New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, August 28, 2020:

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Aug. 28, 2020
* NYNY2008.28


- Birds Mentioned

SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

UPLAND SANDPIPER
WHIMBREL
MARBLED GODWIT
BAIRD’S SANDPIPER
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER
LITTLE GULL
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
BROWN PELICAN
Eastern Kingbird
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
LARK SPARROW
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Worm-eating Warbler
Northern Waterthrush
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Hooded Warbler
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Canada Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
SUMMER TANAGER
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, August 28, 2020 at 10:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER, BROWN PELICAN, LITTLE GULL, BUFF-BREASTED, BAIRD’S and UPLAND SANDPIPERS, MARBLED GODWIT and WHIMBREL, OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, LARK SPARROW, SUMMER TANAGER, DICKCISSEL and more.

Birders getting out early in the morning along coastal sites to enjoy the dawn flight experienced a few very productive days this week, with the biggest surprise perhaps coming last Sunday at Conference House Park at the southern tip of Staten Island – there a steady flight of over 1,000 EASTERN KINGIRDS also provided an accompanying adult SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER, watched as it continued on towards New Jersey.

Single BROWN PELICANS this week were noted off Cedar Grove Beach on Staten Island last Sunday and then on Wednesday passing over the Robert Moses Causeway bridge by Fire Island.

Fire Island Inlet also provided some excitement Thursday when a juvenile LITTLE GULL was spotted in a congregation of gulls and terns off Oak Beach, viewable from the fishing pier. It could not be relocated today, but a MARBLED GODWIT appeared on the offshore sand bar.

Another MARBLED GODWIT was seen last Sunday by boat in Jamaica Bay, where up to five WHIMBRELS were noted last weekend.

A BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER found last Sunday at Heckscher State Park increased to two on Wednesday, when two more visited Sagg Pond in Bridgehampton, one continuing through today.

The BAIRD’S SANDPIPER lingering at Duck Pond Road in Cutchogue at least to Sunday was followed by one at Flushing Meadow Corona Park Thursday and another at Cupsogue County Park in Westhampton Dunes today.

An UPLAND SANDPIPER was reported moving past Lemon Creek Pier on Staten Island Monday.

Over fifty ROYAL TERNS were in Lot 7 at Heckscher State Park last Sunday, and a CASPIAN TERN visited Forest Hills Thursday.

Among this week’s FLYCATCHERS were a few OLIVE-SIDED, their locations including Central and Prospect Parks, Greenwood Cemetery, Coney Island Creek, Floyd Bennett Field and Sunken Meadow State Park, among others.

Various Empidonax including YELLOW-BELLIED were also present this week.

YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT reports came from Brooklyn Bridge Park and Central Park’s north end, followed by one in Prospect Park today.

Two LARK SPARROWS were spotted Wednesday, one at Fort Tilden and another at Jones Beach West End.

During Tuesday’s dawn flight a young male SUMMER TANAGER touched down very briefly at Coney Island Creek Park.

These morning flights also produced at least eight DICKCISSELS, locations including Fort Tilden, Hillview Reservoir in Yonkers, Moses Park, Sunken Meadow Park, Crab Meadow Park, Croton Point Park and Sagg Pond.

And of course there were the WARBLERS, with over twenty-five species noted this week – these included more unusual or later moving species such as WORM-EATING, TENNESSEE, MOURNING, HOODED, CAPE MAY, BAY-BREASTED, BLACKPOLL and WILSON’S as well as rather large numbers of AMERICAN REDSTART, BLACK-AND-WHITE, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and CANADA, with more to come.

