Category: Rare Bird Alerts

– RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Feb. 5, 2021
* NYNY2102.05

– Birds mentioned
COMMON MURRE+
THICK-BILLED MURRE+
HOARY REDPOLL+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Blue-winged Teal
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
Common Gallinule
Black-bellied Plover
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Sanderling
Dunlin
Purple Sandpiper
American Woodcock
Wilson’s Snipe
Razorbill
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Rough-legged Hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
COMMON REDPOLL
RED CROSSBILL
Chipping Sparrow
LARK SPARROW
Vesper Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Baltimore Oriole
Rusty Blackbird
Orange-crowned Warbler
Pine Warbler

– Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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, February 5th 2021 at 11pm. The highlights of today’s tape are COMMON MURRE, THICK-BILLED MURRE, WESTERN TANAGER, LARK SPARROW, HOARY REDPOLL, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, EARED GREBE, BLACK-HEADED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, winter finches and more.

As the nor’easter approached our area last Sunday it produced a nice flight of over 80 RAZORBILLS in and around Jones Inlet and even better, reported in the inlet were a THICK-BILLED MURRE spotted off the West End jetty followed later by a COMMON MURRE landing in the inlet as viewed from the Point Lookout side. Also at Point Lookout were 3 HARLEQUIN DUCKS continuing around the jetties there and a good concentration of shorebirds featuring 67 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS, 3 RUDDY TURNSTONES, 23 RED KNOT, over 1,500 DUNLIN, 54 PURPLE SANDPIPERS and some SANDERLING.

The female WESTERN TANAGER wintering in Manhattan’s Carl Schurz Park around East 86th Street and East End Avenue was taking advantage of feeders there today while the ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was closer to Gracie Mansion yesterday.

Last Saturday a LARK SPARROW was found along the western side of the ballfields at Fort Tilden continuing there through Sunday. While following the storm it wasn’t until Thursday that it was again seen in the same area. The storm has also produced small numbers of COMMON REDPOLLS widespread through our area. Up to 30 or more have been concentrated at Croton Point Park in Westchester while a pale individual seen occasionally in the flock on the landfill was thought to be a HOARY REDPOLL.

The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE in Central Park recently was seen today on the lake but has also appeared on the reservoir and even on the Great Lawn last Sunday. Another WHITE-FRONTED was seen last Sunday off Sound Avenue in Riverhead east of Doctor’s Path.

The EURASIAN WIGEON was still on Fresh Pond in Fort Salonga yesterday and a drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE continues off Crab Meadow Beach. Single KING EIDER include a young male still in Shinnecock Inlet yesterday and females off Rockaway Beach last Sunday and at the Smith Point Park Marina Wednesday. An EARED GREBE was seen off Joline Avenue Beach on Staten Island last Sunday when 5 RED-NECKED GREBES appeared off Manhattan Beach Park in Brooklyn.

An immature BLACK-HEADED GULL was still around the Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4 last Saturday and a GLAUCOUS GULL continued off Red Hook in Brooklyn at least to Wednesday. An ICELAND GULL again visited Central Park Reservoir yesterday and 3 were at Crab Meadow Beach and one at Plumb Beach Sunday.

Also notable from last weekend were a couple of BLUE-WINGED TEAL with a drake on Patchogue Lake and a female on Mill Pond Park in Bellmore where a COMMON GALLINULE continues.

While on Monday Central Park provided WILSON’S SNIPE and AMERICAN WOODCOCK. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS were noted this week at the Calverton Grasslands and Croton Point Park. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues along the Paumanok Trail by Jones Pond off Schultz Road in Manorville where about 20 RED CROSSBILLS were seen last Sunday. A VESPER SPARROW was seen in the Calverton Grasslands last Sunday and among some notable passerines lately have been EASTERN PHOEBE, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, CHIPPING and LINCOLN’S SPARROWS, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, RUSTY BLACKBIRD and PINE WARBLER.

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
* Jan. 29, 2021
* NYNY2101.29

– Birds mentioned
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+
MEW GULL+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Snowy Owl
EVENING GROSBEAK
COMMON REDPOLL
RED CROSSBILL
PINE SISKIN
Orange-crowned Warbler

Extralimital:
FERRUGINOUS HAWK+ (Orange County)

Not reported:
SPOTTED TOWHEE+

– Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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, January 29th 2021 at 10pm. The highlights of today’s tape are extralimital FERRUGINOUS HAWK, PINK-FOOTED GOOSE, MEW GULL, WESTERN TANAGER, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, winter finches and more.

The immature FERRUGINOUS HAWK spending time recently in the Black Dirt section of Orange County to our north was present at least through yesterday hunting over a large area mostly bordered on the west by Lynch Avenue and Pierce Circle Road and Onion Avenue and on the north by Maple Avenue and crossroad over to Pulaski Highway. Please respect private roads in the area and don’t disturb the farming activities or enter the fields.

