eBirds NYC (12Aug04 - Update/Status)

My apologies for being away from the list for so long. The main reason
for the inactivity was that my Internet service was down. The Internet
Service Provider and the DSL provider both felt the other was to
blame. This lasted quite awhile until the real reason was revealed
through some trial and error on my part. It turned out to be a failure
of a piece of computer hardware which neither party picked up on.
Also, during this time, my ISP couldn't get the dial-up side to work
so I was unable to communicate to the list via my home system.

Unfortunately, the down time got me thinking about a promise I made
last summer to keep on as moderator for at least one more migration
period. This is now 2 seasons later and into the 3rd and I've decided
that I will step be stepping down as moderator. I feel it's time for a
change for both me and the list.

If anyone would like to take on the task of moderating eBirds NYC or
if someone has the means to setup an automated list and would like to
take over the responsibilites please let me know and I will let the
list know who to contact concerning the new situation.

All the best and see you at a hawkwatch near you!

Ben Cacace

eBirds NYC (26Jun04 CPk-3; PPk-2)

+ 26Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 25Jun Prospect Park report (RJett)
+ 25Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 24Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 23Jun Prospect Park report (RJett)

DATE: Saturday, 26 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Marty Sohmer, Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Green Heron (Lake)
Chimney Swift (Lake, Turtle Pond)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble)
Warbling Vireo (Cherry Hill)
Barn Swallow (Several over Great Lawn, early AM)
Gray Catbird (Several)
Song Sparrow (Bow bridge)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Cherry Hill)

****************************

DATE: Friday, 25 June 2004
LOCATION: Prospect Park 
OBSERVERS: Rob Jett, Dave Klang 
REPORTED BY: Rob Jett  

There is a saying that "All Good Things Come in Threes". Now I don't
know how accurate that rule is but it certainly was this morning's
theme in Prospect Park.

Big Dave hasn't spent much time photographing the hawks this season
due to serious back problems. He's been feeling well enough lately
that he decided to meet me this morning. It also helped that he's been
trying to find an active flicker nest for a few years and I enticed
him with a "definite" photo opportunity.

I met Big Dave near the Binnen Waters as he was setting up his camera
gear. A few minutes into our conversation I heard a flock of alarmed
birds near the horse path a short distance west of us. We walked over
and located one of the adult Red-tailed Hawks perched near the back of
the recently renovated pond. Dave snapped off a few shots then we
started walking back in the direction of the flicker nest. As we were
walking I heard the whiny calls of a young Red-tailed Hawk near Center
Drive. I was excited as I figured that it was the fledgling from the
Ravine pine tree nest. I had only been able to get brief, obstructed
views of that nest and wasn't really sure how many young hawks were
hatched.

Center Drive runs passed the south edge of the Midwood forest. It is a
short flight from the Red-tailed Hawk nest in the Ravine. It is in
that area where I located last year's fledgling from that nest. When
Dave and I walked out onto Center Drive we immediately spotted the
source of the cries. Perched in a huge White Oak overhanging the road
were not one or two fledgling hawks but three! My first thought was,
how the heck did they all fit in the nest at the top of a pine tree.
Then I wondered, how did I manage to overlook them. Two of the young
raptors looked pretty large and the third was noticeably smaller and
still sported the rusty throat and breast of a younger bird. The most
vocal of the hawks was hanging her wings down as Sean and I observed
Alto doing on Wednesday. One of the parents flew deeper into the
forest and two of the fledglings follow.

I showed Dave the flicker nest up above the Midwood but there didn't
seem to be any activity in the cavity when we arrived. He set his
tripod and we waited. While we were standing around I spotted four or
five Tufted Titmouse foraging above us. I put my bins on then and saw
one adult titmouse being pursued by three fledglings. One young bird
stopped on a branch and sat fluttering its wings - titmouse body
language for "feed me". I continued to scan the tree tops above the
Midwood for any other bird activity and spotted something that made me
do a double-take. Foraging at the top of a large Black Locust tree was
a Blue-winged Warbler. This beautiful songbird has obviously lost his
map to the breeding grounds.

Eventually, the adult male flicker arrived at the nest hole and three
heads immediately popped out. As the father fed his brood I noticed
that all of the young now have the characteristic black bib and red
"V" on the back of their head. Their head and necks still have a bit
of down feathers but it shouldn't be long until they fledge. We stayed
for three feedings and a dispute with a neighboring Downy Woodpecker
then walked over to Sullivan Hill to find Alto and Bebe.

Our morning had been going so well that I shouldn't have been
surprised that we immediately found Alto. He was standing in the
middle of the sidewalk near the puddle. Dave was able to get very
close to the young hawk and, as he did, Split-tail flew in and perched
above us. Alto was playing with some leaves on the ground and
completely ignored us. Bebe must have been close by because there was
a group of agitated robins calling to our right. We couldn't stay much
longer so after Alto ran down the path and flew up to a low perch we
left the hawk family in peace. With nine Red-tailed Hawks in the park
I don't think that they will be doing the same for the rodents.

(Note: I'll be posting some of today's photos as soon as Dave develops
his film.)

- - - - -

Prospect Park, 6/25/2004 
-
Red-tailed Hawk (3 adults, 5 fledglings)
Chimney Swift 
Red-bellied Woodpecker (3, Midwood)
Downy Woodpecker (2 Midwood)
Northern Flicker (Midwood - 2 adults, 3 nestlings)
Eastern Kingbird (Several)
Red-eyed Vireo (Payne Hill)
Black-capped Chickadee (2, Midwood)
Tufted Titmouse (Midwood. 2 adults, 3 fledglings)
House Wren (Nethermead Arches)
Wood Thrush (Male singing at Rick's Place, another singing in Midwood)
Gray Catbird 
Cedar Waxwing (Several)
Blue-winged Warbler (Foraging at the top of a locust tree in Midwood)
Common Grackle 

Other resident species seen (or heard): 
Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, American Robin,
European Starling, Northern Cardinal, House Sparrow

Good birding, 

Rob

****************************

LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Marty Sohmer, Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Green Heron (Lake)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lake)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble)
Northern Flicker (Nestling peering out of hole, 9AM, Warbler Rock)
Barn Swallow (Lake)
Wood Thrush (3 or 4, adult & immature in Evodia Field AM)
Gray Catbird (Several)
Baltimore Oriole (Near west drive)

****************************

DATE: Thursday, 24 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Mary Birchard, Marty Sohmer, Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Double-crested Cormorant (Lake)
Great Egret (Lake)
Green Heron (Lake)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lake)
Chimney Swift (Lake)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble)
Northern Flicker (Warbler Rock)
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Ramble)
Warbling Vireo (West shore of Lake)
Barn Swallow (Lake)
Wood Thrush (Evodia Field)
Gray Catbird (Several)
Song Sparrow (Bow Bridge)

****************************

DATE: Wednesday, 23 June 2004
LOCATION: Prospect Park
OBSERVERS: Rob Jett, Sean Sime
REPORTED BY: Rob Jett 

I walked up to the park full of optimism but could never have
predicted how the morning's events would unfold.

I decided to start my search for the missing hawk fledglings at the
south end of the Ravine and slowly work my way north to Sullivan Hill.
Sounds are very important to me when I'm observing nature and I use my
ears to listen for anything from leaves crunching to nestling begging
calls. I thought that if I was diligent I might be able to locate the
hawk fledglings by listening for their whistling chirps or the alarms
of agitated songbirds.

As I entered the Ravine I heard the loud "peek" of a Hairy Woodpecker.
I tracked it to a male woodpecker clinging to the side of a rotted
tree trunk. As he hopped sideways towards a golfball-sized opening I
heard the peeping sounds of the young inside the hole. It's the first
time I've found a Hairy Woodpecker nest in Prospect Park. As I walked
north along the path parallel to the stream I heard the "eee-ooh-lay"
of a distant Wood Thrush as well as the shuffling of grackles flipping
leaves on the ground to my left.

I crossed the Boulder Bridge and walked to a dirt path overlooking the
Midwood. The perspective from high above the forest floor made
scanning the towering trees for large birds much easier.
Unfortunately, I still couldn't find the hawks. As I continued north I
was stopped by the high-pitched begging calls of some unseen birds. To
my right was the old, pitted skeleton of a dead Sycamore Maple tree.
Hanging onto the side of it was a female Northern Flicker. Her mate
was perched at the top of the decapitated tree. Four nestling flickers
jostled for position as they all attempted to stick their fuzzy heads
out of their nest cavity. I watched the family of woodpeckers for a
few moments and then walked to Rick's Place.

At Rick's Place I watched a male Wood Thrush demonstrating to his
stubby-tailed offspring how to dig for worms. One of the fledglings
immediately benefited from the lesson with a juicy earthworm. As I was
watching I heard a commotion of robin, grackle, vireo and starling
calls north of the nest tree. From the urgency of the calls I knew the
hawks were nearby. I took a shortcut through the woods and ran towards
the sounds. I made a left near a short flight of stairs and continued
towards the edge of Sullivan Hill. The sounds became more distant. I
turned around and walked back down the stairs. At the north-south
intersection of two paths below the stairs is a large muddy puddle.
Standing on the ground next to the puddle were Bebe and Alto. They
gave me a brief, disinterested glance and went back to cooling off in
the water.

They were only a few yards from me and I felt like giggling but I held
my laughter in. I watched the two young hawks gingerly dipping their
undersides into the water and rocking back and forth. A few minutes
later Split-tail flew in from behind me. He was so close to my head
that I felt a whoosh of air from his wings. I wondered if he came in
so close as an aggressive gesture to protect his young. It became
clear that he just wanted to join in the fun. He chased his offspring
from the puddle and waded into the water. Unlike the inexperienced
birds he plopped right down, lifted his wings and wiggled from side to
side. I imagined that he was rinsing his armpits. He then ducked his
head under the water a few times. Bebe and Alto stood in the mud at
the edge of the water patiently watching their father. When he was
done he flew to the snow fencing at the edge of the path and kept a
close eye on his young.

The size difference between Bebe and Alto may still be a function of
age. The feathers on Bebe's throat and breast are still very rusty in
color whereas Alto has lost the dark coloration and it is mostly
white. Bebe also still has the round-faced look of a young bird and
Alto has the intense, angular head of an adult bird. Perhaps they are
a few days apart in age.

The woods on Sullivan Hill are more open than Payne Hill. A twelve
foot wide, paved path runs north for about one hundred yards where it
opens on to the Long Meadow. There are numerous large perches over the
pathway and a fenced off depression that is a favorite hunting spot
for the hawks. When Bebe finished playing in the water he flew up to a
perch above the path. Alto seemed to be having trouble flying and
merely ran down the paved runway while flapping occasionally. It
looked like she had something wrong with her foot. I followed her
while trying to focus my bins on her right foot. It turned out to be
nothing more than a large clump of leaves that she had skewered with
her talons and couldn't get off. She finally shook it free and flew to
a perch near her sibling. When I left the park Bebe, Alto and
Split-tail were settled in for a long preening session on their
respective perches. I called Sean and arranged to meet him in the park
later in the afternoon.

When I returned with Sean we found Alto perched in a huge oak tree
just east of the puddle. While Sean set-up his camera I walked around
looking from Bebe. I couldn't find him but Alto kept us entertained
with her bizarre behavior. For some strange reason she wanted to lie
down on the branch. Looking more like a nighthawk than a true hawk,
she completely flattened herself on the branch. Perhaps her wings were
tired because then she hung them straight down on either side of the
branch. A squirrel climbing up the trunk next to her piqued her
interest and she stood back up. The squirrel seemed to be tempting his
fate as he climbed passed her and lay down on the branch directly
above her. Alto was either tired or not hungry and went back to her
odd, draped position.

As we were getting ready to leave I finally located Bebe. The whole
time we were observing Alto he was behind us. Perched in the open at
the top of a dead locust tree he tended to his young plumage. Like
black lightening bolts against the blue sky the spiny, angular
branches of his perch trapped bits of molted white feathers. In
between the fluttering fluff were perched dozens of dainty amberwing
dragonflies. Unfortunately, Sean wasn't able to get a good photo as
the angle was too steep and the sun was directly behind Bebe.

I hope enough water remains in the puddle so that the young hawks have
a place to cool off on hot days. It will also be a good spot to enjoy
the antics of the teenage red-tails.

- - - - -

Prospect Park, 6/23/2004
-
Wood Duck (Lower pool. 2 eclipse males, 1 female)
Red-tailed Hawk (2 adults, 2 fledglings)
Chimney Swift 
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Payne Hill)
Downy Woodpecker (At nest on Battle Pass)
Hairy Woodpecker (Male & female near nest in Ravine)
Northern Flicker (Midwood. 2 adults, 4 nestlings)
Eastern Kingbird 
Red-eyed Vireo (Payne Hill)
Wood Thrush (Rick's Place. 2 adults, 2 fledglings)
Gray Catbird 
Cedar Waxwing (Several, the pools)
Yellow Warbler (Male singing at Upper pool)
Common Grackle 
Brown-headed Cowbird 

Other resident species seen (or heard): 
Mallard, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, American Crow, American
Robin, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird,
House Sparrow

Good birding,

Rob

****************************

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eBirds NYC (23Jun04 LI-2; CPk)

+ 23Jun Shu Swamp and Millneck Dam - Nassau Co., LI (JPKincaid)
+ 22Jun Indigo Bunting in East Hampton (ESalzman)
+ 22Jun Central Park report (TFiore)

DATE: Wednesday, 23 June 2004
LOCATION: Shu Swamp and Millneck Dam, Millneck - Nassau Co., LI
REPORTED BY: Joan Payne Kincaid

Shu Swamp:
3 Owl fledges out-on-a-limb
	perched together
	best guess-Short-eared Owls
Osprey - carting fish
Kingfisher
Yellow Warbler
Goldfinch
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Tufted Titmouse
Song Sparrow
Carolina Wren
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle - Bronze race
Gray Catbird

Millneck Dam:
Snowy Egret
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Ragged looking Mallard

Damselfly - no id
Black with 2 white dots end of wings below

****************************

DATE: Tuesday, 22 June 2004
LOCATION: East Hampton - Suffolk County, Long Island
REPORTED BY: Eric Salzman 

One of the adult male Indigo Buntings seen the other day at the Grace
Estate in East Hampton was seen again this morning. He came dashing in
responding to what was apparently a young bird calling from cover (and
my ineffectual attempts to pish out the presumed fledgling).

The report of an Eastern Meadowlark carrying food at the Shinnecock
Hills golf course was good news. In the past the golf courses in this
area were a stronghold for meadowlarks which have, however, become
very scarce here and everywhere else on Eastern LI.

Eric Salzman

****************************

DATE: Tuesday, 22 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
REPORTED BY: Tom Fiore

Double-crested Cormorant (multiple visitors)
Great Blue Heron (1, flyover seen from Reservoir)
Great Egret (visitors)
Snowy Egret (flyovers, N. end)
Green Heron (nesters)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (multiple visitors)
Canada Goose (multiple)
Gadwall (Pool)
Mallard (nesters, & more)
Red-tailed Hawk (adults & juveniles at nest)
American Kestrel (flyover) 
Peregrine Falcon (C.P. South)
Laughing Gull (Reservoir)
Ring-billed Gull 
Herring Gull (Reservoir)
Great Black-backed Gull (Reservoir)
Rock Pigeon 
Mourning Dove (nesters)
Chimney Swift (flyovers)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (nesters)
Downy Woodpecker (nesters)
Hairy Woodpecker (N. Woods)
Northern Flicker (nesters)
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Ramble)
Great Crested Flycatcher 
Eastern Kingbird (nesting)
Warbling Vireo (several; nesting)
Red-eyed Vireo (1 near E. 86 St. Transverse)
Blue Jay (nesters)
American Crow (nesters)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (over Pool)
Barn Swallow (over Meer)
Tufted Titmouse (nesters)
White-breasted Nuthatch (Great Hill)
House Wren (N. end nesters)
Wood Thrush (nesters)
American Robin (nesters)
Gray Catbird (nesters)
Northern Mockingbird (nesters)
Brown Thrasher (nesters)
European Starling (nesters)
Cedar Waxwing (nesters)
Yellow Warbler (male, Pool)
Eastern Towhee (N. end)
Song Sparrow (nesters)
Northern Cardinal 
Red-winged Blackbird (nesters)
Common Grackle (nesters)
Orchard Oriole (nesters)
Baltimore Oriole (nesters)
House Finch (nesters)
House Sparrow (nesters)

Good birding,
Tom Fiore

****************************

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eBirds NYC (21Jun04 PPk; CPk; LI)

+ 21Jun Prospect Park report (RJett)
+ 21Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 20Jun Shinnecock Hills - Suffolk Co., LI (JGluth)

DATE: Monday, 21 June 2004
LOCATION: Prospect Park
REPORTED BY: Rob Jett 

I can't find Bebe and Alto. I was determined to locate them this
morning but was unsuccessful. I walked the western edge of the woods
on Payne and Sullivan Hills scanning the trees while listening for
hawk calls and songbird alarm calls. I took the path that travels
through the center of the woods from the Cucumber Magnolia at the edge
of the Long Meadow, south to the Boulder Bridge. When I couldn't find
them on the ridge I decided to check below in the Midwood forest.

