Birding/ Bird watching in New York - Day 3 - New York bird watching trip report

OK, it has come to my knowledge that we have senior citizens visiting my web page. How hard can it be? So it's not very easy for them to see the blue coloured links to the next page.

Jiffy (also jiff)

noun [in SING.] informal a moment: we'll be back in a jiffy.

ORIGIN late 18th cent.: of unknown origin.

So as you understand, in a jiff pretty much depends on your internet.

So I put a “Next” button here and I hope that there isn't any problem to understand how to use that one. So just CLICK the “Next” button on your left hand side and you will be on the next page in a jiff!

Marunong ka mag-tagalog? Walang problema! Magpunta sa kabilang pahina pindutin ang “NEXT” button sa itaas

Faites vous parlez le français? Pas de problème! Pour arriver à la page suivante faites s'il vous plaît un déclic le bouton “Next” ci-dessus!

Haga usted dice el español? No hay problema! Ver la siguiente página sólo hacer clic el botón “Next” encima!

Farla parla l'italiano? Non problemi! Per vedere la prossima pagina lo scatto per favore giusto Il bottone “Next” sopra

Sprechen sie Deutsch! Kein problem! Wenn Sie die folgende Seite sehen wollen gerade klicken der Knopf “Next” oben!

คุณพูดภาษาไทยได้ไหม ไม่มีปัญหา ถ้าคุณต้องการไปหน้าถัดไป ให้กดปุ่ม “Next” ข้างบนนี้

Вы говорите по-русски? Просто нажмите синюю кнопку "Next" с левой стороны и Вы моментально переместитесь на следующую страницу!

E ni Svenskar och inte förstår Engelska så ska ni skämmas. J och Björn, med det menar jag inte att alla mina stavfel ska ältas varje gång vi träffas.

Well, the flag of Skåne, just a BONUS flag.

Bird watching in New York - Day three

Last day in New York and USA and after two days in Central Park it is time to explore Riverside Park. A recommended site on Curbed New York's web page.

• Riverside Park, there are seven eBird hotspots for Riverside Park:
  - Riverside Park--Grant's Tomb + inside Riverside Dr., N to St. Clair Pl.
  - Riverside Park--North of 96th St.
  - Riverside Park
  - Riverside Park--South of 96th St.
  - Riverside Park--79th St. Boat Basin and vicinity
  - Riverside Park South--Pier i, W 70th and vicinity
  - Riverside Park South (59th-72nd St.)

• Bryant Park, is also an eBird hotspot: Bryant Park (5th-6th Ave. btwn 40th-42nd St.)

I decided to skip this park and I will spend the third day in Central Park as well

Monday 8 ^th of May 2023 and I did not leave my room until 9. I was out of bed at 4 but I had a power nap after my morning tea. I slept very good and I did not wake up until 8 o'clock. A shower and I went down to the reception and I booked a Lyft.

The car took quite some time for the car to arrive so I suspected heavy Monday morning traffic. But when we left for the West Park Street, I was pleasantly surprised to discover light traffic.

I get out of the car at West Park Street

The Blockhouse

Constructed in 1814, decades before the Park was even an idea, the Blockhouse is the oldest surviving building in Central Park.

Located on a prominent rock outcrop in the North Woods, the stone structure was part of a fortification system built to defend New York from the British during the War of 1812.

Following the British sack and burning of Washington D.C. in August of 1814, military leaders feared an attack on New York City from the north. They hastily ordered the construction of a fortification system on a series of rocky hills extending from east to west, which had expansive views to the north.

Four simple structures known as blockhouses were constructed—essentially lookout towers with openings for guns. Sometimes they included a second level to support the use of a cannon.

This system also included a series of earthworks, which were named Nutter’s Battery, Fort Clinton, and Fort Fish, and a gatehouse built to control access to the main road in the area, at a spot known as McGowan’s Pass.

The attack in the War of 1812 never materialized, and forts never saw battle; they were left to fall into ruin or were dismantled.

