Birding Briefs
Visit my Central Park birding map to see the locations where I shoot many of my photos. I also made another map with all those strange and wonderful birding locations known only to Central Park regulars.
Photo News (Winter/Spring 2008)
A flock of Cedar Waxwings has been feasting on the seeds of several sophora trees in Central Park's Ramble. Among these birds are several with orange tipped tail feathers. According to Cornell's Web site, "Cedar Waxwings with orange instead of yellow tail tips began appearing in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada beginning in the 1960s. The orange color is the result of a red pigment picked up from the berries of an introduced species of honeysuckle. If a waxwing eats the berries while it is growing a tail feather, the tip of the feather will be orange."
A Western Tanager has been hanging around Central Park for the past few days. I only had a brief time to photograph it on a cloudy, overcast day but hope to get back on a sunny day if the bird stays around. It is feeding on sapsucker holes and seems to prefer those on Leatherleaf Viburnum.
A very rare (and very cooperative) Scott's Oriole was in Union Square Park for the months of December, January, and February. Apparently it took more than a month for birders to identify this vagrant Southwestern species and it wasn't until Thursday, January 24th that someone got it correct. This is the first time 
this species has been seen in New York State. The Times printed a piece by Jonathan Rosen on the Scott's Oriole accompanied by one of my photos. If you haven't gotten your copy of Jonathan's "The Life of the Skies" you should rush right out and buy a copy. It's a must read. There's an excerpt from the book in this months's Audubon Magazine (accompanied by my photo of the egret and the taxi.)
Many boreal species that usually don't winter this far south have been spotted this year in Connecticut, Long Island and even in Central Park where this shot of a Common Redpoll feeding on Sweet Gum was taken. I have also shot Red Crossbills feeding on pine cones and Pine Grosebeak eating crabapples--both in Connecticut. A flock of Evening Grosbeak has been hanging around a wildlife preserve in New Jersey.
Warblers Continue South (Fall 2007)
Many southward bound warblers stopped in Central Park during the last week in September. Among the warbler species seen and photographed were Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Nashville, Tennessee, Northern Parula, Black-and-white, Chestnut-sided, and Blackpoll.
Connecticut Warbler Rocks Central Park (Fall 2007)
A very cooperative Connecticut Warbler was seen by many birders and photographers in Central Park on Saturday, September 9th. Increasing numbers of warblers have been seen in Central Park in late August including a "flock" of 5-6 Cape May Warblers seen in various parts of the park.
Summer Brings Nesting Shorebirds (Summer 2007)
Nesting terns, skimmers, Piping Plovers, and oystercatchers are producing offspring in large numbers out on the Long Island beaches. It's remarkable to watch the chicks being fed and the juveniles learning to feed themselves (with the help of an adult or two.) Sanderlings are also beginning to show up in large numbers after spending the summer nesting in the high Arctic tundra.Western Reef Heron (Summer 2007)
The Western Reef Heron returned to Brooklyn today (7/15) after a few days absence but hasn't been seen since. Throngs of birders and amateur photographers crowded the inlet opposite Coney Island to get a peek/photo of this rarity. Unfortunately some amateur photographers present had not yet learned about proper field etiquette (or how to approach birds without scaring them away.) Note to amateur wildlife photographers: please read Arthur Morris' guide to field etiquette before venturing out again.Although I have been spending times at the beach photographing local shorebirds I have also been looking at grasslands and salt marshes around our area for sparrows and other species that nest there. I was rewarded with some nice looks at a Grasshopper Sparrow out on the east end of Long Island and Seaside Sparrows in local marshes.
Summer brings nesting Piping Plover, Terns, Oystercatchers, Skimmers and other shore birds to Long Island. The marshes of Long Island also host to a variety of nesters including Clapper Rail, Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows, and Marsh Wrens. I have been moving around the beaches and marshes photographing them all. The only problem: sunrise comes so early in the summer.