Last weekend on the North Fork Winter Bird Count a PINK-FOOTED GOOSE was spotted on the restricted Veteran’s Administration Golf Course in Northport and was still noted at that location Monday but with no reports since. The golf course at Veteran’s Administration complex, located off Middleville Road, requires special permission for entry. While the golf course can be seen from Middleville Road it is an obstructed view and the road itself has no parking areas in that vicinity. Checking the roosting geese at Sunken Meadow State Park just east of there could be profitable.

An immature MEW GULL, of the European race canus, was found yesterday among Ring-billed Gulls feeding around Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4 and reported again there today. This site has also recently been attracting an immature BLACK-HEADED GULL.

In Manhattan the WESTERN TANAGER visiting Carl Schurz Park located at East End Avenue around East 86th Street has been more difficult to find recently as it wanders around a bit but was still in the area yesterday as was the ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER hanging out near Gracie Mansion.

As a note we have no recent information on the SPOTTED TOWHEE visiting Baldwin Harbor Park but it very likely could still be present.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE continues to visit Central Park often on the lake but also appearing with Canada Geese on the reservoir. This bird was overshadowed in the park Wednesday with the appearance of a SNOWY OWL fortunately choosing a fenced in ballfield in the park’s north end as its roosting spot. Single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were also noted on Tung Ting Pond in Centerport Sunday and on Playland Lake in Rye today. A drake EURASIAN WIGEON was still on Fresh Pond in Fort Salonga today and another was at Bayswater Park in Queens Monday. A drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE continues off Crab Meadow Beach in Fort Salonga with a female off Cedar Point County Park out in Northwest Harbor Saturday. A few HARLEQUIN DUCKS continue around Jones Inlet with a female remaining at Shinnecock Inlet while KING EIDERS include a female at Floyd Bennett Field to Tuesday, one again at Great Kills Park Thursday and a young male at Bayshore Marina yesterday and today.

Single GLAUCOUS GULLS were at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island Sunday, at the Red Hook section of Brooklyn at least to Tuesday and at Crab Meadow Beach Sunday where 3 ICELAND GULLS were also present with another ICELAND at Randall’s Island recently.

Also the upcoming storm may push more winter finches our way as currently we are enjoying small scattered numbers of RED CROSSBILL, EVENING GROSBEAK, COMMON REDPOLL and PINE SISKIN.

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
* Jan. 22, 2021
* NYNY2101.22

– Birds Mentioned

FERRUGINOUS HAWK+
SPOTTED TOWHEE+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
DOVEKIE
Razorbill
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
Glaucous Gull
BROWN PELICAN
Common Redpoll
HOARY REDPOLL
Red Crossbill
White-winged Crossbill
Orange-crowned Warbler

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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, January 22, 2021 at 11:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are extralimital FERRUGINOUS HAWK, SPOTTED TOWHEE, BROWN PELICAN, HOARY REDPOLL, WESTERN TANAGER, DOVEKIE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER and HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, winter finches and more.

But first, we unfortunately note the recent passing of Sy Schiff, a wonderful gentleman and ardent birder.  It was always a treat to run into Sy, often around his favored Jones Beach haunts, and his knowledge, friendliness and good humor will be warmly remembered and sadly missed.

Slightly to our north in Orange County, an immature FERRUGINOUS HAWK has since last Saturday been leading birders on a merry chase around the black dirt region a little north of Pine Island.  Hunting over a large complex of farm fields, the hawk has consistently been using fields bordered on the west by Lynch Avenue, Pierce Circle Road and Onion Avenue, and on the north by Maple Avenue and Cross Road over to Pulaski Highway.  Please respect the private roads in the area and don’t disturb the farming activities.

The SPOTTED TOWHEE at Baldwin Harbor Park was still being noted at least to Wednesday in the very large tangle east of the entry road Grand Avenue across from the main parking lot.  Look especially along the paved path bisecting the thicket or along the edge of the adjoining soccer field.

Very unexpected last Saturday morning was a young BROWN PELICAN flying along the Hudson River in Yonkers.  After a brief stop, it continued up past Irvington but then, perhaps intimidated by the Cuomo Tappan Zee bridge, flew back down river past Yonkers and was photographed off Inwood Hill Park before disappearing.

Then on Thursday morning at Croton Point Park in Westchester a HOARY REDPOLL paid a brief visit to the landfill, was nicely photographed and then disappeared, not to be seen again.

The more cooperative WESTERN TANAGER at Carl Schurz Park at East End Avenue and East 86th Street was still present Thursday though moving about a bit.  The ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was also still there at least to Monday.