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

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, August 21, 2010:

- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Aug. 21, 2020
* NYNY2008.21

- Birds mentioned
BROWN PELICAN+
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

Black Tern
American Bittern
White-rumped Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
MARBLED GODWIT
WHIMBREL
Red-headed Woodpecker
Common Nighthawk
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
BLUE GROSBEAK
Worm-eating Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
CERULEAN WARBLER
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
MOURNING WARBLER
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
Hooded Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Canada Warbler
American Redstart
Red-breasted Nuthatch

Extralimital:
BROWN BOOBY+ (Hamilton County)
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN+ (Ulster County)

- 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, August 21st 2020 at 8pm. The highlights of today's tape are BROWN PELICAN, MARBLED GODWIT, WHIMBREL, BAIRD'S SANDPIPER, BLUE GROSBEAK and fall landbirds including OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER, various warblers featuring MOURNING and CERULEAN, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, CLAY-COLORED SPARROW and more.

This week's only BROWN PELICAN report comes from Breezy Point with one seen twice offshore last Saturday.

Highlights among the shorebirds this week include the MARBLED GODWIT still on the Mecox flats last Saturday and a BAIRD'S SANDPIPER frequenting irrigated fields along Duck Pond Road out on the north fork in Cutchogue yesterday and today. This area is north of the Oregon Road / Duck Pond Road intersection. An AMERICAN BITTERN has also been among the birds at Mecox lately and a BLACK TERN was noted there last Saturday. WHIMBRELS out in Jamaica Bay this week included up to 8 noted last weekend and one over the West Pond at the Wildlife Refuge today.

The water level on the East Pond is very slowly lowering now providing some edge at the south end but it has quite a ways to go to reach the desired level to attract large numbers of shorebirds. Among the small numbers now appearing are WHITE-RUMPED and WESTERN SANDPIPERS.

A COMMON GALLINULE was spotted at Sunken Meadow State Park Monday and was present at least to Tuesday west of the entrance bridge pond.

Four RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were still along the Paumanok Trail near Jones Pond in Manorville today this reached from Schultz Road and COMMON NIGHTHAWKS are now moving overhead in the evening as they've begun their southbound journey.

Noted among the southbound passerines this week were single OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHERS at Robert Moses State Park Tuesday and in Prospect Park yesterday and a good number of RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES have been appearing. A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW was photographed at Pelham Bay Park Wednesday evening. A YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was spotted in Central Park Wednesday and a decent variety of warblers this week featured a MOURNING WARBLER in Central Park last Saturday and a CERULEAN WARBLER at Teatown Reservation in Westchester yesterday. Other warblers noted have included OVENBIRD, WORM-EATING, LOUISIANA and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES, BLUE-WINGED, NASHVILLE, HOODED, AMERICAN REDSTART, MAGNOLIA, BLACKBURNIAN, YELLOW, CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, YELLOW-RUMPED, PRAIRIE, CANADA and WILSON'S.

Last Saturday two BLUE GROSBEAKS were spotted at Shirley Chisholm State Park which is the landfill at the north end of Jamaica Bay just south of the Belt Parkway.

North of us today an AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was present on Ashokan Reservoir in Ulster County and a BROWN BOOBY continues on Indian Lake up in Hamilton County.

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

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, August 14, 2020:

- RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Aug. 14, 2020
* NYNY2008.14


- Birds mentioned
WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL+
BROWN PELICAN+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

GLAUCOUS GULL
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Cory's Shearwater
Wilson's Storm-Petrel
White-rumped Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
MARBLED GODWIT
UPLAND SANDPIPER
WHIMBREL
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE
Bobolink
BLUE GROSBEAK
DICKCISSEL
Purple Martin
Cliff Swallow
Bank Swallow
Black-and-White Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
American Redstart
SEDGE WREN
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, August 14th 2020 at 8pm. The highlights of today's tape are WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL, BROWN PELICAN, SEDGE WREN, MARBLED GODWIT, WHIMBREL, UPLAND SANDPIPER, GLAUCOUS GULL, EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE, DICKCISSEL, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.

A boat trip last Sunday into Hudson Canyon waters luckily encountered a WHITE-FACED STORM-PETREL along with about 60 WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS. A Montauk whale trip last Saturday noted 12 GREAT and 11 CORY'S SHEARWATERS.

