New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, February 26, 2010:

- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Feb. 26, 2010
* NYNY1002.26

- Birds mentioned

WESTERN GREBE+
MEW GULL+
IVORY GULL+ (northern New York near Plattsburg)
NORTHERN HAWK OWL+ (northern New York near Plattsburg)
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Tufted Duck
HARLEQUIN DUCK
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
Red-necked Grebe
Great Egret
Black Vulture
Purple Sandpiper
BLACK-HEADED GULL
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Razorbill
Red-headed Woodpecker
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 nysarc3 AT nybirds.org.

If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:

Jeanne Skelly - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
420 Chili-Scottsville Rd.
Churchville, NY 14428

Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert Number: (212) 979-3070

To report sightings call:
Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays, during the day except Sunday)
Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 (Long Island)

Compiler: Tom Burke, Tony Lauro
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 26th 2010 at 9pm. The highlights of today's tape are MEW GULL, WESTERN GREBE, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, BLACK-HEADED GULL, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE and HARLEQUIN DUCK.

Firstly, for those considering traveling for New York rarities this weekend, a trio of exceptional birds is currently in northern New York near Plattsburg. An adult IVORY GULL a NORTHERN HAWK OWL and a drake TUFTED DUCK. Check the Internet for specifics.

The Brooklyn MEW GULL was seen again last Sunday afternoon south of the pedestrian bridge over the Belt Parkway near the parking turn-off reached from the eastbound Belt Parkway. One can park in this turn-off or along the streets near Bay 16th Street which puts you near the pedestrian bridge in the area often frequented by the MEW GULL.

The WESTERN GREBE was also seen again last Saturday off Coney Island near the fishing pier but it was searched for subsequently and has not been relocated.

A lingering RED-NECKED GREBE was at Marine Park in Brooklyn Saturday.

The drake BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was still present at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Saturday seen with Common Goldeneye in the bay west of the West Pond.

Moving east 5 HARLEQUIN DUCKS continued along the Shinnecock Inlet jetties at least to last Sunday joining a few hundred Common Eider in that area.

A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was present Saturday with Canada Geese at Hook Pond in Easthampton.

Two unexpected birds in the Montauk area last Saturday were a BLACK VULTURE over the town of Montauk and a GREAT EGRET at Napeague.

An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL was still present with a number of Bonaparte's Gulls a little west of Ditch Plains off Shadmoor State Park. Three RAZORBILLS and 12 PURPLE SANDPIPERS were also noted at Ditch Plains last Sunday.

Also on Sunday 3 ICELAND GULLS were present around the Montauk Harbor inlet and single LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS remained on the western side of Fort Pond Bay in Montauk and at Lazy Point in Napeague.

In Westchester after not being seen for awhile the male YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD reappeared Thursday afternoon at the Pruyn Audubon Sanctuary at Chappaqua. The sanctuary is on Route 133 at 275 Millwood Road.

At Croton Point Park last weekend the immature RED-HEADED WOODPECKER remained by the parking lot next to the model airplane field and the ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was still in the pines near the first campground.

To phone in reports on Long Island, call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126, or during the day except Sunday call Tom Burke at (212) 372-1483.

This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.

- End transcript