Olive-sided Flycatcher at
Cary IES
From Barbara Butler: Steve Golladay found
an Olive-sided
Flycatcher at Cary IES on 5/10/08.
It was in a dead tree along Fowler
Road, about 40 yds north of the northern-most entrance to the
Cary grounds (south of Nardone Road).
We get only about one report of this migrant each spring.
if you see this bird, or any other interesting birds.
Summer Tanager in
Pleasant Valley
A Summer Tanager was
seen in Pleasant Valley on 5/10/08 but
it was not seen again as of 5/11/08. Barbara
Butler sent this note to our members on 5/10/08:
This morning Bob Bowler found a Summer Tanager. Bobbie
Post went to see it mid-day and did not find it. But you
might want to try
for it.
Directions:
From Rt 44 in Pleasant Valley take North Road (Rt 72) north. The
A&P
is on that corner.
Go north for 2.7 miles to Hurley Road on the right.
Turn right onto Hurley Road, then turn right immediately onto
Woodland
Road.
The tanager was seen near the last house on the road.
We only have about 2 county
records for
Summer Tanager.
if you see this bird, or any other interesting birds.
Western Tanager in
Central Park, NYC -
Last reported seen 4/9/08
A Western Tanager, believed to be a female,
was found in Central Park on
Wednesday 3/26/08. It was identified by Matt Pelikan. David
Speiser posted the following on the NYSBIRDS mailing
list on 3/26:
A Western Tanager was found in Central Park
today by the Winterdale arch. This is located by the entrance
to CP on 81st and Central Park West. Follow the path to the archway.
The bird is to left of the arch up the hill a little toward the
roadway. It is in a viburnum and appears to be following a Yellow-bellied
Sapsucker. Photos I have only posted one so far can be found
at the following link: http://www.lilibirds.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=96
More detailed directions from Tom Fiore:
at...small fenced-in (low green wire fence)
plantings with Leatherleaf Viburnum (a large shrub) & White
Pine trees immediately west of the park's West Drive, & at
the northwest slope along the edge of the old bridle path (cinder
horse trail) that goes under the Winterdale Arch (the West Drive
is the roadway above the arch) - - - this area is closest to
the West 81 Street park entrance, and beginning there take the
middle path east (not the one bending slightly right & sloping
down a bit) about 150 yards or so to the cinder-surfaced (dusty)
bridle path, & follow
that to your left, almost immediately arriving at the Winterdale
Arch & the plantings noted. The area is but a few minutes
walk from the West 81 Street (NE corner) Central Park entrance.
Northbound M10 buses stop right there, the M79 crosstown bus
across the avenue, & the IND line subway stop (on the local "C" & "B" subway
lines) is just across Central Park West as well.
Another version from Lloyd Spitalnik:
The Central Park Western Tanager is still
coming to the same Viburnum just above the Winterdale Arch in
Central Park. The easiest way to get to the spot is enter the
park on W. 81st St and walk the path towards the east. You should
easily see and archway that goes below the park drive. The Viburnum
is on the left side. Go up the slight hill until you're almost
at the roadway. You're now here.
if you see this bird, or any other interesting birds.
Northern Shrike at
IES in Millbrook - Last reported
seen 3/15/08
William Schlesinger reports that there is still
a Northern Shrike present "in the western properties of the
Cary
Institute in Millbrook." This is the lowland area.
  3/28/08
Tundra Swan, White-fronted
Goose -
another Tundra 3/22
 3/28/08 Another Tundra
Swan was found at Strauss Marsh by
Steve Oresman on 3/22/08 and was last
reported there on 3/25/08. To get to Strauss Marsh,
go north on Rt 22, beyond Sharon Station Road. Look for the
sign to Webatuck High School on the left. Turn left there,
pass the school, and watch on your right for a large pond.
You can see it from the road. Bring a scope, if you have one.