I couldn't find them in the Midwood either but did observe some
interesting activities. A male Red-bellied Woodpecker called while
watching a nest cavity. The female was a short distance away digging a
hole in a rotted branch. A Northern Flicker called his mate then
briefly copulated with her in a large White Oak tree. A Wood Thrush
was singing from a perch in a tuliptree sapling next to his nest. I
was watching a chipmunk rooting around in the leaf litter when it
flushed up a moth. The tiny, dried leaf-colored moth fluttered away
and the chipmunk scampered after it like a movie running at high
speed. It caught the moth then munched on it from atop a hollow log a
few feet away from me.

When I first arrived at Payne Hill Split-tail was perched in a large
oak tree overlooking the Long Meadow. He was being harassed by a robin
and a grackle. He made a low, grumbling noise then flew off over the
meadow. He circled the area for a few minutes while calling for his
mate. I ran into Ann Wong a little later near Rick's Place. As we were
talking Split-tail flew into a tuliptree nearby and began calling
again. Neither his mate nor offspring responded. Thirty minutes later
I heard him calling from high above Payne Hill. He descended rapidly
into the locust tree next to the nest and called some more. There was
no response.

I'm trying not to worry. What's curious is that usually, right after
the young hawks fledge, they stay pretty close to the nest area. The
canopy at Payne Hill is pretty dense offering a fairly large,
continuous highway of treetops for the large fledglings to travel
over. There are only a few wide jumping off spots for them near the
Midwood and Battle Pass. I'll have to check those areas tomorrow.

- - - - -

Prospect Park, 6/21/2004
-
Red-tailed Hawk (1 adult)
Chimney Swift 
Downy Woodpecker 
Northern Flicker (Male & female copulating in Midwood)
Red-eyed Vireo (Payne Hill)
Wood Thrush (1 adult pair at Rick's Pl. 1 male in Midwood)
Gray Catbird 
Northern Mockingbird (Long Meadow)
Cedar Waxwing 
Common Grackle 
Brown-headed Cowbird 
Baltimore Oriole (Singing at Rick's Pl)

Other resident species seen (or heard): 
Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker (Male & female in
Midwood), Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee (2
adults, 2 fledglings in Midwood), American Robin, European Starling,
Northern Cardinal, House Sparrow

Good birding, 

Rob

****************************

DATE: Monday, 21 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Mary Birchard, Marty Sohmer, Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Double-crested Cormorant (Lake)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lake)
Gadwall (Lake)
Chimney Swift (Lake)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Warbler Rock)
Northern Flicker (Warbler Rock)
Warbling Vireo (West Shore of Lake)
Wood Thrush (Evodia Field)
Gray Catbird (Several)
Cedar Waxwing (Shakespeare Garden)
Song Sparrow (Bow Bridge)

****************************

DATE: Sunday, 20 June 2004
LOCATION: Shinnecock Hills - Suffolk County, Long Island
REPORTED BY: John Gluth 

While attending the final round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills
Sunday, though I was mainly hoping to see some "birdies", I couldn't
stop myself from watching out for real birds too. Many more of the
latter than the former for sure.

E. MEADOWLARK (carrying food and circling overhead near the 
       15th green)
Chipping and Song Sparrows
Barn and Tree Swallows
Pine Warbler (heard)
Great Egret (flyover)
Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls
Mockingbird
Cedar Waxwing
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Grackle
Red-tailed Hawk
Mourning Dove
House Sparrow

The House Wren(s?) that was heard continuously during telecasts of the
tournament was nowhere to be found, begging the question: Was the wren
real or a recording piped in for added ambience?

****************************

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (20Jun04 CPk-2; PPk; LI)

+ 20Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 19Jun Prospect Park report (RJett)
+ 19Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 15Jun Frick Estate, Roslyn - Nassau Co., LI (JPKincaid)

DATE: Sunday, 20 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Patricia Craig, Marty Sohmer, Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Double-crested Cormorant (Lake)
Great Egret (Lake)
Green Heron (Lake)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble)
Warbling Vireo (Cherry Hill)
Barn Swallow (Lake)
Wood Thrush (Saw 1 nestling fledge at 8:30 AM, Evodia Field)
Gray Catbird (Several)
Cedar Waxwing (Cherry Hill)
Song Sparrow (Bow Bridge)
Baltimore Oriole (Cherry Hill, feeding nestlings, AM)

****************************

DATE: Saturday, 19 June 2004
LOCATION: Prospect Park
OBSERVERS: Rob Jett, Brandon Bestwina
REPORTED BY: Rob Jett 

My wife's sister's kids are in New York for a few days visiting from
Charlotte, North Carolina. We rarely get to see them and were excited
about having a full day to play aunt and uncle. My wife took the
4-year old and 14-year old girls into the city for some serious
shopping and I took my 11-year old nephew birding.

Fair haired, quiet and introspective, Brandon seemed genuinely excited
about the prospect of tracking down some hawks. He's never birded
before today so I began by giving him some tips on using binoculars.
As we walked to the park I told him stories about my history with Big
Mama and Split-tail, their nest location and the recently fledged
"Bebe" and "Alto".

We crossed the Long Meadow and as we approached Payne Hill, he asked
me how I managed to find the hawks all the time. One of the ways, I
explained, was to listen for their calls. I told him that he has
probably heard the call of a Red-tailed Hawk many times on television
shows and movies. I whistled a loud impersonation of their
down-slurred "keeeer". As if on cue, Big Mama shot out of the woods on
Payne Hill and began circling low above us. I told Brandon that I
guessed my whistle was better than I thought. As she gradually
ascended above us Split-tail appeared in the sky over the gentle slope
of Payne Hill. He circled above his mate, swooped towards her a few
times and dangled his feet in a display of affection. A few minutes
later she returned to the woodlands and Split-tail soared off to the
north.

I wasn't certain how far the two fledgling might have wandered from
their nest in the tuliptree so I decided to look there first. The nest
was empty but ten yards to the north Bebe sat perched in a Locust
tree. The cute, round-faced young hawk looked straight down at us and
twisted her head from side to side. Moments later Big Mama flew over
and perched on the lowest branch on the tuliptree. Brandon's face lit
up as he located her in his binoculars. We found one fledgling, so
where was Alto? We circled the woods checking all the trees and the
ground within a fenced off section of the forest. The only thing on
the ground were a few foolish chipmunks tempting the watchful Big
Mama. Near Battle Pass we located a Red-eyed Vireo that has been
singing in that section for weeks. I felt like we were playing
"Where's Waldo" as we scanned the dense foliage for the easily
camouflaged bird. We gave up and walked to Rick's Place to checked on
the Wood Thrush nest. The nest was empty so the chicks have likely
fledged.

Near the path down to the Ravine two robins continuously whinnied and
called while facing a Beech tree at the edge of Payne Hill. The thick
leaf cover made it impossible to locate the object of the two thrushes
alarm but I presume that it was the missing "Alto". Nearby, a
Red-bellied Woodpecker panted in the unusually hot weather. His barbed
tongue looked like a tiny fishing spear.

We checked the area surrounding the pine tree nest for other hawk
fledglings but came up empty handed. To make up for the disappointment
we filled up ripe blackberries weighing down their thorny vines near
the entrance of the Ravine. Above the Ravine, on the Nethermead
Arches, a House Wren sang his bubbly, happy song near his nest in a
lamppost. At the Nethermead Meadow a small flock of Barn Swallows
swooped for insects over the fresh cut grass. A pair of the swallows
are still tending their nest above the doorway of the nature center.
We spotted a Turkey Vulture soaring north over the center.

Brandon spent his first seven years as a Brooklynite then moved south
to more rural surroundings. It would be ironic if an interest in birds
and wildlife were sparked by a visit to the city.

- - - - -

Prospect Park, 6/19/2004
-
Great Egret (Lullwater, perched on cofferdam eating a fish)
Turkey Vulture (Flying north over boathouse)
Red-tailed Hawk (2 adults, 1 fledgling)
Chimney Swift
Red-eyed Vireo (Payne Hill)
Barn Swallow (Several flying over Nethermead. Two at boathouse nest)
House Wren (Singing next to nest on Nethermead Arches)
Wood Thrush (Nothing at nest, one singing in Ravine)
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing (Several at lower pool)
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole (1 heard singing at Payne Hill)

Other resident species seen (or heard): 
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning
Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker (Payne Hill), Downy Woodpecker (Next to
boathouse), Blue Jay, American Robin, European Starling, Song Sparrow,
Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow

Good birding,

Rob

****************************

DATE: Saturday, 19 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Marty Sohmer, Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Double-crested Cormorant (Lake)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lake)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble)
Northern Flicker (Warbler Rock)
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Ramble)
Tufted Titmouse (Ramble)
Wood Thrush (Evodia Field)
Gray Catbird (Several)
Song Sparrow (Bow Bridge)
Baltimore Oriole (Cherry Hill)

****************************

DATE: Tuesday, 15 June 2004
LOCATION: Frick Estate, Roslyn - Nassau County, Long Island
REPORTED BY: Joan Payne Kincaid

Distant hawk - probably Red-tailed
Baltimore Oriole
Eastern Towhee
American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Eastern Phoebe
Wood Thrush
Northern Cardinal
Northern Mockingbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Robin
Mourning Dove
Blue Jay
Starling
Gray Catbird

****************************

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eBirds NYC (18Jun04 CPk-3; FPk; LI-2; PPk)

+ 18Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 18Jun Central Park report (TFiore)
+ 18Jun Forest Park, Queens (EMiller)
+ 17Jun Maple Swamp - Suffolk County, Long Island (ESalzman)
+ 17Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 17Jun Amity Harbor - Suffolk County, Long Island (MStezelberger)
+ 9Jun Monk Parakeet in Prospect Park (SGreenberg)

DATE: Friday, 18 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Eunice and David Plumley (visitors from England), 
       Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Double-crested Cormorant (Lake)
Great Egret (Lake, Turtle Pond)
Green Heron (Lake, Turtle Pond)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lake)
Wood Duck (Male, Lake)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble)
Northern Flicker (Warbler Rock)
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Evodia Field, singing)
Barn Swallow (Lake)
Wood Thrush (Evodia Field)
Gray Catbird (Several)
Common Yellowthroat (Turtle Pond, singing, AM)
White-throated Sparrow (Humming Tombstone, singing)

****************************

DATE: Friday, 18 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
REPORTED BY: Tom Fiore

A BLACK SKIMMER was flying around Turtle Pond at 5 a.m. this morning.
I didn't stay to see how long it would remain, but by 6 a.m., when I
stopped by there again, I didn't see it again.

Much more of a surprise was a LITTLE BLUE HERON at the Meer, near the
island, around 6:50-7 a.m.! An immature (in white plumage), this is
only the second time I recall seeing this species in Central Park -
the last one, an adult, being about a decade ago, also at the Meer. By
7 a.m. today's Little Blue Heron took off headed east & out of the
Park.

The more regularly-seen Snowy Egrets were also flying over the N. end
of the Park as they (& Great Egrets) do about every day in the
warm-weather months. Linger at the Meer a while & you may see some.

Other birds of note include a Hairy Woodpecker (female seen & heard
today) in the North Woods, Eastern Wood-Pewee (Ramble), & Great
Crested Flycatcher (Great Hill) along with White-breasted Nuthatch (on
the Great Hill), all of these potentially nesting although I've seen
NO proof of that. A male Eastern Towhee continues near the Loch, & I
came up with 4 (lingering) Warbler species: Yellow, American Redstart,
Northern Waterthrush, & Common Yellowthroat. Orchard Oriole chicks are
about out of the nest, as are many other birds that nested in the
Park. Speaking of that, there's a nest that I've referred to earlier
this spring that now has several downy young. More about that in due
time...

By the way (and of no particular consequence), the Little Blue Heron
appears to be this year's 200th species of wild bird to have been
found in Central Park. Last year we had at least 212. Of course, the
year isn't even quite half over yet and certain uncommon or rare
species may show up.

A few Monarchs are among the butterflies noted recently, those seen
were around Common Milkweed in bloom at the north end. Also I found 2
Banded Hairstreaks swirling around each other at the Great Hill a few
days ago - this species seems to be usually rather uncommon/rare in
Central Park. Oaks are the trees they're most likely to be near;
that's what Banded Hairstreak caterpillars eat!

List for Friday, June 18:

Double-crested Cormorant (multiple at Reservoir; & elsewhere)
Great Blue Heron (The Pond, S. side - adjacent to C.P. South) 
Great Egret (several; flyovers & in Park)
Snowy Egret (several N. end flyovers)
Little Blue Heron (1 immature, Meer, near island, 7 a.m.) 
Green Heron (multiple)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (multiple)

Canada Goose (multiple, on Meer)
Gadwall (pair, Pool)
Mallard (many)

Red-tailed Hawk (youngsters!)
American Kestrel (1, N. end)
Peregrine Falcon (C.P. South)

Laughing Gull (Reservoir)
Ring-billed Gull (mostly at Reservoir)
Herring Gull (Reservoir)
Great Black-backed Gull (Reservoir
Black Skimmer (Turtle Pond, 5 a.m.) 

Rock Pigeon (many)
Mourning Dove (nesters)
Chimney Swift (few flyovers)

Red-bellied Woodpecker (nesters)
Downy Woodpecker (nesters)
Hairy Woodpecker (1 female, N. Woods, 7:30 a.m.) 
Northern Flicker (nesters)

Eastern Wood-Pewee (singing, Ramble)
Great Crested Flycatcher (Great Hill)
Eastern Kingbird (multiple nesters)

Warbling Vireo (multiple nesters; some singing)
Blue Jay (nesters) 
American Crow (nesters) 
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (2, Pool)
Barn Swallow (several, over N. end of Reservoir)
Tufted Titmouse (nesters)
White-breasted Nuthatch (1, non-vocal, Great Hill)
House Wren (multiple N. end nesters; several singing)
Wood Thrush (nesters)
American Robin (nesters on 2nd, & even 3rd broods!)
Gray Catbird (nesters)
Northern Mockingbird (nesters)
European Starling (too many!)
Cedar Waxwing (multiple; 6+ around S. side of Pool)

Yellow Warbler (singing male, S. side of Pool)
American Redstart (1st-year male, singing a bit, Loch)
Northern Waterthrush (1 male, singing a bit, Loch)
Common Yellowthroat (male, Hernshead)

Eastern Towhee (male, N. of Loch)
Song Sparrow (multiple nesters)
Northern Cardinal (nesters)
Red-winged Blackbird (nesters) 
Common Grackle (nesters)
Orchard Oriole (nesters)
Baltimore Oriole (nesters)
House Finch (nesters)
House Sparrow (too many!)

Good birding,
Tom Fiore

****************************

DATE: Friday, 18 June 2004
LOCATION: Forest Park, Queens
REPORTED BY: Eric Miller

Eastern Wood Peewee
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo (several)
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Northern Parula (1st yr female)
Common Yellowthroat (1 near Pines near Gully, a pair near the 
       restoration area on Woodhaven Blvd.)
Ovenbird

****************************

DATE: Thursday, 17 June 2004
LOCATION: Maple Swamp - Suffolk County, Long Island
REPORTED BY: Eric Salzman 

Baltimore Oriole fledglings were out, active and calling at Maple
Swamp this morning. This is early by about a week and it adds credence
to the possibility that the Indigo Buntings at the Grace Estate
(reported yesterday) might already have young. Maple Swamp and the
Peconic Bay frontage at the Grace Estate both have relatively warm
micro-climates conducive to early nesting by returning migrants.

Yellow-throated Vireo still active and persistently singing in the oak
canopy.

