caspian Tern
Common Tern
ARCTIC TERN
Cattle Egret
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Pileated Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
BICKNELL’S THRUSH
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
Vesper Sparrow
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
Mourning Warbler
KENTUCKY WARBLER
Cerulean Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
SUMMER TANAGER
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 13, 2022 at 11:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are an ARCTIC TERN invasion, CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW, GLAUCOUS GULL, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, BICKNELL’S THRUSH, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, GOLDEN-WINGED, YELLOW-THROATED and KENTUCKY WARBLERS, SUMMER TANAGER, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.

A very interesting, but certainly not yet fully understood or evaluated event occurred today with the appearance on water bodies throughout much of our area, as well as in surrounding states, of a totally unprecedented number of ARCTIC TERNS. Word from Connecticut and Massachusetts of these birds appearing on inland lakes and reservoirs inspired searches throughout our area. An adult ARCTIC along with a COMMON TERN were found on Cross River Reservoir in Westchester, and as the afternoon wore on and word spread, birds were being seen moving mostly south along the Hudson River from Dutchess, Putnam and Westchester Counties, and 29 were counted off Riverside Park in Manhattan. Other late day ARCTICS were spotted in Little Neck Bay in western Long Island Sound and further east in the sound off Iron Pier in Northville. It will be interesting to see if coastal sites on Saturday produce more ARCTICS – it certainly will be worth checking. Hopefully a summary of this event will be forthcoming, but, despite this excitement, the weather has not been very good for local migration recently.

A CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW was a nice find at Brooklyn Bridge Park last Wednesday, with an EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL also found in Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn Sunday.

A GLAUCOUS GULL was spotted at Cedar Beach Town Nature Preserve west of Miller Place on Tuesday, this site also producing three CASPIAN TERNS Thursday, with other CASPIANS including one at Prospect Park Lake Wednesday and two at Croton Point Park today.

A CATTLE EGRET visited the Cemetery of the Resurrection on Staten Island Tuesday.

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER visited Central Park’s north end Monday and Tuesday, and a PILEATED WOODPECKER has been a surprise late this week near the waterhole in Forest Park, Queens.

Single OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS were at Sands Point Preserve Tuesday and at Sunken Meadow State Park today.

A BICKNELL’S THRUSH, a regular migrant but difficult to identify, has nicely been singing for the last 3 days in Central Park’s north end, where a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was also present Monday to at least Thursday.

Three CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS featured a bird at Brooklyn’s Owl’s Head Park Tuesday, another out at Lloyd Harbor Wednesday, and one at the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center today, while a VESPER SPARROW appeared in Flushing Meadows Corona Park Sunday.

WARBLER highlights included a YELLOW-THROATED in Central Park last Sunday and one at Camp Hero State Park in Montauk Tuesday, a KENTUCKY in Central Park Sunday, and a GOLDEN-WINGED in Forest Park yesterday, while also notable were single CERULEANS in Riverside Park Monday and Central Park Thursday, MOURNING in Central Park Sunday and Monday, and the arrival of a few BAY-BREASTED.

This week SUMMER TANAGERS were seen at Marshlands Conservancy in Rye Sunday and Monday, Alley Pond Park Monday and Tuesday, Hempstead Lake State Park Wednesday and Central Park Thursday.

And BLUE GROSBEAKS have returned to the former Grumman complex in Calverton, a grassland certainly deserving of preservation – please do not disturb these and other sensitive nesting birds at this site

To phone in reports call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* May 6, 2022
* NYNY2205.06 

– Birds Mentioned

BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Common Nighthawk
CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW 
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Semipalmated Plover
UPLAND SANDPIPER
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
CASPIAN TERN
Red-headed Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Acadian Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
PHILADELPHIA VIREO
Swainson’s Thrush
Grasshopper Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow 
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Mourning Warbler
KENTUCKY WARBLER
Cerulean Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
Canada Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
SUMMER TANAGER 
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 6, 2022 at 11:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW, UPLAND SANDPIPER, ICELAND GULL, CASPIAN TERN, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, PROTHONOTARY, YELLOW-THROATED and KENTUCKY WARBLERS, BLUE GROSBEAK, SUMMER TANAGER and more. 

