AS ALWAYS, keep in mind that species not yet on NYSOA’s official NYS
Checklist of the Birds of New York State for the year being reported
should not be included in your counts.
Also please don't count species now categorized by eBird as “exotics."
Count only “native” and “naturalized” species as defined in eBird.
Carena Pooth / NYSOA
=================================
BACKGROUND & HOW-TO INFO
----------------------------------------------
NYSOA’s County and State Listing Project is a fun, friendly
competition. Started in 1992, it continues to attract new participants
every year. Some of our first county listers have not missed a single
year since the beginning (watch out, you might get hooked!).
NEW THIS YEAR is an updated SELF-FOUND RULES document written by Shai
Mitra in October 2025.
If at all possible, please enter your data into the ONLINE form (that
will save me the work of typing it all in, thank you!). In case it is
not possible for you to enter your data online, a printable form you
can mail in is available.
No reports submitted in previous years are automatically carried into
the next. If you want to be listed in the 2025 compilation, you must
submit your numbers, even if they haven’t changed since the last
report you sent in.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
HOW-TO: NYSOA COUNTY & STATE LISTING
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the close of each calendar year, participants send in as many of
the following as they wish to share:
- LIFE totals for all of NYS; the 10 Kingbird regions; the 62
counties; the PELAGIC ZONE (PZ)
- 2025 YEAR LIST total for the entire state
- 2025 NYS SELF-FOUND total - the number of species you found
without being alerted to them by others or by bird alert systems
You can send in just one number or as many as 76, or anywhere in
between – it’s your choice depending on where you’ve birded, what
records you’ve kept, and what you wish to share. A compilation is
produced annually and published in NYSOA’s newsletter and also on the
NYSOA website at https://nybirds.org/ProjCountyLists.html. Also
available on that page are links to:
- FORMS
- MAP of the ten Kingbird regions
- PELAGIC sighting guidelines
- SELF-FOUND RULES updated October 2025 by Shai Mitra
- TIPS FOR USING YOUR EBIRD DATA to put together your report
- ARCHIVE of past compilations
Join in on the fun and see where you stand – statewide, region by
region, county by county – in comparison with other birders all over
New York State (and even outside the state). To see what the annual
compilation looks like, check out the archive at
https://nybirds.org/ProjCountyLists.html.
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to
nysarc44<at>nybirds<dot>org
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos
or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compiler: Tom Burke
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February
27, 2026 at 11:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are SWAINSON’S HAWK, TUNDRA SWAN,
EURASIAN WIGEON, THICK-BILLED MURRE, BLACK-HEADED and GLAUCOUS GULLS,
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK and more.
With birding this week severely hampered by last weekend’s blizzard,
fortunately some highlights do continue locally, especially the adult
SWAINSON’S HAWK wintering again in Brooklyn. As in previous winters,
this bird continues to roost and hunt frequently in the vicinity of
the SIMS Municipal Recycling Center located around 29th Street west of
2nd Avenue - access to this facility is restricted, but the area can
be viewed from outside the surrounding fencing. The hawk has also been
seen over the local neighborhood, including nearby Green-Wood
Cemetery.
Last Sunday afternoon as the blizzard was gearing up, 9 TUNDRA SWANS
were found on the icy Hudson River just north of Croton Point Park in
Westchester. The next day 2 were seen south of Croton Point but soon
flew north upriver and have not been relocated since.
A drake EURASIAN WIGEON was spotted last Saturday around a puddle on
the Timber Point Golf Course off the end of Great River Road in Great
River, and that same day the presumed changing drake EURASIAN WIGEON
was noted again on Agawam Lake in Southampton, this lake just south of
Montauk Highway. A drake BLUE WINGED TEAL was present again on
Patchogue Lake in Patchogue last Sunday.
Yesterday morning a THICK-BILLED MURRE was photographed in Gravesend
Bay off the Caesar’s Bay Bazaar, while a BLACK-HEADED GULL continues
around Jones Inlet, often noted on the Point Lookout side, where 5
HARLEQUIN DUCKS were also present recently.
A GLAUCOUS GULL was spotted moving south over the Red Hook section of
Brooklyn last Saturday, and another visited Orchard Beach in the Bronx
on Wednesday.
Among a few wintering LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were one visiting
Central Park Reservoir last Sunday and another at Bush Terminal Piers
Park Wednesday.
Some scattered ICELAND GULLS included up to 4 around Gravesend Bay in
Brooklyn all week and 2 on Central Park Reservoir last Saturday, with
1 there Tuesday, while elsewhere singles were spotted at Brooklyn Army
Terminal Pier 4 Tuesday and on Thursday at Great Kills Park on Staten
Island and at Louis Engel Park in Ossining up in Westchester.
A decent number of RED-NECKED GREBES featured singles at Brooklyn Army
Terminal Pier 4 and in Southampton last Saturday, 1 in Jamaica Bay
Tuesday, another off Orchard Beach Wednesday and Thursday, and others
today at Breezy Point and Floyd Bennett Field.
AMERICAN BITTERNS were still being seen before the storm along Dune
Road, and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was spotted over Douglaston in Queens
last Tuesday.
Impressive counts at Alley Pond Park last weekend featured 78 RUSTY
BLACKBIRDS and an estimated 2500 COMMON GRACKLES on Saturday, followed
by a count of 64 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS plus 35 WOOD DUCKS and a WILSON’S
SNIPE Sunday.
To phone in reports call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the
National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
Date: 2/25/26 8:28 pm From: Tom Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - mid-Feb. to the 25th - Blk-h., Iceland & L. Bl-b. Gulls, waterfowl, Purple SPs, etc.
New York County - in N.Y. City - including Manhattan, Randalls, Governors and Roosevelt Islands and the adjacent waters and skies above -
thru Wed., Feb. 25th.
The blizzard did not appear to have any major shifts in waterfowl or water birds, in general here, and it could be a while to assess what the land-lubbing birds may have done or not during and after the big windy snowstorm around here - however, by the time more birders should be likely afield in numbers here, this weekend that ends Feb. and begins March, we may be seeing new migrations of some species already moving north. A fair number of the reports offered below are from before the snow came in, and some of the confirmed reports are over a week-old by now.
A Black-headed Gull was found at Sherman Creek Park, northeast of the eastern terminus of Dyckman Street in northern Manhattan, with K. Becker credited with the find on Feb. 17, only seen and photographed by some who visited that day, and apparently not refound in the county yet, to this week. A drake Canvasback was also at Sherman Creek Park in upper Manhattan - found by M. Waldron on Feb. 13 and continuing there for some days.
On the morning of Feb. 17, ten Snow Geese were seen and photographed flying near Governors Island. Purple Sandpipers were still being seen on the rocky shore of Governors Island at least to Feb. 16, at least 2 found on that latter date, but up to ten individuals more recently seen, to at least last Friday. American Woodcocks were represented by one at Bryant Park again recently, and others may well be found in coming days in this county.
Two Iceland Gulls as well as a Lesser Black-backed Gull were seen at the Central Park reservoir in Manhattan on Feb. 14, and also more recently, with some sightings to Feb. 21 for 2 Iceland Gulls and to Feb. 22 for a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Going back in the month a bit, a Glaucous Gull was confirmed from Governors Island with photos to eBird and the Macaulay Library from Feb. 12, also as reported at that location from Feb. 10th. This was the first Glaucous Gull of this winter in the county, no more-recent reports yet arriving. Also notable for the county, a Surf Scoter was again noted in a confirmed sighting for Feb. 12 from just north of the northeast corner of Randalls Island, presumed an ongoing single individual of that species which had been seen of Randalls in days prior to the 12th. No more-recent reports have surfaced.
A Horned Grebe was seen again off Randalls Island on Feb. 15, and still there to at least Feb. 21, where a good assortment of waterfowl were again noted including Common Goldeneyes, Long-tailed Ducks, Lesser and Greater Scaup, a single of Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Mergansers, and other species. There was also a Horned Grebe sighting off Governors Island from Feb. 19th with multiple observers. Ring-necked Duck has been found elsewhere, but in very scant sightings so far this winter. Scaup have been seen in multiple places, with Greater generally outnumbering Lesser. Long-tailed Ducks have appeared in a number of areas, including some sites along the Hudson River, off Manhattan.
American Wigeon, among the less-regular in this county of ducks noted from Governors Island thru Feb. 20, when up to 4 of the latter species were found, with multiple Lesser and Greater Scaup also seen there, as well as Long-tailed Duck and Common Goldeneye, plus more-regular waterfowl. Canvasback had also appeared there, more briefly than the individual off northeast Manhattan on the Harlem River estuary. American Wigeon also was off Randalls Island on Feb. 21, as were good selection of other waterfowl on that date.
A Myrtle-form Yellow-rumped Warbler showed at Highbridge Park in upper Manhattan on Feb. 13, and one of that warbler species was found at Sherman Creek Park, perhaps the same individual as the Highbridge Park sighting, more recently, a survivor thru the big freezes and snows of recent weeks, and in same area seen before most of the multiple arctic blasts. A Rusty Blackbird was ongoing at Fort Tryon Park, a long-staying individual there.