A few coastal DOVEKIE sightings included 9 flying out Jones Inlet last Saturday and singles at Shinnecock and Mecox on Monday, the last day reported.  Some RAZORBILLS are also still around.

The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE visiting Central Park through today is most frequently seen on the reservoir.

Drake EURASIAN WIGEON were noted on Mill Pond in Oyster Bay through today and on Fresh Pond in Fort Salonga up to Tuesday.

A BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was at Goldsmith’s Inlet in Southold Monday, and the drake presumably remains at Crab Meadow Beach.

Shinnecock Inlet has recently been hosting a young male KING EIDER and a female HARLEQUIN DUCK, and look for HARLEQUINS also around Jones Inlet.

An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL was off Coney Island Creek Tuesday, and an immature continues in the vicinity of Bush Terminal Piers Park in Brooklyn.

GLAUCOUS GULLS were reported from Shinnecock Inlet Saturday, Jones Beach West End Wednesday, and in Red Hook Brooklyn to today, and a few ICELAND GULLS are around.

Notable were 80 COMMON REDPOLLS at Caumsett State Park Monday, 30 RED CROSSBILLS at Smith Point County Park Tuesday, and a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL again in Brooklyn yesterday.

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
* Jan. 15, 2021
* NYNY2101.15

– Birds Mentioned

SPOTTED TOWHEE+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Canada Goose
Blue-winged Teal
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Common Goldeneye
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
Common Gallinule
DOVEKIE
Razorbill
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Black Skimmer
American Bittern
COMMON REDPOLL
RED CROSSBILL
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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, January
15, 2021 at 10:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are SPOTTED TOWHEE, WESTERN TANAGER, DOVEKIE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, HARLEQUIN DUCK, KING EIDER and BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, BLACK-HEADED GULL, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE and GLAUCOUS GULL, RED CROSSBILL, COMMON REDPOLL and more.

The female SPOTTED TOWHEE, continuing in Baldwin Harbor Park through today, remains quite elusive and is more often heard than seen; it is still frequenting the large thicket area east of the ballfields and first main parking lot accessed from Grand Avenue, this thicket also bordered by a second parking lot on its south side and bisected by a paved walking path.  The TOWHEE seems to appear randomly anywhere along the thicket edges, and listening for its harsh calls, infrequently given, can pay off.

The two Manhattan WESTERN TANAGERS have both become more difficult to find as they wander farther afield to find food.  The one at Carl Schurz Park at East End Avenue and 86th Street was seen yesterday, while the Chelsea individual, noted at least to Tuesday, has recently ranged a little north of its usual haunts along West 22nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues.

Along the Atlantic coast this week’s weather has produced a small incursion of DOVEKIES, with 2 off Montauk Point Tuesday and 3 more Thursday, 1 flying ashore at Robert Moses State Park Tuesday followed by 3 offshore there today, 1 swimming in Fort Pond Bay in Montauk yesterday, and 3 off Jones Beach West End as well as 1 at Shinnecock Inlet today.  Good numbers of RAZORBILLS have also been noted, including 160 off Montauk Point and 65 off Jones Beach yesterday, followed today by counts of 56 at Moses Park and 42 at Jones Beach West End.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE again at Randall’s Island Tuesday is likely the one paying a very welcome visit to Central Park yesterday and today, appearing at several sites with a flock of CANADA GEESE, including on the Lake, the Reservoir, the Pool and the North Meadow. One WHITE-FRONTED Tuesday in Dix Hills increased to 3 Wednesday near the intersection of Melrose Road and Wolf Hill Road, with one also at Tung Ting Pond in Centerport Wednesday.

EURASIAN WIGEON this week were present all week on Mill Pond off Lake Avenue in Oyster Bay and on Fresh Pond in Fort Salonga, with one also on West Lake in Patchogue Tuesday.

Three HARLEQUIN DUCKS continue around the Jones Inlet jetties on either the Point Lookout or Jones Beach side, with 2 also at Shinnecock Inlet recently and a drake at Orient Point Sunday.

A young male KING EIDER continues at Shinnecock Inlet, and a drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE remains with the COMMON GOLDENEYE flock off Crab Meadow Beach in Fort Salonga.

A BLACK-HEADED GULL continues to visit Jones Beach West End, with another spotted in Sheepshead Bay Saturday, and eight BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES appeared off Montauk Point yesterday.

Both ICELAND and GLAUCOUS GULLS have been noted along the Brooklyn waterfront this week, and 2 ICELANDS visited Central Park Reservoir Wednesday.

One or 2 RED-NECKED GREBES remain in the Coney Island area of Brooklyn, and 3 were on Fort Pond Bay Thursday.

Also, a BLACK SKIMMER was at Coney Island Creek Tuesday, single female BLUE-WINGED TEAL and adult COMMON GALLINULE remain on Mill Pond in Baldwin, and AMERICAN BITTERN continues along Dune Road.