This week’s one true rarity involved the refinding last Saturday afternoon of the male BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER that had been discovered two days earlier in the Midwood in Prospect Park, this individual unfortunately not reported since Saturday. 

A nice assortment of migrants occurring during the week featured a CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW found Wednesday in Central Park’s north end, while other members of this family included an EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL on Governors Island today and a COMMON NIGHTHAWK photographed yesterday at Jones Beach State Park.   

An UPLAND SANDPIPER was described feeding on a sod field along Head of the Neck Road in Manorville last Sunday morning, but this now scarce visitor locally could not be relocated later.

An immature ICELAND GULL was present Wednesday at Robert Moses State Park, where 12 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were also gathered, their spring numbers on the increase. 

CASPIAN TERNS, still moving through, on Wednesday included two at Georgica Cove in East Hampton and one at Swan Lake in East Patchogue. 

A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was reported from Central Park’s north end today, and another continues at Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Westchester. 

An unusual three PHILADELPHIA VIREOS reported this week included one Tuesday at Southards Pond Park in Babylon and singles Thursday in Central Park and at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. 

A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was present last Friday and Saturday at Pipes Cove Preserve in Greenport West on the North Fork. 

A good selection of WARBLERS this week featured a female PROTHONOTARY WARBLER at Fort Tryon Park in upper Manhattan on Sunday and a KENTUCKY WARBLER at Brooklyn Bridge Park on Monday and Tuesday.  A few YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS this week included one in Central Park to Wednesday and singles Thursday at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn and at Hunter’s Garden in Eastport, as well as the continuing birds at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River.  ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were noted in Central Park from Saturday and at Robert Moses State Park Thursday.  Other WARBLERS arriving recently have included TENNESSEE, a MOURNING in Green-Wood Cemetery Tuesday, CERULEAN, BLACKPOLL, CANADA and WILSON’S.  

A SUMMER TANAGER was found in Green-Wood Cemetery on Tuesday,

Migrant BLUE GROSBEAKS were seen at Co-op City in the Bronx on Monday and Tuesday and at Robert Moses State Park yesterday.  BLUE GROSBEAK has also returned to its nesting territory in Calverton, and remember, please, do not do anything that might disturb these or any sensitive breeding birds. 

Among the many other migrants occurring locally have been SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, OLIVE-SIDED, ACADIAN and LEAST FLYCATCHERS, SWAINSON’S THRUSH, and GRASSHOPPER and SEASIDE SPARROWS.

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

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Apr. 29, 2022
* NYNY2204.29

– Birds mentioned
MOTTLED DUCK+
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE+
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

KING EIDER
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Solitary Sandpiper
ICELAND GULL
Least Tern
GULL-BILLED TERN
Caspian Tern
Common Tern
Black Skimmer
LEAST BITTERN
Cattle Egret
Red-headed Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Red-eyed Vireo
Veery
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Bobolink
Ovenbird
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
SUMMER TANAGER
Scarlet Tanager

– Transcript

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: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, April 29th 2022 at 11pm. The highlights of today’s tape are MOTTLED DUCK, SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER, KING EIDER, ICELAND GULL, GULL-BILLED TERN, LEAST BITTERN, PROTHONOTARY, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS, SUMMER TANAGER and spring migrants.

The MOTTLED DUCK, found on April 5th, and a potential first record for New York State pending NYSARC acceptance, was reported both days last weekend at Ketcham’s Creek freshwater wetland in Amityville but not since, perhaps due to waning interest. It is also not clear that the duck was always being critically identified so please provide supporting evidence if the MOTTLED is seen again.

Once again a brief appearance by a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE locally left a few observers quite pleased though it did not stick around for others to enjoy. This sighting took place last Wednesday morning at Jones Beach West End.

But certainly the bonus bird of the week was a male BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER nicely found early yesterday morning in the Midwood off Center Drive in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Many observers on hand continued to search throughout the day and were able to refind the bird at various times but follow-up searches today were not successful.