Two Snow Buntings were reported as flyovers from Randalls Island on Feb. 15. Red-shouldered Hawks have been noted from at least a few locations in the county. Bald Eagles continued to be seen from multiple locations. A variety of other birds of prey are also ongoing.
Many more species of birds have of course been seen in the past ten to 14 days in this county, and some highlights may be missing from the above-noted species, or sites. Thus far, somewhat more than 100 species have been confirmed for this county this month. Thanks to many observers and photographers for sightings, alerts, and reports to the Discord and to eBird, with the Macaulay Library for media.
Good birding to the end of this wintry month, some melt-off looks to be ongoing over the next several days, with a good chance of a bit of migratory movement also.
Date: 2/22/26 8:53 am From: Carena <warblette...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] COUNTY LISTING - Deadline ONE WEEK from today!
Hey Listers!
If you want to get your numbers into the 2025 report, don’t miss the
March 1 deadline -- ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!
AS ALWAYS, keep in mind that species not yet on NYSOA’s official NYS
Checklist of the Birds of New York State for the year being reported
should not be included in your counts.
Also count only species classified as "native" or "naturalized" in eBird
for the location where you reported them.
Awaiting your list with bated breath…unless you've already sent it in,
in which case I thank you sincerely!
Carena Pooth / NYSOA
=================================
BACKGROUND & HOW-TO INFO
----------------------------------------------
NYSOA’s County and State Listing Project is a fun, friendly
competition. Started in 1992, it continues to attract new participants
every year. Some of our first county listers have not missed a single
year since the beginning (watch out, you might get hooked!).
NEW THIS YEAR is an updated SELF-FOUND RULES document written by Shai
Mitra in October 2025.
If at all possible, please enter your data into the ONLINE form (that
will save me the work of typing it all in, thank you!). In case it is
not possible for you to enter your data online, a printable form you
can mail in is available.
No reports submitted in previous years are automatically carried into
the next. If you want to be listed in the 2025 compilation, you must
submit your numbers, even if they haven’t changed since the last
report you sent in.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
HOW-TO: NYSOA COUNTY & STATE LISTING
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the close of each calendar year, participants send in as many of
the following as they wish to share:
- LIFE totals for all of NYS; the 10 Kingbird regions; the 62
counties; the PELAGIC ZONE (PZ)
- 2025 YEAR LIST total for the entire state
- 2025 NYS SELF-FOUND total - the number of species you found
without being alerted to them by others or by bird alert systems
You can send in just one number or as many as 76, or anywhere in
between – it’s your choice depending on where you’ve birded, what
records you’ve kept, and what you wish to share. A compilation is
produced annually and published in NYSOA’s newsletter and also on the
NYSOA website at https://nybirds.org/ProjCountyLists.html. Also
available on that page are links to:
- FORMS
- MAP of the ten Kingbird regions
- PELAGIC sighting guidelines
- SELF-FOUND RULES updated October 2025 by Shai Mitra
- TIPS FOR USING YOUR EBIRD DATA to put together your report
- ARCHIVE of past compilations
Join in on the fun and see where you stand – statewide, region by
region, county by county – in comparison with other birders all over
New York State (and even outside the state). To see what the annual
compilation looks like, check out the archive at
https://nybirds.org/ProjCountyLists.html.
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44 (at)nybirds{dot}org.
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) 125 Pine Springs Drive Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert Number: (212) 979-3070
Compiler: Tom Burke Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Ben Cacace
BEGIN TAPE
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for *Friday, February 20th 2026* at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are SWAINSON'S HAWK, SHORT-BILLED GULL, PACIFIC LOON, DOVEKIE, THICK-BILLED MURRE, GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE, EURASIAN WIGEON, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, BLACK-HEADED and GLAUCOUS GULLS, VESPER SPARROW, PAINTED BUNTING and more.
Quite welcome was the return Tuesday of the SWAINSON'S HAWK to Brooklyn seen initially moving over Green-wood Cemetery and then later at its favored location, the Sims Municipal Recycling Center. This site, where it often roosts, is located around 29th Street west of 2nd Avenue. Access is restricted but the area can be viewed from outside the surrounding fences. Also watch for the hawk if around the Green-wood Cemetery area.
A SHORT-BILLED GULL was spotted Monday morning on the mudflats at Great Kills Park on Staten Island but it only stayed for a short while before moving off and has not been reported since.
A PACIFIC LOON, possibly hanging around in the vicinity of Jones Inlet for awhile now, was seen Sunday from both the Jones Beach West End side and the Point Lookout side.
Out at Montauk Point a few DOVEKIES were seen Sunday and Monday off the point and from Camp Hero along with some RAZORBILLS with 3 BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKES also reported Monday. Last Saturday a THICK-BILLED MURRE was identified off Lido Beach West Town Park and another was reported off Robert Moses State Park west of field 2.
A GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was identified as it flew over Coney Island Beach in Brooklyn on Sunday and a EURASIAN WIGEON, in unusual plumage, was still on Agawam Lake in Southampton last Sunday, this lake south of Montauk Highway. Today a drake BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was still at Sammy's Beach in East Hampton and a female is present off the Lemon Creek Pier on Staten Island yesterday and today. Wintering HARLEQUIN DUCKS include about 10 around the Jones Inlet jetties and 3 continuing at Ditch Plains in Montauk.
On Tuesday single BLACK-HEADED GULLS were seen at Plumb Beach and at Swindler's Cove in northern Manhattan with another continuing around the Point Lookout Town Park seen Tuesday and Thursday. A GLAUCOUS GULL continues along the western Brooklyn coast between Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4 and Bush Terminal Piers Park and several ICELAND GULLS include up to 3 around Gravesend Bay in Brooklyn, 2 on Central Park Reservoir Saturday, one up the Hudson in Peekskill Tuesday and one continuing around the Lake Montauk inlet.
A RED-NECKED GREBE visited Playland Park in Rye Sunday, this perhaps the one off Pelham Bay Park Tuesday to Thursday, with another at Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4 Tuesday.
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen around Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge's West Pond early in the week with another at Jones Beach State Park Monday.
A VESPER SPARROW continues at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center off Yaphank Avenue and a female type PAINTED BUNTING has recently been visiting a private residence on eastern Long Island. Good reason to keep those feeders full.
To phone in reports, call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
Like everyone online, I’ve been hearing a lot about bird mortality lately. Although this is an expected consequence of the prolonged severe cold and heavy snow-cover we’ve been experiencing, a lot of folks have been expressing concerns that avian flu might be involved too, at least as a contributing factor. Seeing and hearing about dead birds is naturally upsetting, but I urge birders to focus attention and energy on things we can feasibly accomplish, rather than just amplify each other’s distress.
Regarding avian influenza, the most we can do is to seek objective data, evaluate it quantitatively, but most importantly, to advocate for evidence-based local, state, and federal regulation of agricultural practices that potentially interact with virus transmission in natural populations of wild birds—not an easy job, and not one to be accomplished quickly or decisively.
Documenting and recording dead birds is valuable also, but again with the caveat that a quantitative perspective is essential to gain anything useful from the exercise. Every bird dies once in its life, so it is an irony that the vastly increased winter populations of many species (consider that Canada Goose didn’t over-winter abundantly in the Northeast until relatively recently) implies the eventual deaths of all those additional birds. And this “eventual” mortality can’t be expected to play out gently; we know from experience and from general principle that it will unfold in highly variable and irregular ways, just as severe winter weather and pathogen outbreaks are themselves highly variable and unpredictable in timing and intensity.
More useful than counting dead birds would be counting living birds. For instance, we recently completed the NYSOA January Waterfowl Count. Although this was prior to the worst of the severe weather, the data ought still to inform whether catastrophic disease mortality was happening as of late January, and my recollection is that counts during that survey, and during the Christmas Bird Counts a month earlier, were not in any way alarmingly low. And any of us is free to go out now and replicate any part of the effort employed in those earlier surveys. Thirty years ago, a group of purposeful birders began replicating the Block Island CBC in November and again in February for just this purpose, and many people were surprised to learn that Gray Catbirds, Hermit Thrushes, and Swamp Sparrows survived from December to February at rates only slightly lower than did White-throated and Song Sparrows. Clearly, a part of the perception of scarcity in late winter is driven by changes in the behavior of birders, yet our birding effort is the thing that is most completely within our control.
Winter weather is highly variable in the Northeast. Among the many, many mild and snowless winters of recent decades, there have also been unusually severe ones. Many of us remember (or should remember) how much worse the winter of 2014-2015 was than what we have just experienced this year. It’s worth re-visiting the Kingbird Regional Reports for that season (see links to the June 2015 issue and to that winter’s Wikipedia page, below). Terrible as it was, we went out and counted birds on the Block Island Presidents Day Count on 23 Feb 2015, and we found 75 species, 33 landbird species, and 72 landbirds/foot-mile, all predictably depressed (but only slightly so) from the 30-year average values of 80, 36, and 81.