Tundra Swan, Stissing Lake
Photo by Debi Kral 3/9/07
Click photo to enlargeBarbara Butler sent this message to club members
on 3/9/08:
The pond between Strever Farm Rd. and Rt. 82
is quite large now and in among the multitudes of Canada Geese
are 2 White-fronted Geese, and
some pintails. At Stissing Lake is a Tundra
Swan. It has quite a bit of yellow on the
bill (but not enough to make it a "Bewicks") and has
an eye missing.
The birds were found by Tom Burke, who called John
Askildsen, who called
me. Thanks to both of them.
The last time we had Tundra Swans visit
the county was in 1995 when four of them
were found at Round Pond by Dot Fleury on March 11. They stayed
until
March12th.
For those not familiar with the locations,
here is more detail. Stissing Lake is the lake on your right as
you drive in toward Thompson
Pond from Rt. 82.
Strever Farm Road is on the east side of Rt. 82, south of Pine
Plains. It's a u-shaped road that begins and ends on Rt. 82, between
the entrance to Mashomack and the road to the old glassworks (aka
Craft Pond).
Dot Fleury found a (the?) Tundra
Swan at Round
Pond on 3/11/08. Round Pond is now privately-owned. The
Tundra Swan was still at Round Pond on 3/18. There is a
good chance it is the same individual that was seen on Stissing
Lake, because it seems to have a problem with one eye. Also,
a White-fronted Goose was
seen at Round Pond on 3/19. For
directions, contact Barbara Butler.
Hoary Redpoll in
Orange County -
Still being seen as of 3/17/08!
Curt McDermott, Ken's son, had a Hoary
Redpoll at his feeders in Montgomery (Orange County),
first on 12/22/07, again January 1-7, 2008, and again from
January 12th on. The photos shown here were taken by Ed
Coyle in Curt's yard in December.
for directions.
|
 |
| Hoary Redpoll, above and at far left
in photo at right. Common Redpoll is at far right. |
| Note the obvious heavy streaking on
the flanks of the Common Redpoll, which is absent on
the Hoary. |
|
Odd Common Redpoll in
Pine Plains 1/6/08
On 1/3/08, Barbara Butler posted an alert about
a possible Dutchess County Hoary Redpoll (in Art Jones' yard) to
the RTWBC mailing list. However, on 1/4/08, Barbara posted
another alert reporting that several people had gone to see that
bird and "the consensus was that this is a Common Redpoll
with some sort of problem." As you can see in the photos below,
the streaked flanks of the bird are diagnostic, identifying it
as a Common Redpoll, but it certainly is an unusual individual.
|
 |
 |
| The bird at left is one of the
30 or so "normal"
Common Redpolls at Art's feeders. At right
is the unusual bird that has been with that flock. In
the center photo, Barbara captured the odd "tail
up" posture of the bird, in contrast with
the normal posture of the other redpolls in the
lower part of the image. Also note the "puffed
up" look of the bird, a possible indicator
that all may not be well with it. |
|
|
if you see a redpolls, or any other interesting birds.
Scott's Oriole in
Manhattan, NYC -
HE'S BACK! Last reported seen 2/21/08
On 1/23/08, Ardith Bondi posted the following
on the NYSBIRDS mailing list:
This afternoon, Wednesday, January 23, 2008,
Alice Deutsch led me to an Orchard Oriole in Union Square Park.
It was feeding on sap from some Sapsucker holes (Alice saw the
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker drill them) and crumbs on the ground
in the fenced-in area behind the Ghandi statue. Alice
said she and Lenore Swenson first spotted this bird in the same
location on December 4.
I have posted four of my photos at http://www.ardithbondi.com/slideshow28.html#0 (scroll
from there).
(Numerous photos have been posted since 1/23. Our
friend Lloyd
Spitalnik has, of course, done his share - click on his name
and take a look at his exquisite images) 1/25/08
Responses quickly followed on 1/23/08 with
Seth Ausubel immediately exclaiming that it looked like a Scott's
Oriole. On the morning of 1/24/08, the bird
was observed by a number of people in Union Square Park. Angus
Wilson, Chairman of the New York State Avian Records Committee,
stated on NYSBIRDS that "There seems to be good agreement
that it is indeed a Scott's. Alvaro Jaramillo, author of "New World
Blackbirds" took a quick look at the pictures and comments thus, "This
looks like a perfectly fine Scott’s Oriole to me, and I would
say it is a young male based on what appears to be fresher coverts
and older primaries/Secondaries, in addition to the general plumage
pattern." Kudos to Seth Ausubel for his timely revision of the
identification."