A drake KING EIDER was still present at Great Kills Park on Staten Island last Sunday and late ICELAND GULLS were noted at Fort Tilden last Saturday and at Plumb Beach Monday. A GULL-BILLED TERN was photographed at Plumb Beach on Tuesday the same day single CASPIAN TERNS visited Hempstead Lake State Park and Southard’s Pond in Babylon.

A Prospect Park LEAST BITTERN was still present Thursday along the western side of Prospect Park Lake. In Westchester a CATTLE EGRET flew by the nature center at Croton Point Park Tuesday afternoon headed northwest and an adult RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues at the Rockefeller State Park Preserve.

A growing number of migrant non-passerines this week included YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL, SOLITARY SANDPIPER, LEAST and COMMON TERNS and BLACK SKIMMER.

Among the passerines the PROTHONOTARY WARBLER continued at Central Park’s north end to last Sunday and a few YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS included singles at Hempstead Lake State Park and Oakland Lake Thursday and at Fuch’s Pond in Northport today as well as one at Croton Point Park from Tuesday through today and the continuing birds at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER has lingered in Central Park since Monday and other arriving warblers have included OVENBIRD, NASHVILLE, AMERICAN REDSTART, CAPE MAY, MAGNOLIA, BLACKBURNIAN, CHESTNUT-SIDED and BLACK-THROATED BLUE with more to come.

A SUMMER TANAGER visited a home up in Harlem late last week last seen on the 22nd and other passerines occurring this week featured GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, EASTERN KINGBIRD, EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE, RED-EYED VIREO, VEERY, LINCOLN’S SPARROW, BOBOLINK and SCARLET TANAGER.

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

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Apr. 22, 2022
* NYNY2204.22

– Birds mentioned
MOTTLED DUCK+
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

KING EIDER
White-winged Scoter
Long-tailed Duck
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Virginia Rail
Sora
Common Gallinule
Short-billed Dowitcher
Bonaparte’s Gull
ICELAND GULL
GLAUCOUS GULL
LEAST BITTERN
CATTLE EGRET
Green Heron
Glossy Ibis
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Warbling Vireo
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Wood Thrush
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
Orange-crowned Warbler
Hooded Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting

– Transcript

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: Ben Cacace

BEGIN TAPE

Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, April 22nd 2022 at 11pm. The highlights of today’s tape are MOTTLED DUCK, SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, KING EIDER, LEAST BITTERN, CATTLE EGRET, GLAUCOUS and ICELAND GULLS, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, PROTHONOTARY and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS and spring migrants.

A drake MOTTLED DUCK was seen as recently as Wednesday along the Ketcham’s Creek freshwater wetland in Amityville. The sightings Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were all only in the later afternoon. The duck and accompanying female Mallards should be looked for along the creek on the west side of Lake Drive. When present, the birds initially were around the north end near where Kenmore Avenue ends at Lake Drive but recently they have also ventured south of there.

On Thursday afternoon a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was spotted over Todt Hill on Staten Island heading in a northwest direction towards High Rock Park but like most local sightings for this species it seems only the initial observers that get to see the bird. A drake KING EIDER was still present at Great Kills Park today.

A lingering LEAST BITTERN has been present all week in phragmites on the west side of Prospect Park Lake near the Wellhouse and another was reported at Randall’s Island last weekend while a CATTLE EGRET visited East Quogue last Sunday.

A GLAUCOUS GULL was still around the Hunt’s Point section of the Bronx last Sunday and on Tuesday single ICELAND GULLS were spotted at Brooklyn’s Plumb Beach and at the north end of Jamaica Bay.

In Westchester a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER has been at Rockefeller State Park Preserve yesterday and today and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was photographed at Cranberry Lake Preserve today.

PROTHONOTARY WARBLER has continued at Central Park’s north end all week and another was present near the lake at Connetquot River State Park last weekend. Besides the continuing pair of YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River single birds occurred in Prospect Park for most of the week, at Crotona Park in the Bronx yesterday, at Massapequa Preserve Wednesday and Thursday and at Oscawana Island in Westchester last Sunday. Other arriving warblers this week included an ORANGE-CROWNED at Massapequa Preserve Tuesday and 3 HOODEDS with singles at the north end of Central Park last Sunday and more recently in Riverside Park and at Valley Stream State Park.

