Category: Rare Bird Alerts

– 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

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Nov. 27, 2020
* NYNY2011.27

– Birds Mentioned
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD+
THICK-BILLED MURRE+
BROWN BOOBY+
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER+
WESTERN TANAGER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
Piping Plover
Long-billed Dowitcher
Parasitic Jaeger
Razorbill
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
ICELAND GULL
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Northern Gannet
Northern Goshawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Purple Finch
Common Redpoll
RED CROSSBILL
Pine Siskin
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
Ovenbird
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Northern Parula
DICKCISSEL

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, November
27, 2020 at 10 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are BROWN BOOBY, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, WESTERN TANAGER, THICK-BILLED MURRE, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, EARED GREBE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, KING EIDER and HARLEQUIN DUCK, ICELAND GULL and BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, RED CROSSBILL, DICKCISSEL and more.

Certainly the surprise of the week was an apparent immature BROWN BOOBY photographed distantly as it flew down the Hudson River off Inwood Hill Park early last Sunday morning.

But much of the week’s excitement centered around Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, where both an ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER and a WESTERN TANAGER continued from the week before. The ASH-THROATED was still present today, seen feeding in the vicinity of Sassafras Avenue and Dale Avenue. The WESTERN TANAGER, however, was not reported yesterday or today but may still be visiting the Yew trees next to the Chas. T. Yerkes mausoleum near the intersection of Cypress Avenue and Vine Avenue. A decent number of RED CROSSBILLS also visited the Cemetery last Sunday.

A birder visiting Robert Moses State Park early Wednesday morning for some fishing came across a THICK-BILLED MURRE sitting on the beach. Once moved out to the water, happily the Murre swam away.

Still around, the RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was noted as recently as Wednesday visiting the feeder at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River, and the EARED GREBE was reported again today on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

Lingering GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE include one at Northport High School Sunday and another on Tung Ting Pond in Centerport Tuesday, while another returned as of today to the Rye area in southern Westchester County, often roosting on a pond in Rye Brook off Bowman Avenue.

Recent drake EURASIAN WIGEONS were present today at the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center and on Oakland Lake in Alley Pond Park, and at least to Wednesday on the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Refuge.

A drake KING EIDER moving east a little has been present recently off Riis Park, with a female seen Sunday off Dead Horse Point just west of Floyd Bennett Field.

A HARLEQUIN Duck was present Wednesday off Point Lookout Town Park, where a late PIPING PLOVER was also seen.

An ICELAND GULL was noted at the Lemon Creek Pier on Staten Island Sunday.

The stormy coastal conditions Thursday morning produced a nice count of 46 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES off Smith Point County Park in Shirley, other highlights there including 4 RAZORBILLS, a PARASITIC JAEGER and over 300 NORTHERN GANNETS. Nineteen KITTIWAKES were also noted off
Robert Moses State Park.
RED-NECKED GREBES last Sunday were seen at Dead Horse Point and Gravesend Bay in Brooklyn and at the Lemon Creek Pier, some lingering LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS included 13 at Moses Park yesterday, and 3 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS continue at Santapogue Creek in West Babylon.

A NORTHERN GOSHAWK was a surprise at Breezy Point Tuesday, and 2 RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continue off Paumanok Trail off Schultz Road in Manorville.

Today a LAPLAND LONGSPUR was spotted at Smith Point County Park, and a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was found at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6.

Large flights of RED CROSSBILLS included 330 estimated moving by Jones Beach West End last Saturday morning, with fewer numbers during the week at several different sites. Numbers of PINE SISKINS and PURPLE FINCHES have dropped off, while some COMMON REDPOLLS continue to be seen.

A DICKCISSEL was at Floyd Bennett Field Saturday, and among various late WARBLERS have been OVENBIRD, TENNESSEE, ORANGE-CROWNED, 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

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Nov. 20, 2020
* NYNY2011.17

– Birds Mentioned
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD+
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER+
CAVE SWALLOW+
WESTERN TANAGER+

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Cackling Goose
TUNDRA SWAN
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
Common Eider
Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
SANDHILL CRANE
Long-billed Dowitcher
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
Barn Swallow
Evening Grosbeak
Common Redpoll
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD

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, November 20, 2020 at 11 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are WESTERN TANAGER, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, CAVE SWALLOW, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, EARED GREBE, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, SANDHILL CRANE, TUNDRA SWAN, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON and KING EIDER, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, some winter finches, and more.

Two very exciting finds currently present in Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery began with a male WESTERN TANAGER first spotted last Saturday and relocated Monday, this bird continuing through today, primarily visiting some Yew trees adjacent to a mausoleum honoring Chas. T. Yerkes. This location is just east of the intersection of Cypress Avenue and Vine Avenue next to two quite tall Spruce trees, the Tanager continually reappearing in the Yews to feed.