HE'S BACK! Tom
Fiore reported that the bird had returned by 2/20/08:
Wednesday, 20 February,
2008 - Union Square Park, Manhattan, N.Y. City - The SCOTT'S
ORIOLE has been seen again by a number of observers - in
the same section of the park as previously near the southwest
corner.
That
area is immediately north of 14 Street, on the park side of Union
Square W.
If you are interested in further discussion
of plumage and other details, sign up for the NYSBIRDS messages.
if you see this bird, or any other interesting birds.
Northern Shrike at
Vassar Farm - Last reported
seen 2/7/08
On 1/1/08, Pete
Bedrossian reported: "Just got back from birding at Vassar
Farm today. I saw a Northern Shrike there. It was high up in a
tree, and was there between 2:15 and 4:00."
Chet Vincent found the adult Northern Shrike
again on Saturday 1/5/08. He saw it
as he walked in past the gate to the "bluebird field".
When he looked across the field on his left toward the Environmental
Education Building, he saw the shrike. It was very active, moving
back and forth from tree tops to the ground. It was about 3pm.
When he walked back past that point at 4pm, no shrike. But then
he heard a Great Horned Owl and a Barred Owl as he walked out.
Barb Michelin reported that onthe club's Wednesday
walk on 1/16/08 at Vassar Farm, two
Northern Shrikes were found. "The first was on the right side
of the road past the first gate in the general area reported before.
The second was on the left in the trees and bushes behind the Kestrel
box."
Location: After you pass the
gate (just after the turn to the composting facility) following
the road until it turns to the left. Up in the trees on the left
side of the path is where the Shrike was today."
if you see this bird, or any other interesting birds.
Northern Shrike at
Tivoli Bays - Found & last
reported seen 2/2/08
On 2/2/08, Mike
DeDea reported: "An adult Northern Shrike was located
near the rail bridge just north of
the Cruger Island causeway at Tivoli Bays WMA today, Saturday,
February 2nd. Other birds of note including a 1st winter White-crowned
Sparrow and a Rusty Blackbird."
if you see this bird, or any other interesting birds.
Ross's Goose in
Orange County 1/20/08
On 1/17/08, Ken
McDermott reported reported 5,000 Snow Geese with 1 Ross's Goose
in Pine Island (across the river in the black dirt area) on Skinner
Lane. They were seen January 16-17.
Pine Grosbeak in
Pawling on 12/30/07 1/3/08
Angela Dimmitt, the compiler for the Connecticut
portion of the Pawling CBC, forwarded a note to us on 12/30/07 from
Nick Thold, who wrote: "about
a half an hour ago, when I was sitting in the car on Quaker Hill
and using the cell phone, I saw five birds fly into a tree at mid
plus distance. At
first, I wasn't sure what they were, but when I looked closer at
one of them, it was pink with prominent white wing bars. I drove
closer, but a helicopter flew over and they took off to the North. The
tree was at the other end of Church(?) Drive from Akin Hall."
if you see this bird, or any other interesting birds.
Say's Phoebe in
Westchester County 9/17/07
From Lloyd Spitalnik via the NYSBIRDS-L mailing
list 9/16/07: "Drew Panko just called with news of a
Say's Phoebe. It' located at Westchester Community College. There
are 3 ball fields on the west side of campus. The bird hangs out
on the fence especially at the north field."
The bird was searched for but not found the morning of 9/17 (thanks
to John Askildsen for the update).
Directions from Tom Fiore, as a follow-up: "Assuming the
main campus at Valhalla, Westchester Community College http://www.sunywcc.edu/aboutwcc/maps_directions/maps_directions.htm"
if you see this bird, or any other interesting
birds.