Going further back, there were several exceptionally severe winters in the late 70s and early 80s (Nantucket Sound froze over!). One of the most memorable weather events in my lifetime was the Great Blizzard of 6-7 February 1978 (which followed another blizzard in late January, as I remember). This storm produced more than 30 inches of snow in southern Rhode Island (more than 40 inches in northern RI) and similarly huge amounts on Long Island.
As a reality check to what we are experiencing today, check out the photos in that article to see the congenial relationship between the National Guard and the local people (as well as the conspicuous tobacco use!) in Boston in the aftermath of that storm.
Circling back to things we can do, purposeful birding produces results of great potential value—but especially if they are organized, interpreted, and published, rather than dispersed among the dross and chaff clogging our digital environment. Consider contributing to the Kingbird Regional Reports, or other similar, curated endeavors.
Date: 2/17/26 4:37 pm From: marciaaabrahams at aol.com (via NYSBIRDS-L list) <NYSBIRDS-L...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Do not miss Donna Schulman's "Back to Australia or Why Did the Cassowary Cross the Road?" Zoom Presentation for the Queens County Bird Club tomorrow night at 7:30 PM.
Do not miss the next Queens County Bird Club Zoom Meeting tomorrow evening, February 18, 2026, at 7:30 pm. Donna Schulman will present "Back to Australia or Why Did the Cassowary Cross the Road"
Donna believes that there is never enough Australian birding, so she returned to the land of kookaburras, cockatoos, and koalas in 2024 to bird Queensland, New South Wales, and a bit of Victoria. She saw the sky fill with flying foxes in Sydney, fed trail mix to Australian King-Parrots at O’Reilly’s Retreat, cooed over baby Brown Boobies on Michaelmas Cay (Great Barrier Reef), and watched a Southern Cassowary cross the road at Etty Bayright in front of her camera (too close!). Like her previous trip, this one combined a group tour, private guiding, and birding on her own. The presentation will include photographs, videos and comments on the pluses and minuses of each mode of birding travel when down under.
Donna learned how to bird with QCBC and has branched out to Central & South America, Africa, SE Asia, and Australia. A former labor educator and library director, she reviews books for 10,000 Birds, Birding magazine, and discusses birding books as part of the Birding Book Club on the American Birding Association Podcast. Donna’s photographs have been featured in Birding and Birdwatching Magazine; the publications, print and social media, of New Jersey Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology; the educational signage of Negri-Nepote Grasslands in N.J. and a tern colony somewhere in Germany; and just recently, the 2025 Town of Southampton Report on Threatened and Endangered Species Management and Protection Program. She is a past editor of QCBC’s News and Notes.
The Zoom opens at 7:00pm for chatting, but the meeting will start at 7:30pm.
Zoom Link: bit.ly/QCBCfeb2026Meeting ID: 872 7448 1074Passcode: 491827long form of Zoom Link: Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/87274481074...
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Marcia AbrahamsVP/Programs CoordinatorQueens County Bird Clubhttps://qcbirdclub.org/Email: <MarciaAAbrahams...>
Date: 2/17/26 11:28 am From: <russ...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Birds are Telling Us to Let the Nissequogue Run Free
Since Mother Nature breached the Stump Pond dam in a rainstorm in August 2024, 11 bird species have been recorded here for the first time in over 10 years. Previously, they likely flew past without stopping. See Note 1 for species. Another 35 species have reached historical high counts on eBird, drawn to the Nissequogue’s expansive new wetlands and thriving field habitats now emerging in Blydenburgh County Park. See Note 2. Birds are telling us that wildlife thrives without the dam. This exceptional ecological recovery and bird movements justify letting the river run free. But alarmingly, this transformation is under threat. Birds risk losing this free-flowing riparian wetland area forever if the dam is rebuilt. Join the growing coalition fighting for a healthy, natural river at FreeTheNissequogue.org. Of 190 total bird species reported at Blydenburgh, 38 are currently imperiled species. They require state, local and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) to partner to preserve and protect the winding stream, native plant and floodplain habitat that’s emerging to support many of these species populations in NY.
* State Protected: 11 species are listed as Endangered, Threatened or Special Concern under NYS Law (6 NYCRR Part 182). Note 3.
* High Priority: Another 12 are designated as High Priority (HPSGCN) to help DEC staff, local municipalities (counties, cities, towns) and NGO partners to direct their funding, time, and other resources toward conducting urgent research and management. Note 4.
* Conservation Need: 18 additional are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), facing further declines in NY if conservation actions are not taken within the next 10 years. Note 5.
Restoring the Nissequogue River protects more than just birds; it supports pollinators, native plants and broader wildlife biodiversity to come. What can you do to help birds on Long Island? Add your voice to the grassroots movement fighting for a healthy, natural Nissequogue at FreeTheNissequogue.org. Contact: Russ Comeau President, South Shore Audubon Society | Freeport, NY Director, NYS Ornithological Association Mobile: (928) 614-9186 (call/text) P.S. - Note 1 - Baird's Sandpiper, Dunlin, Pectoral Sandpiper, Sanderling, Semipalmated Plover, Short-billed Dowitcher, Stilt Sandpiper, Vesper Sparrow, White-rumped Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Worm-eating Warbler. Note 2 - Bald Eagle, Barn Swallow, Blue Jay, Brown Thrasher, Canada Goose, Cape May Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Common Nighthawk, Cooper's Hawk, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Warbling Vireo, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Green Heron, Indigo Bunting, Killdeer, Least Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Marsh Wren, Peregrine Falcon, Pine Warbler, Purple Martin, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby-throat Hummingbird, Rusty Blackbird, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Snowy Egret, Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, Swamp Sparrow, Wild Turkey, Willow Flycatcher. Note 3 - Bald Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Harrier, Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-shouldered Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk. 2x - Common Nighthawk*, Red-headed Woodpecker*, Vesper Sparrow*. Note 4 - Per NY State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) - Canada Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Rusty Blackbird. 2x - Common Nighthawk*, Red-headed Woodpecker*, Vesper Sparrow*. Per NYS Law - American Black Duck, Bay-breasted Warbler, Brown Thrasher, Cape May Warbler, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher. Note 5 - American Woodcock, Bank Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-billed Cuckoo, Black-crown Night Heron, Black-throat Blue Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Brant, Chimney Swift, Clapper Rail, Forster's Tern, Prairie Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Snowy Egret, Swainson's Thrush, Tennessee Warbler, Veery, Wood Thrush. -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Visit: http://LISTS.cornell.edu for more information Posting Address: <NYSbirds-L...> Archives: The Mail Archive: //www.mail-archive.com/<nysbirds-l...>/maillist.html" class="hft-urls">https://www.mail-archive.com/<nysbirds-l...>/maillist.html Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at http://www.ebird.org --
Date: 2/16/26 11:25 am From: Carena <warblette...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] COUNTY LISTING - CORRECTION
Hello again! I apologize for this added email, but it was brought to
my attention that there was an error in the one I sent you last night.
Regarding species categorized as "exotics" in eBird, you should NOT
count those that are marked as "provisional" in your eBird checklists.
Count only species classified as "native" or "naturalized" in eBird
for the location where you reported them.
I have made this correction in the email below.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation!
Carena
Hey Listers!
If you want to get your numbers into the 2025 report, don’t miss the
March 1 deadline -- TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY!
AS ALWAYS, keep in mind that species not yet on NYSOA’s official NYS
Checklist of the Birds of New York State for the year being reported
should not be included in your counts.
Also please don't count species categorized by eBird as “exotics."
Count only species classified as "native" or "naturalized" in eBird
for the location where you reported them.
Awaiting your list with bated breath…unless you've already sent it in,
in which case I thank you sincerely!
Carena Pooth / NYSOA
=================================
BACKGROUND & HOW-TO INFO
----------------------------------------------
NYSOA’s County and State Listing Project is a fun, friendly
competition. Started in 1992, it continues to attract new participants
every year. Some of our first county listers have not missed a single
year since the beginning (watch out, you might get hooked!).
NEW THIS YEAR is an updated SELF-FOUND RULES document written by Shai
Mitra in October 2025.
If at all possible, please enter your data into the ONLINE form (that
will save me the work of typing it all in, thank you!). In case it is
not possible for you to enter your data online, a printable form you
can mail in is available.
No reports submitted in previous years are automatically carried into
the next. If you want to be listed in the 2025 compilation, you must
submit your numbers, even if they haven’t changed since the last
report you sent in.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
HOW-TO: NYSOA COUNTY & STATE LISTING
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the close of each calendar year, participants send in as many of
the following as they wish to share:
- LIFE totals for all of NYS; the 10 Kingbird regions; the 62
counties; the PELAGIC ZONE (PZ)
- 2025 YEAR LIST total for the entire state
- 2025 NYS SELF-FOUND total - the number of species you found
without being alerted to them by others or by bird alert systems
You can send in just one number or as many as 76, or anywhere in
between – it’s your choice depending on where you’ve birded, what
records you’ve kept, and what you wish to share. A compilation is
produced annually and published in NYSOA’s newsletter and also on the
NYSOA website at https://nybirds.org/ProjCountyLists.html. Also
available on that page are links to:
- FORMS
- MAP of the ten Kingbird regions
- PELAGIC sighting guidelines
- SELF-FOUND RULES updated October 2025 by Shai Mitra
- TIPS FOR USING YOUR EBIRD DATA to put together your report
- ARCHIVE of past compilations
Join in on the fun and see where you stand – statewide, region by
region, county by county – in comparison with other birders all over
New York State (and even outside the state). To see what the annual
compilation looks like, check out the archive at
https://nybirds.org/ProjCountyLists.html.