BROWN PELICAN sightings this week apparently were restricted to westerly coastal sites with 2 off Breezy Point last Saturday followed by one on Sunday later spotted off Atlantic Beach then one yesterday off Miller Field on Staten Island. Also on Staten Island a pair of SEDGE WRENS found Thursday the 6th on the now restricted Freshkills Park was still present Wednesday. Good news is that some of this park apparently will open to public entry next spring.

With shorebird season continuing without the wonderful opportunities once provided by the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at least some shorebirds are being seen mostly by boat out in Jamaica Bay itself these including a MARBLED GODWIT last Saturday joined by another on Sunday. Another MARBLED has been out on the flats at Mecox at least Wednesday and yesterday. Last weekend one or two WHIMBREL were also noted in Jamaica Bay as well as out at Breezy Point. An UPLAND SANDPIPER was heard giving its distinctive call as it flew over Timber Point Golf Course in Great River last Friday and another did the same as it circled over Marshlands Conservancy in Rye this morning. Other recent shorebirds have included WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER and WESTERN SANDPIPERS among various gatherings.

Certainly out of season was an immature GLAUCOUS GULL out at the Montauk Harbor Inlet last Saturday.

Terns this week included reports of 2 GULL-BILLED at Jamaica Bay Sunday and a CASPIAN at the West Hampton Dunes overlook yesterday as well as some ROYALS coastally.

EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE continues to ignore the northeast as it populates the rest of North America but one was spotted at Floyd Bennett Field back on Friday the 7th and seen there a few times through Sunday. Up to 3 BLUE GROSBEAKS were noted around the Calverton Grasslands this week while surprising were a couple of early DICKCISSELS this week with one last Saturday moving over Breezy Point followed by another out east in Greenport yesterday.

Besides some swallows including CLIFF, BANK and PURPLE MARTIN small numbers of southbound migrants recently have included such warblers as OVENBIRD and NORTHERN and LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSHES, WORM-EATING, YELLOW, BLACK-AND-WHITE and AMERICAN REDSTART as well as BOBOLINK and even RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH.

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

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, August 7, 2020:

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* Aug. 07, 2020
* NYNY2008.07


- Birds Mentioned

SOUTH POLAR SKUA+
SOOTY TERN+
BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL+
(+ Details requested by NYSARC)

UPLAND SANDPIPER
WHIMBREL
White-rumped Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
POMARINE JAEGER+
Lesser Black-backed Gull
GULL-BILLED TERN
CASPIAN TERN
Black Tern
MANX SHEARWATER
Wilson’s Storm-Petrel
BROWN PELICAN
ACADIAN FLYCATCHER
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, August 7, 2020 at 5:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are Tropical Storm Isaias birds, including SOOTY TERN, SOUTH POLAR SKUA, BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETREL, POMARINE JAEGER and MANX SHEARWATER, plus BROWN PELICAN, UPLAND SANDPIPER, WHIMBREL, CASPIAN and GULL-BILLED TERNS, ACADIAN FLYCATCHER, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.

Certainly the predominant bird of interest during the passage of Isaias through our area Tuesday was SOOTY TERN, and, as it turns out, the best area to look for them locally was along the Hudson River in the afternoon as the birds were moving back south. At least five were counted passing by lower Riverside Park around 70th Street in Manhattan, with eight spotted off Inwood Hill Park further north. Some SOOTY TERNS were even seen well north of us on lakes in both New York and in the Berkshires. Other local sightings included three off Kings Point and two off Rye Playland on Long Island Sound, and a few also appeared more coastally, including singles at Coney Island Creek Park and Gravesend Bay and farther east off Oak Beach. Only one was seen Wednesday on the Hudson well north of the city.

Another Isaias highlight was a SOUTH POLAR SKUA moving north past 70th Street in Manhattan, photographed with the George Washington Bridge in the background.