This Blockhouse survived because of its solid stone construction and its integration into the Park. The Park’s designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, highlighted the scenic value of the structure, treating it as a picturesque ruin and promoting it as a destination in the North Woods.

At the end of the 19th century, renewed interest in the military history of the area led efforts to preserve the structure and the installation of the flagpole inside.

The structure is still a destination in the North Woods, and an important reminder of the City’s colonial history.

From https://www.centralparknyc.org/locations/blockhouse

I start the eBird app at 09:32 and today I walk straight in to the woods using the dirt path. I walked through the woods and I was soon at the spot I had been yesterday and I spotted a Veery and of course, the American Robin foraging in the leafs on the ground.

I spot one Baltimore Oriole but the orange bird was gone before I managed to get any good picture. There was one Scarlet Tanager in a tree and I tried to get a picture. I spotted one Blue-headed Vireo and I knew the name from when I had seen the bird for the first time yesterday.

Scarlet Tanager

Blue-headed Vireo

Magnolia Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

And I continue towards the Blockhouse to have a look for more birds and there is an open area north of the Blockhouse overlooking the trees so if you are lucky, you can get the bird at eye level as the trees grow below the Blockhouse.

There are a couple of House Sparrows and White-throated Sparrows feeding on the ground and they are of course taking off when I approach. I spot one bird in the tree and I get a couple of pictures and I am lucky as two bird watchers’ approach and I show them the bird in the tree.

The say the bird is a Magnolia Warbler. My plan was to walk down to The Loch and walk towards the Pool and then take a taxi to my hotel. But I met a girl on the trail and she told me that there were plenty birds at the tulip tree on the Great Hill.

I had been there yesterday but the tree is very high so the birds are very far away and I did not like the place. But I decided to go to the Loch via the Great Hill

eBird Report

Central Park--North Woods, New York, New York, US
May 8, 2023 09:32 - 10:17
Protocol: Traveling
0.87 kilometer(s)

8 species

Blue-headed Vireo 1
Grey Catbird 6
Veery 1
American Robin 3
House Sparrow 5
White-throated Sparrow 1
Magnolia Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 2

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S136622876

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at Central Park--North Woods

I turned changed eBird hot spot when I reached the Great Hill and I walk to the Tulip Tree and there are plenty birders. I am soon spotting the Scarlet Tanager, bot males and females. One Northern Flicker lands in the tree and there are plenty warblers, but way too far away for any photos or any ID.

There was one male Scarlet Tanager eating from a tulip and he was kind of close, but still too far. This was the bird that came closest. I gave up and I left the Tulip Tree.

I walked ack the same way I came towards the North Woods to get back on the trail to the Loch.

Scarlet Tanager

Scarlet Tanager

Northern Parula

eBird Report

Central Park--Great Hill, New York, New York, US
May 8, 2023 10:18 - 11:00
Protocol: Traveling
0.62 kilometer(s)
10 species

Double-crested Cormorant 1   Fly over
Northern Flicker 1   Landing in the Tulip Tree
Common Starling 6
American Robin 2 House Sparrow 3
Baltimore Oriole 1   Eating from the Tulip Tree at the Great Hill in Central Park Northern Parula 1   Eating from the Tulip Tree at the Great Hill in Central Park
Black-throated Blue Warbler 1   Eating from the Tulip Tree at the Great Hill in Central Park
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1   Eating from the Tulip Tree at the Great Hill in Central Park
Scarlet Tanager 5   3 males and 2 females. Eating from the Tulip Tree at the Great Hill in Central Park

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S136629509

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at Central Park--Great Hill

Reaching the road and I changed back my eBird app to North Woods and I started to walk towards The Loch in The Ravine. I walk along the trail and I see one warbler singing in a tree. I bring out my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder and the bird moved in to the woods and I followed the bird.

I run in to one Yellow Warbler and I think this is the bird singing, but the bird took off and I discovered the Chestnut-sided Warbler and I got the recording. We are just above the construction site at the NE corner of the park so this is the back ground sound we can hear on the recording.

