A large group gathered on the steps of Belvedere Castle in Central Park overlooking the Great Lawn to look for late migrating raptors. The ongoing drought has increased the risk of forest fires; one burning in the New Jersey Palisades generated smoke that may have caused migrants to alter their flight paths. While five raptor species were seen, no eagles, our target species, were spotted during the watch. At least five Red-tailed Hawks and three Peregrine Falcons were seen, but we could not rule out the possibility that these were local birds that nested in Manhattan this year. The most exciting sighting of the day was a Merlin repeatedly attacking a Cooper’s Hawk over Turtle Pond.
Species List
Birds Wood Duck Northern Shoveler Mallard Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) American Herring Gull Great Blue Heron Cooper’s Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Northern Flicker American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Blue Jay Golden-crowned Kinglet European Starling Brown Thrasher American Robin Cedar Waxwing American Goldfinch Dark-eyed Junco Eastern Towhee Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Odonata Autumn Meadow Hawk
Registrar: Sarah Dahl Participants: 27 Weather: 46 to 73 F and partly cloudy Bird Species: 61
It was a beautiful fall day to close the series of fall migration walks in Central Park for 2024. Various migrating warblers, a Purple Finch, and a surprise Saw-whet Owl were the highlights of a lovely walk. Species List
Canada Goose Wood Duck Northern Shoveler Gadwall Mallard American Black Duck Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove American Woodcock Ring-billed Gull American Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Cooper’s Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Northern Saw-whet Owl Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Eastern Phoebe Blue-headed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet White-breasted Nuthatch Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Winter Wren Carolina Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Hermit Thrush Wood Thursh American Robin Cedar Waxwing House Sparrow House Finch Purple Finch American Goldfinch Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Fox Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Eastern Towhee Common Grackle Black-throated Blue Warbler Palm Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Northern Cardinal
Registrar: Steve Holleran Participants: 41 Weather: A blissful fall day with temperatures in the 60s Bird Species: 49
On a splendid autumn morning we set out in three groups to explore the Ramble and nearby areas of the Park. Our combined observations added up to 49 species of birds, with seven New World sparrows, a Purple Finch, and late–lingering warblers, including distant but convincing views of an Orange-crowned Warbler. We were also gladdened by signs that the Tufted Titmice and Black-capped Chickadees are returning.
Species List
Canada Goose Northern Shoveler Mallard Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) Mourning Dove Ring-billed Gull American Herring Gull Cooper’s Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Eastern Phoebe Blue-headed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet White-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Winter Wren Carolina Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Hermit Thrush American Robin House Sparrow Purple Finch Chipping Sparrow Fox Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Eastern Towhee Common Grackle Ovenbird Orange-crowned Warbler Common Yellowthroat Northern Parula Blackpoll Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Palm Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Northern Cardinal
A small group of enthusiastic bird photographers met at the north end of Central Park to practice bird photography techniques. We had beautiful light, mild fall weather, and a lovely backdrop of foliage to bring out our creativity. Almost immediately a cooperative Palm Warbler hopped out and offered looks for several minutes at the edge of the pool. A Blue-headed Vireo near the boardwalk offered more of a challenge, but also granted several opportunities to try for a shot. Everyone came away with some camera tips as well as inspiration for their next outing.
Species List
Canada Goose Wood Duck Northern Shoveler Gadwall Mallard Green-winged Teal Mourning Dove American Woodcock Red-tailed Hawk Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Eastern Phoebe Blue-headed Vireo Blue Jay Tufted Titmouse Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet White-breasted Nuthatch Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Hermit Thrush American Robin House Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Brown-headed Cowbird Northern Waterthrush Black-throated Blue Warbler Palm Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler
Registrar: David Spawn Participants: 8 Weather: “Unseasonably” warm temps in the 60s/low 70s. High tide when we arrived, started to ebb later in the morning. Mostly clear skies with weak northerly winds. Bird Species: 39
Starting at the Community Garden, we headed to the west end of Riis Park to look at shorebirds/terns/gulls; then back along the beach road and across the dunes to the hawk-watch platform. After lunch on the pilings by the Silver Gull Beach Club, we returned along “Center Road.”
Species List
Brant Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove American Oystercatcher Sanderling Laughing Gull Ring-billed Gull American Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Royal Tern Double-crested Cormorant Osprey Cooper’s Hawk Red Bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Merlin Eastern Phoebe Blue Headed Vireo Common Raven Ruby Crowned Kinglet Golden Crowned Kinglet Carolina Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Hermit Thrush American Robin House Sparrow Field Sparrow Dark-Eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Red Winged Blackbird Palm Warbler Yellow-Rumped Warbler
It was one of the first chilly days of the autumn migration season, but a large group of birders dug out their fall jackets and joined the walk. We divided into three groups and visited the Ramble, Sparrow Rock, the Reservoir, Shakespeare Garden, and Belvedere Castle.