Two intrepid birders out at Robert Moses State Park encountered the only flock of STORM-PETRELS to be seen, sheltered somewhat inside Fire Island Inlet, these including about a dozen or so WILSON’S and a larger longer-winged bird they were able to see well enough to identify as a BAND-RUMPED.

Otherwise the only other tubenose reported to our knowledge was a MANX SHEARWATER off Great Kills Park on Staten Island, that park still noting two BROWN PELICANS offshore last Saturday.

Two POMARINE JAEGERS were enjoyed for a short while Tuesday afternoon off Lloyd Harbor and the Eaton’s Neck Coast Guard Station, and BLACK TERNS also appeared at various places during the storm.

Three LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS at Floyd Bennett Field Tuesday were among the small numbers still around our area.

A GULL-BILLED TERN at Coney Island Beach Tuesday followed one still at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge last Saturday. Single CASPIAN TERNS were at Battery Park and Riverside Park Wednesday, with two earlier in the week at the Croton Point Railroad Station lagoon.

An UPLAND SANDPIPER was nicely photographed as it flew by Breezy Point last Saturday. WHIMBREL included two at Floyd Bennett Field Tuesday and one in Jamaica Bay Saturday, and other notable shorebirds this week included WHITE-RUMPED, PECTORAL and WESTERN SANDPIPERS.

The ACADIAN FLYCATCHER family of four is still being seen in Prospect Park, and BLUE GROSBEAKS continue around the Calverton grasslands.

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

New York City Rare Bird Alert

Below is the New York City Rare Bird Alert for the week ending Friday, July 31, 2020:

-RBA
* New York
* New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
* July 31, 2020
* NYNY2007.31

BROWN PELICAN
Semipalmated Plover
Lesser Yellowlegs
Greater Yellowlegs
WHIMBREL
Ruddy Turnstone
Least Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
CASPIAN TERN
Royal Tern
ACADIAN FLYCATCHER
Bank Swallow
Purple Martin
Cliff Swallow
Worm-eating Warbler
Louisiana Waterthrush
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, July 31, 2020 at 9:00 pm.

The highlights of today’s tape are BROWN PELICAN, WHIMBREL and other shorebirds, LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL and CASPIAN TERN, ACADIAN FLYCATCHER, BLUE GROSBEAK and more.

Going through a seemingly relatively slow period recently, last Saturday at least did provide BROWN PELICAN reports, with two off the Avalon Avenue beach on Staten Island and another seen again on the ocean off mid-Fire Island. Seabirding, though, has generally been unproductive this week.

Shorebirds do continue to move through, and today in Brooklyn four WHIMBREL were spotted as they flew over Floyd Bennett Field, this followed a short time later by five moving by Plumb Beach.

Among other more unusual shorebirds were a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER at Plumb Beach Monday, that day also providing a PECTORAL SANDPIPER at Mecox, with three PECTORALS at Heckscher State Park today. Other shorebirds also moving through now include SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, and LEAST and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS.

Unfortunately, the region’s premier shorebirding site, the East Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, continues to be unsuitable for both shorebirds and birders, despite efforts to get the outflow working properly and the water level down. Stay tuned for word on hopeful improvements here.

Four LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were at Mecox Monday, with others scattered along the coast, and some ROYAL TERNS at various coastal sites were supplemented by reports of single CASPIAN TERNS at Robert Moses State Park Sunday and on Staten Island today.

A family group of ACADIAN FLYCATCHERS, including two recently fledged young, has been a highlight in Prospect Park recently, and BLUE GROSBEAKS with young remain around the very productive grasslands in Calverton.

Among a very modest movement of early landbird migrants recently have been a few LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSHES plus a WORM-EATING WARBLER spotted Tuesday in Brooklyn. Various SWALLOWS, including CLIFF, BANK and PURPLE MARTIN, have also been gathering in certain areas.

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