And then a FLYCATCHER, first spotted on Tuesday, was confirmed as an ASH-THROATED on Wednesday and has since then been feeding in the vicinity of the Dell Water and nearby Crescent Water, today frequenting the area near the Wyeth memorial near the intersection of Crescent and Vale Avenues. When visiting Green-Wood, please remember to respect the cemetery property. The main entrance is at 500 25^th Street off 5th Avenue and opens at 8 am.

After their recent incursion into the northeast, a few CAVE SWALLOWS have appeared in our area, especially due to the strong northerly winds driving them to the coast; most sightings, involving 1 to 3 birds, have been fly-bys, including at Coney Island, Fort Tilden and Breezy Point, but up to 3 CAVE SWALLOWS, joined by a BARN SWALLOW, did gather at Floyd Bennett Field, spending most of Wednesday around the old hangar next to the large parking lot on the Jamaica Bay side of the park. They could not be relocated Thursday.

A few lingering rarities include the RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD still visiting the feeder at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River today, the EARED GREBE continuing on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge through yesterday, and the male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, with badly damaged flight feathers, still along the east shore of Meadow Lake below the Boat House at Flushing Meadow Corona Park today.

Two SANDHILL CRANES flew over the Chestnut Ridge hawk watch site in Bedford yesterday, and today nine CRANES were spotted moving south over Croton Point Park.

Seven TUNDRA SWANS dropped in on the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Thursday, and single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were recently seen at Hook Pond in Easthampton Saturday, on Tung Ting Pond in Centerport Wednesday, and at Northport High School today.

A few CACKLING GEESE have been reported, and a EURASIAN WIGEON was seen again on Tung Ting Pond, with another on Oakland Lake in Alley Pond Park as recently as Tuesday.

This week separate drake KING EIDERS have been with COMMON EIDERS both off Fort Tilden and out at Breezy Point.

A BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was unusual off Inwood Hill Park in northern Manhattan last Saturday, but more expected were the 4 off Montauk Point Monday.

A RED-NECKED GREBE was noted at Plumb Beach Sunday and Breezy Point Tuesday..

Five LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS were at Santapogue Creek in West Babylon today.

A LAPLAND LONGSPUR visited Plumb Beach last Sunday.

Recently some flocks of RED CROSSBILLS and fewer COMMON REDPOLLS have been appearing especially along the coast, while numbers of PINE SISKINS and EVENING GROSBEAKS seem to be tapering off, but hopefully other winter finches will also reach our area soon.

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
* Nov. 13, 2020
* NYNY2011.13

– Birds mentioned
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD+
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER+
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Red-necked Grebe
EARED GREBE
Pomarine Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE
LITTLE GULL
Black Tern
MANX SHEARWATER
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
EURASIAN WIGEON
KING EIDER
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
TUNDRA SWAN
Cattle Egret
American Golden-Plover
WESTERN KINGBIRD
Evening Grosbeak
Purple Finch
Red Crossbill
Common Redpoll
Pine Siskin
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
LARK SPARROW
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
BLUE GROSBEAK
DICKCISSEL

– 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/…

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, November 13th 2020 at 10pm. The highlights of today’s tape are PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, EARED GREBE, LITTLE GULL, WESTERN KINGBIRD, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, TUNDRA SWAN, EURASIAN WIGEON, KING EIDER, MANX SHEARWATER, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, LARK SPARROW, BLUE GROSBEAK, DICKCISSEL, winter finches and much more.

A western type flycatcher found October 31st in Kissena Park Queens and by vocalizations identified as a PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER was enjoyed by many through last Saturday but has either been extremely elusive or disappeared since then. It had been frequenting densely vegetated areas just west of 164th Street across from Underhill Avenue.

An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER was apparently photographed last Monday at Fort Washington Park in northern Manhattan but an eBird report, not by the single observer, contained no details or photographs, hopefully not a procedure that will be repeated.

The RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD was still visiting the feeder at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River today and the EARED GREBE was seen as recently as Wednesday on the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge usually viewed from the Big John’s Pond overlook. A WESTERN KINGBIRD was spotted early Saturday as it flew by morning flight observers at Breezy Point where a nicely plumaged drake KING EIDER noted offshore Saturday in a Common Eider flock has lingered to today.