--
NYSbirds-L List Info:
Visit: http://LISTS.cornell.edu for more information
Posting Address: <NYSbirds-L...>
Archives:
The Mail Archive: https://www.mail-archive.com/<nysbirds-l...>/maillist.html Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at http://www.ebird.org --
AS ALWAYS, keep in mind that species not yet on NYSOA’s official NYS
Checklist of the Birds of New York State for the year being reported
should not be included in your counts.
Also please don't count species now categorized by eBird as “exotics."
Count only “native,” “naturalized,” and “provisional” species as now
defined in eBird.
Awaiting your list with bated breath…unless you've already sent it in,
in which case I thank you sincerely!
Carena Pooth / NYSOA
=================================
BACKGROUND & HOW-TO INFO
----------------------------------------------
NYSOA’s County and State Listing Project is a fun, friendly
competition. Started in 1992, it continues to attract new participants
every year. Some of our first county listers have not missed a single
year since the beginning (watch out, you might get hooked!).
NEW THIS YEAR is an updated SELF-FOUND RULES document written by Shai
Mitra in October 2025.
If at all possible, please enter your data into the ONLINE form (that
will save me the work of typing it all in, thank you!). In case it is
not possible for you to enter your data online, a printable form you
can mail in is available.
No reports submitted in previous years are automatically carried into
the next. If you want to be listed in the 2025 compilation, you must
submit your numbers, even if they haven’t changed since the last
report you sent in.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
HOW-TO: NYSOA COUNTY & STATE LISTING
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the close of each calendar year, participants send in as many of
the following as they wish to share:
- LIFE totals for all of NYS; the 10 Kingbird regions; the 62
counties; the PELAGIC ZONE (PZ)
- 2025 YEAR LIST total for the entire state
- 2025 NYS SELF-FOUND total - the number of species you found
without being alerted to them by others or by bird alert systems
You can send in just one number or as many as 76, or anywhere in
between – it’s your choice depending on where you’ve birded, what
records you’ve kept, and what you wish to share. A compilation is
produced annually and published in NYSOA’s newsletter and also on the
NYSOA website at https://nybirds.org/ProjCountyLists.html. Also
available on that page are links to:
- FORMS
- MAP of the ten Kingbird regions
- PELAGIC sighting guidelines
- SELF-FOUND RULES updated October 2025 by Shai Mitra
- TIPS FOR USING YOUR EBIRD DATA to put together your report
- ARCHIVE of past compilations
Join in on the fun and see where you stand – statewide, region by
region, county by county – in comparison with other birders all over
New York State (and even outside the state). To see what the annual
compilation looks like, check out the archive at
https://nybirds.org/ProjCountyLists.html.
--
NYSbirds-L List Info:
Visit: http://LISTS.cornell.edu for more information
Posting Address: <NYSbirds-L...>
Archives:
The Mail Archive: https://www.mail-archive.com/<nysbirds-l...>/maillist.html Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at http://www.ebird.org --
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to nysarc44 (at)nybirds{dot}org.
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to: Gary Chapin - Secretary NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC) 125 Pine Springs Drive Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert Number: (212) 979-3070
Compiler: Tom Burke Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Ben Cacace
BEGIN TAPE
Greetings. This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for *Friday, February 13th 2026* at 11pm. The highlights of today's tape are COMMON GULL, EURASIAN WIGEON, HARLEQUIN DUCK, DOVEKIE, GLAUCOUS GULL, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, LAPLAND LONGSPUR and more.
Today in Westchester a COMMON GULL was photographed along the shore of the Hudson River in Verplanck. The bird quickly disappeared and was searched for until dusk from Steamboat Landing in Verplanck up to a gull roost at Riverfront Park in Peekskill without success. Eyes will be on the river tomorrow during Eagle Fest so hopefully this bird, appearing to be a Kamchatka form, will be relocated.
The EURASIAN WIGEON male, in unusual transitional plumage was present this week on Agawam Lake located on the south side of Montauk Highway in Southampton. A female HARLEQUIN DUCK was found today on Staten Island off Cedar Grove Beach and a few continue in Jones Inlet either off the Jones Beach West End jetty or around the Point Lookout jetties.
A DOVEKIE and 8 RAZORBILLS were reported today off the Camp Hero bluffs out at Montauk Point and today gulls visiting the Brooklyn Army Terminal Pier 4 featured single GLAUCOUS and ICELAND with other ICELANDS this week including birds in Brooklyn from Bush Terminal Piers Park today around to Gravesend Bay, one at Great Kills Park Sunday, one continuing at Old Field Point and Lighthouse and singles at Bellport Bay and Lake Montauk today. A few LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS also continue in the region including one on Central Park Reservoir Tuesday and others along the Brooklyn shore.
Single RED-NECKED GREBES were noted this week off California Beach in Setauket Sunday and at Ditch Plains in Montauk yesterday.
A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen again at Floyd Bennett Field Tuesday and both light and dark morphs were noted Thursday out at Cedar Beach where at least one has been hanging around.
A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was present from Saturday at least to Monday out at Robert Moses State Park and a VESPER SPARROW was present all week at the Suffolk County Farm and Education Center off Yaphank Avenue.
Some RUSTY BLACKBIRDS still hanging around in the region have included seven or so at Alley Pond Park lately.
To phone in reports, call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
Date: 2/13/26 10:48 am From: Andrew Block (via NYSBIRDS-L list) <NYSBIRDS-L...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Probable adult common gull
Just photographed an adult common gull I believe at steamboat dock park in verplanck in the parking lot but it is now on the ice on the beach. Still hear now. Slightly larger than ringbill with rounded head and no ring on bill and more streaking on head and darker streaking on head and darker mantle.
Andrew Block Yonkers new York
Date: 2/12/26 9:39 am From: Shaibal Mitra <Shaibal.Mitra...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] "Iconic Birds" for eBird Hotspots
Just today I noticed the (presumably) new "Iconic Birds" feature, listing species reported especially often from each eBird hotspot. Species are listed in descending order by the degree to which they are reported more frequently at a hotspot relative a regional frequency (though the spatial scale for regional comparison is not clear, as the example to follow will show).
This is an interesting idea, presumably intended to assist visiting birders in planning efficient routes to find target species, and it strikes me as something of a new frontier in terms of how eBird will shape, and be shaped by, the sociology of birding. At the simplest level, it's no surprise that singular, long-staying rarities might leap to the top of a most iconic list; the Spotted Towhee at Baldwin Harbor Park in Nassau County was listed as number one for that hotspot earlier today, but has since vanished, presumably via a tweak to the algorithm to stave off that particular sort of bias. Another bias that will not be solved involves the traditions that tend to evolve among birders, seeking particular species at particular places, as opposed to various less targeted but equally appropriate sites. To the extent that birders tune into the Iconic Birds feature, I would expect that this particular form of non-independent birder effort will become further exaggerated.
But perusing the Iconic Birds of some hotspots I know well revealed something much more peculiar, which I didn't expect all—a species achieving iconic status apparently in error, via chronic mis-identification and mis-reporting!
Boat-tailed Grackle is a common species in the saltmarshes along the south shore of Long Island, venturing into other nearby habitats in various different ways that are difficult to generalize, but definitely expected in a relatively narrow range of contexts and quite unusual, even rare or absent, outside of these. Thus, I know from experience that it is frequently present at all seasons at sites along the Ocean Parkway adjacent to the marshes fringing Great South Bay, but that it is scarce at best, and absent for much of the year, just across the Fire Island Inlet, at Robert Moses SP. My routine coverage of this area is perfectly clear in this regard (detections/checklist):
RMSP 33/1885 = 0.0175
Captree SP 122/422 = 0.30
Captree Island 85/224 = 0.38
Oak Beach 21/223 = 0.09
Cedar Beach 39/227 = 0.17
Gilgo Beach 84/332 = 0.25
It is possible, I suppose that the actual frequency of ca. 0.0175 is sufficiently greater than the frequency calculated across all of Suffolk County, or some other unreasonably large reference region, to qualify as "iconic," but I doubt that this is what's happening. Visiting and otherwise unwary birders definitely tend to report Boat-tailed Grackle (and several other species) in error at RMSP, either because of misidentification, or by imprecision (birders often reach RMSP via a series of stops where the species is common, enabling it to "leak" onto the RMSP checklists as well).
I'm curious about how others feel about the Iconic Birds of the areas they know well, and those of areas they don't know but might visit. More particularly, I'm curious about the spatial scale used to calculate regional occurrence.