Eric Salzman

****************************

DATE: Thursday, 17 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Marty Sohmer, Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Double-crested Cormorant
Green Heron (Four chicks standing on branches near nest, this AM)
Gadwall (On lake near Bow Bridge, AM)
Red-tailed Hawk (One of the young hawks was back on the nest this AM)
Chimney Swift (Several)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble)
Barn Swallow (Lake)
Wood Thrush (Adult, Evodia field, chicks in nest)
Gray Catbird (Several)
Song Sparrow (Bow bridge)
House Finch (Ramble)

****************************

DATE: Thursday, 17 June 2004
LOCATION: Amity Harbor - Suffolk County, Long Island
REPORTED BY: Margaret Stezelberger

The Tree Swallows all hatched on June 11. As of today they are doing
fine and getting bigger. The parents have been very busy feeding them
and keeping away a stray female tree swallow from their nest.

The Martins have three nests with a total of 4 eggs as of today. I
usually do the check after 5:00[p] but it is raining and I will skip
it for today. It is a wonderful sound to hear them singing and watch
them flying around.

****************************

DATE: 2nd week of June 2004
SUBJECT: Monk Parakeet in Prospect Park
REPORTED BY: Stanley Greenberg

Sorry for the late posting. About a week and a half ago I saw a MONK
PARAKEET that looked like it was setting up a nest in Prospect Park,
along the main loop [...] of the Greek Pavilion. I know there are a
few colonies around Brooklyn, but wasn't sure if any had nested in
Prospect.

Thanks,
Stanley Greenberg

****************************

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eBirds NYC (18Jun04 News: Lights-Out Policy)

+ Reuters: Lights-Out Policies in Cities Save Migrating Birds

Submitted by: Josephine Parrilla

Lights-Out Policies in Cities Save Migrating Birds
Thu Jun 10, 8:07 AM ET

By Jon Hurdle 

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Turning out the lights of city skyscrapers is
helping to save the lives of thousands of birds migrating across North
American cities to their spring breeding grounds. 

Bird lovers in some cities have been urging owners, managers and
tenants of buildings that lie on north-south migration flyways to keep
their structures dark at night to reduce the number of birds killed in
the spring and fall migration months. 

Tall buildings, whose tenants often leave signage and office space
brightly lit at night, have long been recognized as a danger to
migrating birds. Nobody knows how many perish after being drawn to the
light and die from the impact of a collision or from exhaustion, but
most estimates are in the tens of thousands in the United States each
year. 

Dr. Daniel Klem, a biology professor at Muhlenberg College in
Allentown, Pa., estimates the number of birds killed in the United
States each year by colliding with buildings could be as high as one
billion. 

"I think that's a conservative estimate," he said. "Birds just don't
see glass." 

Volunteers who patrol city sidewalks in the early morning during
migration routinely return with a handful of dead or injured birds,
according to experts. 

But the observable casualty rate is just a small fraction of the total
because the number of volunteers is dwarfed by the volume of birds. 

DEATHS REDUCED 

Migrating birds can die not only from the impact of flying into plate
glass they do not recognize as a hazard but from exhaustion after
flying incessantly around a source of light to which they are drawn. 

Dazed and disoriented birds not killed on impact may be snapped up
later by predators such as crows and sea gulls that have learned to
regard such sites as rich hunting grounds. 

Bird-watchers report that efforts to reduce the amount of distracting
artificial light significantly lowers the number of birds killed. 

Chicago leads U.S. efforts to reduce migration casualties. About 30
major city-center buildings turn out their lights. 

At McCormick Place, a large lakefront convention center,
ornithologists from the city's Field Museum found that bird mortality
declined by about 80 percent over a two-year period. 

Before the lights-out policy at McCormick Place, researchers recorded
some 29,000 dead birds of 140 different species over a 25-year period.

Ken Wysocki, past president of the Chicago Ornithological Society,
said almost all of the buildings in Chicago that should turn lights
out during migration now do so. 

Efforts of the Audubon Society and the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors
were boosted by the city, which promoted a lights-out program starting
about four years ago and played a key role in persuading buildings to
cooperate. 

"We've really made huge strides in Chicago," said Wysocki. "Ninety to
ninety-five percent of buildings that should have their lights off do
have their lights off." 

Buildings turn out their lights between 11 p.m. and dawn, ending mass
kills that sometimes resulted in janitors in the morning shoveling
piles of dead birds off the sidewalks and into trash bags. 

RARE BIRDS THREATENED 

Particularly distressing for bird lovers is the danger posed to rare
or declining species. 

Among the known casualties is the Kirtland's warbler, one of America's
rarest birds, whose U.S. breeding population numbers just a few
hundred in northern Michigan. More common dead specimens found in New
York during May included a veery, a variety of thrush and an ovenbird,
a kind of warbler. 

New York lags Chicago in its efforts to turn out lights, although its
bird death toll has declined since the Sept. 11, 2001 destruction of
the twin towers, said Rebekah Creshkoff, founder of Project Safe
Flight bird-protection group. 

Creshkoff urges Manhattan building managers to turn their lights out
during migration but admitted it's an uphill battle in a city whose
illuminated skyline is one of its defining characteristics. 

Progress is better in Toronto, Canada, where about 100 buildings
signed up in 1996 for a lights-out program led by the Fatal Light
Awareness Program (FLAP) and the World Wildlife Fund. The result,
after monitoring 16 of the tallest buildings over a five-year period,
was a "noted reduction in bird mortality," said FLAP executive
director Michael Mesure. 

While brightly-lit buildings are one of the major causes of bird
deaths, the solution is remarkably simple and cheap, Mesure said.
"There is no environmental issue that is as easy to overcome," he
said. "Turn off the lights and the problem disappears." 

(Reporting by Jon Hurdle, editing by Grant McCool and Philip Barbara;
Reuters Messaging: mark.egan.reuters.com AT reuters.net)
 
Copyright © 2004 Reuters Limited.

Online source:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040610/lf_nm/life_birds_dc
... or
http://makeashorterlink.com/?M2F721A98

****************************

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (18Jun04 Reply: reaching Al Streit)

+ re: reaching Al Streit of Pigeon People (BRickenbacher)

SUBJECT: re: reaching Al Streit of Pigeon People
Received from: Bruce Rickenbacher

In response to Margot Adler's inquiry as to how to reach Al Streit of
Pigeon People, I just now went into P.P.'s site and data base and got
the following:

1) Al Streit  Email: al.joy AT netzero.net
Phone: 212-873-6030  Web: N/A

302 W 79 St
New York, NY 10024
United States

Good luck!

Bruce Rickenbacher

****************************

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (16Jun04 RFI: PFs: pigeons; IL/WI)

+ RFI - Peregrines at Riverside Church (DLawrence)
+ RFI - Pigeons and more (MAdler)
+ RFI - Chicago/Wisconsin birding question (SandyJ)

SUBJECT: Peregrines at Riverside Church - any recent info?
Received from: Deslie Lawrence 

Just wondering whether anyone can reply with info regarding what the
peregrines are up to these days at Riverside Church.

Last year I visited with my scope, but of course missed the maiden
flights. What's your best guess as to when to begin watching for
maiden flights? End of the month-ish?

Many thanks,
Deslie

****************************

SUBJECT: Pigeons and more
Received from: Margot Adler 

Dear Ben and all on this list.

You probably saw the article in the New York Times on June 10th about
the kidnapping of pigeons probably for private gun shoots. I am
thinking of doing a follow up story for NPR and was wondering if
anyone has seen people stealing pigeons while they were birding or
walking in the parks. Also, if anyone knows anyone who has been
following this or thinking about this - or has anything interesting to
add, or any contacts, please let me know. One of the people quoted in
the article is Al Streit of pigeon people. If anyone knows how to
contact him, I would also be very appreciative of a contact number or
email. Thanks, happy birding, margot adler.

****************************

SUBJECT: Chicago/Wisconsin birding question
Received from: SandyJ 

Greetings all -

A belated post about my 10 weeks as a snowbird down in Sarasota,
Florida (didn't want to get in the way of the migration updates!). Got
in a good bit of birding while down there. Too many species to
mention, but the best day was seeing 50 species of birds in the span
of under 3 hours, in one small area which included a golf course
(where we watched a flock of about 35 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks,
while a pair of Sandhill Cranes danced around each other in the
distance) and a stretch of deserted road next to equally deserted
farmland.

Highlights included 5 lifers for me that day, and among those was
watching a Northern Caracara wrestle part of a carcass away from a
flock of Turkey and Black Vultures in the cattle-less field, and when
we were packing up the truck to leave we had three beautiful
Swallow-tailed Kites flow above the same field in an amazing display
of effortless flying. We watched open-mouthed as they floated by (even
the seasoned pro who was with us!). Truly amazing!

Now, my question to all birders: I am leaving New York City, to move
to Chicago. If anyone has any details about good birding places in the
Chicago area, Northern Illinois and Wisconsin (besides Horicon Marsh),
I would appreciate the tips (and in return, if anyone is planning a
trip to the Gulf coast of Florida, let me know, I'd be happy to pass
along the spots that I've discovered there).

Thanks to Ben for this amazing list and all the work put into it, for
providing all of these great updates and information; these past few
years have been such a great learning experience. Also thanks to Sandy
and Lloyd S. and Chuck McAlexander and all the others who were so
helpful and informative in welcoming me to the world of birding in
Central Park.

Many thanks in advance to all of you for your replies, and good
birding always!

-SandyJ
Sandwhy AT earthlink.net

****************************

[Please address replies directly to the person asking the question.
The questioner should feel free to send a message with the relevant
details for posting to the list if deemed useful. Ben]

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (16Jun04 Long Island; Central Park)

+ 16Jun Grace Estate, Easthampton - Suffolk Co., LI (ESalzman)
+ 12Jun Central Park: Black Skimmer (TFiore)

DATE: Wednesday, 16 June 2004
LOCATION: Grace Estate, Easthampton - Suffolk County, Long Island
REPORTED BY: Eric Salzman 

I'm doing a breeding bird survey on the Grace Estate for the Town of
Easthampton and I checked the site this morning. I didn't see or hear
some of the specialties of past years: no Acadian Flycatcher, no
Cerulean or Chestnut-sided Warbler. But I did find a singing
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and at least two pairs of very active and noisy
Indigo Buntings at the edge of the bay. At least one of the males
looked like a first-year bird; both birds were accompanied by females.
They were making so much noise that I thought they must be feeding
young but I could not observe any clear evidence of that (it would be
early for this relatively long-distance migrant but perhaps not
impossibly so). What was very striking was the presence of what
appeared to be two territories relatively close together with singing
males and active females on both. Both birds are uncommon enough as
breeders on LI that it is always a pleasure to find them in breeding
season.

Even more notable was a singing Parula Warbler ensconced in a spot
from which I have heard Parulas in June for a decade or so. Parulas
have resumed nesting on LI after an absence of many decades (Joe
Giunta and I observed a female feeling a young bird in the Napeague
area in early July, 2001, and there is a similar record for Alley Pond
Park in Queens a year earlier). I have been noting June Parulas in the
Grace Estate area since 1993 or 1994. In the latter year, a male
Parula was discovered attending a nest with the last survivor from a
Cowbird-stricken colony of Cerulean Warblers (the chick being fed was
a Cowbird!). I have heard the unmistakable "zip" of the Parula every
year since, almost always in a very defined area, but I have never
able to confirm nesting. I should add that the Grace Estate is not
around the corner from me; it takes me the better part of an hour to
drive there even if there is no traffic (and there is never no
traffic).

Eric Salzman

****************************

DATE: Saturday, 12 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
REPORTED BY: Tom Fiore

Sorry for a slightly belated report: Around 8:45 p.m. looking over the
Lake in Central Park, I noticed a BLACK SKIMMER flying low & doing the
graceful feeding of skimming the water with its bill. I don't know if
this is the "first" sighting of the year in Central Park; first I've
seen.

I was returning from a long day's outing by bicycle to southern Staten
Island, where I saw many birds, the majority nesters there. There were
also a lot of butterflies, damselflies & dragonflies.

Good observing,
Tom Fiore

****************************

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eBirds NYC (14Jun04 CPk-2; PPk; NYS; JBWR)

+ 14Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 14Jun Prospect Park: Red-tailed Hawks (RJett)
+ 14Jun Central Park: Black Skimmer (BLevy)
+ 13Jun Various locations in New York State (JHaas)
+ 12Jun Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge: American White Pelican (SSime)

DATE: Monday, 14 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Marty Sohmer, Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Double-crested Cormorant (Lake)
Great Egret (Lake)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lake)
American Kestrel (Over model boat pond, chasing Red-tailed Hawk)
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble)
Northern Flicker (Warbler Rock)
Barn Swallow (Lake)
Gray Catbird (Several)
Common Yellowthroat (Point, singing)

****************************

DATE: Monday, 14 June 2004
LOCATION: Prospect Park
OBSERVERS: Rob Jett, Ivana Warma with Lucas & Sebastian
REPORTED BY: Rob Jett 

Sometimes I have dreams about birds. They're usually not about
birdwatching, but rather situations where a bird or birds play a
central role. I guess it's no surprise that I've been dreaming about
hawks lately. Last night I dreamt that when I went to check on the
hawks one of the nestlings had fledged and was perched on a stretch of
red wood snow fencing below the nest. As I approached him he
hop-flapped over to me and allowed me to pet him on the head. When I
woke up I checked to make sure that I still had all my fingers.

I rushed home from the city this afternoon so I could check on "Bebe"
and "Alto". I ran into my neighbor, Ivana and her two young sons on
their way up to the park. They've been to see the hawks twice in the
last week and, by the look in Ivana's eyes, I think she's been
infected by the Red-tailed Hawk bug. Lucas may be a little too young
to get excited about nature but his older brother, Sebastian, has a
keen eye and seems to enjoy being in the woods.

We quickly spotted the sweet, baby-faced "Bebe" perched on a limb a
few feet west of the nest. But where was "Alto"? I searched the
branches surrounding the nest. Nothing. I walked to the base of the
Tuliptree and looked straight up, scanning the surrounding trees.
Finally, I found the missing young hawk perched about 20-30 feet west
of the nest in an adjacent Tuliptree. She leaned over and twisted her
head around as she watched me watching her. Looking almost straight up
isn't easy so, after a while, I walked back to where I had set up my
scope. Suddenly, I heard one of the young raptors making a whining
noise. Sebastian shouted, "There goes a big one." I turned and caught
a quick glimpse of one of the adults leaving the nest and flying north
through the woods. "Alto" began turning around on her perch and faced
the nest. Then, with the agility of a child riding without training
wheels for the first time, she flew 50 feet to a bare branch on the
north side of the nest. I was so excited that I began clapping and
cheering. "Bebe" didn't share in my exuberance and merely glanced over
his should at his daring sibling then went back to staring off into
space.

Good birding,

Rob

****************************

DATE: Monday, 14 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
REPORTED BY: Bob Levy

Hello Ben. Guess who is back? I have not heard of any other reports of
the Black Skimmer in the park. Is this the first one?

Last year I first sighted a Black Skimmer at Turtle Pond on May 14.
This year I have looked for it at sunset for a full month without
success. I had almost put it out of mind as I arrived at the pond at
7:00 PM tonight. The Turtle Pond was unusually 'quiet' except for
three of the Red-wing Blackbirds and the flock of Cedar Waxwings that
has stayed on here for last few weeks. I was standing on the northern
peninsula looking south at 7:05 PM when a Black Skimmer sailed right
across my field of vision less than fifteen feet away. The light at
that hour was still strong and I got a wonderful close-up look at this
beautiful specimen. When the Black Skimmer shifted its path toward the
southern peninsula opposite my position a very angry female Red-winged
Blackbird came out of the phragmites and attacked the skimmer. I knew
that her nest was concealed there and she felt the skimmer was a
threat. The Red-winged Blackbird was literally on the tail of the
Black Skimmer as it made a tight circle over the center of the pond
trying to shake its pursuer. When the Black Skimmer moved to the far
western end of the pond the Red-winged Blackbird quit her pursuit and
went back to tending her nest. In a few minutes the Black Skimmer
trespassed again and found itself the object of the blackbird's fury.
The skimmer bore the attack for a short time then decided to find a
more peaceful place to hunt and it took off over the Great Lawn at
about 7:12 PM.

I went about the balance of my walk. Two highlights of which were
watching one of the Green Heron chicks receiving what seemed like a
belly full of fish from one of its parents [...]. While I watched the
Green Herons I was entertained by the antics of the male Red-winged
Blackbird here I call Rocky. Someone else mentioned this Red-winged
Blackbird male the other day in an eBirds report and wondered whether
he might be related to the 'famous George' because of his bold
behavior. Well, I cannot say he is or isn't but he sure is a character
not unlike George.

