New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, December 11, 2015:

- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Dec. 11, 2015
* NYNY1512.11

- Birds mentioned

PINK-FOOTED GOOSE+ (not reported)
BARNACLE GOOSE+
GYRFALCON+
CAVE SWALLOW+
PAINTED BUNTING+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Greater White-fronted Goose
Cackling Goose
TUNDRA SWAN
Eurasian Wigeon
Long-billed Dowitcher
RED PHALAROPE
BLACK-HEADED GULL
SNOWY OWL
Red-headed Woodpecker
WESTERN KINGBIRD
Ovenbird
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Wilson's 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

To report sightings call:
Tom Burke (212) 372-1483 (weekdays, during the day)
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, December 11th 2015 at 6pm. The highlights of today's tape are PAINTED BUNTING, GYRFALCON, CAVE SWALLOW, BLACK-HEADED GULL, BARNACLE GOOSE, WESTERN KINGBIRD, RED PHALAROPE, SNOWY OWL, TUNDRA SWAN and much more.

The now well celebrated adult male PAINTED BUNTING in Prospect Park Brooklyn continues its presence near the LeFrak Center Skating Rink usually near the plantings on or adjacent to the center's green roof. The center is in the southeastern corner of the park just east of Prospect Park Lake. The green roof area is approached by several paved paths that cross the low growth area that the Bunting has been feeding in and sometimes disappears into at which point it can be very difficult to see despite its brilliant coloration. So, have patience and please stay on the paved paths.

Also in Prospect Park an immature BLACK-HEADED GULL was visiting Prospect Park Lake from Sunday at least through Thursday and is possibly still around and perhaps 2 different ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS were present there last Saturday one joined by a NASHVILLE WARBLER.

Out at Cedar Beach along the Jones strip a large falcon seen briefly Tuesday was confirmed as a GYRFALCON on Wednesday when spotted in the marsh north of Cedar Beach Marina. Thursday morning it was first seen a mile west of the marina before appearing off the marina for awhile and then moving on. This area has attracted GYRFALCON in previous Winters and thus should be checked regularly.

At Jones Beach West End a CAVE SWALLOW was photographed Wednesday morning as it mixed for a short while with a group of Tree Swallows along the outer beach.

A WESTERN KINGBIRD found Saturday around the parking lot at Montauk Point State Park was still present there at least through Wednesday. Two interesting flybys last Sunday were a RED PHALAROPE reported off Orient Point from the New London - Orient ferry and a SNOWY OWL flying south near Prall's Island as viewed from northwestern Staten Island.

Among the waterfowl two TUNDRA SWANS were still on Hook Pond in East Hampton Wednesday. The north fork BARNACLE GOOSE was seen as recently as Thursday on Marratooka Lake off New Suffolk Avenue in Mattituck where it roosts and feeding last Sunday along Alva's Lane in Cutchogue. The PINK-FOOTED GOOSE was not reported this week and the only GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE reported involved two on a private farm in Melville Monday but others of the latter are surely still around. CACKLING GEESE continue to be reported including two at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens to Thursday. EURASIAN WIGEONS include drakes at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge with two on the East Pond Saturday plus singles at Massapequa Preserve and Deep Hole Creek in Mattituck on Sunday and Mill Pond in Centerport Tuesday.

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS last Sunday featured two continuing on Jamaica Bay's East Pond and 11 still along Santapogue Creek in Lindenhurst.

Two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continue at Willowbrook Park on Staten Island.

With Christmas Count period just about on us it will be interesting to see the effects of the warmer, perhaps El Nino induced weather. Many Winter birds seem to be rather sparse in numbers this somewhat offset by various lingering species including various warblers. A YELLOW WARBLER Sunday and Monday in Kissena Park Corridor and a WILSON'S WARBLER lingering in Kissena Park to Wednesday plus other species such as OVENBIRD and NASHVILLE still around could make it interesting. Other ORANGE-CROWNEDS too have recently been in Central, Kissena and Willowbrook Parks and at Jones Beach West End with probably several others still around.

To phone in reports on Long Island, call Tony Lauro at (631) 734-4126 or weekdays 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