Buff-breasted Sandpipers in
Orange County 9/12/07
From Barbara Butler via the RTWBC mailing list
9/11/07: This afternoon, Ken McDermott called to report
9 Buff-breasted
Sandpipers at Skinner Lane in Pine Island (Orange County). They
were in
the two fields past the irrigation equipment.
if you see them, or any other interesting birds.
Black Tern at
Dennings Point (Beacon) 9/11/07
From Barbara Butler via the RTWBC mailing list
9/10/07: Tully McElrath has been visiting Dennings
Point quite often lately and
today found a bird flying erratically over the bay. After
checking
field guides, he believes it was a Black Tern, adult, non-breeding
plumage. It was seen about 6pm on Monday. He's
hoping others can find
it and confirm it.
Tully also says that the number of Black-crowned Night Herons has
been
building and there were more than 20 there yesterday and today. Green
and Great Blues are there too. The best time to find
the wading birds
would be low tide, which Tully expects will be about 7am and 6:30pm
tomorrow.
He's seen these birds from the opening in the trees by the old
pin
factory building.
Sounds like it's worth a trip to Dennings Point.
what you
find.
It would be a good time to check other Hudson River bays as well.
Wilson's Phalarope in
Orange County 8/27/07
On Saturday, 8/25/07 Ken McDermott reported
a Wilson's Phalarope
from Oil City Road in Orange County. That area is now part of Walkill
River National Wildlife Refuge. The bird was seen from the platform,
slightly to the left, with a Glossy Ibis. The platform is the trailhead
of the Liberty Loop Trail. The USFWS has a
map
of the area on its website. The platform is near the top
of the map, where you see the symbols for parking, hiking, viewing,
etc. If you go to Oil City
Road, please note that the bird may be hidden down a channel or behind
some weeds/grass.
The Wilson's Phalarope
was last reported seen on Monday 8/27/07. Seen with
it were a White-rumped Sandpiper, a Stilt Sandpiper and many
others. The change in the weather from the heat and humidity
on Saturday and the ensuing cold front may have brought the
shorebirds in. This week may be the start of a good shorebird
migration. If
you do find the phalarope, please
so we
can pass the info on to the Edgar A. Mearns Bird Club in Orange
County.
Black Swan in
Beacon 8/21/07
On Sunday, August 19 Maury
and Miriam Lacher reported that they
had seen a Black Swan along the Hudson River at the Long Dock trail.
Black Swans are an exotic bird for our area and are native to
Australia. Some have been reported on the western side of the Hudson
River - probable escapees. If anyone is interested in looking for
the Black Swan, Long Dock trail is in Beacon starting at Denning's Point and
goes north to the Beacon Train Station. The swan may still be feeding
in the same area.
Bullock's Oriole in
Phoenicia 3/24/07
Bullock's Oriole, Phoenicia
Photo by Bill Case 2/9/07
Click photo to enlargeBill and Elaine Case went with Chet Vincent
to see this bird on 2/9/07. According to Bill, "It
was seen behind 13 Tremper Ave from the back yard or 9 Tremper
Ave with the owner's gracious permission. The Oriole was going
back and forth between 13 and the house with the bird sanctuary
sign."
The bird was last reported seen on 3/24.
[posted on 2/6/07 by Rich Guthrie on
the Mid-Hudson Birds mailing list]...An
adult male BULLOCK'S ORIOLE has been paying infrequent, but daily,
visits to feeders in a yard in Phoenicia, Ulster County. According
to the homeowner, the bird has been "around all winter".
Further elaboration suggests that he has been visiting since
sometime in October or November.
The homeowner requests that her address not be publicized and
that birders not come directly to her house.
The good news is that the bird has been around for a long time,
and has managed to survive some bitter cold nights of late. As
stated, the bird pays infrequent visits to a suet feeder in the
one yard. Obviously he spends more time and roosts elsewhere
- whereabouts unknown.
The oriole makes sporadic, short visits to that particular yard
- but apparently not until mid morning. There are lots of possible
sites other than that yard to search for the oriole. I spoke
with some to the neighbors, finding them amenable to the prospects
of other birders searching up and down the neighborhood streets.
