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Sunday, June 21, 2020

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, June 19, 2020:

- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Jun. 19, 2020
* NYNY2006.19

- Birds mentioned
WHITE-FACED IBIS+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Horned Grebe
Parasitic Jaeger
GULL-BILLED TERN
Royal Tern
Roseate Tern
Cory's Shearwater
MANX SHEARWATER
Sooty Shearwater
Wilson's Storm-Petrel
Hooded Merganser
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Long-tailed Duck
LEAST BITTERN
Dunlin
Ruddy Turnstone
Red-shouldered Hawk
Bald Eagle
Barred Owl
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Acadian Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
BLUE GROSBEAK
Bank Swallow
Blue-headed Vireo
White-eyed Vireo
Blackpoll Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
Red-breasted Nuthatch

- 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, June 19th 2020 at 10pm. The highlights of today's tape are WHITE-FACED IBIS, LEAST BITTERN, GULL-BILLED TERN, MANX SHEARWATER and other pelagics from shore, RED-HEADED WOODPECKER, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.

Still traveling around locally with some Glossy Ibis an adult WHITE-FACED IBIS was spotted yesterday in the marshes on the north side of Captree Island and reported there again today. The birds, depending on the tide, also often move east to marshes north of Captree State Park.

A pair of LEAST BITTERNS have recently been visiting Big John's Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and can sometimes be seen from the blind there. Quiet observation usually produces the best results. A GULL-BILLED TERN was also seen over the West Pond at the bay on Tuesday. A couple of GULL-BILLEDS should also continue around Nickerson Beach but entry there for non-Nassau County residents is a major issue.

Seawatching from the south shore of Long Island has not been overly dynamic recently especially with a heavy fog occurring lately but two mornings off Robert Moses State Park this week did produce some positive results. Watching from field 2 on Wednesday observers spotted one MANX, one SOOTY and 4 CORY'S SHEARWATERS and 6 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS while Thursday contributed single MANX, SOOTY and CORY'S SHEARWATERS, 9 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS and a PARASITIC JAEGER visiting twice to chase terns which included a ROSEATE TERN among them. A good number of Bottlenose Dolphins and a Humpback Whale were also offshore.

The season's first ROYAL TERN was reported from Fort Tilden last Saturday.

Two RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS remain along the Paumanok Trail near Jones Pond which is off Schultz Road in Manorville with two noted in Hampton Bays Sunday were at a new location.

ACADIAN FLYCATCHERS were noted in Brooklyn last Saturday both in Prospect Park and at Floyd Bennett Field the latter also producing a late BLACKPOLL WARBLER today. A small recent movement of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES lately is interesting. The YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was still singing at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River today. BLUE GROSBEAKS continue around the Calverton Grasslands area. Their breeding success in direct proportion to the lack of disturbance they encounter there.

The Greenwich-Stamford Summer Bird Count including much of eastern Westchester County last weekend recorded 131 species. Interesting species included HORNED GREBES, such waterfowl as LONG-TAILED DUCK, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON GOLDENEYE and a family of HOODED MERGANSERS and decent numbers of nesting BALD EAGLES and RED-SHOULDERED HAWKS. Among the shorebirds were RUDDY TURNSTONE and DUNLIN. The cuckoos included some YELLOW-BILLED and only 1 BLACK-BILLED. Good numbers of BARRED OWLS and explosive numbers of YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS were recorded but just single ACADIAN and LEAST FLYCATCHERS were found. Other highlights were WHITE-EYED and BLUE-HEADED VIREOS, BANK SWALLOW and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. Twelve species of warblers were recorded but missed were several species regular in the past continuing an unfortunate trend.

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
...Read more

Saturday, June 13, 2020

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, June 12, 2020:

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* June 12, 2020
* NYNY2006.12


- Birds Mentioned

MISSISSIPPI KITE+
SANDWICH TERN+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Brant
Blue-winged Teal
Hooded Merganser
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Willet
Red Knot
Stilt Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GULL-BILLED TERN
Roseate Tern
Cory’s Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Tricolored Heron
Red-headed Woodpecker
Acadian Flycatcher
Horned Lark
Cliff Swallow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Eastern Meadowlark
Ovenbird
Tennessee Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
SUMMER TANAGER
BLUE GROSBEAK
DICKCISSEL

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 nysarc44nybirdsorg

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, June 12, 2020 at 9:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are MISSISSIPPI KITE, SANDWICH TERN, GULL-BILLED TERN, YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, SUMMER TANAGER, BLUE GROSBEAK, DICKCISSEL and more.

Following last week’s 2 sightings, 3 more MISSISSIPPI KITE observations occurred this week – one moving over the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn last Saturday afternoon, heading west towards Staten Island, was perhaps even the same bird reported Sunday morning over Mount Loretto, and then on Tuesday evening an immature was photographed as it headed in a northerly direction over the Bylane Farm in Katonah, northern Westchester. As a note, next year should hopefully include a regional 17-year Cicada outbreak and maybe many more Kites locally.

Out at Cupsogue County Park in Westhampton Dunes, visits on Wednesday and Thursday mornings provided a decent variety of shorebirds, including a “WESTERN” WILLET in breeding plumage, a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER and some RED KNOTS and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS, plus on Thursday a short visit by a SANDWICH TERN. As a note, Cupsogue, like many south shore beaches, is currently on a county residents only admission policy.