A few COMMON REDPOLLS continue to pop up at various locations, and RED CROSSBILLS today included 14 at Jones Beach West End and 11 at
Heckscher State Park.

A couple of TENNESSEE WARBLERS were seen this week, and Carl Schurz Park has been hosting an ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER.

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
* Jan. 8, 2021
* NYNY2101.08

– Birds mentioned
COMMON MURRE+
LECONTE’S SPARROW+
SPOTTED TOWHEE+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Blue-winged Teal
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
Common Gallinule
Long-billed Dowitcher
Lesser Yellowlegs
DOVEKIE
Razorbill
Black-legged Kittiwake
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Laughing Gull
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Tricolored Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Rough-legged Hawk
Snowy Owl
Long-eared Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Common Redpoll
RED CROSSBILL
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL
Pine Siskin
Orange-crowned Warbler

– 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, January 8th 2021 at 11pm. The highlights of today’s tape are SPOTTED TOWHEE, LECONTE’S SPARROW, WESTERN TANAGER, DOVEKIE, COMMON MURRE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, HARLEQUIN DUCK, KING EIDER, BLACK-HEADED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, ICELAND GULL, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL and RED CROSSBILL.

After the Christmas Bird Count period began in mid December with Brooklyn recording an excellent record total of 137 species, seemingly unbeatable this year, the Southern Nassau closed the period last Saturday by tallying a very notable 140 species including a second record of SPOTTED TOWHEE. The TOWHEE was discovered in Baldwin Harbor Park located at the south end of Grand Avenue in Baldwin and was still present today. Generally quite elusive the TOWHEE has been frequenting a somewhat large thicket area east of Grand Avenue across the street from the first set of ball fields and large parking lot and just north of the second large parking lot with a large pile of road salt further along Grand Avenue. The bird usually appears along the edge of the thicket and paved path through its center and look especially around the back edges of the soccer field checking with birders present for recent sightings and listen for its distinctive call. Other count highlights included BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 3 HARLEQUIN DUCKS at Point Lookout, COMMON GALLINULE, 2 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, 3 DOVEKIES and 18 RAZORBILLS offshore, BLACK-HEADED, LAUGHING and LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, TRICOLORED and YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, 4 SNOWY, LONG-EARED and 3 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, 2 COMMON REDPOLLS, 19 PINE SISKINS, 48 RED CROSSBILLS and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER.

The Staten Island LECONTE’S SPARROW was reported again Saturday near the rock wall by the beach at Wolfe’s Pond Park.

Only the WESTERN TANAGER frequenting Carl Schurz Park in Manhattan was reported this week at least to Tuesday with no reports received from the TANAGER previously along West 22nd Street.

Besides on the Southern Nassau Count single DOVEKIES have been occurring occasionally along the Atlantic coast with one found Tuesday on the beach on Fire Island and a COMMON MURRE was photographed off Shinnecock Inlet yesterday and seen inside the inlet today its movements perhaps tidally related.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE appeared again on Central Park Reservoir Thursday. A drake EURASIAN WIGEON which spent the week on Mill Pond off Lake Avenue in Oyster Bay with another on Fresh Pond in Fort Salonga today. The drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was still off the west side of Crab Meadow Beach Thursday when another was seen again off Gardiners Island and on Wednesday single KING EIDER were noted off Jones Beach field 10 and Shinnecock Inlet.

A BLACK-HEADED GULL has been visiting the area east of the Jones Beach West End Coast Guard Station this week with another in Sheepshead Bay Wednesday. Bush Terminal Piers Park hosted both ICELAND and GLAUCOUS GULLS in mid-week with another GLAUCOUS at Crab Meadow Beach Wednesday and an ICELAND at Shinnecock yesterday. Three BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES were off Montauk Point Wednesday.

Among the flock of RED CROSSBILLS at Heckscher State Park Thursday were 3 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS not refound today and 5 WHITE-WINGEDS were also reported last Monday at Jones Beach West End. A few COMMON REDPOLLS also continue in the area.

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
* Jan. 1, 2021
* NYNY2101.01

– Birds mentioned
WESTERN TANAGER+
LECONTE’S SPARROW+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Eurasian Wigeon
Redhead
KING EIDER
Common Eider
Harlequin Duck
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
Clapper Rail
Semipalmated Plover
Wilson’s Snipe
Spotted Sandpiper
DOVEKIE
Razorbill
Black-legged Kittiwake
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Bald Eagle
Rough-legged Hawk
Snowy Owl
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Common Raven
House Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Common Redpoll
RED CROSSBILL
Pine Siskin
Chipping Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Common Yellowthroat

– 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, January 1st 2021 at 10pm. The highlights of today’s tape are LECONTE’S SPARROW, WESTERN TANAGER, DOVEKIE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, BLACK-HEADED GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, RED CROSSBILL, Christmas Count results and more.