Of note, I didn't speak with everyone in the area, so a judicious
approach would be prudent.
Directions: NYS Thruway to Kingston Exit – Rt 28 to Phoenicia – From
Downtown Phoenicia Rt 214 one country block to Tremper Ave. The
oriole has known to have been seen in a rear yard along Tremper
Avenue which is one block away from Main Street Phoenicia along
NYS Rt. 214. There is a firehouse with a flagpole on the Rt.
214 corner. When last seen today [2/6/07], it was in shrubbery
in front of a yard facing Tremper Ave. Another possibility would
be to cruise yard-side vegetation along the next street which
would be Romer Street......From Rich Guthrie 3/2/07: View
the feeder stations behind 21 Tremper from firehouse parking
area or along Tremper or other nearby streetside shrubbery. She
welcomes comments, compliments, and kudos. If she knows you’re
looking for the bird, she will keep the dogs inside for a while.
Please
if you find these or any other unusual birds!
Smith's Longspur at
Jones Beach 3/29/07
A Smith's Longspur was found at Jones
Beach on February 9th. It has been seen near the Teddy Roosevelt
Nature Center. Allan and Barbara Michelin went to see it on the
11th. The bird was last reported seen on 3/18.
The bird has been feeding with some Horned Larks in the western
portion of the shell lot west of the TR Nature Center at Jones
Beach West End (Nassau Co.). Look from the paved lane along the
northern edge of the shell or swale for the bird.
Please
if you find these or any other unusual birds!
Western Tanager in
Baldwin, NY (Long Island) 4/2/07
[from Barbara Michelin]...Debi Kral
reported on the Mid-Hudson Birds mailing list that a male Western
Tanager has been visiting feeders in a yard in Baldwin. Debi
took photos of the bird over the weekend. If you are going to
see the Smith's Longspur at Jones Beach, you can easily combine
a visit to Baldwin in the same trip. John and Muriel Stahl, the
property owners, are birders themselves and are very birder friendly.
John indicated the bird is there most regularly in the morning
and then intermittently in the the afternoon. Breeding plumage
seems to be developing, the blush has become more pronounced. The
bird was last reported seen on 3/30 (but not on 3/31).
From Brendan Fogarty on 2/11/07 on NYSBIRDS-L: The
male Western Tanager was seen by many today at a private house
in Baldwin. See directions below. The very friendly home owners
welcome birders, but they wish to keep all visits between 10
AM and 4 PM. They say the bird frequents the back deck more often
in the morning, with wider intervals in the afternoon. The bird
is slowly transitioning into breeding plumage: currently red
is clearly visible on the forehead. Also in the yard: a single
Hermit Thrush, a Carolina Wren, the usual suspects, and 30 Mallards,
who may amusingly be summoned with a quack. From Sunrise highway,
go north on Milburn Ave. for a short distance, under the LIRR,
and make a right on McKenna (right before Milburn merges with
Grand Avenue, there is a Valero gas station at this corner).
Take McKenna 3 blocks to its end, park, and go to 2049 Windsor
Rd. From Grand Ave, heading south, take Milburn when it splits
at the Valero station, and take the first left (McKenna).
Please
if you find these or any other unusual birds
Ivory Gull (and Snowy Owl) in
Piermont 4/10/07
An Ivory Gull was found on February 25th
in Piermont by Gene Herskovics, who had gone there to see the
Snowy Owl that has been there for almost 2 months. The
Ivory Gull was last reported seen on 2/26. Many,
many people looked for it on (and after) the 27th but it was
not found. The Snowy
Owl disappeared for 18 days and was then again reported seen
starting 3/29. According
to Alan Wells of the Rockland Audubon Society, "Drew
Ciganek reported seeing the owl Thursday evening ( 3/29/07)
bathing and visiting its usual perches around the old ferry
slip. Drew checks the pier nearly every day. This is his first
sighting of the bird since March 10." The
Snowy Owl was last reported seen on 4/7.
