Friday, May 30, 2008


Central Park, Thursday AM. A rather quiet day, and I just had time to sprint around the lake and the Ramble.
Black and White Warbler
Wilson's Warbler (above)
Red-Winged Blackbirds
American Redstarts (several)
Magnolia Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Blue Jay
Eastern Towhee
House Wren
Vireo (not sure which)
Wood Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Starlings
House Sparows
Rock Doves
Mallards

Monday, May 26, 2008





Garrison, NY again on Sunday the 25th.
An American Robin sang much of the day, and my highlight was again the Eastern Bluebird, female, and male (m pictured above.) I also snapped this house finch, which seemed larger than others I've seen, but I can't think what else it may have been. One bird was really intriguing. It had a pinkish tinge to its breast, I believe it was white on its belly, though streaked, dark above and acted like a flycatcher. The best I could do was the shot of its underparts. I can't find a flycatcher with the rosey breast. A swallow?

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Garrison, just up the Hudson was a birding disappointment, I thought, until late afternoon, when the sun finally put in an appearance. Then, in short order, I saw a tree sparrow, a group of Cedar Waxwings a magnificent Eastern Bluebird (I'm sure he knows he's magnificient) and a couple of goldfinches, one pictured above. I also spied a hawk I couldn't ID, a crow and some turkey vultures. I caught a flash of black and orange out of the corner of my eye, but too quick to focus on.
Funny thing about the Cedar Waxwings, on Friday I came across and posted a photo of a Waxwing that I'd taken years ago. I have seen few Waxwings in recent years, but immediately after posting one, I came across the others. Or they came across me.

Friday, May 23, 2008



Pictures taken long ago, a yellow rump warbler in the Great Swamp in NJ, and a cedar waxwing in the tree at 427.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008


Another quiet day in CP. The trees at the South Gate of the reservoir were jumping with warblers: Magnolia, yellow-rump, bay breasted and my first Chestnut sided warbler. On to the Ramble where I ticked off the usual suspects magnolia, yellow-rump, black and white warbler, lots of redstarts, American Robins, starlings, grackles, mallards, cardinals, blue jays, oven bird, veery, house wren, northern water thrush, Northern Flicker, red-bellied woodpecker, double-crested cormorant, swallows over the lake, I didn't take a good enough look to ID them. Gray catbirds, tufted titmouse (with such a prominent black forehead I thought I had a black crested titmouse). Red winged blackbirds in abundance. I saw a little olive bird which might be a vireo, and another yellowish bird which I can't guess at because I was distracted by the telephone. Not a bad day, but as migration season moves along one wants it all. Now.
The little guy above is a mystery, but is likely a common yellow throat, though in my previous, limited experience, they are not on the ground as much as this one.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Monday in CP around the Ramble:
Black and white warbler
American Redstarts (M&F)
Grackles (lots)
American Robins
Magnolia Warblers
Mallards (in the Frick fountain)
Double Crested Cormorant
Starlings
Rock Doves
House Sparrows
White Throated Sparrows
A wren, not sure which one
Slow day, but better than no day.

Saturday, May 17, 2008



A quiet day in Central Park after a day of cold, heavy rain. Spent an hour and a half or so along the lake and in the Ramble.


White Breasted Nuthatch
Black and White Warbler
Black Thraoted Blue Warbler
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow-Rump Warblers
Wilson's Warbler
Eastern Towhee
White Throated Sparrows
Red Bellied Woodpecker
Northern Cardinals
American Redstarts (several)
Starlings
House Sparrows
Rock Doves
Mourning Doves
Grackles
American Robins
Mallards (2)
Veery
Wood Thrush
Overbirds (several, seen and heard)
Downy Woodpecker
And a Raccoon in a tree.