As I normally do I passed by Turtle Pond on my way out of the park.
>From the dock I found that a Black Skimmer was foraging over the
water. That was at 8:45 PM. I stayed to watch until 9:15 PM and
started for home. I did not get very far when the call of the Black
Skimmer got my attention. Their call is distinctive. It reminds me of
the sound an infant's 'squeaky' toy makes when you squeeze it. Though
it was very dark now I could make out two flying silhouettes
crisscrossing each other's paths. For a moment I thought that I was
watching the Black Skimmer having an argument with a Black-crowned
Night-Heron that had come gliding in for a landing a few minutes
before. But it was not a Black-crowned Night-Heron. It was a second
Black Skimmer. The two birds continued in their chase until I lost
sight of one and presumed it left. The second Black Skimmer was still
at work when I left at shortly 9:25 PM. What a great way this was to
be reintroduced to the Black Skimmer at Turtle Pond.

****************************

DATE: Sunday, 13 June 2004
LOCATION: Various locations in New York State
OBSERVERS: Renee Davis, Edna Davis, Ed DeBellvue, Arlene Borko, J Haas
REPORTED BY: John Haas 

Renee Davis, Edna Davis, Ed DeBellvue, Arlene Borko and I traveled
north once again today. I had five target species for the trip, and on
a rare occasion was able to get all five! We had a great trip, saw 66
species, including new year birds for us all. First we headed to the
Toad Harbor section of Oneida Lake. Here we quickly added PROTHONOTARY
WARBLER! We actually had great views of at least three males. One was
singing within a few feet of us (see photo on website). We then went
out to the point, where we had numerous CASPIAN TERNS! We then headed
west to Savannah, where it took a little searching, but we were able
to locate one adult and one colt SANDHILL CRANE! They were harder to
locate in the high weeds of the fields than we thought. Renee finally
located them to the far left of the field on the right at the end of
the pavement. We lost sight of them soon after, and located one adult
at the back of the field near the burm. We are not sure if it was the
same adult that was with the colt, but it was seen alone at that time.
On to Montezuma NWR. Here we had several Common Terns, Moorehens,
Marsh Wrens, Pied-billed Grebe, Least Bittern, Coots, and 15+ BLACK
TERNS. It was explained to us by a volunteer that since the
eradication of the purple loosestrife, the terns are once again
nesting at Montezuma! We then headed south along the west side of
Cayuga Lake. We headed east from Ithaca on rt 79 to Creamery Rd. in
Brooktondale. We followed that rd to 187. The residence of Ann Marie
and Tim Johnson's home. Ann Marie came out and directed us to the pair
of CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS which were feeding young! Thanks Ann Marie!
[...] They are actively feeding and the male is still singing! Anyone
interested in seeing some video stills of some of the birds I've seen
or reading the updates on my "Big Year" should go to
sullivanaudubon.org

Good Birding!  John Haas - 279

****************************

DATE: Saturday, 12 June 2004
LOCATION: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
REPORTED BY: Sean Sime 

I've finally reached a computer after the Saturday afternoon sighting.
I noticed the report was not picked up from Metro Birding Briefs so I
wanted to get the word out. I was co-leading a Nature Conservancy walk
and at about 2:45-50 (while we were driving down Cross Bay Blvd I saw
the [American White] Pelican circling over the Refuge parking area).
It was slowly moving in a NNE direction. The bird was low and it was
very easy to see the large orange/yellow bill. The wingtips and
trailing edge of the wings were black. The body and leading edge of
the wings were white. The "fingertips" were easily visible as well. It
dwarfed the nearby Herring gulls. The bird was striking in its
contrast. We pulled into the parking lot in time for me to watch the
Pelican slowly circle and more importantly descend over the tree line
towards the north end of the east pond. I could not tell if it landed
or not, but if people are in the area, the East Pond or the causeway
would be worth a scan.

Good birding,

Sean

****************************

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (13Jun04 Linnaean; volunteers)

+ Linnaean Society Program ­ Tuesday, 15 June 2004 at 7:30pm (DDancis)
+ WildMetro call for research volunteers (DBurg)

SUBJECT: Linnaean Society Program ­ Tuesday, 15 June 2004 at 7:30pm
Received from: Dale Dancis/Vice-President

Location: American Museum of Natural History, N.Y. - Linder Theater

Don Reipe's slide program on Jamaica Bay will feature photos taken
over a 25 year period and will include a discussion of the history,
ecology, restoration, wildlife management of the Jamaica Bay Refuge as
well as many stories about his experience as manager of this 9,000
acre urban preserve.

Mr. Reipe has been the NY Chapter Director for the American Littoral
Society for the past 20 years and is now employed as the "Jamaica Bay
Guardian". He recently retired from the National Park Service where he
worked as a naturalist and manager of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
in NYC. Don has written many articles on natural history subjects and
his photographs have been published in many journals including
Scientific American, National Wildlife, Audubon, Defenders, Underwater
Naturalist, Parade and The New York Times. He has an M.S. in Natural
Resources Management from the University of New Hampshire and has
taught a course in Wildlife Management at St. John's University. An
avid birder, he also has a keen interest in Lepidoptera (butterflies &
moths).

Don's presentation is free and open to all and is sponsored by the
Linnaean Society of New York. In the evening, the only open entrance
to the Museum is from the 77th Street side of the building between
Columbus Avenue and Central Park West.

** If you wish to join the speaker for dinner, we will meet at 6pm in
Pappardella, which is at 316 Coumbus Avenue/75th St.

To learn more about the Society's future programs, or field trips see
the web site: http://www.linnaeansociety.org/

****************************

SUBJECT: WildMetro call for research volunteers
Received from: David Burg 

WildMetro is looking for experienced naturalist volunteers to assist
in various studies, including point counts of breeding birds. Those
willing to devote time to this effort will receive training in our
fairly simple research protocols. Birding volunteers should be able to
identify all local birds by ear. Volunteers can help at one particular
site, or several sites, as they wish.

Experienced naturalist volunteers are also needed for insect studies
and vegetation studies. The first training for the insect studies will
be held in Pelham Bay Park this Sunday and Monday, June 13 and 14.
Contact WildMetro for further information. The insect research
training will be conducted by James Hayden, Ph. D student at Cornell
U. There is no fee for this training, just a willingness to dedicate
some time.

The research in the NYC region will be done in cooperation with the
Natural Resources Group of the NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation. They
will supply the funding for several full time researchers. Our two
organizations are combining efforts that were being developed
separately. This promises to be a great cooperative venture.

This work is part of baseline inventories planned for a number of
sites in the NYC metro region. Much of this work is being conducted by
an enthusiastic group of young interns that have been recruited from
this region and from around the country. This project is part of a
plan to initiate broad based long term monitoring in the NYC metro
area. Eventually, we hope to refine research methods that can be used
in metro areas around the world. All studies have been designed and
reviewed by experts. Professors and Ph.D students from Yale, Columbia,
CUNY, Cornell, SUNY ESF, and many other institutions are involved.

In preparation for this research, we have been conducting preliminary
training studies in Pelham Bay Park. In a related effort, ast month we
were cooperating partners on a small mammal study at the NY Botanical
Garden. Pictures of some of this work can be found at our expanding
website, www.wildmetro.org. The site is still raw in places, but
growing weekly. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~
WildMetro
PO Box 4220 
Grand Central Station
New York, NY 10163
ph: 212-308-WILD (9453)
fx: 212-308-1227
info AT WildMetro.org
www.WildMetro.org

****************************

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (13Jun04 JBWR-2; CPk; PPk)

+ 13Jun Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge including Least Bittern (JGluth)
+ 12Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 12Jun Prospect Park report (RJett)
+ 12Jun Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (BBerlingeri)

DATE: Sunday, 13 June 2004
LOCATION: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
REPORTED BY: John Gluth 

I headed to Jamaica Bay late this morning to try for the LEAST
BITTERN, despite a recent posting that mentioned it hadn't been seen
in 4-5 days. I also was hoping the White Pelican reported yesterday
might have returned. Well, I was one for two, but that one was a
lifer! The Least Bittern was still hanging around its reported
favorite location, in the phragmites directly across the water from
bench #4 along the West Pond Trail. It took three visits over 2+
weeks, but I finally saw this bird, and it was worth the wait. It put
on a nice show for over 1/2 an hour(12:25­1:00), clambering around on
the lower reed stalks close by the waters edge, slipping in and out of
sight as it worked the area. I saw it catch at least two fish during
this period. The bird eventually flew out of sight into the reeds to
the right, closer to bench #3.

The bittern was just one of 53 species found though. A pair of Clapper
Rails were heard and seen across the trail from bench #4, on the bay
side mudflats. Other highlights along the West Pond trail were: Both
Black- crowned and Yellow-crowned Night-herons, Tricolored Heron,
Black Skimmer, Least Tern, Short-billed Dowitcher(3), Willow
Flycatcher and Brown Thrasher. A cool, non-avian sighting was of a
Diamond-backed Terrapin digging a nest hole right in the middle of the
trail!

A quick walk through and past the gardens revealed Redstarts,
White-eyed Vireos and Cedar Waxwings, in addition to the abundant
Yellow Warblers. House Wrens are nesting in the hanging bird box near
the feeders behind the visitors center. Saw food being carried in and
a fecal sac carried out.

I then headed over to the East Pond to search for the Pelican.
Unfortunately the only big white birds there were numerous Mute Swans.
There were a few nice birds present though, including a Gull-billed
Tern, a Little Blue Heron (flyover), a Green Heron (Big John's Pond,
with 5 more B-c Night-herons), and a calling Great-crested Flycatcher,
heard in the same spot during my last visit as well.

Other species seen: D-c Cormorant, Great and Snowy Egrets, Glossy
Ibis, Canada Goose (lots of goslings in tow), Gadwall, Black Duck,
Mallard, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Willet, Laughing, Ring-billed, Herring
and Great Black-backed Gulls, Common and Forster's Terns, Rock Pigeon,
Mourning Dove, Fish Crow, Tree and Barn Swallows, Robin, Catbird,
Starling, Common Yellowthroat, E. Towhee, Song Sparrow, Red-winged
Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, Goldfinch, House
Sparrow.

****************************

DATE: Saturday, 12 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Great Egret (Lake)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lake)
Green Heron (Upper Lobe)
Gadwall (Upper Lobe)
Chimney Swift (Several)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble)
Northern Flicker (Warbler Rock)
Wood Thrush (Evodia Field)
Cedar Waxwing (Cedar Hill)
Baltimore Oriole (Ramble)

****************************

DATE: Saturday, 12 June 2004
LOCATION: Prospect Park
OBSERVERS: Shale Brownstein, Rob Jett, Marty Sohmer
REPORTED BY: Rob Jett 

It has been three weeks since I've ventured anywhere in the park
beyond Payne Hill, the Ravine and The Pools. I didn't think I would
miss anything significant at the hawk nest this morning so I met Shale
and Marty on the Terrace Bridge at the south end of the park. In lieu
of any apparent organized breeding survey I thought I'd look for
nesting birds and any lingering migrants.

On my way to the bridge I walked through the Ravine where I heard a
Wood Thrush's haunting song reverberating in the woods. I presume that
this is a different adult than the one nesting at Rick's Place. At the
far end of the Ravine, on the Nethermead Arches, a House Wren was
singing atop a streetlight. I looked up in time to see his mate flying
out of an opening at the back of the lamp housing. The design of these
city streetlights seem to offer a safe and convenient nestbox for
House Wrens as I've seen them in use fairly frequently. I wonder if
the bright light affects their eyes.

A Warbling Vireo and Yellow Warbler were singing in the woods on the
Peninsula. The vireo is a regularly nesting species but I've never
confirmed any warblers breeding in the park. According to Geoffrey
Carleton's "The Birds of Central and Prospect Parks" the last
confirmed breeding Yellow Warbler in Prospect Park was in 1948. On
Lookout Hill we heard a pewee calling in the woods and a Common
Yellowthroat singing at the Butterfly Meadow. Over the last few years
I've been noticing pewees lingering in Prospect Park through the
summer but haven't yet confirmed any breeding activity.

We ran into Michelle near the Maryland Monument leading a trip for the
Audubon Center and she told us about a Baltimore Oriole nest near the
Terrace Bridge. The singing male at the top of the tree made finding
the hanging basket nest relatively easy. We could hear the nestlings
peeping above us. Two things concern me about this nest. First is it's
location directly above the roadway. I've had to carry oriole
fledglings out of harms way on a few occasions (and they bite hard)
but they're usually just near a road, never above it. The second is an
ongoing issue in Prospect Park. The nest construction contains many
pieces of discarded nylon monofilament. Fledgling orioles frequently
get twisted up in the unbreakable material and die a horrible death
dangling from their nest. There are even places in the park where crow
skeletons can be found suspended in trees by fishing line. During the
winter of 2002, Steve and I rescued a gull with a lure through his
foot and nostril. I think that it could help eliminate the problem if
the Prospect Park Audubon Center and the Brooklyn Bird Club initiated
a campaign to educate fisherman about the dangers of discarded lines
and lures.

Barn Swallows used to nest under the Lullwater Bridge. This year,
however, a pair has built their mud nest above one of the boathouse
doorways, a convenient location for people coming to the nature center
to learn about birds.

On my way home I stopped at Payne Hill. A Red-eyed Vireo is still
singing in the area just north of the nest. A pair is probably nesting
nearby. I stopped for a quick look at the hawks. Now that they are
full-sized I've found that I can watch them from the sidewalk below
the nest. It was about 12:10pm and both young hawks were eating. I
suppose that the two birds have become more protective of their meals
as, instead of sharing, they were eating back to back. Big Mama was
monitoring them from the far side of the nest. When they finished she
flew off. "Bebe", the smaller nestling, hop-flapped up onto a limb on
the west side of the nest. He watched "Alto" with great interest as
she flew back and forth across the nest. With each short flight she
shook out tiny bits of molted down. Some caught in the twigs at the
edge of the nest and some were carried off with the dust and pollen.
After about ten minutes "Alto" decided to explore a large limb on the
northeast side of the nest. She seemed much more tentative than "Bebe"
and only ventured a few inches from the nest before flying back.

I guess I'll be abandoning my usual viewing spot next to the elm tree
at the top of the rise. The large limbs and wide opening in the trees
on the northwest side of the nest seems to be the best spot to wait
out their fledge. With a little luck they'll cooperate and fly my way.

- - - - -

Prospect Park, 6/12/2004
-
Great Egret (Flying over lake)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (2, Lullwater)
Wood Duck (2, Prospect Lake)
Red-tailed Hawk (2 adults, 2 nestling)
Chimney Swift 
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Lookout Hill)
Eastern Kingbird (Several)
Red-eyed Vireo (Payne Hill)
Tree Swallow (4 or 5, Prospect Lake)
Barn Swallow (2 at boathouse nest)
House Wren (Nethermead Arches)
Wood Thrush (Ravine)
Gray Catbird (Common)
Northern Mockingbird 
Cedar Waxwing (Several)
Yellow Warbler (Peninsula)
Common Yellowthroat (Butterfly Meadow)
Common Grackle (Abundant)
Baltimore Oriole (Terrace Bridge)
American Goldfinch (Lookout Hill)

Other resident species seen (or heard): 
Canada Goose, Mute Swan, American Black Duck, Mallard, Rock Pigeon,
Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay,
American Robin, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged
Blackbird, House Sparrow

Good birding, 

Rob

****************************

DATE: Saturday, 12 June 2004 (11:00am-2:30pm)
LOCATION: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge - West Pond (around benches 5-7)
REPORTED BY: Bobby Berlingeri

2 GULL-BILLED TERNS were among the 4 Tern species seen today,
exhibiting some pair-bonding behavior with the male (presumably)
bringing what looked like Fiddler Crabs to its mate. - Lots of calling
as well. Lingering birds included : Ruddy Duck and Greater Scaup.

Other notables: Clapper Rail, Tricolored Heron and Black Skimmer.

The Least Bittern hasn't been seen for at least 4 or 5 days according
to Refuge Officials. There were only a few Glossy Ibis moving around,
all wading birds were carefully checked out.