A very elusive LE CONTE’S SPARROW, found back on December 19th at Wolfe’s Pond Park on Staten Island, was reported a few times this week through yesterday along the shore of the park or in the adjacent overgrown area at Seguine Point just south of the park.

More cooperative have been Manhattan’s two WESTERN TANAGERS, both still present today, one in the Chelsea section along West 22nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues, usually closer to 10th, and one in or near Carl Schurz Park east of East End Avenue near 86th Street.

Always a treat to see a few DOVEKIES continue to appear along the south shore of Long Island but unfortunately 3 of these were found deceased, two last Sunday at Jones Beach West End and at Montauk and one today at Napeague while flying birds were noted Monday at West End and Montauk. Some offshore RAZORBILLS especially off Montauk also included two off Playland Park in Rye yesterday.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE appearing in Central Park’s Reservoir last Sunday morning is presumably the same one visiting Randall’s Island all week. Another was again on Tung Ting Pond in Eastport Monday and the Ryebrook individual appeared on Playland Lake Monday. Drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYES were noted off Cow Meadow Beach in Fort Salonga Sunday and at Cedar Point in Gardiners Bay off Northwest Harbor last Saturday while females were reported at Goldsmith’s Inlet in Southold Saturday and at Orient Beach State Park today. Decent numbers recently of KING EIDER included sightings this week at Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4, Fort Tilden, Great Kills Park on Staten Island, Jones Beach West End and Shinnecock Inlet. EURASIAN WIGEON was reported on Mill Pond in Oyster Bay today.

Six BLACK-HEADED GULLS noted this week involved singles at Breezy Point Sunday, Veteran’s Memorial Pier in Brooklyn Monday, Randall’s Island Thursday and today, Jones Beach West End Tuesday to today, Setauket Harbor Monday and at Ditch Plains in Montauk Wednesday. Mature GLAUCOUS GULLS occurred in the Jones Beach area Wednesday, at Playland Park during the week and at Ditch Plains to Wednesday while 4 ICELAND GULLS noted included one on Prospect Park today and a BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was spotted off Montauk Point Tuesday.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was spotted in Orient Saturday with Tuesday reports from Southold and Yaphank. The YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was still at Ketcham’s Creek in Amityville Monday and among the winter finches RED CROSSBILLS have easily been the most predominate lately with groups of 30 to 40 for example frequenting Jones Beach West End and COMMON REDPOLLS also continue.

The Bronx-Westchester Christmas Count last Sunday recorded 120 species including two COMMON EIDER, new for the count, 3 REDHEAD, 2 RED-NECKED GREBES, 2 CLAPPER RAILS, a third record for SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, WILSON’S SNIPE, ICELAND GULL, SNOWY and NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, EASTERN BLUEBIRD, 70 PINE SISKINS and 4 CHIPPING and 2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS while count week birds featured GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, GLAUCOUS GULL and a first record of SPOTTED SANDPIPER.

The Smithtown Count Sunday netted 110 species including 36 COMMON EIDERS, 6 BALD EAGLES, GLAUCOUS GULL, 7 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, 10 COMMON RAVENS and HOUSE WREN.

Quogue-Watermill, December 20th had 113 species with HARLEQUIN DUCKS, SNOWY OWL and NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and RED CROSSBILLS.

To phone in reports, call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922 and Happy New Year.

– End transcript

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 25, 2020
* NYNY2012.25

– Birds Mentioned

MEW GULL+
WESTERN TANAGER+
PAINTED BUNTING+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Greater White-fronted Goose
BARNACLE GOOSE
KING EIDER
Common Eider
Harlequin Duck
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
Purple Sandpiper
DOVEKIE
Razorbill
Black-legged Kittiwake
Bonaparte’s Gull
Iceland Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Rough-legged Hawk
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Eastern Phoebe
WESTERN KINGBIRD
House Wren
SEDGE WREN
Veery
Wood Thrush
Evening Grosbeak
Common Redpoll
Red Crossbill
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
Grasshopper Sparrow
LECONTE’S SPARROW
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Baltimore Oriole
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Orange-crowned Warbler


If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at  https://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 Thursday, December 25, 2020 at 9 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are MEW GULL, LECONTE’S SPARROW, PAINTED BUNTING, DOVEKIE, SEDGE WREN, WESTERN TANAGER, WESTERN KINGBIRD, BARNACLE GOOSE, KING EIDER, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, GLAUCOUS GULL, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, winter finches, Christmas Count results and more.

The immature MEW GULL was seen last Saturday at Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4 but has not been reported since last weekend, when it became a first record for the Brooklyn Christmas Bird Count.

