Monday, September 16, 2013

Central Park, Sept 14th and 15th (total 19 warbler sp + chat, BB Cuckoo)

I think the whole radar migration prediction thing is over-hyped as a useful tool for local birding, so I tend to use the standard method of wind direction and temperature.  So after arriving back in NJ from CA to 94 degree afternoon heat, the alarm bells went off when the highs over the weekend were in the low 70's, backed by a north-west wind.  More-or-less ideal conditions.

Bit of a shock, therefore, when I entered Strawberry Fields and there was barely any chipping.  30 minutes later and it was alive with migrants and in a hour I accumulated what is a very good day's warbler list (16 sp.) including Tennessee, Bay-breasted and Blackburnian.  Black-billed Cuckoo, two Olive-sided Flycatchers and a Chat in the Maintenance Field made for a pretty good day.  However I missed the Connecticut Warbler by scant seconds, and someone didn't look up enough and missed the expected large Broad-winged Hawk flight.

Sunday was quieter, but still many good birds in Strawberry Fields including Bay-breasted Warbler foraging in the grass right in front of me (along with Black-throated Greens).  A change in the mix of warbler species indicated that the second flight was new birds arriving.

Overall I netted 19 warbler species in two mornings, some decent birds (Yellow-bellied Flycatcher was a year bird), and finally saw some Broad-winged Hawk migration on the Sunday.  Conspicuously missing were any Kinglets or any sparrows (excl House), it's still ramping up.

Broad-winged Hawk (Sun)
Osprey (Sun)
Black-billed Cuckoo (Sat, Maint)
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (several both days)
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Olive-sided Flycatcher (two in Maint on Sat)
Least Flycatcher (Sat, poss Sun)
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Sun in SF)
Great Crested Flycatcher
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
House Wren
Carolina Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Swainson's Thrush
Veery (Sat)
Wood Thrush (Sat)
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher (Sun)
Cedar Waxwing (large flocks both days)
Ovenbird (only 1, both days)
Black-and-white Warbler
Tennessee Warbler (3+, both days)
Nashville Warbler (1, Sun, SF)
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Cape May Warbler (1, Maint, both days)
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler (both days, very cooperative in SF on Sunday)
Blackburnian Warbler (SF, Sat)
Yellow Warbler (SF, Sat)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Sat)
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Pine Warbler (3+ in SF on Sat)
Black-throated Green Warbler
Canada Warbler (SF)
Wilson's Warbler (SF on Sat)
Yellow-breasted Chat (elusive, Maint on Sat)

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