Other notable shorebirds for the week featured a STILT SANDPIPER at Heckscher State Park Wednesday and Thursday and 3 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS at Brooklyn’s Plumb Beach on Monday.

The Captree Summer Bird Count last Saturday recorded 122 species including first records of BRANT and BLUE-WINGED TEAL, plus HOODED MERGANSER, 5 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOOS, EASTERN WHIP-POOR-WILL, 66 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS, GULL-BILLED and ROSEATE TERNS, SOOTY SHEARWATER, TRICOLORED HERON , and, among the passerines, ACADIAN FLYCATCHER at Heckscher, HORNED LARK, GRASSHOPPER SPARROW, EASTERN MEADOWLARK, and a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER continuing at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum in Great River.

Three CORY’S SHEARWATERS were spotted off Riis Park Wednesday.

RED-HEADED WOODPECKER continues near Jones Pond along the Paumanok Trail off Schultz Road in Manorville.

Later moving ACADIAN FLYCATCHERS were noted in Central and Forest Parks this week, and CLIFF SWALLOWS are nesting in Alley Pond Park along Alley Creek.

Among the later WARBLERS noted this week were OVENBIRD, TENNESSEE, NORTHERN PARULA, MAGNOLIA, BLACKBURNIAN, CHESTNUT-SIDED and BLACKPOLL.

A SUMMER TANAGER was found Tuesday at the Uplands Farm Preserve in Cold Spring Harbor.

BLUE GROSBEAKS in the Calverton grasslands area should not at all be disturbed as they continue their nesting activities.

A DICKCISSEL made a surprise appearance last Saturday in Somers, Westchester County, but could not be subsequently relocated.

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
...Read more

Saturday, June 06, 2020

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, June 5, 2020:

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* June 5, 2020
* NYNY2006.05


- Birds Mentioned

MISSISSIPPI KITE+
ATLANTIC PUFFIN+
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW
RED PHALAROPE
POMARINE JAEGER
DOVEKIE
ICELAND GULL
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
Leach’s Storm-Petrel
Cory’s Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Great Shearwater
BROWN PELICAN
Red-headed Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Acadian Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Nelson’s Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Mourning Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
SUMMER TANAGER
BLUE GROSBEAK

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 nysarc44nybirdsorg

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, June 5, 2020 at 10:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are MISSISSIPPI KITE, BROWN PELICAN, YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD, POMARINE JAEGER, CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW, ICELAND GULL, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, SUMMER TANAGER, BLUE GROSEAK, a belated pelagic trip report including RED PHALAROPE, DOVEKIE and ATLANTIC PUFFIN, and more.

An immature MISSISSIPPI KITE was a fortunate sighting Sunday morning in Central Park, nicely photographed as it briefly flew over the Ramble, headed east. Another was subsequently spotted Monday morning over the Sterling Forest visitor’s center in Orange County.

This morning a sea watch off Robert Moses State Park Field 2 produced 3 BROWN PELICANS slowly making their way east, and a little later 2 were seen off Field 5, where they shortly continued further east. Otherwise, sea watching lately has only produced a few SOOTY SHEARWATERS and WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS.

Very interesting, though, was a belated report from a private fishing boat back on May 27, well south of Shinnecock inlet, that encountered 2 RED PHALAROPES, 1 DOVEKIE, 1 ATLANTIC PUFFIN, with possibly more present but disappearing quickly, 1 CORY’S, 2 GREAT and 19 SOOTY SHEARWATERS, and 2 LEACH’S and 6 WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS.

A female YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was a nice find on Wednesday at the Sayville Maritime Museum in West Sayville.

An adult POMARINE JAEGER was loafing on the beach near the eastern Tern colony at Nickerson Beach last Saturday but did not remain overnight.

Another surprise was a CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW recorded as it sang near the Rye shore last Saturday night only.

An ICELAND GULL was noted again last Sunday at Brooklyn’s Plumb Beach, and a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was still around the Paumanok Trail off Schultz Road in Manorville yesterday.

Landbird migration, coming quickly to an end, is still providing a few highlights. A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was still singing Tuesday at the Muttontown Preserve, where other migrants that day also included ALDER FLYCATCHER and MOURNING WARBLER.

Other FLYCATCHERS during this week also featured YELLOW-BELLIED, ACADIAN and OLIVE-SIDED, while the WARBLERS, mostly gone now, did include some MOURNINGS, with birds at Central Park and such Brooklyn locations as Prospect Park, Greenwood Cemetery and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Other WARBLERS lingering here featured a few CAPE MAY, BAY-BREASTED and BLACKBURNIAN as well as other later species like MAGNOLIA, WILSON’S, CANADA and BLACKPOLL, plus some other late migrants.

A LINCOLN’S SPARROW was still in Bryant Park in Manhattan last Sunday, and a NELSON’S SPARROW was photographed Monday at the Marine Park Salt Marsh Nature Center in Brooklyn.

SUMMER TANAGERS in the NYC area included reports from Central Park to Sunday, at Greenwood Cemetery Tuesday and Wednesday, and at Brooklyn’s Owl’s Head Park yesterday.

With BLUE GROSBEAKS nesting in the Calverton grasslands area and breeding season in general now in full swing, we can only again point out how crucial this period is to our nesting birds, so please do nothing to disturb their current activities.

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
...Read more