Various non-passerines noted during the week have included more CHIMNEY SWIFTS, RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRDS, scattered VIRGINIA RAILS, SORAS and COMMON GALLINULES, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, GREEN HERON and GLOSSY IBIS.

The variety of passerines has also been increasing with such additions as WARBLING VIREO, BANK and CLIFF SWALLOWS, WOOD THRUSH, ORCHARD and BALTIMORE ORIOLES, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK and INDIGO BUNTING.

And a comment on an unusual fallout. Last Monday night’s poor weather conditions produced an interesting accumulation of birds along the Hudson River from upper Westchester and especially just north of us up in the Newburgh-Beacon area where flocks of BONAPARTE’S GULLS included several hundred individuals sitting on the river along with a count of over 100 RED-NECKED GREBES, many HORNED GREBES, numbers of WHITE-WINGED SCOTER and LONG-TAILED DUCK and various other waterbirds temporarily forced down. Quite a spectacle.

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

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Apr. 15, 2022
* NYNY2204.15

– Birds Mentioned

MOTTLED DUCK+
WHITE IBIS+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Mallard
KING EIDER
Chimney Swift
SANDHILL CRANE
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet
Bonaparte’s Gull
LITTLE GULL
Iceland Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Forster’s Tern
Northern Gannet
LEAST BITTERN
Broad-winged Hawk
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
VESPER SPARROW
Worm-eating Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Blue-winged Warbler
Black-and-White Warbler
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
Prairie Warbler
Black-throated Green 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, April 15, 2022 at 11:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are MOTTLED DUCK, WHITE IBIS, LITTLE GULL, SANDHILL CRANE, LEAST BITTERN, KING EIDER, GLAUCOUS GULL, VESPER SPARROW, PROTHONOTARY and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS, BLUE GROSBEAK and other spring migrants and more.

The drake MOTTLED DUCK first spotted in Amityville back on April 5^th on Ketchum’s Creek Freshwater Wetland has proven to be a difficult bird to pin down.  After pleasing many birders a week ago, it was missed Saturday, stayed for only 5 minutes early Sunday and was seen late Tuesday and again Thursday afternoon before staying around for much of today.  When seen, this bird and its accompanying MALLARD mate are along Ketchum’s Creek just west of Lake Drive in the vicinity of where Kenmore Avenue ends at Lake Drive, the pair moving in and out of the streamside vegetation with other waterfowl. Please respect the rights of the local homeowners when visiting there.

A sub-adult WHITE IBIS was photographed last Tuesday morning as it flew over Calvert Vaux Park in Brooklyn, ending up who knows where?

An adult LITTLE GULL was seen again Saturday and Sunday with BONAPARTE’S GULLS off Conference House Park on Staten Island, and another was photographed last Saturday on the Hudson River off the Rockland Hall section of Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Westchester.

Of a few SANDHILL CRANES moving through over general region recently, one was photographed Wednesday over Rockefeller State Park Preserve.

A LEAST BITTERN found at Prospect Park Lake last Saturday was still present today in the phragmites near the Wellhouse.

The drake KING EIDER remains around the mud flats at Great Kills Park on Staten Island.

A GLAUCOUS GULL spotted on Governors Island Saturday morning may be the same one seen again Thursday at the Verrazano Bridge Scenic View just north of the bridge, while single ICELAND GULLS were present today at Plumb Beach and at Conference House Park.

Several hundred NORTHERN GANNETS paid a surprise visit to western Long Island Sound last Monday, making it all the way to the Bronx.

The Spring’s first BLUE GROSBEAK appeared on Randall’s Island last Saturday, and a VESPER SPARROW visited Flushing Meadow Corona Park Thursday and today.

Most notable among increasing numbers of migrant WARBLERS were single PROTHONOTARIES found at Oakland Lake in Queen Saturday, in Central Park’s north end Sunday and in Prospect Park Tuesday, while a few YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS include one staying in Central Park to Tuesday, another at Hempstead Lake State Park Saturday to Tuesday, one at Westchester’s Cranberry Lake Park Tuesday, and the continuing birds at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River.