Summer 2007 in the City
Well not exactly the city but I have been going north to Sullivan, Orange, and Ulster counties and have returned with photos of Upland Sandpipers, Golden-winged Warblers and nesting Cerulean Warblers. This has kept me quite busy until the shorebirds start moving through in July.Spring Migration
(4/29/07) A Worm-eating Warbler made an appearance in the Loch today in New York City's Central Park along with a Yellow Warbler and Ovenbird. A Screech-owl fledgling continued to be visible in the north end of the park. Its three siblings tumbled out of the nest several weeks ago and were taken to Raptor Trust in New Jersey.(4/20/07) Spring Migration has gotten off to a slow start this year in Central Park. By this time last year I had photographed numerous Swamp Sparrows, waterthrushes, and other assorted migrants. There was a very cooperative Louisiana Waterthrush at the Maintenance Field today. Last year I photographed a Louisiana Waterthrush in the Loch on St. Paddy's day--a Central Park and New York State record for early arrival. Also, two very nice Savannah Sparrows visited the park today and a small flock of Cedar Waxwings continues near the Oven.
Ring-necked Pheasant
(4/07/07) A Ring-necked Pheasant has been visitng Central Park this week. He does not seem to mind the attention although he stays hidden a lot in the underbrush.Pine Warbler and Harbor Seals
(4/03/07) I managed to photograph my first warbler of 2007--a bright male Pine Warbler. I also encountered a very nice Harbor Seal while down at Wolfe's Pond on Staten Island. The Red-breasted Merganser continues at the Meer and the Great Horned Owl in the Bronx has one chick in the nest.Red-headed Woodpecker
(3/25/07) The ubiquitous Red-headed Woodpecker in Riverside Park has turned almost completely red. While there are still small brown patches on his head, it won't be long now before he is a full fledged adult! He was eating an earthworm the last time I photographed him.Monk Parakeets
(3/25/07) The original pair of Monk Parakeets that built a nest underneath an A/C unit on a building right around the corner from where I live on Manhattan's Upper West Side have been joined by four friends. They make quite a racket and are quite easy to find because of their constant squawking.Northern Pintail
(2/24/07) The Northern Pintail that has been hanging around the Pond in the south end of Central Park this winter is so tame he runs right-up to the many feeders who constantly visit that location just like the mallards do. These "serial" feeders dump so much bird seed, bread, and other semi-edibles into the Pond and surrounding shoreline that it's a wonder there aren't more ducks, geese, and swans around. The trick for photographers is to isolate the bird so it isn't among the crowd of mallards fighting for food.Red-headed Woodpecker
(2/21/07) The ubiquitous Red-headed Woodpecker in Riverside Park has turned almost completely red. While there are still small brown patches on his head, it won't be long now before he is a full fledged adult!Ducks
(1/11/07) I drove all over the island looking for ducks today but the only place that had anything was Connetquot. There were hundreds of scoters and more than a dozen Canvasbacks and Ringed-neck ducks very close to shore. The Wild Turkeys that I photographed in past years have all been eaten by foxes. The Barrow's Goldeneye was at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum just down the road but it was so skittish it was impossible to photograph.Red-headed Woodpecker
(12/31/06) The Red-headed Woodpecker in Riverside Park is showing much more red on his head. Who knows, we might have a full-blow red-head by the time he leaves.Pale Male
(12/10/06) Pale Male continues to rule the Ramble. Today he sat in a tree devouring a freshly killed rat while hordes of tourists, birdwatchers and photographers hovered about. Several dog walkers passed right under the tree where he was perched and he didn't even blink an eye.Monk Parakeets
(12/3/06) A pair of Monk Parakeets are hard at work building a nest underneath an A/C unit on a building right around the corner from where I live on Manhattan's Upper West Side. They are quite a charming pair to watch as they break off branches from nearby trees and bring them to the nest.Fall Migration
A Blue Grosbeak made a visit to Central Park's Wildflower Meadow during the first week in October. American Kestrels returned to Floyd Bennet Field and were seen perched around the edges of the runways and hunting in the short grass in November.Fall migration began in Central Park in early August with Waterthrushes, Ovenbirds, Black-and-white Warblers, Prairie Warblers, Yellow Warblers, and other early migrants observed in Central Park. A "Lawrence's" Warbler (recessive hybrid of a Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers) was observed on several successive days in the Wildflower Meadow. More recently Northern Parula, Nashville, Black-throated Blue, Common Yellowthroats, American Redstarts and other species have been sighted moving through the park.