A LECONTE’S SPARROW was found last Sunday at Croton Point Park, a Westchester County first, and was seen wonderfully well atop the landfill on Sunday and Monday before disappearing Tuesday morning, while another was also noted last Saturday on the Staten Island Christmas Bird Count and reported again Wednesday.

A female type PAINTED BUNTING found last Friday on the road to Culloden Point stayed for the Montauk Christmas Bird Count Saturday but has not been seen since.

Several recent sightings of DOVEKIE off Eastern Long Island included singles at Montauk Point Saturday and Wednesday and off Camp Hero Thursday, at Shinnecock Inlet Saturday and Thursday and nearby Tiana Beach Thursday, and, most unusual, one captured in heavy brush and released into the water today at Cove Hollow in Georgica.

Major Christmas Bird Count highlights were a SEDGE WREN on the Captree Count Sunday and a WESTERN KINGBIRD flying by the Montauk Downs Golf
Course Saturday.

The two Manhattan WESTERN TANAGERS were still present Thursday, one along West 22nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues and one at Carl Schurz Park at East 86th Street, east of East End Avenue.

Two BARNACLE GEESE continue in the Water Mill area, usually off Deerfield Road but yesterday along David White’s Lane southwest of there.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE has been visiting Randall’s Island from Sunday at least to yesterday.

A young male KING EIDER and an ICELAND GULL continue around Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4, and two KINGS were off Fort Tilden Wednesday.

A GLAUCOUS GULL was at Cedar Beach Marina Sunday, with another at Playland Park in Rye today, and a BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was on the beach at Smith Point County Park today.

A LAPLAND LONGSPUR visited Croton Point Park Wednesday, a GRASSHOPPER SPARROW also there last Sunday, and a YELLOW-BREASED CHAT was still at Ketcham’s Creek in Amityville Wednesday.  Good numbers of RED CROSSBILLS were at Jones Beach West End late in the week.

The Brooklyn Christmas Bird Count Saturday recorded a very nice 137 species, highlights including new records of MEW GULL and VEERY as well as 5 KING EIDERS, 2 ICELAND GULLS, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, 7 COMMON REDPOLLS, 7 RED CROSSBILLS and OVENBIRD.

Among Montauk’s 129 species Saturday were 2 HARLEQUIN DUCKS, a drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, 6 RED-NECKED GREBES, DOVEKIE, 19 BALD EAGLES, 15 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS, WESTERN KINGBIRD, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, WOOD THRUSH, EVENING GROSBEAK and PAINTED BUNTING.

Captree’s 128 species Sunday included 3 KING EIDERS, ICELAND and GLAUCOUS GULLS, over 4,000 BONAPARTE’S GULLS, SEDGE WREN and 83 RED CROSSBILLS.

Queens netted 125 species Sunday with OSPREY, HOUSE WREN, 33 COMMON REDPOLLS, BALTIMORE ORIOLE and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH.

Greenwich – Stamford, including parts of Westchester County, netted 113 species Sunday, including 6 COMMON EIDER, 3 RAZORBILLS, GLAUCOUS GULL and 3 EASTERN PHOEBES.

The Northern Nassau Christmas Bird Count Saturday recorded 107 species with COMMON EIDER, ICELAND GULL, COMMON REDPOLL, and ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER, while ROCKLAND among its 82 species Sunday recorded 2 PURPLE SANDPIPERS and ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK.

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
* Dec. 17, 2020
* NYNY2012.17

– Birds Mentioned

THICK-BILLED MURRE+
MEW GULL+
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
BARNACLE GOOSE
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
Razorbill
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GLAUCOUS GULL
Royal Tern
WESTERN KINGBIRD
Common Redpoll
RED CROSSBILL
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Baltimore Oriole
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://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 Thursday, December 17, 2020 at 9 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are MEW GULL, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, WESTERN KINGBIRD, BARNACLE and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER and HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED and GLAUCOUS GULLS, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, THICK-BILLED MURRE, EARED GREBE, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, RED CROSSBILL and more.

Scanning through Gull flocks along the Brooklyn waterfront continues to be productive -searches for last week’s first winter MEW GULL produced a strongly marked adult MEW GULL Wednesday, the bird first spotted at Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4 and then presumably the same bird a little later up at Bush Terminal Piers Park.  And today, likely
the immature from the prior week was noted again at Army Terminal Pier 4, this site also hosting an immature male KING EIDER since Tuesday and a continuing ICELAND GULL.

An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER visited Jones Beach West End last Sunday, this also the last day the one in Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery was seen.  Sunday also provided a sighting of a WESTERN KINGBIRD in Green-Wood, but this individual quickly disappeared.

The WESTERN TANAGER continuing in Manhattan’s Chelsea section along West 22nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues through today was joined by another in Manhattan as of Tuesday up at Carl Schurz Park at East 86th Street, east of East End Avenue, this site also providing one or two BALTIMORE ORIOLES.  As a note, another WESTERN TANAGER was seen back on December 6th near Big Reed Pond out in Montauk.