An adult LITTLE GULL appeared during a seawatch off Robert Moses State Park field 2 this morning and later in the day the good gathering of gulls offshore there attracted several PARASITIC JAEGERS and a lingering larger jaeger believed to be a POMARINE JAEGER. An immature BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE was photographed on the beach at Jones Beach West End Wednesday and a boat offshore south of West Hampton Monday counted several BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES as well as 3 MANX SHEARWATER and 6 GREAT SHEARWATERS and a WILSON’S STORM-PETREL.

Ten TUNDRA SWANS visited fields along Oregon Road in Cutchogue today and 

recent single GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE were noted on a Northport High School field Thursday and today and at Tung Ting Pond in Centerport Wednesday and Thursday the latter also hosting a EURASIAN WIGEON to today.

A peak of 4 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS occurred at Plumb Beach in Brooklyn on Thursday with another last Sunday at Jones Beach West End where a BLACK TERN was photographed Tuesday. A RED-NECKED GREBE was near Spring Creek in Jamaica Bay as of Tuesday and 2 CATTLE EGRETS visited Croton Point Park Thursday. A LAPLAND LONGSPUR flew by Plumb Beach Sunday morning.

A LARK SPARROW was found Saturday near Triton Lane in Hampton Bays and was still present Monday while one Sunday flying by Robert Moses State Park in the morning was followed by one seen later at Floyd Bennett Field and a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW visited Jones Beach West End Sunday and Monday. A BLUE GROSBEAK was spotted at the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center Tuesday and single DICKCISSELS visited Robert Moses State Park Monday and Marshlands Conservancy in Rye Wednesday and winter finch flights continue, last Sunday good movement by Robert Moses State Park and Jones Beach West End featured 7 and 14 RED CROSSBILLS respectively plus a few COMMON REDPOLLS, big numbers of PINE SISKINS and an accommodating EVENING GROSBEAK at West End and some PURPLE FINCHES and more are on their way.

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
* Nov. 6, 2020
* NYNY2011.06

– Birds mentioned
BROWN BOOBY+
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN+
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD+
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

EARED GREBE
EURASIAN WIGEON
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
TUNDRA SWAN
Common Gallinule
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER
GOLDEN EAGLE
Red-headed Woodpecker
Evening Grosbeak
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
Vesper Sparrow
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
BLUE GROSBEAK
DICKCISSEL
PHILADELPHIA VIREO
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT

– 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/…

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, November 6th 2020 at 10pm. The highlights of today’s tape are PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER, RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD, EARED GREBE, BROWN BOOBY, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, TUNDRA SWAN, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, GOLDEN EAGLE, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, BLUE GROSBEAK, DICKCISSEL and more.

Last Saturday a western type empidonax flycatcher was found at Kissena Park in Queens where the bird has continued through today. Attempts to determine whether this bird was a PACIFIC-SLOPE or a closely related Cordilleran Flycatcher fortunately resulted in some recordings of its call notes and these point to the bird’s identity as PACIFIC-SLOPE of which there is a previous New York record. To look for this bird park along 164th Street near Underhill Avenue. Enter the western side of the park on the bridal path and continue a short distance to where both sides of the trail are covered by heavy growth. Search here and also continue a little further to a narrow path on the left and take this path over 3 fallen logs to an enclosed clearing also favored by the flycatcher or ask any birders you see.

The selasphorus hummingbird found last Friday at Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River was today still visiting the hummingbird feeder put up for it. Some good photos of its spread tail pattern seem to indicate this bird is a RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD rather than Allen’s. However, as in the case of the western flycatchers, sometimes in hand measurements or DNA samples are the only sure means of a positive ID.

At Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge an EARED GREBE spotted on the East Pond last Saturday was still present today often best viewed from the Big John’s Pond overlook. Also at Jamaica Bay, where waterfowl numbers continue to increase, a TUNDRA SWAN and a drake EURASIAN WIGEON were both seen on the West Pond last Saturday the swan also spotted Sunday. Another EURASIAN WIGEON was still on West Lake in Patchogue at least to Tuesday and a GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE has been around Wolfe’s Pond Park on Staten Island since last Saturday. The immature BROWN BOOBY was still present last weekend off Bay Avenue in East Quogue and the AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was seen last Saturday and Sunday at Jamaica Bay though only briefly.

With a few GOLDEN EAGLES currently moving by local hawkwatches, interesting on Tuesday morning was possibly the same immature first seen moving south by Inwood Hill Park then a little later by Battery Park City, both on Manhattan, and then finally over the Cemetery of the Resurrection on Staten Island.

An AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER in Brooklyn was seen at Plumb Beach today.