Date: 2/11/26 7:11 am From: Thomas Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - to 2/10 - winter birds and notes -
New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Governors, Randalls, and Roosevelt Islands, and the adjacent waters and skies above -
thru Tuesday, Feb. 10 -
Snow Bunting was a nice find for this county at Governors Island, where double-digit numbers of Horned Larks also continued as of Monday, Feb. 9th. Among the waterfowl variety off of Governors were some Long-tailed Ducks, Common Goldeneyes, and fair numbers of Scaup, mainly ongoing Greater Scaup. At least one Canvasback was seen from off Governors south side on Tuesday, a species that is scarce in many modern years in this county, unlike long-ago days when it was very regular and numerous in mid-winter. Scaup have been appearing in various waters, with a nice find of a single in a less-birded place, along the Harlem River off upper Manhattan near or opposite Highbridge Park. Long-tailed Ducks have been showing in fewer places, but one with some good views possible at times is along the East River off lower Manhattan, and also at times elsewhere. The most-numerous salt-water duck for the county is still Red-breasted Merganser, which might show almost anywhere in the salt waters, rarer in fresh but also possible such as on the Central Park reservoir once more opened up from the deep freeze.
From near Randalls Island, just east of the eastern parts, some Lesser Scaup were also found at least to Monday and likely remain, along with good numbers of Greater Scaup as well. Still showing at or off Randalls were at least 18 species of waterfowl, many likely having lingered in that area, showing some days and some hours to better advantage than at other times, with tidal and other effects there. A fairly impressive number, for Randalls, had been N. Shoveler of which more than 300 were noted for early Tues., with some also in-flight, and many sitting tight at the NE shore and Bronx Kill flats and edges. Numbers of those ducks were dropping as the day went on, at that area.
Purple Sandpiper was again seen on the rocks at Governors Island shore, thru Tuesday, and it is possible more may be lingering, or coming in there at times. Horned Grebe, seen and photographed off Randalls Island on Sunday. This latter species was occasional in that area a few times earlier this winter season. Some reports of a Surf Scoter came in this week, off Randalls Island. A variety of other waterfowl are ongoing in the county, with at least 22 species confirmed in the past week, likely one or two more might be added. Wood Ducks and Green-winged Teals are among the ducks ongoing at Central Park, and N. Pintails elsewhere - including at Randalls Island, which also was still hosting American Wigeon thru Tuesday.
Central Park saw at least 2 less-regular gull species showing at the reservoir there by last Friday, an Iceland Gull and a Lesser Black-backed Gull. Iceland Gulls were also reported again from some other locations in the past week. There have been some gull-gatherings at Central Parks reservoir at times of over 500 total gulls, occasionally even more, with timing varying for maximum or minimum numbers on any day. Other areas in the county have had some gull-feeding places and some lesser roosts of gulls, on both the Hudson and East River shores, but many of these can be quite transitory. As the coming week moves along, it is likely that recently-frozen waters will open up a bit more and some sites might attract gulls or waterbirds as they do re-open. Also very-grudgingly opening may be some areas of turf, where a variety of birds can start to feed again. Geese, all seeing to be Canada Geese but with enough to bring a chance of other species as well, were seen at Central Park by Tues., some hours having more than 1,000 in the park overall and various flocks in-flight. This may all shift somewhat as iced waters open up in coming days.
Raptors that were ongoing for the past week included Bald Eagles and Coopers Hawks, with some sightings here and there of Red-shouldered Hawk, which is certainly overwintering in low numbers. Red-tailed Hawk is of course a far more-numerous raptor seen often all around the county, and in all sorts of locations. Other birds of prey are also continuing, some very unobtrusive, some obvious enough to those looking. American Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon are both regulars in this county. Merlins have been detected in some locations including at Central Park this week. From Randalls Island in morning hours on Tues., it was possible to scan around and find up to six or more Bald Eagles on ice, in trees, and more also in-flight. Most of those were however not on Randalls itself but seen from various shore-side locations. Some Turkey Vultures were showing on many recent days, all in single or low number, while Black Vulture has been scarcely reported for some days.
Possibly a bit anomalous in the county lately, some flocks of American Robins have been moving about, and at least some were coming to old fruits such as certain crabapples that were not taken by any birds earlier in the season. Some or even all of these may be just local-movement. Very small numbers of Cedar Waxwings were noted, in general as had been in recent weeks around the county. The same is fairly likely of such species as Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles that are still in very-low to low numbers. A small number of Rusty Blackbirds continued as well, including at Central Park and at Fort Tryon Park. There seems to have been extremely scant numbers of winter finches lately with even American Goldfinch in lowered numbers. It is still possible that finch occurrences may increase here, over the remainder of winter and on into early spring.
One warbler was the only definite recent report for the county, a Myrtle-form Yellow-rumped staying fed by visiting a suet feeder around the part of Carl Schurz Park that is nearest the mayors residence, known as Gracie mansion. This is close to East 90th St. off East End Ave., Manhattan. On Randalls Island on Tues. morning, a potential Pine Warbler was barely seen, and heard giving chip calls, from just inside the NYFD training facility, which is NOT open to the public. That area has multiple pine trees, some slightly-visible from outside and many not. That area had a Pine Warbler this and previous winters, at least partially-overwintering. We have records for Pine Warbler in a few places over past decades of observation, in midwinter, including at Central Park - some coming to suet feeders, and some not. It is quite possible a few other warblers have survived and lingered in the county, and even that a very-few could be indoors, on parts of recent days and nights. A few other species have taken that route in Manhattan such as Gray Catbird and Brown Thrasher, as well as a few other passerines. Its not a new thing, but is not as often-noticed as one might expect for an always-alert city. In some of those indoor venues, the move to indoor-wintering has been seen with passerines on multiple occasions over multiple decades. This also is a possibility in such spaces as large warehouses, airport hangars and even terminals, etc. - many or most of which may not be accessible to the general public. Large parking garages are also sometimes such possible hiding-places, even if partially exposed to weather.
The overall number of wild, free-flying birds in the county is up to around 100 species by now, for this month thus far. With better weather possibly ahead, the next couple of weeks may show more birds to a greater number of observers - with various efforts increasing for longer days and some less-frigid weather ahead. The long-staying Wild Turkey at the Battery at Manhattans south end was back - or, never left there - as of this week.
Good birding, thanks to many hardy observers and photographers, for a wide variety of alerts and reports, many including eBird reports and Macaulay Library entries for media in both audio and more in visual formats.
Date: 2/9/26 4:19 pm From: marciaaabrahams at aol.com (via NYSBIRDS-L list) <NYSBIRDS-L...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Fw: Added the Zoom Link for Donna Schulman's upcoming Zoom Presentation for QCBC on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 7:30 PM!
----- Forwarded Message ----- From: <marciaaabrahams...> <marciaaabrahams...>To: NYSBIRDS-L <nysbirds-l...>Sent: Monday, February 9, 2026 at 11:00:42 AM ESTSubject: Added the Zoom Link for Donna Schulman's upcoming Zoom Presentation for QCBC on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 7:30 PM!
The next Queens County Bird Club will be held on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 7:30 PM via Zoom. Donna Schulman will present "Back to Australia or Why Did the Cassowary Cross the Road"
Donna believes that there is never enough Australian birding, so she returned to the land of kookaburras, cockatoos, and koalas in 2024 to bird Queensland, New South Wales, and a bit of Victoria. She saw the sky fill with flying foxes in Sydney, fed trail mix to Australian King-Parrots at O’Reilly’s Retreat, cooed over baby Brown Boobies on Michaelmas Cay (Great Barrier Reef), and watched a Southern Cassowary cross the road at Etty Bayright in front of her camera (too close!). Like her previous trip, this one combined a group tour, private guiding, and birding on her own. The presentation will include photographs, videos and comments on the pluses and minuses of each mode of birding travel when down under.
BIO
Donna learned how to bird with QCBC and has branched out to Central & South America, Africa, SE Asia, and Australia. A former labor educator and library director, she reviews books for 10,000 Birds, Birding magazine, and discusses birding books as part of the Birding Book Club on the American Birding Association Podcast. Donna’s photographs have been featured in Birding and Birdwatching Magazine; the publications, print and social media, of New Jersey Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology; the educational signage of Negri-Nepote Grasslands in N.J. and a tern colony somewhere in Germany; and just recently, the 2025 Town of Southampton Report on Threatened and Endangered Species Management and Protection Program. She is a past editor of QCBC’s News and Notes.
Date: 2/9/26 7:50 am From: marciaaabrahams at aol.com (via NYSBIRDS-L list) <NYSBIRDS-L...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Added the Zoom Registration Link for Donna Schulman's upcoming Zoom Presentation for QCBC on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 7:30 PM!
The next Queens County Bird Club will be held on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 7:30 PM via Zoom. Donna Schulman will present "Back to Australia or Why Did the Cassowary Cross the Road"
Donna believes that there is never enough Australian birding, so she returned to the land of kookaburras, cockatoos, and koalas in 2024 to bird Queensland, New South Wales, and a bit of Victoria. She saw the sky fill with flying foxes in Sydney, fed trail mix to Australian King-Parrots at O’Reilly’s Retreat, cooed over baby Brown Boobies on Michaelmas Cay (Great Barrier Reef), and watched a Southern Cassowary cross the road at Etty Bayright in front of her camera (too close!). Like her previous trip, this one combined a group tour, private guiding, and birding on her own. The presentation will include photographs, videos and comments on the pluses and minuses of each mode of birding travel when down under.