Two BARNACLE GEESE were still visiting fields along Deerfield Avenue in Water Mill last Saturday, when a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was also noted there.  Another GREATER WHITE-FRONTED was still around Tung Ting Pond in Eastport last Sunday, and one still visits the Bowman Avenue Pond in Rye Brook, though often not for long.

Single drake EURASIAN WIGEON were noted Saturday at Grant Park in Hewlett and Wednesday on Mill Pond in Oyster Bay.

One or two drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYES were present Sunday off Crab Meadow Beach in Northport, and along with a few KING EIDERS remaining in the Fort Tilden – Riis Park area were three off Robert Moses State
Park Wednesday.

A HARLEQUIN DUCK was spotted Wednesday flying by Montauk Point, that same day providing roughly a dozen BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES, strong numbers of RAZORBILLS, and among them a reported THICK-BILLED MURRE.

An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL, presumably a returning bird, was around Setauket harbor as of Monday, a GLAUCOUS GULL was spotted on the bay side of Cupsogue County Park last Saturday, and two ICELAND GULLS were in the East River off Austin Nichols House last Saturday.

Some LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS included one on Prospect Park Lake Sunday, and a ROYAL TERN was still at Breezy Point Sunday.

An EARED GREBE remained on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at least to Sunday, when a RED-NECKED GREBE was still on Meadow Lake at Flushing Meadow – Corona Park.  Other RED-NECKED GREBES continue off Brooklyn.

A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was present Monday and Tuesday at Ketcham’s Creek Freshwater Wetland in Amityville.

Small numbers of COMMON REDPOLLS continue to appear locally, while scattered RED CROSSBILLS peaked with forty at Jones Beach West End Tuesday, down to nine Wednesday.

With Christmas Counts starting this weekend, please call in Count results, which hopefully may contain a few of our lingering WARBLERS, including OVENBIRD, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, TENNESSEE, ORANGE-CROWNED, NASHVILLE or even NORTHERN PARULA.

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
* Dec. 11, 2020
* NYNY2012.11

– Birds mentioned
MEW GULL+
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
BARNACLE GOOSE
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
Razorbill
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
Bonaparte’s Gull
ICELAND GULL
GLAUCOUS GULL
Northern Gannet
Red-headed Woodpecker
Horned Lark
Wood Thrush
Common Redpoll
RED CROSSBILL
Snow Bunting
Lincoln’s Sparrow
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Baltimore Oriole
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Cape May Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler

– Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/…

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, December 11th 2020 at 10pm. The highlights of today’s tape are MEW GULL, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, EARED GREBE, BARNACLE GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, GLAUCOUS GULL, ICELAND GULL, RED CROSSBILL, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and more.

Last Tuesday a first winter gull spotted at the Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4 was photographed and identified as a Eurasian form of MEW GULL, also referred to as Common Gull, this variety and age requiring careful separation from the same aged Ring-billed Gull. A MEW GULL may have also been seen at Pier 4 near noon today and should be looked for among the many gulls gathering there.

Last Sunday a bright WESTERN TANAGER, but not the individual seen previously in Brooklyn’s Green-wood Cemetery, was found in the Chelsea section of lower Manhattan and has remained there through today. This TANAGER has been feeding in fruiting trees along West 22nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues usually closer to 10th including near a small playground park.

Just two ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS this week with the one at Nissequogue River State Park in King’s Park where it was being seen at least to Wednesday and the one in Green-wood Cemetery to last Sunday.

The EARED GREBE was still on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge today.

Two BARNACLE GEESE spotted December 1st were still being seen with Canada Geese along Deerfield Road north of Mill Pond in Watermill at least through yesterday. The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was seen on Hook Pond in East Hampton yesterday and today while the one in Rye Brook has recently become quite elusive. Single EURASIAN WIGEON this week were noted at the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center to Monday and Hempstead Lake State Park to Thursday, on Mill Pond in Oyster Bay Sunday and on Pepperidge Lake north of East Moriches Boulevard Monday. A female BARROW’S GOLDENEYE was last reported last Saturday on the pond at Frank Melville Memorial Park in Setauket the previous day providing a drake flying by Crab Meadow Beach. A female HARLEQUIN DUCK was still present Wednesday at Shinnecock Inlet where 2 KING EIDER have been seen recently. Other recent KINGS have been spotted off Fort Tilden, Jacob Riis Park and Robert Moses State Park.