Bobby Berlingeri

****************************

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (13Jun04 NYC; LI; PPk; NYS)

+ 12Jun Kestrels on W. 11 St., Brooklyn (PMazza)
+ 11Jun East Quogue - Suffolk Co., LI: Virginia Rail (ESalzman)
+ 11Jun Prospect Park report (RJett)
+ 11Jun Kakiat County Pk. & Harriman St. Pk. - Rockland Co. (KMirth)

DATE: Saturday, 12 June 2004
SUBJECT: Kestrels on W. 11 St., Brooklyn
REPORTED BY: Pat Mazza

I'm happy (and somewhat relieved) that the kestrels on the school
building on West 11th St. in Brooklyn have fledged, this despite
disturbance practically throughout the nesting period due to
construction. I have seen at least one male and one female fledgling
flying from antenna to antenna, changing places. My special thanks to
E.J. McAdams, the Executive Director of Audubon who was instrumental
in getting the construction crew to minimize their activity around the
nest. E.J. came down to the site twice and called the crew to alert
them to the problem. The foreman of the crew actually went up on the
platform and took a picture of the female on the nest. I also want to
thank all those who responded to my inquiry on eBirds a few months
back. It's been quite an experience monitoring this progress from back
in mid-February when courtship began. Checking back in my birding
notes and sightings of kestrels in the area in past years, I would say
they have probably been nesting there a few years. Hopefully they'll
come back again next year.

****************************

DATE: Friday, 11 June 2004
LOCATION: East Quogue - Suffolk County, Long Island
REPORTED BY: Eric Salzman 

There has been a Virginia Rail in our Weesuck Creek marsh at least
since Tuesday and I have seen it on the ground (if that's the right
word for the little tidal creek bed at low tide) and in flight. I have
also heard it call two or three times although these were only short
vocalizations (of the "watch out" or "I'm over here" variety). It is
not unusual for me to flush this bird during migration but playing
host to one (or more?) in mid-June is unusual.

Eric Salzman

****************************

DATE: Friday, 11 June 2004
LOCATION: Prospect Park
OBSERVERS: Rob Jett, Sean Sime
REPORTED BY: Rob Jett 

There's a talkative mockingbird on a television antenna across the
street from me right now. He seems to have a great appreciation for
Red-tailed Hawks as their "keeeer" call and various chirps are a large
part of his vocabulary. His chatter has forced me to sit down at the
keyboard and write today's report.

I received a message from Mary yesterday regarding the nestlings. She
followed up with an e-mail:

"I was at the nest around 4:00 I think, and one of the babies was
gamboling about in the branches. It kept spreading and flapping, and
then occasionally hopping/flying about three feet to another branch.
Eventually one of the parents flew into the nest (it had seemed empty,
but then I saw the other babe there). The parent did not attempt to
rescue the adventurer, and I think was feeding the nestling. By the
time I left, the explorer was up near the top of the adjacent Locust
(I think) tree. She seemed to want to get back to the nest, but that
bulky body and those flapping wings made it impossible to edge through
the foliage in any direct manner."

The nestlings have finally graduated to the climbing stage. It
shouldn't be long before they take their maiden voyage.

When I met Sean on Payne Hill both nestlings were back in the nest. We
could hear some robins northwest of the nest calling in distress. One
of the adults was probably in the area. About 20 minutes after I
arrived Split-tail dropped off some prey in the nest. He's an
extremely attentive parent. Sometimes he'll make 3 or 4 food drops at
the nest a day. He never lingers very long, except to make structural
upgrades. His offspring seem to have an abundance of food as I've
witnessed him dropping off prey even while the young are still
feasting on a previous delivery. In the past I've seen him bringing
mostly rats to the nest but this season he appears to be taking
advantage of a glut of chipmunks in the park.

While one nestling rested the other scarfed down breakfast. It was
difficult to see what he was eating but occasionally he would raise up
his head and show us the sushi. At one point he downed an entire leg.
He finished within five minutes and his full cropped bulged like a
turkey waddle. I was hoping to get a chance to watch the young hawks
climbing and flap-hopping today but, after this one finished eating,
he just lay down next to his nest mate and went to sleep.

In my last report I asked for name suggestions for the two hawks and
received some very good advise from Marie Winn. Putting my comedic
name choices aside, I decided that it would probably be a good idea to
stick with descriptive names. Considering the size difference between
these two young hawks I thought that perhaps "Bebe" and "Alto" might
be good names.

- - - - -

Prospect Park, 6/11/2004
-
Red-tailed Hawk (2 adults, 2 nestlings)
Northern Flicker (Payne Hill)
Great Crested Flycatcher (Payne Hill)
Eastern Kingbird (Lower pool)
Red-eyed Vireo (Payne Hill)
Wood Thrush (Sitting on nest at Rick's Place, one chick visible)
Gray Catbird 
Northern Mockingbird 
Cedar Waxwing (Several at lower pool)
Yellow Warbler (Singing between upper and lower pool)
Common Grackle 

Other resident species seen (or heard): 
Mallard, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker (Payne
Hill), Downy Woodpecker (Rick's Place), Blue Jay, American Robin,
European Starling, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged
Blackbird, House Sparrow

Good birding, 

Rob

****************************

DATE: Friday, 11 June 2004
LOCATION: Kakiat County Pk. & Harriman St. Pk. - Rockland County, NYS
REPORTED BY: Karlo Mirth

The most abundant bird seen and heard on a hike from Kakiat County Pk.
to Pine Meadow Lake in Harriman St. Pk., via the Kakiat and Raccoon
Brook Hills trails, was, surprisingly to me, the Worm-eating Warbler!
I saw and heard from two to three dozen of these warblers. 

Other warblers seen or heard:
Prairie Warbler - fairly common, esp. at hilltops with low vegetation.
Black-and-white Warbler
Ovenbird
American Redstart
Blue-winged Warbler
Hooded Warbler - 2 or 3

On the way back to Kakiat County Pk., at the power line cut, I
followed a male Scarlet Tanager to where it perched in the top of a
tree. Two feet to the left was a male Indigo Bunting, and two feet
below was a Blue-winged Warbler, all three birds visible in the same
binocular view! It would have made a great picture.

Good birding,
Karlo Mirth

****************************

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (10Jun04 Central Park)

+ 10Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)

DATE: Thursday, 10 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Candace and Erle Bridgewater (visiting from FL), Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Double-crested Cormorant (Lake)
Great Egret (Lake)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lake, 59st Pond)
Green Heron (Upper Lobe, 59st pond)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Ramble)
Northern Flicker (Warbler Rock)
Warbling Vireo (Lower Lobe)
Wood Thrush (Gill, Evodia Field)
Gray Catbird (Several)
Song Sparrow (Bow bridge)
Baltimore Oriole (Point)
Common Grackle (Several)
Red-winged Blackbird (Several)

****************************

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (10Jun04 Information: 5 items)

+ Harbor Herons Shore Monitoring Program Weekly Update (YGelb)
+ Shore Monitoring Schedule for June 10 - 13 (YGelb)
+ Purple Martins and Tree Swallows (Margaret Laraia-Stezelberger)
+ CNN.com - One New Yorker with a birds-eye view
+ Fwd: [lymeinfo] Habits put rattlers at risk (NY) (ABondi)

SUBJECT: Harbor Herons Shore Monitoring Program Weekly Update
Received from: Yigal Gelb 

New York City Audubon
Harbor Herons Shore Monitoring Program Update
Week of June 3 – 6, 2004

Dear NYC Audubon Shore Monitor:

We have had a very successful first week in which close to 200 wading
birds have been counted leaving or entering the islands of Hoffman and
Canarsie Pol. Each island was monitored during two morning sessions
which lasted from about 7AM to about 10AM. The data collected during
these sessions provided a wealth of information regarding the
different birds' flight patterns. Below you will find some of the
preliminary findings from this past week. I also wanted to thank the
following people for participating this week: Regina McCarthy, Roberto
Cavalieros, Neil Walsh, Bob Haber, Layla Thomas, and Bill Valentine.

Canarsie Pol Island:

This island in Jamaica Bay offered excellent opportunities for viewing
glossy ibis, black crowned night herons, and great egrets. During the
first session we counted 17 glossy ibis, 11 black crowned night
herons, and 6 great egrets. We also counted one snowy egret. The total
number flying in was 18 and the total number flying out was 19
(numbers don't add up since 2 of the birds were not identified with
certainty). Regarding flight direction, the black crowned night herons
and ibises seemed to fly mostly north, north west, and west, while the
great egrets flew mostly west, with some of them landing at a marsh
located south west of the pier. While ibises tended to fly out, black
crowned night herons tended to fly in. This is not surprising given
that black crowned night heron is a nocturnal forager. While most of
the birds did not fly in groups, three ibises were seen flying in a
group.

Fewer birds were counted during the second session: 9 black crowned
night herons, 7 glossy ibis, and 4 great egrets. The numbers in and
out of the island were almost equal. It seems that weather had an
impact on the level of flight activity. While conditions during the
first session – where more activity was observed – gradually improved,
the opposite was true for the second session. During the first session
cloudy skies gave way to a beautiful day with little wind, where as
during the second session the wind picked up steadily and a constant
drizzle began after a while. It remains unclear which of these factors
– temperature, cloud coverage, wind speed, or a combination of these
factors – determined the level of flight activity.

While monitoring Canarsie Pol we have counted 9 great egrets and 2
snowy egrets foraging in the marsh south west of the pier. The birds
tended to forage in a group, and were spotted moving as a group to the
other bank of the marsh. We also noticed a black crowned night heron
soaring up above the pier using a thermal column.

Hoffman Island:

Although this is the farthest island from the monitoring location,
Hoffman Island offers excellent opportunities for viewing wading birds
in flight, especially egrets. We marveled at the birds which flew
right above our heads as they left the island towards their foraging
grounds. Teeming with flight activity, we counted over 100 birds in
one session! During the first session we counted 99 great egrets and
15 snowy egrets (though distinguishing among the two was not always
easy). We also counted 7 glossy ibises and one black crowned night
heron. The total number of birds flying in was 46, while the total
number flying out was 67. This makes sense given that egrets generally
forage during the day, and head out to their foraging grounds in the
morning. Regarding flight direction, most of the birds flew west or
south west. Only about 15 flew north or north west.

Fewer birds were counted during the second session. In fact, weather
conditions were so bad that only three great egrets were counted.
While conditions were adverse for heron flight, visibility was good
enough to permit us to be confident that the low count was a true
reflection of low flight activity. Again, as with the second session
in Canarsie Pol, cloudy and rainy weather coupled with a strong wind
seemed to be the cause for the substantial reduction in activity. The
temperature went as low as 55 degrees F that day compared with a high
of 70 degrees F during the previous session.

As the summer continues, expect more in depth analysis, including
graphs!

Take Care,

Yigal Gelb
Harbor Herons Shore Monitoring Coordinator
New York City Audubon

Cell: 917-583-8686

/--------------------------*

SUBJECT: Shore Monitoring Schedule for June 10 - 13
Received from: Yigal Gelb 

Dear Birders:

We had a very successful, fun, and interesting first week conducting
MORNING monitoring sessions of the islands of Hoffman and Canarsie
Pol. Thank you to all of you who participated in collecting the data!
An update of our first week results will be emailed tomorrow.

This week we will be conducting EVENING monitoring sessions and are
also starting the monitoring of North and South Brother Islands in the
Bronx. Note, you can only monitor these islands if you have submitted
proper forms of ID since monitoring is conducted from a private oil
facility. Also, on the day you wish to monitor, remember to bring some
form of ID in order to be allowed to enter this location.

Below you will find the shore monitoring schedule for Thursday, June
10, through Sunday, June 13:

Also, in the attached file you will find maps for the three monitoring
locations as well as directions on how to get to these locations. All
locations have parking and are accessible by public transportation.
[Contact Yigal directly for file. BC]

1. Thursday, June 10: North and South Brother Islands (Bronx)

Time: Evening session. Starts at 5PM until 8PM Location: 140th and
Locust Ave. (Caslte Oil in the Bronx). Directions and maps: See
attached file

Note: Bring some form of ID in order to enter Castle Oil facility.

---------

2. Friday, June 11: Hoffman Island (Staten Island)

Time: Evening session. Starts at 5PM until 8PM Location: South Beach
boardwalk, next to corner of Fr. Capodanno Blvd and Sand Ln.
Directions and maps: See attached file

Note: If coming from Manhattan by ferry, I recommend boarding the 4:20
ferry. Ferry leaves every 20 minutes.

Note: If you have a car and are leaving from Manhattan or if you are
in Staten Island and are willing to pick up people arriving by ferry
from Manhattan, please let me know so we can coordinate a pickup time.

---------

3. Saturday, June 12: North and South Brother Islands (Bronx)

Time: Evening session. Starts at 5PM until 8PM Location: 140th and
Locust Ave. (Caslte Oil in the Bronx). Directions and maps: See
attached file

Note: Bring some form of ID in order to enter Castle Oil facility.

---------

4. Sunday, June 13: Canarsie Pol (Jamaica Bay)

Time: Evening session. Starts at 5PM until 8PM Location: Canarsie Pier
Directions: See attached file

Two additional issues:

Security concerns regarding Brother Islands in the Bronx: If you are
concerned about walking alone to this location and are coming by
subway, we can arrange to meet at the 6 line's Cypress Ave stop. Let
me know if there is an interest in doing this. Personally, I think it
is safe to walk in this area during daylight. We will return together
as a group to the subway after the monitoring session is over.

Rain cancellation: I find that many times it is better to arrive at a
location even if weather conditions seem bad. Many times these bad
conditions don't last. However, if it is clear a big storm will make
monitoring impossible, we will aim to schedule a morning session in
the same location the following day. I will notify you of such
developments by email as soon as possible. Make sure to check your
email for such announcements if weather seems it might be an issue.

I am looking forward to another rewarding week of bird monitoring,

Take Care,

Yigal Gelb
Volunteer Coordinator

Cell: 917-583-8686

****************************

SUBJECT: Purple Martins and Tree Swallows - Amity Harbor, LI
Received from: Margaret Laraia-Stezelberger 

If any one is interested in observing or taking part in nest checks
feel free to contact me WSTEZELB AT optonline.net

I have successfully hosted purple martins since '99. This year I also
have one tree swallow pair. They laid a clutch of 5 eggs and are due
to hatch 10 June.

The martins are still fussing with their nest and at this report have
not laid any eggs.

Neither bird minds the nest checks. So, if you are interested I am
happy to have you come take a look.

****************************

SUBJECT: CNN.com - One New Yorker with a birds-eye view
Received from: Mike Bryant, Phil Jeffrey

One New Yorker with a birds-eye view
'He's a philosopher, a very deep, wise creature'

NEW YORK (AP) -- If location is everything, as they say in the New
York real estate market, Pale Male has the best of it -- a 12th-floor
love nest with a posh Fifth Avenue address and a stunning view of the
Manhattan skyline.

There's also plenty of fast food in nearby Central Park, some of it
not quite fast enough to escape the red-tailed hawk as he or his
current mate, Lola, swoop in to pick up meals for their latest brood
of three fledglings.

The only thing Pale Male doesn't have is privacy.

Since he was discovered by some of Gotham's birdwatchers in 1995, he
has become a celebrated tourist attraction. Every day, scores of
sensibly shod, binocular-necklaced avian aficionados gather on
sidewalks or at the Central Park boat pond to stare at the building,
hoping to see baby hawks take wing for the first time.

In recent days they got their wish.

At 5:20 p.m. last Saturday, one fledging was blown off the nest and
managed to stay airborne; at 8:26 a.m. Thursday, the second one took
flight to a nearby rooftop, leaving the third sibling sitting upright
in the nest, wondering where everybody went.

All of this was caught on videotape by Lincoln Karim, 43, an engineer
at Associated Press Television News who since 2001 has devoted his
vacations, most of his spare time, and $50,000 worth of telescopes and
cameras to recording every aspect of Pale Male's family life.

"I fell in love with Pale Male," said Karim, who came to New York from
Trinidad 16 years ago. "He is one hell of a hawk -- he's a
philosopher, a very deep, wise creature."

Mary Booth, an ecologist who helps Karim manage the visitors and
schoolchildren who cluster around his command post, also finds
essential truth and purity in Pale Male's natural existence amid the
city's concrete and steel.

"It's just life -- providing and being with his mate, with grace,
economy and no waste," Booth said. "It's the way the world worked for
millions of years before people were around."

Pale Male -- so-named for his unusual J. Crew-beige plumage -- has had
his highs and lows. His first four mates perished from accidents,
poison and unknown causes before he hooked up with Lola three years
ago.

But Pale Male also has his own Web site and has been the subject of
numerous articles and an award-winning documentary narrated by Joanne
Woodward.