Green Herons in Central Park
I have photographed the nesting Green Herons in Central Park for the past five years. This year they nested about a month later than usual. On July 11th the first hatchling appeared. Eventually there were four downy chicks. By July 21st it was obvious that one of the chicks was much, much smaller than the other three and could not compete with them for food. Sadly, on the morning of July 24th the smallest chick succumbed, probably from starvation. I captured the entire sequence leading up to and including its death. This slideshow tells the story.
Red-tailed Hawks Fledge Two Chicks at St. John the Divine
It's not Central Park but it's close... A pair of Red-tailed Hawks successfully nested and fledged two chicks at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine this spring. What makes these photos so special is the backdrop of a Gothic cathedral. In fact, the hawks built their nest on the shoulders of a statue of St. Andrew adorning the east end of the cathedral. I have several weeks worth of photos of the hawks and their offspring.
2006 Spring Migration at an End
Spring migration is over but the photos remain. This Mourning Warbler came near the end (5/25) and was very cooperative as were these Canada and Bay-breasted Warblers. Some of the warbler species photographed in Central Park during migration included American Redstart, Male and Female Blackburnian Warblers, Yellow Warblers, Magnolia Warblers, Northern Parula, Blue-winged, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, and Chestnut-sided Warblers.
There was also a very nice Lincoln's Sparrow that hung around Tanner's Spring for a few days.
Flicker vs. Starling
There was quite a battle for a nest cavity this spring between a Northern Flicker (who made a nest in the hole) and a European Starling, who wanted it. See my comments and a slideshow on my blog.
A Very Early Louisiana Waterthrush
Spring was ushered into the park by a Louisiana Waterthrush that I first discovered in the North End of the Central Park on St. Patrick's Day. This is probably the earliest report of this species in New York State. More info on where to photograph birds in Central Park can be found here.Winter 2005-2006
This has been a pretty good winter for Screech-owls and owls watchers. Large flocks of watchers have gathered many nights to watch the Screech-owls "fly-out" on the west side and I have discovered my own personal screech owl in the North Woods. This small owl emerges every night from an unbelievably tiny hole in a London Plane. I think it is one of the first year owls that fledged last spring.In the winter I like to go to the Lake in Central Park and photograph the Ring-billed Gulls that gather there. The trick is to bring some bread, and a friend. Go in the afternoon on a clear, cloudless day. Have the friend throw bits of bread up into the air while you photograph the gulls hovering overhead.
Ducks are really the name of the game on Central Park's waterways. Ruddy Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads, and Wood Ducks are all common visitors to the park in winter.
Fall 2005
The North Meadow is a great place to photograph migrating sparrows in the fall. This Field Sparrow stood out from the rest because of his light coloration. He is probably partially leucistic. Three very cooperative Golden-crowned Kinglets frolicked on the ground for about three hours in front of myself and Karen Fung.The Conservatory Garden is a great place to find fall and spring warblers. Once recent fall day I photographed a White-crowned Sparrow, a Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Wilson's Warbler, a Black-throated Green Warbler and several Common Yellowthroats. A Blue-headed Vireo, White-throated and Song Sparrows also made appearances.
A good way to find birds is the park is to keep look out for what they like to it. One hot spot has is in the Lower Lobe where the autumn berries of several large Leatherleaf Viburnum attract scores of fruit-eating warblers including, Blackpoll, Black-throated Blue and Cape May. Swainson's and Grey-cheeked Thrushes are also attracted to the berries.
If you want to know the best places for photographing birds in Central Park visit my interactive map that marks some of my favorite areas to photograph. The map also contains comments and links to photos I have taken at that location. The locations of many of the photos from my book, The Birds of Central Park, are also noted.
Among the fall migrants seen in the park after Labor Day was a Connecticut Warbler that was sighted on the western shore of Central Park Lake. I got this and one other photo on Tuesday, September 6th. This bird is rarely seen in the park because it is usually skulking in the underbrush and quite often mistaken for a Common Yellowthroat and vice versa.
A Monk Parakeet was been seen around the Harlem Meer this spring, summer, and fall. When I photographed him he was feeding on the buds of this Black Cherry tree.