Wintering ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were noted this week at Randall’s Island, Governors Island and Battery Park City, while arriving. WARBLERS included WORM-EATING Sunday, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, BLUE-WINGED Monday, BLACK-AND-WHITE, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, HOODED Wednesday, NORTHERN PARULA, YELLOW, PRAIRIE and BLACK-THROATED GREEN.

Other migrants this week featured CHIMNEY SWIFT, SOLITARY SANDPIPER, WILLET, FORSTER’S TERN, BROAD-WINGED HAWK, and YELLOW-THROATED and BLUE-HEADED VIREOS.

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

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Apr. 8, 2022
* NYNY2204.08

– Birds Mentioned

MOTTLED DUCK+
ZONE-TAILED HAWK+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Mallard
KING EIDER
Spotted Sandpiper
Lesser Yellowlegs
Bonaparte’s Gull
LITTLE GULL
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
CASPIAN TERN
American Bittern
Little Blue Heron
TRICOLORED HERON
Green Heron
Glossy Ibis
Purple Martin
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
House Wren
Purple Finch
Vesper Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
PROTHONOTARY 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 8, 2022 at 11:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are ZONE-TAILED HAWK, a good candidate for MOTTLED DUCK, LITTLE GULL, WESTERN TANAGER, KING EIDER, GLAUCOUS GULL, CASPIAN TERN, TRICOLORED HERON, PROTHONOTARY and YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS and more.

A potentially very productive week for New York State:

Last Saturday morning birders at Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn were very surprised once realizing that a raptor soaring overhead was a ZONE-TAILED HAWK; decent photos were taken, nicely showing key field marks, before the bird headed off in a westerly direction, escaping further detection.

Then on Tuesday, a duck seen at Ketchum’s Creek Freshwater Wetland in Amityville gave the observer impressions of a MOTTLED DUCK, but the bird remained very elusive until this morning.  Today this drake, usually in company with a female MALLARD, was closely studied and photographed and exhibited field marks very consistent with a MOTTLED DUCK, though hybrids can be an issue.  The bird today was found along the watercourse just west of Lake Drive, favoring an area along the tree and phragmites lined bank across the river just north of where Kenmore Avenue ends at Lake Drive.  Parking along the roads is available, but please respect the rights of the local homeowners.

Also, as both ZONE-TAILED HAWK and MOTTLED DUCK are potential first New York records, pending acceptance by NYSARC, hopefully observers of both species will submit reports directly to NYSARC, so they can be reviewed through the Accelerated Review process now in place.

A flock of BONAPARTE’S GULLS gathering off Conference House Park on southern Staten Island today also contained an adult LITTLE GULL.

The female WESTERN TANAGER wintering at Carl Schurz Park in Manhattan has not been seen since Tuesday.

The drake KING EIDER was still at Great Kills Park on Staten Island Tuesday, and lingering GULLS included the GLAUCOUS still just north of the Verrazano Bridge Sunday, single ICELAND GULLS at Fort Tilden Monday and Plumb Beach through today, and a few LESSER BLACK-BACKEDS. A CASPIAN TERN was up the Hudson River off Verplank today.

Three AMERICAN BITTERNS were spotted Tuesday, including one in Prospect Park, and a TRICOLORED HERON appeared along Dune Road the same day, when a LITTLE BLUE HERON also visited Conference House Park.

Other non-passerines this week have featured SPOTTED SANDPIPER, LESSER YELLOWLEGS, GREEN HERON and GLOSSY IBIS.

A YELLOW THROATED WARBLER has continued around the Ramble in Central Park all week, this species also returning by Wednesday to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River, and a PROTHONATARY WARBLER was reported today at Willow Lake in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens.

A VESPER SPARROW was on Central Park’s Great Lawn Saturday, and other passerines have included PURPLE MARTIN, HOUSE WREN, BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, PURPLE FINCH and BALTIMORE ORIOLE.

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