We were happy to see that winter species are starting to return, including Northern Shoveler, Hooded Merganser, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Junco, Tufted Titmouse, and White-throated Sparrow. Warblers were still moving through, and nine species were seen today, with Black-throated Blue and Yellow-rumped Warblers present in good numbers.
Species List
Canada Goose Wood Duck Northern Shoveler Mallard Hooded Merganser Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) Mourning Dove Yellow-billed Cuckoo Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Double-crested Cormorant Black-crowned Night Heron Great Blue Heron Turkey Vulture Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper’s Hawk Bald Eagle Red-tailed Hawk Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker American Kestrel Eastern Phoebe Blue-headed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet White-breasted Nuthatch Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Winter Wren Carolina Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Swainson’s Thrush Hermit Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin House Sparrow House Finch American Goldfinch Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco White-crowned Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Eastern Towhee Common Grackle Ovenbird Black-and-white Warbler Common Yellowthroat Hooded Warbler Cape May Warbler Northern Parula Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Palm Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Northern Cardinal
Registrar: Dom Ricci Participants: 8 Weather: Around 60 F, broken clouds, moderate breeze Bird Species: 54
Randall’s Island sits at the confluence of the Bronx Kill, Harlem River, and East River and occupies a unique ecological niche in New York County. However, it was subject to environmental disruption throughout 2024 due to construction and human activity. A small but dedicated group of Linnaean birders led by Alan Drogin gathered to explore the island in search of fall stopover migrants. While we did not observe Ammospiza sparrows as expected in the remnants of the Bronx Kill saltmarsh, we encountered several mixed flocks containing Savannah, Chipping, and Song sparrows along the coastal walk around the northeastern ballfields. The freshwater marsh and fenced areas in the middle of the island held a variety of individual late warblers including Tennessee, Nashville, Cape May, and a Bay-breasted with residual breeding plumage. We beheld the largest migrant flock of the day inside the abandoned driving range, where a multitude of Yellow-rumped Warblers circulated amidst the overgrowth, accompanied by several Eastern Phoebes. Although we did not see any unusual rarities, this was more than made up for by the variety of species we observed.
Species List
Canada Goose Mute Swan American Black Duck Northern Pintail Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) Mourning Dove Ring-billed Gull American Herring Gull Great Black-backed Gull Double-crested Cormorant Great Blue Heron Cooper’s Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Belted Kingfisher Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker American Kestrel Eastern Phoebe Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven (h) Tufted Titmouse Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Brown Creeper Carolina Wren European Starling Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Hermit Thrush American Robin House Finch American Goldfinch Chipping Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Eastern Towhee Common Grackle Black-and-white Warbler Tennessee Warbler Nashville Warbler Common Yellowthroat Cape May Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Palm Warbler Pine Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Northern Cardinal
We had a beautiful fall day for our annual field trip to Floyd Bennet Field, guided by leader extraordinaire, Rob Jett. The walk started in the area just north of Aviator Sports, where we kept our eyes peeled for sparrows and other migrating grassland species. We then proceeded into the North Forty, where we saw dozens of American Robins, as well as Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers, woodpeckers, and several raptors, including two late Ospreys.
After leaving the northern part of the area, we saw multiple American Kestrels, some eating field crickets off the pavement; a Northern Harrier; a large flock of Brown Cowbirds; a murder of American Crows; and other passerines. At the community garden we were thrilled to spot a Mourning Warbler and a White-crowned Sparrow. Sadly, we saw that someone had wrapped sticky tape around the tree trunks south of the garden in a misguided effort to trap Spotted Lanternflies. Three dead Brown Creepers were found stuck to the tape, and feathers were seen on other traps, indicating that additional birds had been trapped but managed to escape.
We next proceeded to the end of Archery Road, overlooking Jamaica Bay. A small flock of Brant was seen, as well as Great Black-backed, Herring, Ring-billed, and Laughing Gulls. Double-crested Cormorants and a shorebird (unidentifiable due to distance) sat on the pilings.
The walk ended with a stroll through the campgrounds, where we spotted a Red-breasted Nuthatch and a Black-capped Chickadee. Our final sighting was of two adult Bald Eagles soaring overhead—a magnificent species to end the day with.
Species List
Birds Brant Canada Goose Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) Mourning Dove shorebird sp. Laughing Gull Herring Gull (American) Great Black-backed Gull Double-crested Cormorant Turkey Vulture Osprey Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper’s Hawk Bald Eagle Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker American Kestrel Peregrine Falcon Eastern Phoebe Blue-headed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Red-breasted Nuthatch European Starling Northern Mockingbird American Robin Cedar Waxwing House Sparrow House Finch Chipping Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow Red-winged Blackbird Brown-headed Cowbird Common Grackle Nashville Warbler Mourning Warbler Common Yellowthroat Palm Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Northern Cardinal