BIO
Donna learned how to bird with QCBC and has branched out to Central & South America, Africa, SE Asia, and Australia. A former labor educator and library director, she reviews books for 10,000 Birds, Birding magazine, and discusses birding books as part of the Birding Book Club on the American Birding Association Podcast. Donna’s photographs have been featured in Birding and Birdwatching Magazine; the publications, print and social media, of New Jersey Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology; the educational signage of Negri-Nepote Grasslands in N.J. and a tern colony somewhere in Germany; and just recently, the 2025 Town of Southampton Report on Threatened and Endangered Species Management and Protection Program. She is a past editor of QCBC’s News and Notes.
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to
nysarc44<at>nybirds<dot>org
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos
or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compiler: Tom Burke
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, February
6, 2026 at 11:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are LECONTE’S SPARROW, TUFTED DUCK,
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE, GLAUCOUS GULL, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK, LAPLAND
LONGSPUR, NELSON’S and VESPER SPARROWS and more.
The LECONTE’S SPARROW found back on January 29th on the landfill at
Croton Point Park in Westchester was only seen there through last
Saturday, not unexpected for a reclusive bird.
With the icy conditions on New Croton Reservoir squeezing the
waterfowl seeking refuge there into increasingly smaller stretches of
open water, it at least became easier to track down TUFTED DUCKS
there. At least two drakes plus a female–plumaged bird have been found
there, the two males seen simultaneously last weekend, these all
joining large flocks of several hundred RING-NECKED DUCKS in open
water near the dam spillway or a short distance up the eastern shore
of the reservoir off Croton Lake Road. There is a parking area for the
dam spillway site off Route 129 just uphill from the Croton Gorge Park
entrance, but duck numbers may continue to drop as the freeze again
intensifies. Other birds present there have included two female
BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, at least seen to Wednesday with a flock of COMMON
GOLDENEYES, plus a few REDHEADS and a CANVASBACK and other expected
waterfowl, and several BALD EAGLES. Two TUFTED DUCKS seen Thursday
only over at Piermont Pier in Rockland County may have moved over
there from New Croton Reservoir.
On Long Island single drake BARROW’S GOLDENEYES were seen on Tuesday
off Shoreham Village Beach and back on Saturday at Crab Meadow Beach
in Fort Salonga, where other highlights featured an ICELAND GULL and a
NELSON'S SPARROW.
In Brooklyn a RAZORBILL was photographed off Manhattan Beach Park on
Tuesday, and a GLAUCOUS GULL visited Bush Army Terminal Pier 4 last
Sunday, while up to three ICELAND GULLS were seen around Gravesend Bay
during the week, with others noted at Randall's Island and Governors
Island Wednesday, in Westchester at the Ossining waterfront at Louis
Engle Park during the week, at Old Field Point Tuesday, and at the
Bellport Bay Yacht Club yesterday.
AMERICAN BITTERNS have been seen fairly regularly along Dune Road west
of Shinnecock inlet, and a few recent sightings of ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK,
very often. coastal, have come from Staten Island, including Great
Kills Park Sunday, and from Floyd Bennett Field and Jones Beach to
Monday.
A LAPLAND LONGSPUR was spotted at Smith Point County Park on Tuesday,
and two VESPER SPARROWS have been present recently at the Suffolk
County Farm and Education Center off Yaphank Avenue.
To phone in reports call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the
National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
Date: 2/6/26 1:29 pm From: Andrew Block (via NYSBIRDS-L list) <NYSBIRDS-L...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Sylvan Lake dead and sick birds and West Branch Reservoir Tufted Duck update and warning
No sign of the immature male Tufted Duck at the West Branch Reservoir in Carmel as of late this morning. I'm sure it was there somewhere, but hard to see and view and I couldn't find it. Also, I learned something new about the DEP reservoirs, even if you have a permit nobody is allowed to view from them or along them unless it says you're allowed to hike on them. I've had my permit since 1987 and didn't know that:-( They are giving out warnings if you do decide to try for the bird.
Also, the Sylvan Lake birds are wittled down to about 50 or so coots, a few Mute Swans, some sickly Hooded Mergansers, some sickly Canada Geese, and a few Mallards. there were four or five dead Hooded Mergansers, seven or so dead and dying Canada Geese, and a few dead coots. I assume there is an outbreak of bird flu there. One male Hooded was swimming in tight circles with a tilted head like it had brain worm or something. Sad.
Andrew
Andrew BlockConsulting Naturalist
Yonkers, New York www.flickr.com/photos/conuropsis/albums
--
NYSbirds-L List Info:
Visit: http://LISTS.cornell.edu for more information
Posting Address: <NYSbirds-L...>
Archives:
The Mail Archive: https://www.mail-archive.com/<nysbirds-l...>/maillist.html Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at http://www.ebird.org --
Date: 2/5/26 2:26 am From: Thomas Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - 20+ waterfowl spp., Iceland Gulls, Purple SPs, H. Larks, raptors, etc. into early February
New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Randalls, Governors, and Roosevelt Islands and the adjacent waters and skies above -
to February 3rd - including end-of-January sightings.
Scoters of all species are uncommon at best in this county, so any seen at all are notable here, and the tribe were moving a bit with sightings of Surf Scoter, seen and photod by many on Saturday, just off the n. edge of Randalls Island, while possible White-winged Scoters were noted elsewhere including into the first day of Feb., and some far-off scoter-species also were seen out in the w. parts of N.Y. Harbor, as well, which also applies to some sightings of Long-tailed Ducks and to Common Goldeneyes, Scaup, and at least some other waterfowl, and to 2 typical Loon species. Long-tailed Ducks have been around, but one in particular gave some nice views again, from, in part near Corlears Hook on Manhattans lower-east, by the East River, this a continuing individual, and others much more distant in the harbor and by-chance out in the Hudson River ice jams. Common Goldeneyes were present off Roosevelt Island to at least Monday, as were other waterfowl. American Wigeon was again out at Randalls Island to Wednesday. Greater Scaup have been increasing at times off both Randalls and Governors Islands, and at least here-and-there up the Hudson, including into the Spuyten Duyvil creek, Manhattans watery n. edge. Lesser Scaup also continued with some from near Governors Island, at least one at Stuyvesant Cove below E. 23rd St. on the East River, and likely at least a few elsewhere. Hardy Green-winged Teals have remained in-place at The Pool in Central Park for many months, still lingering-wintering there.
Purple Sandpipers were noted at Governors Island, on the rocks of part of the shore, a now-recognized annual location, but the first report from there for that species in a while, with a group of at least six noticed, and then smaller numbers still being seen, then down to possibly just one by Monday, although extensive searching and at varied times-tides could reveal more. The other shorebird spp. recently for the winter are American Woodcock and Killdeer, these all pretty much in sites where they are rather regular in the county each year. Some of the woodcock are, as can happen in winter, or at spring-fall migrations, in odd small places where any shelter or cover may be helping a bit, and some sightings are from well off plowed pathways.
It took until the very last day of January for the county to reveal a white-winged gull for a first-of-the-year find, and this was an Iceland Gull seen and photod. - A. Cunningham - at Randalls Island on Saturday morning. A different individual, winter-adult Iceland, was at Randall’s on Monday, Feb. 1st, but was moving from the NE edge across to -or towards- the Bronx Kill and seemed to go into Bronx Co., not re-found on the day, similarly to the Jan. 31 Iceland Gull at Randalls, not seen again later in that day. A putative Iceland was reported from the East River on Monday, not confirmed as such. Among the most-recent Iceland Gulls in the county were one at Governors Island and one just s. of Pier 35 on the East River, both on Wed., 2-4.
More Iceland Gulls should be very possible around the county, in coming months. A Lesser Black-backed Gull showed among 250-plus other gulls, mainly Ring-billed, on the Central Park reservoir on Monday morning. The reservoir at that park has had just one small patch of open water on its south side, which is likely to continue for some time. Two American Coots and extremely-diminished numbers of ducks have been ongoing there, these including at least 1 drake Wood Duck. Gulls in particular at that reservoir can cycle-in-and-off the water or ice from one hour or one minute to the next, and while some may linger, a lot of daily and hourly movement is normal with gulls at that site.
Also at Randalls but mainly for a January-sighting was an uncommon-for-the county Surf Scoter, one of at least 17 species of waterfowl collectively found on 1 day at that island, and just offshore there. The single Surf Scoter was not noted on Monday at all. N. Pintails have been turning up as singles in a number of locations around semi-open waters of the county. American Wigeons were still around Randalls Island, and at least 4 Redheads were noted there to Feb. 1st - as with other waterfowl and assorted waterbirds, moving or shuffling about in the local area, perhaps from just outside to within the county, and also the reverse. Both Lesser and more-so, Greater Scaup have been seen on into February. A lot of waterfowl was displaced in the arctic-air influx and subsequent further freezing of shallower waters, but even so, such species as Wood Duck, Gadwall, N. Shoveler and others have maintained presence here. A number of the waterfowl species had moved across from fresh waters to brackish in the harbor and along the rivers, including what is the East river-estuary complex that takes in the Harlem river as well as parts of the westernmost edges of Long Island Sounds waters, at the line from the south Bronx, n.w. Queens and New York County at its eastern fringes.