Red-tailed hawks normally nest in trees, and Pale Male is the first to
nest on a building in Manhattan, said E.J. McAdams, executive director
of the New York City Audubon Society.

Pale Male first took up residence on the curved window lintel at 927
Fifth Ave. in 1995. Over the years, he and his mates have produced 25
chicks, according to Marie Winn, author of the book "Red-Tails in
Love."

"Pale Male has become the celebrity bird of New York City," said
McAdams. "He has gotten more regular New Yorkers interested in birds
than any other bird in the city."

Copyright 2004 The Associated Press

Find this article at: 
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Northeast/06/04/high.rise.hawks.ap/index.html

****************************

SUBJECT: Fwd: [lymeinfo] Habits put rattlers at risk (NY)
Received from: Ardith Bondi

To: LymeInfo Group 
[lymeinfo] Habits put rattlers at risk (NY)
Subject: [lymeinfo] Habits put rattlers at risk (NY)
From: Rose 
Date: Tue, 11 May 2004 09:02:01 -0700 (PDT)

“Their most common prey is the white-footed mouse, an efficient
transmitter of Lyme disease.” 

****

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/sunday/localnews/stories/lo042504s9.shtml

Poughkeepsie Journal
Poughkeepsie NY

Sunday, April 25, 2004

Habits put rattlers at riskGroup hibernation, migration make snakes
easy to capture, kill

By Paul Perri
For the Poughkeepsie Journal

For Hudson Valley residents, the warmer temperatures and longer days
that mark the progression of spring are an exciting time. 

With warmer weather comes the chance to observe the emergence of the
reptiles and amphibians, whose yearly activity depend on temperature.
The spring peeper is usually the first voice signifying the start of
the new season, followed by the wood frog and the distinct trilling of
the American toad. Turtles begin to appear basking on logs and an
occasional garter snake can be seen on the warm southern exposures
around buildings and stone walls. 

As the valley greenery creeps up the hillsides, one of the largest and
most visually striking members of the reptile community starts to
appear from its winter hibernation -- the timber rattlesnake. 

For many people, it may be a surprise that a venomous reptile lives in
parts of the Hudson Valley. Unfortunately, most people will never have
the rare and unforgettable experience of witnessing a timber
rattlesnake in the wild. 

Timber rattlesnakes face increased pressures of local extirpation even
in some of the most remote and protected areas where they remain. 

Threats persist 

Reduced to about 25 percent of their original population and
eliminated in areas where human contact is likely, the species was
listed as threatened in New York state in 1983. Even with this
protection, threats to rattlers have not been reduced. 

Changing human interests, demographics and technologies have created
new dangers for this species. Even in largely protected areas, such as
the Catskill Park, where I have been studying them for the past few
years, threats to their survival are increasing. 

Historically, organized rattlesnake hunts, a bounty system, resource
extraction such as logging and bluestone mining and the belief that
''the only good snake is a dead snake'' were the reasons for drastic
population declines. 

Presently there are other factors contributing to their disappearance.
The collecting of many snakes from remote areas for exotic food
markets and the pet trade is now a considerable threat. This reason
alone has caused a sharp decline in the species over the past 20 years
and is considered the most direct threat affecting their survival. One
illegal collector from New Jersey bragged of having caught more than
10,000 timber rattlesnakes. 

Massive removals like this are possible mainly because of this snake's
behavior. 

In northern climates, the life of the timber rattlesnake is focused
around communal hibernation dens. Every year, the snakes return to the
same den to hibernate. They are especially vulnerable when
congregating for hibernation at the winter dens and when emerging in
the early spring. Rattlesnake hunters and collectors can severely
deplete a colony of rattlesnakes during these times. 

If the snakes manage to evade poachers during their spring emergence
and start migrating to a summer range, their dangers are not over. 

The next set of perils, especially in the Catskills, has been the
development of upscale private residences close to timber rattlesnake
dens. The few remaining areas suitable for dens are attractive to
humans for some of the same reasons -- peaceful seclusion, southern
exposures, and the bonus of beautiful valley views. 

High-end developers can now put their clients, usually unaware, at
sites rattlesnakes have remained in for thousands of years. 

Development in these areas makes more snakes die from automobile
traffic or homeowners who worry about their children and pets. 

Timber rattlesnakes are susceptible to human depredation in part
because they don't reproduce often. In northern New York, the average
age of first reproduction for a female is nine years; she will
reproduce again at roughly four-year intervals. When the snakes
reproduce, they have an average of 10 offspring. For various reasons,
few of the snakes live longer than five years. Of the few that make it
to adulthood, most die because of humans. 

Mobility creates danger 

They are also threatened because they range far and wide. Males travel
on average 2.5 miles from their den site and have been known to go as
far as 4.5 miles. Females range 1.3 miles on average and have been
known to go as far as 2.3 miles. 

This migration requires about 41,000 acres of habitat. Even for dens
in the Catskill Park that have as much as 57 percent of this habitat
protected, timber rattlesnake populations are declining rapidly. If
they manage to escape poaching and the chance observation by a
homeowner with a shovel, roads bisecting their habitat account for
many dead snakes. 

Timber rattlesnakes pose very little threat to humans. They are not
aggressive and will usually retreat quickly if confronted by a human.
When a rattlesnake cannot retreat, it will rattle as a warning. 

Snakebite by any venomous species in New York and New England is very
rare. Of all bitten by snakes, more than 99 percent recover. 

In the past five years in the Catskill region only two venomous
snakebites have been recorded, one from a copperhead and one from a
timber rattlesnake. The rattlesnake bite occurred on the victim's
finger while he was allegedly riding a bike. 

National snakebite statistics reveal the typical victim is male, under
the age of 30 with an elevated blood alcohol concentration. 

Even with legal protection, this creature's population and habitat is
rapidly disappearing. 

Having the opportunity in the past few years to point out a timber
rattlesnake quietly coiled on the forest floor to individuals who
would not normally go out of their way to see a snake, I can verify
the adage that ''nobody who sees one ever forgets.'' 

Their most common prey is the white-footed mouse, an efficient
transmitter of Lyme disease. 

Where this snake remains, its presence symbolizes an area of
significant wilderness. 

Without considerable change, the timber rattlesnake in New York has
little chance of survival. Fortunately, educating the public about
this snake, and dispelling irrational fears about snakes, could go a
long way in protecting them. 

Paul Perri studies timber rattle snakes in the Catskill Mountains. He
lives in Saugerties. 

Rattlesnake risks 

- Hunters and collectors are able to capture large numbers of timber
rattlesnakes when the snakes return to their communal hibernation dens
for the winter or when they leave the dens in the spring. 

- The snakes are also at risk when their tendency to migrate over a
wide range puts them in the path of humans. 

- Infrequent reproduction makes it hard for the rattlesnake population
to recover. 

****************************

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (09Jun04 PPk; NYS; CPk-3; FPk; NYC-2)

+ 9Jun Prospect Park report (RJett)
+ 9Jun Slide Mtn. & vicinity - Ulster Co., NY (TFiore)
+ 8Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 7Jun Central Park: strange sighting (CBaron)
+ 7Jun Central Park (RSimon)
+ 7Jun Forest Park, Queens (JLoscalzo)
+ 6Jun Swainson's thrush in Brooklyn backyard (REllard)
+ 9Jun 96 St Kestrel family - Manhattan (SKass)

DATE: Wednesday, 9 June 2004
LOCATION: Prospect Park
OBSERVERS: Mary Eyster, Rob Jett, Sean Sime, Gail 
REPORTED BY: Rob Jett  

It felt like the temperature was close to 90 degrees when I walked up
to the park this morning. Looking south along the Long Meadow the air
had the viscous, hazy appearance of an August afternoon. I thought
about the hawk nestlings in their towering tree exposed to the
unyielding sun and wondered how they were managing. An early morning
call from Steve about a mystery bird near the Fallkill Falls
temporarily lured me away from my responsibilities. I sent out a few
e-mails regarding a possible rare bird before leaving the house.

I met Sean next to the wildflower meadow where Steve had heard the
bird singing. We stood in the shade of a mature elm tree and set up
our equipment. Sean put together his camera gear while I plugged a
pair of portable speakers into my CD player and cued-up the Swainson's
Warbler track. Gail and her loyal four-legged companion, Pippi, joined
us in the search. Today must have been a city-wide field trip day as
legions of noisy school children marched passed...right next to the
wildflower meadow. The noise and stifling heat was a bad combination
of ingredients for locating a furtive bird. Mary, who was on her way
to work, joined us for a short time. We walked the paths behind the
pools and into the Ravine, the whole time playing the bird recording.
House sparrows and catbirds seemed to be the only birds attracted to
the song. We gave up and walked up to Payne Hill to check on the hawk
nestlings.

The two young hawks have finally lost all their downy feathers. Their
heads and necks are now covered in fresh, brown feathers, completing
their metamorphosis into adolescent hawk-dome. One of the hawks was
standing tall at the edge of the nest while its sibling appeared to be
eating something in the bottom of the nest. When it stood up it was
obvious that he (or more likely, she) was much larger than the one at
the edge of the nest. Is it possible that one is male and one female?
The size difference seemed much more striking than between "Itchy" and
"Scratchy" from the 2002 brood. While Sean, Gail and I stayed
relatively cool in the shade of the forest, the hawks must have been
roasting. Both birds panted constantly while they periodically
stretched their wings or hopped across the nest. After only about 20
minutes the young birds settled down in the nest.

Initially, I thought that they might fledge by Friday. However, we
didn't witness any climbing around on the limbs outside the nest yet,
so it may be a little longer than I estimated. This pair is probably
the youngest of all the known Red-tailed Hawks in New York City.

On the way out of the park, Sean and I checked on the Wood Thrush
nest. It seemed like we had just missed a feeding but, as the adult
left the nest, we could see at least two tiny chicks. Last year they
had four in their brood.

While we were watching the hawks today we began discussing names. In
2002 we had "Itchy" and "Scratchy" and in 2003, due to an illness that
plagued the brood, we never came up with names. So far this year's
kids have remained nameless. We began tossing out possible names; Lucy
& Ricky, Bart & Lisa, Frankie & Johnny, Linus & Lucy, Ike & Tina,
Holmes & Watson, Heckle & Jeckle, Jeeves & Wooster, Thelma & Louise,
Beavis & Butthead and Jack & Seven. We don't know the sex of the young
hawks so maybe genderless names would be more appropriate. If you
would like to help us find names for our hawks please drop me a line.
Sorry, their's no cash prize but I'll let everyone know the winning
names.

- - - - -

Prospect Park, 6/9/2004
-
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lower pool)
Red-tailed Hawk (2 nestlings)
Chimney Swift 
Great Crested Flycatcher (2, lower pool)
Red-eyed Vireo (Singing on Payne Hill)
Tree Swallow 
Wood Thrush (1 adult and at least 2 chicks in Rick's Place nest)
Gray Catbird 
Cedar Waxwing (Several, lower pool)
Common Yellowthroat (2 singing at edge of Sparrow Bowl)
Common Grackle 
Baltimore Oriole (Singing in trees above Ravine,)

Other resident species seen (or heard): 
Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied
Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee (Quaker
Ridge), American Robin, European Starling, Northern Cardinal,
Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow

Good birding, 

Rob

****************************

DATE: Wednesday, 9 June 2004
LOCATION: Slide Mtn. & vicinity - Ulster Co., NY
REPORTED BY: Tom Fiore

Two of us took a hike up to the top of the highest peak in the
Catskills of New York, Slide Mountain in southern Ulster County. Near
the summit (after 2.5 miles of climbing up the trail from Rt. 47, or
Slide Mt. Rd.), we were treated to several singing BICKNELL'S THRUSH,
one pair of which were found fairly close to the trail, calling &
singing loudly, with others singing further from the trail. We went up
early in the day, but were hardly there at sunrise or even close, when
it's often suggested any birders hoping for Catharus bicknelli should
time visits to the species northeastern breeding grounds. We also
encountered other birds: Ruffed Grouse, Broad-winged Hawk,
Black-billed Cuckoo, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker (many), Least Flycatcher, Common Raven, Black-capped
Chickadee, Blue-headed, Warbling & Red-eyed Vireos, Red-breasted
(higher elevations) & White-breasted (lower) Nuthatches, Brown
Creeper, Winter Wren (many), Golden-crowned Kinglet (many at higher
elevations), Eastern Bluebird, Veery (low elevations), Hermit Thrush
(many), Swainson's Thrush (many, all in high-elevation deciduous
forest), and these 14 Warblers: Northern Parula, Yellow (low
elevations), Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue (many),
Myrtle/Yellow-rumped (many at higher elevations), Black-throated Green
(many), Blackburnian (several pairs), Blackpoll (1 pair at the highest
elevation were found by us), Black-and-white, American Redstart
(many), Ovenbird (many), Louisiana Waterthrush (upper W. Branch of
Neversink River, has its headwaters on Slide Mt.), Common
Yellowthroat; Scarlet Tanager (multiple), Rose-breasted Grosbeak,
Chipping, Song, & White-throated Sparrow (the latter at highest
elevations), Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco (many at highest
elevations), & Purple Finch (fair numbers at all elevations in the
Catskill areas we were in), plus some other species as well.

We were actually primarily looking for butterflies, and were surprised
to see the variety of species we did, a few of them unexpected this
far north in the highlands: Pipevine Swallowtail (not unlikely in some
locations in & around N.Y.C. & points south, but quite rare this far
inland and at elevation; and American Snout, generally not expected up
in the mountains, although may occur a bit more regularly north of the
N.Y.C. region than is realized - BOTH of these were likely migrants
from the south, arriving on the recent push of warm weather!) Our full
butterfly list: Pipevine (1), Eastern Tiger (few), Canadian Tiger (the
expected species in the Catskill Mountains, & we saw many!)
Swallowtails, Cabbage White (few), Orange Sulphur, American Copper,
Spring Azure (still on the wing in highland & northern places), Summer
Azure (a few, just emerged), American Snout (1), Aphrodite (more
regular in northern & upland areas), Atlantis (a more
northern/mountain species), & Silver-bordered (in wet, sedge-filled
meadow below the trailhead to Slide Mt.) Fritillaries (few of these,
just emerged), Pearl Crescent (worn, first brood still out), Question
Mark, Eastern Comma, Mourning Cloak, American Lady, Red-spotted Purple
(few), White Admiral (fair number, more expected north of N.Y.C.),
Viceroy, Eyed Brown (1, extremely early date for this species with a
'northern' range), Common Ringlet (common!), Silver-spotted Skipper,
Juvenal's Duskywing (several, very worn), Hobomok Skipper (many still
flying), & Pepper and Salt Skipper (very common on one grassy trail!).

There were numerous interesting plants, some of them not seen in the
N.Y.C. area, but common farther north, or as in our case, also at high
elevations. Slide Mountain tops out over 4,100 feet above sea level,
not much if one knows the Rockies, Andes, Alps, Himalayas, etc. but
fairly high in our region. The hike up from local Route 47 is
strenuous (a serious mountain hiker might find it not too hard), but
at least there are some level areas near the top. The trail we used is
quite rocky & has some steep, wet &/or slippery spots. It's about 6
miles or so round-trip, there's ample parking at the trailhead (not
very well-signed from the road), it's mostly shaded all the way, &
don't head for Slide Mt. if you want expansive views in every
direction - most of the high elevation is wooded! We found the biting
insects not to be much of a problem, and no ticks were noted after our
return.The drive from N.Y.C. takes about 3 hours, via I-87 to NY Rt.
17, to the Monticello/Liberty area of the Catskills, then local roads.
Alternately one can stay on I-87 to Rt. 28 & come to the Slide Mt.
Road from the north side.

Good naturalizing,
Tom Fiore & friend.

****************************

DATE: Tuesday, 8 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Mary Birchard, Marty Sohmer, Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Great Egret (Turtle Pond)
Green Heron (Upper Lobe)
Warbling Vireo (West shore of lake)
Chimney Swift (Several)
Wood Thrush (Azalea Pond)
Northern Mockingbird (Cedar Hill)

****************************

DATE: Monday, 7 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
REPORTED BY: Caryl Baron

While running in Central Park today, I saw a reddish-beige colored,
egg-shaped bird about 6" long crossing the road toward Tanner's
Spring. It had a darker, grayish spot at the back of its head,
pink-gray feet and small bill. It just missed being hit by a bicycle,
and made it to the west side of the road. I've looked in Nests and
Nestlings, but there are no images that look like this bird. Was this
possibly a young Rock Pigeon?