Thursday, May 15, 2008


A quick visit to the park. Nice Green Heron sharing the Azalea pool with a mallard. Orioles male and female in the little rocky area above the pool. American Redstarts, Magnolia and yellow-rumps, black throated blue warblers, Cardinals, Starlings, House Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Grackles, Common Yellow throats, Northern Flicker, female Rose-Breasted Grosbeak and I think, a female Hooded Warbler.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

A lovely Scarlet Tanager today in the Ramble, as well as a Summer Tanager
Canada Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler (my first)
Yellow rump
Magnolia
Redstarts (male and female, several)
Common yellow Throat
Black throated blue Warbler
Baltimore Orioles (2)
Great Crested Fly Catcher
Black and white warblers (a few)
Swainson's thrush
Northern Water thrush
Oven birds (several
Gray Catbirds (several)
Blue Jays
Northern Cardinals
Great White Egret flyover
Mallard pair, male and female
Starlings
House Sparrows
White throated sparrows
Rock Doves
Mourning Doves
Wood Thrush
American Robins (lots)

Saturday, May 10, 2008



The May 10th list:

Scarlet Tanager
Indigo Bunting
Rose Breasted Gros beak (several females and one male)
Black-throated green warbler
Black-Throated blue Warbler
Several Common Yellow Throats
White throated Sparrows
Hooded Warbler (a first)
Bay breasted Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Northern Parula (My first)
American Redstarts
Northern Flicker
Baltimore Oriole
House Sparrows
Starlings
Rock Doves
Ovenbirds
Catbirds
Northern Waterthrush
Swainson's Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Blue Jays
Cardinals
Mallards
Cormorants
Green Heron
Great White Egret
Mourning Doves
Grackles
Downy Woodpecker
Black and white warbler
Yellow bellied sapsucker
Red bellied Woodpecker
Veery
Red Winged blackbird
Eastern Kingbird
Barn Swallows (three or four, over reservoir)
Wood thrush
American Robins
Great black backed gull
Herring gulls (three)
Canada Goose
Common Loon
I think that's 43, for anyone who made a pledge for the Birdathon. Oh, no one did? Not too late.
There are one or two things I described into the reocorder, and still have to see if I can ID them otherwise, that's it.

Missed the dickcissel and the Cape May Warbler sighted.
Don't care, I was pleased.
I started in the Conservatory Garden, headed up to the Meer, around Nutter's Battery, into the North Woods, along the lock, the pool, the Reservoir, down into the Ramble. The last stop at the Ramble is where I saw the Bay Breasted, the tanager, the Rose Breasted, the Hooded warbler, Northern Parula, Indigo Bunting, Eastern Kingbird, magnolia Warbler


Double crested cormorant of the lake (above) was just one of the goodies to be seen this AM in Central Park Other fun birds included a green egret at the Meer:

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

A super couple of hrs in Central Park this AM
2 Red Bellied Woodpeckers (Below)
Indigo Bunting
Black throated Blue Warbler Male
Hermit Thrush
Veery
American Redstarts (2)
Oven birds (several)
Mallards (several)
Cardinals ( a few, male and female)
Common Yellow throats (many, one playing peek-a-boo above)
White throated Sparrows (many)
Several black and white warblers
Black throated green warblers
House Wren
European starlings (many)
American Robins (many)
Red winged black bird
Grackles (a few)
Cat birds (many)
House sparrows many)
Mourning doves (2)
Rock doves (many)

I think that's the lot.

Saturday, May 03, 2008




I had a magical day in Northern Central Park. I arrived at the Conservatory Garden @8:30 spent two hours at the Meer, the North Woods, in the Ravine and along the Loch.
Black-Crowned Night Heron (above)
Great Egret
Mallards (several)
3 Canvas Back Ducks
Loads of
American Robins
European Starlings
and Catbirds
Northern Cardinals (several)
Indigo Bunting (my first) NW
Overbirds (my first)
Ruby-crowned Kinglets
Gold Finch
Titmouse
Black and white warbler
White throated sparrows (several)
Hermit Thrushes (several)
Northern Water Thrush
Louisiana Water Thrush
Veery
Swamp Sparrow
Common Yellow Throat
Yellow rumped warbler
Black throated green warbler (my first)
Baltimore Oriole
Song sparrow
Chipping sparrow
Black-throated blue warblers