A Horned Lark was another of multiple finds at Randalls on the final day of January, however the Horned Lark numbers on Governors Island were well into double-digits, with at least ten present for one day, at that south-most site of the county, but some certainly staying on too. By Wed., 2-4 at least 19 Horned Larks were noted at Fort Jay on Governors Island. The singleton lark at Randalls was a more-observed individual with more birders headed out to that location on the weekend. Either of these islands, and -select- other sites, including within Manhattan may be worth watching should ice and snow start to melt off, possibly leaving patchy exposed turf or grassy stretches for any sorts of winter field-birds and of course for possible re-entry by waterfowl. This may or may-not start to occur in the coming weeks. A Rusty Blackbird, one of the longer-staying of those trying to winter, has remained at Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan.
Red-shouldered Hawk was again found in a few locations, with several photographed again. A very small number of Turkey Vultures have shown up, in flight at various locations lately. Multiple Bald Eagles continue to be seen, some riding along the ice floes at the Hudson, and at least one moving in that way out to the open NY Harbor. Many of our photographically-inclined birders have had a fine time with the birds-on-ice, these winter eagles of N.Y. County. We have had up to double-digit B. Eagles in view on the river ice at times, and good numbers all-around, in flight, or some perched-up as well. Coopers Hawks also continue their overwinter appearances in many locations of the county. We also have winter-lingering or resident American Kestrels and Peregrine Falcons, as well as the near-ubiquitous Red-tailed Hawks all around the town, with a multiplicity of other raptors of nocturnally active type.
Common Ravens were ongoing and there was also some potential shuffling-around of that species, some seen in small groups or in paired flights along the Hudson and multiple sightings from almost all around the county, with any number seen in and over Manhattan. A Wild Turkey was found on Ellis Island, well west across part of N.Y. Harbor from where the long-staying hen was regular at The Battery, at the s. Edge of Manhattan - it will be interesting should the Battery-turkey no longer be found there.
Some other species still around or typical for winter that were not noted above, are listed below, seen in recent days - Red-throated Loon, Common Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Black Vulture, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern -Yellow-shafted- Flicker, Monk Parakeet, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Ruby-crowned Kinglet - in the multiple but not very many by now -, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, European Starling, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, House Finch, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Field Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow - multiple sites, with at least several in parts of Central Park, ongoing, Red Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed -Slate-colored- Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Rusty Blackbird, Common Grackle - and probably at least a few additional species as well.
- -
With the frigid temperatures of the last week finally moderating briefly this week, some slight thawing began by Monday, and a small amount of movement was seen in the county but this looks to be all very local movement. Snow-cover in parks and other unplowed places is still substantial, with crusts of icy snow. Park paths have been shoveled in some locations, while some are only packed-down - and can be a bit icy in places.
Good February-birding, and thanks to many keen and often-hardy observers and photographers for alerts in Discord, and via many eBird alerts and reports, including the Macaulay Library for media, as well as by good old word-of-mouth.
Date: 2/4/26 12:59 pm From: Robert Lewis (via NYSBIRDS-L list) <NYSBIRDS-L...> Subject: Re: [nysbirds-l] That Time of Year Again! NYSOA State & County List Reports deadline 3/1/26
Hi,
I don't live it NY but your form insisted I put in a county. So I put in the county I live in here in NC.
Bob Lewis
On Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 01:35:12 PM EST, Carena <warblette...> wrote:
Now is the time to get your 2025 lists in! ALL REPORTS MUST BE
RECEIVED BY 3/1/26.
NYSOA’s County and State Listing Project is a fun, friendly
competition. Started in 1992, it continues to attract new participants
every year. Some of our first county listers have not missed a single
year since the beginning (watch out, you might get hooked!).
NEW THIS YEAR is an updated SELF-FOUND RULES document written by Shai
Mitra in October 2025.
If at all possible, please enter your data into the ONLINE form (that
will save me the work of typing it all in, thank you!). In case it is
not possible for you to enter your data online, a printable form you
can mail in is available.
No reports submitted in previous years are automatically carried into
the next. If you want to be listed in the 2025 compilation, you must
submit your numbers, even if they haven’t changed since the last
report you sent in.
Maybe you're ready to jump in and submit your data without further
ado...then do! Or check out the info below, and then go for it!
Awaiting your list with bated breath…unless you've already sent it in,
in which case I thank you sincerely!
Carena / NYSOA
-------------------------------------------
NYSOA COUNTY & STATE LISTING
After the close of each calendar year, participants send in as many of
the following as they wish to share:
- LIFE totals for all of NYS; the 10 Kingbird regions; the 62
counties; the PELAGIC ZONE (PZ)
- 2025 YEAR LIST total for the entire state
- 2025 NYS SELF-FOUND total - the number of species you found
without being alerted to them by others or by bird alert systems
You can send in just one number or as many as 76, or anywhere in
between – it’s your choice depending on where you’ve birded, what
records you’ve kept, and what you wish to share. A compilation is
produced annually and published in NYSOA’s newsletter and also on the
NYSOA website at https://nybirds.org/ProjCountyLists.html. Also
available on that page are links to:
- FORMS
- MAP of the ten Kingbird regions
- PELAGIC sighting guidelines
- SELF-FOUND RULES updated October 2025 by Shai Mitra
- TIPS FOR USING YOUR EBIRD DATA to put together your report
- ARCHIVE of past compilations
Join in on the fun and see where you stand – statewide, region by
region, county by county – in comparison with other birders all over
New York State (and even outside the state). To see what the annual
compilation looks like, check out the archive at NYSOA - NYS / County
Listing Project.
--
NYSbirds-L List Info:
Visit: http://LISTS.cornell.edu for more information
Posting Address: <NYSbirds-L...>
Archives:
The Mail Archive: https://www.mail-archive.com/<nysbirds-l...>/maillist.html Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at http://www.ebird.org --
--
NYSbirds-L List Info:
Visit: http://LISTS.cornell.edu for more information
Posting Address: <NYSbirds-L...>
Archives:
The Mail Archive: https://www.mail-archive.com/<nysbirds-l...>/maillist.html Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at http://www.ebird.org --
Date: 2/4/26 10:34 am From: Carena <warblette...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] That Time of Year Again! NYSOA State & County List Reports deadline 3/1/26
Now is the time to get your 2025 lists in! ALL REPORTS MUST BE
RECEIVED BY 3/1/26.
NYSOA’s County and State Listing Project is a fun, friendly
competition. Started in 1992, it continues to attract new participants
every year. Some of our first county listers have not missed a single
year since the beginning (watch out, you might get hooked!).
NEW THIS YEAR is an updated SELF-FOUND RULES document written by Shai
Mitra in October 2025.
If at all possible, please enter your data into the ONLINE form (that
will save me the work of typing it all in, thank you!). In case it is
not possible for you to enter your data online, a printable form you
can mail in is available.
No reports submitted in previous years are automatically carried into
the next. If you want to be listed in the 2025 compilation, you must
submit your numbers, even if they haven’t changed since the last
report you sent in.
Maybe you're ready to jump in and submit your data without further
ado...then do! Or check out the info below, and then go for it!
Awaiting your list with bated breath…unless you've already sent it in,
in which case I thank you sincerely!
Carena / NYSOA
-------------------------------------------
NYSOA COUNTY & STATE LISTING
After the close of each calendar year, participants send in as many of
the following as they wish to share:
- LIFE totals for all of NYS; the 10 Kingbird regions; the 62
counties; the PELAGIC ZONE (PZ)
- 2025 YEAR LIST total for the entire state
- 2025 NYS SELF-FOUND total - the number of species you found
without being alerted to them by others or by bird alert systems
You can send in just one number or as many as 76, or anywhere in
between – it’s your choice depending on where you’ve birded, what
records you’ve kept, and what you wish to share. A compilation is
produced annually and published in NYSOA’s newsletter and also on the
NYSOA website at https://nybirds.org/ProjCountyLists.html. Also
available on that page are links to:
- FORMS
- MAP of the ten Kingbird regions
- PELAGIC sighting guidelines
- SELF-FOUND RULES updated October 2025 by Shai Mitra
- TIPS FOR USING YOUR EBIRD DATA to put together your report
- ARCHIVE of past compilations
Join in on the fun and see where you stand – statewide, region by
region, county by county – in comparison with other birders all over
New York State (and even outside the state). To see what the annual
compilation looks like, check out the archive at NYSOA - NYS / County
Listing Project.