Caryl Baron

****************************

DATE: Monday, 7 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
REPORTED BY: Richard Simon

[...] Chicks are clearly visible in the Green Heron nest
American Robin nest - 30 feet from the green heron nest
Male and Female Red Wing Blackbirds, one male could be a descendant of
the famous "George" as he does come to my hand for seeds.
Male and Female Cardinals 

****************************

DATE: Monday, 7 June 2004
LOCATION: Forest Park, Queens
REPORTED BY: Jean Loscalzo

Sorry for the late post, this was for yesterday. My morning walk bet
9-11 am turned up an adult Red-tailed Hawk (with a freshly killed
squirrel, and who was being harassed by the local resident birds) near
the RR tracks, and a very cooperative Worm-eating Warbler in the
gully.

****************************

DATE: Sunday, 6 June 2004
LOCATION: Brooklyn, NYC
REPORTED BY: Ron Ellard

Last night I was in my yard at dusk doing some yard work (actually
cutting down my now dead beloved butterfly bush) when I started
hearing a bird song. Like most of this spring season, I was kind of
tied up to spend much time really thinking about it but it was
something I had heard before. Today at 5:15 this morning I was awaking
by the same melodiously serenade. I immediately got up and rummaged
through my stuff and finally found my Peterson CD and went right to
the thrushes, and bingo their it was a swainson's thrush, which even
my non birding wife verified. Seems kind of late but I guess he's just
a bit of a late migrator.

Ron

****************************

DATE: Wednesday, 9 June 2004
SUBJECT: 96 St Kestrel family
REPORTED BY: Sharon Kass

A kestrel family of 2 adults and 3 young perch often (practically all
day as far as I can tell starting at 6am) on top of a building on 96
St between Broadway and Amsterdam. The young call for food constantly.
I have a great view from my apt and I'm taking some pictures through
my scope which I hope to post soon if any good. Besides some great
food fights, I've observed an interesting behavior. One of the young
birds goes to great length to crawl under a metal "cage" to get at the
roof surface of some sort of shaft. Then it slides down a bit and then
crawls back up to the top. The 2 other youngsters sit on top of the
cage and "chase" him. I can't figure out why that bird would want to
slide down that surface but it is fun to watch.

Sharon

****************************

Send eBirds NYC posts to 

eBirds NYC (09Jun04 PPk; NYS; CPk-3; FPk; NYC-2)

+ 9Jun Prospect Park report (RJett)
+ 9Jun Slide Mtn. & vicinity - Ulster Co., NY (TFiore)
+ 8Jun Central Park highlights (Jack Meyer)
+ 7Jun Central Park: strange sighting (CBaron)
+ 7Jun Central Park (RSimon)
+ 7Jun Forest Park, Queens (JLoscalzo)
+ 6Jun Swainson's thrush in Brooklyn backyard (REllard)
+ 9Jun 96 St Kestrel family - Manhattan (SKass)

DATE: Wednesday, 9 June 2004
LOCATION: Prospect Park
OBSERVERS: Mary Eyster, Rob Jett, Sean Sime, Gail 
REPORTED BY: Rob Jett  

It felt like the temperature was close to 90 degrees when I walked up
to the park this morning. Looking south along the Long Meadow the air
had the viscous, hazy appearance of an August afternoon. I thought
about the hawk nestlings in their towering tree exposed to the
unyielding sun and wondered how they were managing. An early morning
call from Steve about a mystery bird near the Fallkill Falls
temporarily lured me away from my responsibilities. I sent out a few
e-mails regarding a possible rare bird before leaving the house.

I met Sean next to the wildflower meadow where Steve had heard the
bird singing. We stood in the shade of a mature elm tree and set up
our equipment. Sean put together his camera gear while I plugged a
pair of portable speakers into my CD player and cued-up the Swainson's
Warbler track. Gail and her loyal four-legged companion, Pippi, joined
us in the search. Today must have been a city-wide field trip day as
legions of noisy school children marched passed...right next to the
wildflower meadow. The noise and stifling heat was a bad combination
of ingredients for locating a furtive bird. Mary, who was on her way
to work, joined us for a short time. We walked the paths behind the
pools and into the Ravine, the whole time playing the bird recording.
House sparrows and catbirds seemed to be the only birds attracted to
the song. We gave up and walked up to Payne Hill to check on the hawk
nestlings.

The two young hawks have finally lost all their downy feathers. Their
heads and necks are now covered in fresh, brown feathers, completing
their metamorphosis into adolescent hawk-dome. One of the hawks was
standing tall at the edge of the nest while its sibling appeared to be
eating something in the bottom of the nest. When it stood up it was
obvious that he (or more likely, she) was much larger than the one at
the edge of the nest. Is it possible that one is male and one female?
The size difference seemed much more striking than between "Itchy" and
"Scratchy" from the 2002 brood. While Sean, Gail and I stayed
relatively cool in the shade of the forest, the hawks must have been
roasting. Both birds panted constantly while they periodically
stretched their wings or hopped across the nest. After only about 20
minutes the young birds settled down in the nest.

Initially, I thought that they might fledge by Friday. However, we
didn't witness any climbing around on the limbs outside the nest yet,
so it may be a little longer than I estimated. This pair is probably
the youngest of all the known Red-tailed Hawks in New York City.

On the way out of the park, Sean and I checked on the Wood Thrush
nest. It seemed like we had just missed a feeding but, as the adult
left the nest, we could see at least two tiny chicks. Last year they
had four in their brood.

While we were watching the hawks today we began discussing names. In
2002 we had "Itchy" and "Scratchy" and in 2003, due to an illness that
plagued the brood, we never came up with names. So far this year's
kids have remained nameless. We began tossing out possible names; Lucy
& Ricky, Bart & Lisa, Frankie & Johnny, Linus & Lucy, Ike & Tina,
Holmes & Watson, Heckle & Jeckle, Jeeves & Wooster, Thelma & Louise,
Beavis & Butthead and Jack & Seven. We don't know the sex of the young
hawks so maybe genderless names would be more appropriate. If you
would like to help us find names for our hawks please drop me a line.
Sorry, their's no cash prize but I'll let everyone know the winning
names.

- - - - -

Prospect Park, 6/9/2004
-
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Lower pool)
Red-tailed Hawk (2 nestlings)
Chimney Swift 
Great Crested Flycatcher (2, lower pool)
Red-eyed Vireo (Singing on Payne Hill)
Tree Swallow 
Wood Thrush (1 adult and at least 2 chicks in Rick's Place nest)
Gray Catbird 
Cedar Waxwing (Several, lower pool)
Common Yellowthroat (2 singing at edge of Sparrow Bowl)
Common Grackle 
Baltimore Oriole (Singing in trees above Ravine,)

Other resident species seen (or heard): 
Mallard, Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied
Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee (Quaker
Ridge), American Robin, European Starling, Northern Cardinal,
Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow

Good birding, 

Rob

****************************

DATE: Wednesday, 9 June 2004
LOCATION: Slide Mtn. & vicinity - Ulster Co., NY
REPORTED BY: Tom Fiore

Two of us took a hike up to the top of the highest peak in the
Catskills of New York, Slide Mountain in southern Ulster County. Near
the summit (after 2.5 miles of climbing up the trail from Rt. 47, or
Slide Mt. Rd.), we were treated to several singing BICKNELL'S THRUSH,
one pair of which were found fairly close to the trail, calling &
singing loudly, with others singing further from the trail. We went up
early in the day, but were hardly there at sunrise or even close, when
it's often suggested any birders hoping for Catharus bicknelli should
time visits to the species northeastern breeding grounds. We also
encountered other birds: Ruffed Grouse, Broad-winged Hawk,
Black-billed Cuckoo, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker (many), Least Flycatcher, Common Raven, Black-capped
Chickadee, Blue-headed, Warbling & Red-eyed Vireos, Red-breasted
(higher elevations) & White-breasted (lower) Nuthatches, Brown
Creeper, Winter Wren (many), Golden-crowned Kinglet (many at higher
elevations), Eastern Bluebird, Veery (low elevations), Hermit Thrush
(many), Swainson's Thrush (many, all in high-elevation deciduous
forest), and these 14 Warblers: Northern Parula, Yellow (low
elevations), Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue (many),
Myrtle/Yellow-rumped (many at higher elevations), Black-throated Green
(many), Blackburnian (several pairs), Blackpoll (1 pair at the highest
elevation were found by us), Black-and-white, American Redstart
(many), Ovenbird (many), Louisiana Waterthrush (upper W. Branch of
Neversink River, has its headwaters on Slide Mt.), Common
Yellowthroat; Scarlet Tanager (multiple), Rose-breasted Grosbeak,
Chipping, Song, & White-throated Sparrow (the latter at highest
elevations), Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco (many at highest
elevations), & Purple Finch (fair numbers at all elevations in the
Catskill areas we were in), plus some other species as well.

We were actually primarily looking for butterflies, and were surprised
to see the variety of species we did, a few of them unexpected this
far north in the highlands: Pipevine Swallowtail (not unlikely in some
locations in & around N.Y.C. & points south, but quite rare this far
inland and at elevation; and American Snout, generally not expected up
in the mountains, although may occur a bit more regularly north of the
N.Y.C. region than is realized - BOTH of these were likely migrants
from the south, arriving on the recent push of warm weather!) Our full
butterfly list: Pipevine (1), Eastern Tiger (few), Canadian Tiger (the
expected species in the Catskill Mountains, & we saw many!)
Swallowtails, Cabbage White (few), Orange Sulphur, American Copper,
Spring Azure (still on the wing in highland & northern places), Summer
Azure (a few, just emerged), American Snout (1), Aphrodite (more
regular in northern & upland areas), Atlantis (a more
northern/mountain species), & Silver-bordered (in wet, sedge-filled
meadow below the trailhead to Slide Mt.) Fritillaries (few of these,
just emerged), Pearl Crescent (worn, first brood still out), Question
Mark, Eastern Comma, Mourning Cloak, American Lady, Red-spotted Purple
(few), White Admiral (fair number, more expected north of N.Y.C.),
Viceroy, Eyed Brown (1, extremely early date for this species with a
'northern' range), Common Ringlet (common!), Silver-spotted Skipper,
Juvenal's Duskywing (several, very worn), Hobomok Skipper (many still
flying), & Pepper and Salt Skipper (very common on one grassy trail!).

There were numerous interesting plants, some of them not seen in the
N.Y.C. area, but common farther north, or as in our case, also at high
elevations. Slide Mountain tops out over 4,100 feet above sea level,
not much if one knows the Rockies, Andes, Alps, Himalayas, etc. but
fairly high in our region. The hike up from local Route 47 is
strenuous (a serious mountain hiker might find it not too hard), but
at least there are some level areas near the top. The trail we used is
quite rocky & has some steep, wet &/or slippery spots. It's about 6
miles or so round-trip, there's ample parking at the trailhead (not
very well-signed from the road), it's mostly shaded all the way, &
don't head for Slide Mt. if you want expansive views in every
direction - most of the high elevation is wooded! We found the biting
insects not to be much of a problem, and no ticks were noted after our
return.The drive from N.Y.C. takes about 3 hours, via I-87 to NY Rt.
17, to the Monticello/Liberty area of the Catskills, then local roads.
Alternately one can stay on I-87 to Rt. 28 & come to the Slide Mt.
Road from the north side.

Good naturalizing,
Tom Fiore & friend.

****************************

DATE: Tuesday, 8 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
OBSERVERS: Mary Birchard, Marty Sohmer, Jack Meyer
REPORTED BY: Jack Meyer

Great Egret (Turtle Pond)
Green Heron (Upper Lobe)
Warbling Vireo (West shore of lake)
Chimney Swift (Several)
Wood Thrush (Azalea Pond)
Northern Mockingbird (Cedar Hill)

****************************

DATE: Monday, 7 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
REPORTED BY: Caryl Baron

While running in Central Park today, I saw a reddish-beige colored,
egg-shaped bird about 6" long crossing the road toward Tanner's
Spring. It had a darker, grayish spot at the back of its head,
pink-gray feet and small bill. It just missed being hit by a bicycle,
and made it to the west side of the road. I've looked in Nests and
Nestlings, but there are no images that look like this bird. Was this
possibly a young Rock Pigeon?

Caryl Baron

****************************

DATE: Monday, 7 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
REPORTED BY: Richard Simon

[...] Chicks are clearly visible in the Green Heron nest
American Robin nest - 30 feet from the green heron nest
Male and Female Red Wing Blackbirds, one male could be a descendant of
the famous "George" as he does come to my hand for seeds.
Male and Female Cardinals 

****************************

DATE: Monday, 7 June 2004
LOCATION: Forest Park, Queens
REPORTED BY: Jean Loscalzo

Sorry for the late post, this was for yesterday. My morning walk bet
9-11 am turned up an adult Red-tailed Hawk (with a freshly killed
squirrel, and who was being harassed by the local resident birds) near
the RR tracks, and a very cooperative Worm-eating Warbler in the
gully.

****************************

DATE: Sunday, 6 June 2004
LOCATION: Brooklyn, NYC
REPORTED BY: Ron Ellard

Last night I was in my yard at dusk doing some yard work (actually
cutting down my now dead beloved butterfly bush) when I started
hearing a bird song. Like most of this spring season, I was kind of
tied up to spend much time really thinking about it but it was
something I had heard before. Today at 5:15 this morning I was awaking
by the same melodiously serenade. I immediately got up and rummaged
through my stuff and finally found my Peterson CD and went right to
the thrushes, and bingo their it was a swainson's thrush, which even
my non birding wife verified. Seems kind of late but I guess he's just
a bit of a late migrator.

Ron

****************************

DATE: Wednesday, 9 June 2004
SUBJECT: 96 St Kestrel family
REPORTED BY: Sharon Kass

A kestrel family of 2 adults and 3 young perch often (practically all
day as far as I can tell starting at 6am) on top of a building on 96
St between Broadway and Amsterdam. The young call for food constantly.
I have a great view from my apt and I'm taking some pictures through
my scope which I hope to post soon if any good. Besides some great
food fights, I've observed an interesting behavior. One of the young
birds goes to great length to crawl under a metal "cage" to get at the
roof surface of some sort of shaft. Then it slides down a bit and then
crawls back up to the top. The 2 other youngsters sit on top of the
cage and "chase" him. I can't figure out why that bird would want to
slide down that surface but it is fun to watch.

Sharon

****************************

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eBirds NYC (08Jun04 LI-2; NYC-2; CPk; JBWR)

+ 8Jun East Quogue - Suffolk County, Long Island (ESalzman)
+ 8Jun East Quogue - Suffolk Co.: Great Crested Flycatcher (ESalzman)
+ 6Jun Rockaways & Jamaica Bay, Queens, NY (TFiore)
+ 5Jun Central Park (TFiore)
+ 3Jun Bronx River (TFiore)
+ 5Jun Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge (JPKincaid)

DATE: Tuesday, 8 June 2004
LOCATION: East Quogue - Suffolk County, Long Island
REPORTED BY: Eric Salzman 

First really hot morning out here -- hazy but no overcast, fog or rain
-- with a dead low tide. Black-crowned Night-Herons feeding in the
pond and a small rail in the marsh creek bed barely glimpsed before it
disappeared into the reeds. Too small for the expected Clapper so it
must have been a Virginia (most likely) or Sora (less likely).
Unfortunately it did not call.

Also active this morning in and around the marsh and creek: muskrats
and box turtles. The latter have been very scarce this spring but this
morning one was sitting right in the marsh creek bed as if it were
cooling off (!?) in the little stream of brackish-to-fresh water that
flows out at low tide!

Eric Salzman

****************************

DATE: Tuesday, 8 June 2004
LOCATION: East Quogue - Suffolk County, Long Island
REPORTED BY: Eric Salzman 

We have a partially dead maple tree right next to the house and it has
several woodpecker holes in its dead or dying limbs. A Great Crested
Flycatcher has been hanging around all week, often perching on the
tree near one of the holes and calling vociferously (I think that's
the right word). My guess is that this has been a male announcing
loudly (presumably in the hope that a female will hear him): "I'm a
Cool Guy with a Great Pad in the Hamptons". Today two birds showed up
on the site and some serious chasing ensued -- whether amorous or
agonistic was hard to tell. And then a third bird appeared suggesting
that what I was watching was a battle between two males over a prime
nesting site with a female watching to see what the outcome would be.