Other notable non-passerines included a COMMON GALLINULE in Prospect Park to Wednesday and a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER flying over Southard’s Pond in Babylon Saturday. A late PHILADELPHIA VIREO was interesting at Canarsie Beach Park Wednesday and a LAPLAND LONGSPUR was at Theodore Roosevelt County Park in Montauk Saturday. CLAY-COLORED SPARROW visited Roosevelt Beach on Staten Island Tuesday with a VESPER SPARROW on Central Park’s north end the same day. Today a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was found in Manhattan’s Union Square Park. A BLUE GROSBEAK was present on Randall’s Island Sunday to Tuesday and Saturday DICKCISSELS were noted at Floyd Bennett Field and Lemon Creek Pier. Small numbers of EVENING GROSBEAKS are now appearing.

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
* Oct. 30, 2020
* NYNY2010.30

– Birds Mentioned

BROWN BOOBY+
TROPICAL KINGBIRD+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

EURASIAN WIGEON
HARLEQUIN DUCK
Black Scoter
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
Cattle Egret
SANDHILL CRANE
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER
Caspian Tern
Eastern Whip-poor-will
SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRD
Peregrine Falcon
EVENING GROSBEAK
Pine Siskin
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
Vesper Sparrow
LECONTE’S SPARROW
HENSLOW’S SPARROW
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Orange-crowned Warbler
BLUE GROSBEAK
DICKCISSEL

If followed by (+) please submit documentation of your report electronically and use the NYSARC online submission form found athttps://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, October 30, 2020 at 10 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are TROPICAL KINGBIRD, BROWN BOOBY, LECONTE’S and HENSLOW’S SPARROWS, SANDHILL CRANE, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN, a SELASPHORUS HUMMINGBIRD, EURASIAN WIGEON, and HARLEQUIN DUCK, AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER, LAPLAND LONGSPUR, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, EVENING GROSBEAK, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW, BLUE GROSBEAK, DICKCISSEL and more.

Another week, another exceptional bird, this time a New York first, pending approval by NYSARC, this a TROPICAL KINGBIRD spotted along the Hudson River in Dobbs Ferry, Westchester County on Tuesday. With the identification nicely worked out by Tuesday evening, on Wednesday numerous birders were able to enjoy views of and vocalizations from this bird as it moved up and down the riverside from its original site by Wickers Creek north to the Ardsley-on-Hudson train station. Unfortunately, the weather worsened by Thursday morning, and the KINGBIRD was only seen once briefly, quickly moving south into the rain and fog with other birds, not to be noted again.

On Thursday an immature BROWN BOOBY appeared in East Quogue Marine Park around the pier at the end of Bay Avenue, where nicely photographed, but it was not relocated today.

Two excellent SPARROWS locally were a LECONTE’S present at Conference House Park at the southern tip of Staten Island from Sunday to Tuesday and a HENSLOW’S found Sunday at Breezy Point, both birds documented with nice photos.

A SANDHILL CRANE was also photographed as it flew over Breezy Point Sunday, and the AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN visiting the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge stayed at least through Wednesday.

A SELASPHORUS HUMMINBIRD was videoed visiting flowers at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River today, but its identification could not be specifically determined, and it was not relocated after the first sighting.

A drake EURASIAN WIGEON found Monday on West Lake in Patchogue was still present today, and among the many ducks now moving into our area were 3 HARLEQUIN DUCKS spotted in a BLACK SCOTER flock moving by Breezy Point Saturday.

The CATTLE EGRET was still at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center off Yaphank Avenue Monday, and interesting was an EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL being harassed by a PEREGRINE FALCON as it was moving over mid-Manhattan Sunday morning.

An AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER was still being seen at Floyd Bennett Field today, and 2 CASPIAN TERNS were noted Saturday around Jamaica Bay and Plumb Beach.

Single LAPLAND LONGSPURS visited Breezy Point Saturday, Orient Wednesday, and Floyd Bennett Field the last 2 days.

A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was at Jamaica Bay Refuge Sunday and Monday, while VESPER SPARROWS occurred at Inwood Hill Park and Governor’s Island last Sunday, with 2 at Floyd Bennett Field yesterday.

A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT in Stony Brook Tuesday was followed by 1 Wednesday at Conference House Park, and among the later WARBLERS were ORANGE-CROWNEDS at Riis Park, Conference House Park and Robert Moses State Park last Sunday.

Joining the PINE SISKIN invasion recently have been increasing numbers of EVENING GROSBEAKS, appearing mostly inland but with a few now reaching the coast.

A BLUE GROSBEAK continued at Sunken Meadow State Park to last Saturday, and some DICKCISSELS this week included reports from Breezy Point Sunday, Robert Moses State Park Tuesday, Coney Island Creek Wednesday and Heckscher State Park today.

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