Directions from John Askildsen on 2/26/07
on NYSBIRDS-L:
From NJ/GWB: Pallisades ISP'way
N to Rte 9W Exit @ "State Line". Proceed up Rte 9W north into
Rockland County, NY, through Tallman and Sparkill to Piermont.
Look for Sharp right turn onto "Broadway", which is
on a steep hill going down to Piermont Village and the Pier buisness
district. There may be a "Buisness District" sign on
northbound Rte 9W, with an arrow, pointing down hill onto Broadway.
There is one Southbound on Rte 9W.
From the north, take NYS Thruway to the Rte 9W Nyack exit, which
is the last in Rockland, before venturing onto the Tappan Zee Bridge.
Follow Rte 9W south to Piermont and then take Broadway down into
Piermont Village. Piermont is 2-3 miles south of the TZ Bridge.
Once down at the foot of B'Way in Piermont Village, basically
you want to go straight ahead to the little park, which is bordered
by the Condos on the east, new retail commercial buildings on the
south, and the concrete bulkhead and promenade on the north. It
is here where the gull roosted on the ice with 60 plus Ring-billeds.
There is an ice covered little bay there.
Today, if the bird returns in the snow fall we're getting, it
could be in the same location, or perhaps on the south side of
the pier. Just look for the gull flocks.
Long Islanders may find the Rte 95/GWB/Pallisades ISP'way approach
an easier,quicker route.
Please
if you find these or any other unusual birds!
Hotline Archive Index
Additional
Hotline Resources
Calling
a Hotline Number For
information on interesting bird sightings, you may want to call one
of the many hotlines that make up the NARBA (North American Rare Bird
Alert) network. Listed below are the numbers that cover southeastern
New York. For a comprehensive list, visit the Peterson
Online site.
Hudson-Mohawk
(Albany) Region
(Kingbird Region 8)
phone: 518-439-8080 compilers: John Saville, Jeff Marx,
Jackie Bogardus, Rich Guthrie, Lou Esch
Lower Hudson Valley Region
(Kingbird Region 9)
phone: 914-666-6614 compiler: New compiler is needed, so
this RBA is not currently active.
New York City and Long Island Region
(Kingbird Region 10)
phone: 212-979-3070 compiler: Tom Burke
Connecticut
7/18/06 Please
note, there is no telephone hotline anymore. Check out CTBIRD
which you can subsctibe to for automatic alerts to your mailbox.
Viewing
Hotline Recording Transcripts Online
You
can view hotline transcripts online at The
Virtual Birder. When you get there, just click on the state
that interests you.
American
Birding Association "Sightings" Column 5/15/06
The
newly expanded "Sightings" column in the ABA's Winging
It newsletter is a timely, comprehensive summary of rarity
news in North America. Written by Rick Wright, with
expert consultants Jon Dunn and Paul Lehman, the column
is now available online at http://www.americanbirding.org/pubs/wingingit/archives/vol18no2p16to17.pdf
Mailing
Lists (last
updated 3/18/03)
MidHudsonBirds
provides a forum for the discussion, communication, and reporting
of wild bird observations in the Ulster, Dutchess, Greene, and
Columbia County areas of New York State, including the Catskill
and Shawangunk Mountains. Related natural history observations
within this geographical area, and relevant posts from outside
of this area are also welcome. To join, or to learn more, visit
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MidHudsonBirds/
NYSBIRDS-L
provides a discussion forum for birders in New York to share their
observations and knowledge. Recent
postings of NYSBirds are available on Jack Siler's Birding
on the Net site, or you can subscribe by sending an e-mail to:
with the following in the body of the message (substituting your
own name):
subscribe NYSBIRDS-L Firstname Lastname
Regional
digests called BIRDEAST,
BIRDCNTR, and BIRDWEST
are created and distributed free via e-mail to subscribers. These
contain transcripts (or highlights of transcripts) of hotline
recordings. Searchable archives of these notes are available
on the web:
BIRDEAST
archive
BIRDCNTR
archive
BIRDWEST
archive
If you'd like to get the RBA transcripts automatically in your
e-mail box, you can join
the BIRDEAST mailing list by filling out a form online.
RTWBC Historical Archive
Index |
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