My first thought was that this was late for nesting activity but on
reflection I am not so sure. Among our neotropical migrants,
flycatchers are some of the latest to appear and they probably wait
for warm weather (and the appearance of lots of insects) before
beginning their breeding cycle. It may actually be the onset of warm
weather -- today was the first really summery day we have had out here
-- that brought about this burst of activity.

Eric Salzman

****************************

DATE: Sunday, 6 June 2004
LOCATIONS: Rockaways & Jamaica Bay, Queens, NY
REPORTED BY: Tom Fiore

Despite the gray & slightly wet weather on Sunday I went out to the
beaches along the Rockaway Peninsula of Queens Sunday morning, heading
first to Breezy Point. There I was lucky to witness some (normally
more) pelagic birds, including a couple of WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS, 4
SOOTY SHEARWATERS, & a few non-adult NORTHERN GANNETS. A PARASITIC
JAEGER was harassing some terns farther offshore than the preceding
species. While seeing any of these (Gannet the exception) from shore
is partly a matter of luck, it is also not unheard of when winds blow
constantly from an easterly direction and one is focused enough on
what is flying out over the water. I've seen all these species other
times from shore at this season (in those conditions) and would even
venture that Sooty Shearwater may be regular in late May to mid June
if one is watching for them at opportune times! Other more expected
Breezy Pt. birds included a few (late date!) flyby White-winged &
Black Scoters, Piping Plovers, some other shorebirds such as 2 (fairly
late!) Purple Sandpipers on the jetty & flying off, Black Skimmers, a
couple of Roseate Terns, Common & Least Terns along with less-expected
Roseate Terns, a Lesser Black-backed Gull (adult in non-breeding
plumage) on the beach, an Osprey & a Peregrine, & a small number of
songbirds noticed.

I tried nearby Fort Tilden & Riis Park as well, finding more in the
way of landbirds at those places but also a few waterbirds such as a
Tricolored Heron, & flyby Black Skimmer & Northern Gannet. Some of the
landbirds: Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Willow Flycatcher, E. Kingbird,
White-eyed & Red-eyed Vireos, Carolina & House Wrens, Brown Thrasher,
Baltimore Oriole, Boat-tailed Grackle, & some Warblers: Yellow,
American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroat, & most
surprisingly (among the warblers) a 1st-spring male PRAIRIE WARBLER in
the pines at Neponsit, part of Riis Park.

Next, to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, where I recorded 85 species of
birds altogether, not too bad in June. ALL of the expected herons, 2
egret spp. & Glossy Ibis were there, & other expected species seen
included: Brant (hadn't all left just yet!), Osprey, American
Oystercatcher, Willet, American Woodcock, Forster's, Common & Least
Terns, Black Skimmer, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Willow Flycatcher, E.
Kingbird, White-eyed & Warbling Vireos, Fish Crow, Yellow Warbler,
Common Yellowthroat, Eastern Towhee, Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed & Seaside
Sparrows (yes, both of these nest within the Refuge & elsewhere in the
area), Boat-tailed Grackle, & American Goldfinch. There were at least
16 shorebird species present, highlighted by a WILSON'S PHALAROPE near
Bench 8 on the West Pond in the afternoon, at least 3 WHITE-RUMPED
SANDPIPERS, and a few other migrants such as Black-bellied &
Semipalmated Plovers, Greater Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpiper, Red Knot,
Sanderling, Dunlin, Semipalmated & Least Sandpipers, & Short-billed
Dowitcher. Some other waterfowl lingering (besides the Brant)
included: Snow Goose, Gadwall, American Black Duck, American Wigeon,
Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Bufflehead, & Ruddy Duck.

A rather quick turn thru Central Park revealed still 3 sandpiper
species sitting near the north end of the Reservoir: Spotted, Least, &
8 Semipalmated. I didn't have the time or energy to look around
Central as extensively as on Saturday, but there were some of the more
expected birds still around.

Good birding,
Tom Fiore 

/--------------------------*

DATE: Saturday, 5 June 2004
LOCATION: Central Park
REPORTED BY: Tom Fiore

Among the more interesting birds I saw (& heard!) in Central Park
were: Spotted, Semipalmated (3) & Least (5+) Sandpipers at the north
end of the Reservoir; Flycatchers including a SINGING ALDER FLYCATCHER
(rarely heard in Central or elsewhere in migration, in my experience),
ACADIAN FLYCATCHER (also SINGING, not unexpected in late spring in
migration here), Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher &
Eastern Kingbird (a regular nester in Central Park); YELLOW-BILLED
CUCKOO, HAIRY WOODPECKER, RED-EYED & WARBLING VIREOS (latter nests,
former species has as well), WARBLERS: Magnolia, Blackpoll (1 female),
American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush & Common Yellowthroat; EASTERN
TOWHEE (this species has nested rarely in recent years in Central
Park), White-throated Sparrow (a lingerer), ORCHARD & Baltimore
Orioles (both oriole species nesting).

Good birding,
Tom Fiore 

/--------------------------*

DATE: Thursday, 3 June 2004
LOCATION: Bronx River, NY
REPORTED BY: Tom Fiore

Along the Bronx River, from just south of the south end of the Bronx
Zoo, to the north end of the N.Y. Botanical Garden, (& farther north,
a part of Bronx Park, but beware going there by oneself!), I scouted
the areas where a particular & rather peculiar little butterfly, the
HARVESTER, is regularly found. I was able to locate as many as 15 of
these along the stretch of river described above. Most were not far
from alders, which play host to the woolly aphid species that the
larvae of Harvester butterflies feed on (the only butterfly in our
area whose larvae do not feed on plant material). The Harvester is in
the lycaenid family, thus loosely related to the blues, azures,
elfins, hairstreaks, coppers, etc. Other notable butterfly sightings
along the Bronx River were a DARK (form) female of Eastern Tiger
Swallowtail, a more common sight much farther south, but occasional in
our area too, & American Snout & Hackberry Emperor, these both found
in connection with the Hackberry trees on which their larvae feed.
Other species of note included 2 Pipevine Swallowtails (which seem to
be having a good year in our area), Red-spotted Purple, Viceroy,
Little Wood-Satyr, & Peck's & Hobomok Skippers.

Some birds noted along the river were Wood Ducks, Spotted Sandpiper,
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Warbling & Red-eyed Vireos, Yellow Warbler,
Common Yellowthroat, & Baltimore Oriole.

There have been a good variety of butterflies (& birds) at Pelham Bay
& Van Cortlandt Parks (both in the Bronx) & at Inwood Hill Park in
northern Manhattan, recently. I was intrigued by a singing male
Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Inwood Hill Park as recently as Monday, 7
June - don't recall if that species is recorded as breeding there.
R.-br. Grosbeak DOES nest in both of the 2 large Bronx Parks.

I've also been recently along the Palisades cliffs of New Jersey where
there are tremendous numbers of Pipevine Swallowtails, especially just
to the north of the G.W. Bridge at Englewood Cliffs & vicinity, thanks
to the presence there of much of a host plant for the Pipevine's
larvae, a plant called Dutchman's Pipe, Aristolochia durior, which has
become locally established. A related plant, Aristolochia serpentaria,
or "Virginia Snakeroot" might also be found growing naturally in our
area. It's good to see how many nesting species of birds there are
along the Palisades: some of the birds we see mainly as spring & fall
migrants in N.Y.C. parks are actually making their summer homes not
very far away at all! 50 or more species of birds are nesting right
near the Palisades.

Good birding, & bugwatching (& everything!) - Tom Fiore

****************************

DATE: Saturday, 5 June 2004
LOCATION: Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
REPORTED BY: Joan Payne Kincaid

Osprey
American Redstart
Yellow Warbler
Carolina Wren
Eastern Towhee
American Robin
Brown-headed Cowbird
House Finch
Northern Cardinal
Tree Swallow
Red-winged Blackbird
Gray Catbird
Laughing Gull
Glossy Ibis
Gadwall
Great Egret
Mute Swan
Canada Goose
American Crow

Crickets cricketing

****************************

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eBirds NYC (06Jun04 NYS-2; NYC)

+ 5-6Jun Adirondacks, New York State (JHaas)
+ 5Jun Sterling Forest - Orange County, New York State (RJett)
+ 5Jun Broadway Bridge over Harlem River Ship Canal, Manhattan (DBurg)

DATE: Sat-Sun, 5-6 June 2004
LOCATION: Adirondacks, New York State
OBSERVERS: Renee and Edna Davis, John Haas
REPORTED BY: John Haas 

Renee and Edna Davis and I did a whirlwind trip to the Adirondacks
this weekend. I had seven target species for the trip, and we did
pretty well, getting five of them. Our big misses were Spruce Grouse
and Three-toed Woodpecker. We birded Ferd's Bog near Inlet, and the
Kildare section of the Springpond Bog. Here are the highlights of the
50+ species seen:

Ferd's Bog:
Blue Headed Vireo
White-throated Sparrow
Olive-sided Flycatcher
YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER
Winter Wren
Northern Parula
Red-breasted Nuthatch
LINCOLN'S SPARROW
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Purple Finch
BOREAL CHICKADEE
Black-capped Chickadee
Gold-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER
Pileated Woodpecker
Common Raven

Springpond Bog:

Boreal Chickadee
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
GRAY JAY
Lincoln's Sparrow
Yellow-rumped Warbler

John Haas  274

****************************

DATE: Saturday, 5 June 2004
LOCATION: Sterling Forest - Orange County, New York State
OBSERVERS: Linnaean Society members
REPORTER: Rob Jett  

I just realized that tracking down birds in city parks during Spring
migration is easy. The proportion of habitat size to number of birds
plus the fragmented nature of New York City parks make the challenge
of observing a relatively large diversity of species, well, a walk in
the park. That revelation came during a trip today to Sterling Forest
State Park. On a trip with the Linnaean Society lead by John Yrizarry
I also came to understand the importance of a bird's song, for both
the bird and the birder.

Sterling Forest's 17,000+ acres of deep forest habitat forms a nearly
pristine stretch of critical breeding grounds virtually a stone's
throw from New York City. Our group's difficulty in visually locating
many of the breeding birds in the park's lush canopy and dense
underbrush cemented in my mind a bird's need for a song that could
carry through the woodlands in order to find each other. It didn't
help our goal that the weather was dark and overcast all day but good
ear-birding skills are a necessity for finding birds on their breeding
territories in Sterling Forest. Fortunately, John's knowledge of the
park's breeding populations, his ear-birding ability (along with the
help of several of the people on the trip) made for a successful trip
with many highlights. We ended our day with a list of 67 species.
Unfortunately, some of those birds were only identified by their
songs.

Most of our activities were in the northern section of the park. We
spent time exploring the habitats around Indian Hill, Little Dam Lake
and near the NYU apartment complex. On our way home, a group of us
also explored a trail near a power-line cut in the central section of
the park.

The main species that our group was interested in locating was the
Golden-winged Warbler. Golden-winged, which breed in Sterling Forest,
are threatened by urban sprawl, reforestation and the succession of
its preferred habitat. We were able to locate a breeding pair and
watched at eye level as they both carried food to an unseen nest in a
tangle of underbrush. Cerulean Warbler was another target species
that, at first, was only heard singing. We finally managed to locate
both a male and female after tracking the buzzy song of the male. Some
of the most dominant woodland sounds heard through the course of the
day were the down-spiraling flutes and "Veerr" call of the Veery.

The highlight of the day could have easily been a tragedy. As our
group was walking the trail back to the cars I noticed something
moving in the grass. Something small was struggling within inches of
Sylvia's right foot. Suddenly a tiny yellow bird shot out and hid in
the bushes to our left. It was a Blue-winged Warbler and I called John
back from the head of the group. As most of us were looking at the
female Blue-winged Warbler John called our attention to the ground on
the right side of the trail. There, no more than twelve inches from
the ground and hidden within a tiny, thorny shrub was the warbler's
nest. The opening to the nest was camouflaged with two oak leaves that
acted like papery eaves for the delicate cup nest. As I leaned over
the top of the nest I saw five chalky, white eggs, each one no larger
than the size of a dime. In our fascination with this wonderful
discovery we failed to notice the panicked female chipping nonstop in
the shrub behind us. John allowed us all quick looks but then
recommended we quietly leave and allow the warbler to return to her
nest.

On our way home we made one last stop to look for bluebirds. We never
found the bluebirds but located another egg-laying creature. At the
edge of the gravel parking area a female Snapping Turtle found a small
mound to lay her eggs. When she finished the task she was confronted
with safely crossing the road to return to her home in the pond. While
she was resting next to Valerie's car's front tire it was suggested
that we carry her across the busy roadway. Elizabeth thought she could
lift her by the tail and avoid her lethal jaws. I taunted her to try.
She lifted the 25 pound turtle, carried her a couple of feet, then
placed her back on the ground. She was afraid to carry her the 150 or
so yards across the road so I volunteered. Holding her firmly by her
thick, muscular tail my hand seemed safe but she hissed and snapped at
my leg. Two people watched for traffic and I watched my leg as I
lugged the turtle across the road. I placed her at the edge of the
pond and gave her a little tap on the rear with my foot. She stood up
high on her legs and bolted into the water. Mission accomplished.

Looking at the warbler eggs touched something in me today. After lunch
I had trouble staying focused on the bird songs as I kept thinking
about it. I've been observing warblers for over ten years and this was
the first time that I've seen their nest and eggs. The concept of size
and distance boggles my mind and had me reading through various
reference guides when I returned home: 4.75 inches and 8.5 grams; from
Central America, across the Gulf of Mexico up the east coast to a
17,000 acre forest to lay 5 dime-sized eggs; just over a month to
raise a family then turn around and go back. It seems like if even the
tiniest pieces are removed from this finely tuned process a
catastrophe can occur. John Muir once said, "When we try to pick out
anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the
universe."

- - - - -

Sterling Forest - 6/5/2004
-
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Broad-winged Hawk
Wild Turkey
Rock Dove
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Yellow-throated Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Gray Catbird
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Louisiana Waterthrush
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
Purple Finch
House Finch
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow 

Good birding,

Rob

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DATE: Saturday, 5 June 2004
LOCATION: Broadway Bridge over Harlem River Ship Canal, Manhattan
REPORTED BY: David Burg

Yesterday my grandson Isaac and I caught the 7:40 pm MTA train from
Spuyten Duyvil, Bronx to Manhattan. At about 7:45 p.m., as the train
pulled out of the Marble Hill station, I was delighted (at first) to
see an adult peregrine falcon circling low over the water, just east
of the Broadway Bridge. As the train was moving, we had only a few
moment's view. But it quickly became apparent that there were two
peregrines circling tightly over the water and diving towards a
particular spot. Even in this brief view, the birds appeared
'agitated'. This is admittedly a subjective opinion.

I had heard for years that peregrines breed on the Broadway Bridge. I
have been by the spot many times and occasionally seen the birds
flying or perched, but have never observed similar behavior from the
peregrines. It quickly occurred to me that the birds may have been
hovering over a spot where a fledgling fell from a nest and into the
water. Recent email posts on ebirds regarding fallen peregrines may
have influenced this conclusion. Upon reflection, I still think it a
likely scenario.

All the recent peregrine mortality raises some troubling questions.
Those familiar with conservation biology will understand the terms
population source and population sink. Simply, a source is an area
that has net productivity for a species; i.e. more of the particular
organism make it to reproductive age than not. A sink is an area where
mortality outstrips the replacement rate. It is a big concern in
fragmented habitats where many species face increased predation and
other problems. The issue has recently been raised as a consideration
for Central Park, but that is a subject for another day. In this case,
I am concerned that New York City is a serious sink for peregrine
falcons.

City peregrines are high maintenance. They are one of only two NYC
breeding bird species (the other being piping plover) that I can think
of that receive a great deal of targeted government and private money
for their protection. Many of the readers of ebirds will know of the
years of efforts to introduce and maintain breeding populations of
peregrines on local bridges and high rise buildings.

The high mortality rate these birds seem to experience in NYC makes
one wonder if these efforts are appropriate. One of the people leading
the protection efforts here once told me that he did not think these
birds would survive in the city long term without continued human
help. Recent reports seem to confirm this observation. On the other
hand, does the pleasure these birds give to their many admirers make
these efforts worthwhile?

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Submitted by: Ben Cacace 

I think a longer term view of Peregrine Falcon fledging success should
be taken, not just the recent events at the lower Manhattan Peregrine
nest, compared to what occurs in nature. Since nesting Peregrines are
viewed by quite a few people around the city I wouldn't be surprised
that the information regarding city nests is as/more extensive than
those in the 'wild'. Ben Cacace

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