The GLAUCOUS GULL was photographed at Shinnecock Inlet Tuesday while last Saturday an ICELAND GULL visited the Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4. At Robert Moses State Park wind conditions on Monday provided 13 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES offshore with another 11 counted Wednesday. Other high totals at Moses featured 940 BONAPARTE’S GULLS, 121 HORNED LARKS and 173 SNOW BUNTINGS on Monday with another 520 BONAPARTES and 320 NORTHERN GANNETS Wednesday.

A RED-NECKED GREBE has been on Meadow Lake at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park since Tuesday. Sixty-five RAZORBILLS were counted off Montauk Point last Tuesday when a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was also seen again there.

Tuesday brought some COMMON REDPOLLS into our area while small numbers of RED CROSSBILLS today included 15 at Heckscher State Park and 25 along the Paumanok Trail off Schultz Road in Manorville where a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues.

The variety of lingering passerines currently includes WOOD THRUSH, LINCOLN’S SPARROW, BALTIMORE ORIOLE and various warblers including ORANGE-CROWNED plus NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, OVENBIRD, TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, CAPE MAY, BLACKPOLL and COMMON YELLOWTHROAT.

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
* Dec. 4, 2020
* NYNY2012.04

– Birds mentioned
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
BARNACLE GOOSE
TUNDRA SWAN
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
Parasitic Jaeger
Razorbill
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Red-headed Woodpecker
WESTERN KINGBIRD
Common Redpoll
RED CROSSBILL
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
Vesper Sparrow
Yellow-breasted Chat
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula

– Transcript

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found at https://www.nybirds.org/NYSARC/…

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, December 4th 2020 at 10pm. The highlights of today’s tape are ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, WESTERN KINGBIRD, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, EARED GREBE, BARNACLE GOOSE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, TUNDRA SWAN, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, KING EIDER, HARLEQUIN DUCK, BLACK-HEADED GULL, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, RED CROSSBILL and more.

A nice run of ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHERS continues with four present this week. The ASH-THROATED first seen in Brooklyn’s Green-wood Cemetery November 17th was still around Wednesday near Border and Sassafras Avenues. One found last Sunday at Conference House Park at the southern end of Staten Island was still present today near Surf Avenue while another was seen Wednesday and Thursday in Bayswater Park in Queens, this area off Bay 32nd Street, and then today a fourth was photographed at Nissequogue River State Park up in King’s Park. In contrast a WESTERN KINGBIRD spotted last Saturday in Mount Loretto Unique Area on Staten Island did not stick around. Lingering however have been the male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD with the damaged flight feathers still present last weekend at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on the east side of Meadow Lake below the boathouse and the EARED GREBE still on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

A decent selection of waterfowl featured 2 BARNACLE GEESE on eastern Long Island since Tuesday recently seen in fields along Deerfield Avenue north of Mill Pond in Watermill. Single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE continue to be seen on Tung Ting Pond in Centerport and on a pond off Bowman Avenue in Ryebrook. A flock or two of TUNDRA SWANS last weekend included what may have been the same 11 seen Saturday morning first moving west by Robert Moses State Park and then over Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and Floyd Bennett Field. Five more were spotted off Manhattan’s Battery Park Sunday. Drake EURASIAN WIGEON were noted again this week on Jamaica Bay’s West Pond and on Oakland Lake in Alley Pond Park. A nice find was a female BARROW’S GOLDENEYE last Friday and still present today on the pond at Frank Melville Memorial Park on Mill Pond in Setauket. A not quite full drake KING EIDER was with Common Eider off Riis Park last Sunday and an immature male KING joined a female off Fort Tilden today. A HARLEQUIN DUCK was back at Shell Beach on Shelter Island last Saturday and a female has been along the west jetty at Shinnecock Inlet since Wednesday.

An immature BLACK-HEADED GULL was spotted at Brooklyn’s Bush Terminal Piers Park Tuesday that same day finding an adult at Gravesend Bay and later off Coney Island Beach. An ICELAND GULL was spotted at Conference House Park Sunday and one or two RED-NECKED GREBES were seen around Gravesend Bay during the week.

At Robert Moses State Park birds included a RAZORBILL and 6 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS Tuesday preceded by a PARASITIC JAEGER and a LAPLAND LONGSPUR last Saturday. Another LONGSPUR was in Riverhead yesterday.

The 51 RED CROSSBILLS counted at Jones Beach West End last Saturday was a high for the week as even their numbers are falling off. Twenty-eight were counted Tuesday along the Paumanok Trail in Manorville where a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continued. Scattered COMMON REDPOLLS included 19 counted going by Crab Meadow Beach Sunday.

YELLOW-BREASTED CHATS were seen Saturday at Montauk Point in Cooper’s Neck Pond and Southampton and a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was still at Brooklyn Bridge Park Saturday when a VESPER SPARROW appeared at Pelham Bay Park.

Warblers included some ORANGE-CROWNED plus TENNESSEE, CAPE MAY and NORTHERN PARULA.

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