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Listen to the Chestnut-sided Warbler

Sound from www.xeno-canto.org

Remarks from the Recordist

Recorded with my ZOOM H5 Handy Recorder and High Pass Filter applied with Audacity

Yellow Warbler sitting one meter from the singing Chestnut-sided Warbler and at first, I thought it was the Yellow Warbler Singing. But the bird took off and the song continued and it was the Chestnut-sided. No picture of the Yellow Warbler sitting just in front of me as I was busy with the recording.

eBird Report

Central Park--North Woods, New York, New York, US
May 8, 2023 11:01 - 11:28
Protocol: Traveling
0.43 kilometer(s)
9 species

Grey Catbird 5
Veery 1
American Robin 2
House Sparrow 2
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Yellow Warbler 1   Yellow Warbler sitting one meter from the Singing Chestnut-sided Warbler and at first, I thought it was the Yellow Warbler Singing. But the bird took off and the song continued and it was the Chestnut-sided. No picture of the Yellow Warbler sitting just in front of me as I was busy with the recording.
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Northern Cardinal 1   Heard only. Listen to the Chestnut-sided Warbler recoding

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S136670769

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at Central Park--North Woods

My eBird app stopped by itself and I had to restart the app, and now I chose the eBird hotspot The Ravine (incl. The Loch) I was surprised to see all the bird watchers in the The Ravine. Here was a lot of people during the weekend but today it is Monday and it had been nice to walk alone with not many people on the trails.

I spotted two warblers and I tried to get pictures and the picture of the Bay-breasted Warbler was good enough for ID

I met a bird watcher and we were talking about warblers and I asked if he had seen the Eurasian Eagle Owl and he told me that it was here sitting high up in a tree, but hard to see. Ge had seen it from the other side of The Loch.

We tried to see it from this side but no luck, so I want down to walk around the water fall and, on the trail, going along The Loch towards The Pool.

On the first viewing platform and there was a lot of people looking for birds. I told them that the now famous Flaco was sitting in one of the trees and we were all looking. I was the first one to see the bird sitting between the trunk and a branch.

And the owl was sitting so the face was covered by leafs. I went to the other platform but it was just a little of the back that was visible. But now I have seen the famous owl and below you can read the articles from The Guardian:
Flaco

Flaco 2

Flaco 3

Northern Parula

Thanks to Barbets48 at birdforum for ID

Bay-breasted Warbler

Eurasian Eagle Owl

Eurasian Eagle Owl

The Ravine

The Ravine

eBird Report

Central Park--The Ravine (incl. The Loch), New York, New York, US
May 8, 2023 11:27 AM - 12:08 PM
Protocol: Traveling
1.29 kilometer(s)
9 species

Eurasian Eagle Owl 1   The call the bird Flaco. Last day in New York and I got to see the bird. No luck with the position of the owl. Kept the picture just so it does not look like I went to New York and say that I had seen the owl
Grey Catbird 2
American Robin 3
House Sparrow 5
Red-winged Blackbird 1
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Northern Parula 2   Thanks to Barbets48 at birdforum for ID
Bay-breasted Warbler 1
Scarlet Tanager 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S136640780

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at Central Park--The Ravine (incl. The Loch)

The tunnel from The Pool side

I change eBird hotspot when I have passed the tunnel and today, I walk along the north side of The Pool. I spot a Northern Flicker flying in to a hole in one of the trees. The Northern Flicker is busy building a nest in the tree.

And it is fun watching the bird sticking out the head from the hole to spit out the wood chips and the ground below the tree is full of wood chips. There is another hole about 50 cm under the Northern Flicker hole and it is occupied by Common Starlings flying in and out of the hole.

The last bird I report from New York and North America. I turn off my eBird app and it will most likely be in Thailand next time I use it again.

Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker spitting wood chips

Wood chips from the Northern Flicker

Common Starling

eBird Report

Central Park--The Pool, New York, New York, US
May 8, 2023 12:09 - 12:33
Protocol: Traveling
0.65 kilometer(s)
5 species

Mallard 2   Look like pair
Solitary Sandpiper 1
Northern Flicker 1   Building nest. Northern Flicker building the nest spitting wood chips out of the hole. There were two holes in the tree, 50 cm between and the lower hole was occupied by Common Starlings
Common Starling 3   Building nest or having nest flying in and out. There were two holes in the tree, 50 cm between and the lower hole was occupied by Common Starlings and the top hole was occupied by a Northern Flicker building the nest spitting wood chips out of the hole
House Sparrow 1

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S136644500

This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)

Today's track at Central Park--The Pool

Ribs in New York

I book a Lyft and I go to the Target Supermarket on Time Square. Getting out of the car and I see a BBQ restaurant and I go inside to have some ribs. The ribs, I ordered double full rack and they dumped something that, well, it did not look very appetizing.

Well, Tony Roma's where is this restaurant when you look for good ribs? I went to Target and I bought dinner and breakfast for my last night in USA before flying back home again.

Walking back to the hotel

I have tea when I come back to my room and my plan is to get out on town my last day in USA and I go to check out the B&W Photo 5 minutes’ walk from the hotel. I will not buy anything but I check out the Canon EOS R3 and a 100-500mm lens. 8000 Dollar and they would trade in my old equipment for 2000 Dollar.

B&W Photo in New York

B&W Photo in New York

B&W Photo in New York is a huge shop

I go back to my room to get my old equipment and I bring my passport as I might get the TAX FREE FOR TOURISTS. Now I think about the tax and I call the shop, they will add an extra 1000 Dollar in tax and they don't have TAX FREE FOR TOURISTS.

Now the price has gone from 2000 to 1000 Dollar cheaper than in Bangkok. and that is what I get back at the airport in Thailand if I buy it TAX FREE FOR TOURISTS. So, I never went back to B&W Photo again even though it will be a wee bit cheaper than Bangkok.

The personal service at FOTO FILE is worth money and there will be no problem with the warranty. So, I went to buy vitamins instead.

Real Men of Women's Sport

Walking to the vitamin shop

Walking to the vitamin shop

Walking to the vitamin shop

Walking to the vitamin shop

Walking to the vitamin shop

I walk back to my room and I will spend one more night at Candlewood Suites NYC -Times Square, an IHG Hotel. And I will for sure not set foot here again. 4 nights and no cleaning. 32 floors and only one elevator. The other elevator is not working since long and they do not know when it will be up and running again.

Now we can imagine how long you have to wait for the elevator, and it is always busy with the stuff going up and down with equipment using the elevator. Anyway, click HERE to find out if I make it back home again.

eBird Trip Report

Since April 2023 eBird offer a new feature, to create Trip Reports. At least this is when I first heard of this feature and I have decided to make the eBird Trip Reports instead of my list of OBSERVED birds.

And of course, this also means that I will HAVE TO go back and do the same for my old birding adventures, WHEN I HAVE THE TIME!

Today's Trip Report: Birding in New York - Day 3 | Click HERE

Download | PDF

Lifers
Icons for lifers used in the eBird trip reports

Species lifer:First time that someone observes a species in their life

Photo lifer:First time that someone photographs a species in their life

Audio lifer:First time that someone audio records a species in their life

Exotic species
Exotic species flags differentiate locally introduced species from native species.

Naturalized:Exotic population is self-sustaining, breeding in the wild, persisting for many years, and not maintained through ongoing releases (including vagrants from Naturalized populations). These count in official eBird totals and, where applicable, have been accepted by regional bird records committee(s).

Provisional:Either: 1)member of exotic population that is breeding in the wild, self-propagating, and has persisted for multiple years, but not yet Naturalized; 2)rarity of uncertain provenance, with natural vagrancy or captive provenance both considered plausible.

When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". Provisional species count in official eBird totals.

Escapee:Exotic species known or suspected to be escaped or released, including those that have
bred but don't yet fulfill the criteria for Provisional. Escapee exotics do not count in official eBird totals.

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