--
NYSbirds-L List Info:
Visit: http://LISTS.cornell.edu for more information
Posting Address: <NYSbirds-L...>
Archives:
The Mail Archive: https://www.mail-archive.com/<nysbirds-l...>/maillist.html Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at http://www.ebird.org --
Date: 2/2/26 12:07 pm From: Andrew Block (via NYSBIRDS-L list) <NYSBIRDS-L...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Croton Gorge Park ducks
As of this late morning the Canvasback, both male Tufted Ducks, a few Redheads, plus the usual ducks were found in the immense flock of Ring-necked Ducks as seen from the dam. At least one of the Barrow's Goldeneye females was with another decent size flock of Ring-neckeds and Common Goldeneyes along Croton Lake Rd. by the small twin islands just before you get to the S-curve on the road before the homes on the left.
Andrew
Andrew BlockConsulting Naturalist
Yonkers, New York www.flickr.com/photos/conuropsis/albums
--
NYSbirds-L List Info:
Visit: http://LISTS.cornell.edu for more information
Posting Address: <NYSbirds-L...>
Archives:
The Mail Archive: https://www.mail-archive.com/<nysbirds-l...>/maillist.html Sightings: Please submit your observations to eBird at http://www.ebird.org --
Date: 2/1/26 1:19 pm From: marciaaabrahams at aol.com (via NYSBIRDS-L list) <NYSBIRDS-L...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Do not miss the next QCBC Monthly Meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, February 18th at 7:30 PM. Donna Schulman will present "Back to Australia or Why Did the Cassowary Cross the Road".
The next Queens County Bird Club will be held on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 7:30 PM via Zoom. Donna Schulman will present "Back to Australia or Why Did the Cassowary Cross the Road"
Donna believes that there is never enough Australian birding, so she returned to the land of kookaburras, cockatoos, and koalas in 2024 to bird Queensland, New South Wales, and a bit of Victoria. She saw the sky fill with flying foxes in Sydney, fed trail mix to Australian King-Parrots at O’Reilly’s Retreat, cooed over baby Brown Boobies on Michaelmas Cay (Great Barrier Reef), and watched a Southern Cassowary cross the road at Etty Bayright in front of her camera (too close!). Like her previous trip, this one combined a group tour, private guiding, and birding on her own. The presentation will include photographs, videos and comments on the pluses and minuses of each mode of birding travel when down under.
BIO
Donna learned how to bird with QCBC and has branched out to Central & South America, Africa, SE Asia, and Australia. A former labor educator and library director, she reviews books for 10,000 Birds, Birding magazine, and discusses birding books as part of the Birding Book Club on the American Birding Association Podcast. Donna’s photographs have been featured in Birding and Birdwatching Magazine; the publications, print and social media, of New Jersey Audubon and Cornell Lab of Ornithology; the educational signage of Negri-Nepote Grasslands in N.J. and a tern colony somewhere in Germany; and just recently, the 2025 Town of Southampton Report on Threatened and Endangered Species Management and Protection Program. She is a past editor of QCBC’s News and Notes.
Zoom Registration Link to follow. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Marcia AbrahamsVP/Programs CoordinatorQueens County Bird Clubhttps://qcbirdclub.org/Email: <MarciaAAbrahams...>
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to
nysarc44<at>nybirds<dot>org
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or
sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compiler: Tom Burke
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, January30, 2026
at 11:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are CASSIN'S and LECONTE’S SPARROWS, PAINTED
BUNTING, ROSS'S and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, TUFTED DUCK, BARROW’S
GOLDENEYE and KING EIDER, THICK-BILLED MURRE and DOVEKIE, GLAUCOUS and
ICELAND GULLS, LARK and CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS and more.
As anticipated, this week's horrendous weather has definitely impacted
local birding. The CASSIN’S SPARROW at Montauk Point was reported Saturday
and then again on Tuesday, still around the perimeter roadway near the
lighthouse entrance and upper parking lot, so this tough little bird could
still be present, as unlikely as that seems.
On the other hand, as a note to this week's tape, the TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE on
Long Island was last noted in the Oyster Bay area back on Monday the 19th,
but also could possibly be lingering locally.
On Thursday a LECONTE’S SPARROW was found on the landfill at Croton Point
Park in Westchester and noted there again today. The bird has been in
company with other ground feeders around a plowed section at the top of the
landfill technically only for maintenance personnel, so please be mindful
of this if visiting there.
A female–type PAINTED BUNTING was photographed visiting a private feeder
last Saturday and Sunday in Hampton Bays but has since disappeared.
A ROSS’S GOOSE was noted again Saturday in the large flock that had been
feeding on a set of fields on the south side of Route 27 Montauk Highway,
just west of Town Line Road in Sagaponack, this also containing up to three
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.
Among various CACKLING GEESE were three still visiting the Great Lawn in
Central Park last Saturday.
A drake TUFTED DUCK was spotted on New Croton Reservoir in Westchester last
Saturday but has been difficult to relocate, as the ice there continues to
increase. The concentrations of DUCKS there, mostly RING-NECKEDS, does
still contain one or two female BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, a few REDHEADS and a
CANVASBACK, with a RED-NECKED GREBE also there to at least Thursday.
A female KING EIDER was spotted flying up Shinnecock Inlet with COMMON
EIDERS on Wednesday, heading into the bay, and three HARLEQUIN DUCKS were
still around the Inlet last Saturday. Other HARLEQUINS include a male
still around Southold Town Beach last Saturday and another drake off Ditch
Plains Wednesday.
A THICK-BILLED MURRE continued at least to Saturday off the southern tip of
Staten Island, seen from Conference House Park and farther up the coast in
Tottenville, while on Wednesday alcids seen off Montauk Point featured two
DOVEKIES and 9 RAZORBILLS.
A GLAUCOUS GULL visited Bush Terminal Piers Park last Saturday, and ICELAND
GULLS included three around Gravesend Bay Wednesday and one out at Old
Field Point Thursday.
A LARK SPARROW was photographed at Calvert Vaux Park in Brooklyn Monday,
while the CLAY-COLORED SPARROW lingering at Heckscher State Park Field 5
was last reported last Saturday.
A few ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS still continue in appropriate habitat.
To phone in reports call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the
National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
Date: 1/31/26 4:22 am From: Thomas Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Manhattan, NYC - waterbirds and winter-shuffling
Manhattan, N.Y. City - Friday, January 30th -
Some indications of further movement of waterbirds in the midst of the lingering Arctic freeze were at least 2 drake Redhead showing in the Central Park reservoir later in the day, and drake Ring-necked Duck, plus Greater Scaup among ducks next to Inwood Hill Park in n. Manhattan, plus at least modest movement and shuffling of waterfowl around the island in surrounding waters, some Common Mergansers moving along the rivers, Long-tailed Duck off lower-east Manhattan, and with more Red-throated and Common Loons appearing, there may well be more of similar movements in the coming days.
Several locations on Manhattan island still had American Tree Sparrows, including an individual coming in to feeders at the Ramble of Central Park. Sparrows of at least several species, with Dark-eyed Juncos, and assorted other birds at times, have been out on the snow in many areas, and at times digging for seed, also managing to feed on fallen sweet gum seed or other tree seeds, while also in some locations swarming where bird-seed has been distributed by humans, whether at a regular such site, or not.
Bald Eagles and Coopers Hawks were among raptors that occasionally stood out, the former species sometimes on ice-floes in the Hudson, and the latter around the town occasionally in rather unexpected street-situations such as in midtown, although that distribution, in the colder months especially, has been more-often seen in recent years than was noticed in past times.
Some native, and essentially-wild birds have taken the route preferred lately by many humans, an example being the Gray Catbirds moving inside from Bryant Park in mid-Manhattan going in the quite warm bar. At least a few other similar examples have been noted.
Good birding, stay safe in the very chilled conditions,
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to
nysarc44<at>nybirds<dot>org
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos
or sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compiler: Tom Burke
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, January30,
2026 at 11:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are CASSIN'S and LECONTE’S SPARROWS,
PAINTED BUNTING, ROSS'S and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, TUFTED DUCK,
BARROW’S GOLDENEYE and KING EIDER, THICK-BILLED MURRE and DOVEKIE,
GLAUCOUS and ICELAND GULLS, LARK and CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS and more.
As anticipated, this week's horrendous weather has definitely impacted
local birding. The CASSIN’S SPARROW at Montauk Point was reported
Saturday and then again on Tuesday, still around the perimeter roadway
near the lighthouse entrance and upper parking lot, so this tough
little bird could still be present, as unlikely as that seems.
On the other hand, as a note to this week's tape, the TUNDRA
BEAN-GOOSE on Long Island was last noted in the Oyster Bay area back
on Monday the 19th, but also could possibly be lingering locally.
On Thursday a LECONTE’S SPARROW was found on the landfill at Croton
Point Park in Westchester and noted there again today. The bird has
been in company with other ground feeders around a plowed section at
the top of the landfill technically only for maintenance personnel, so
please be mindful of this if visiting there.
A female–type PAINTED BUNTING was photographed visiting a private
feeder last Saturday and Sunday in Hampton Bays but has since
disappeared.
A ROSS’S GOOSE was noted again Saturday in the large flock that had
been feeding on a set of fields on the south side of Route 27 Montauk
Highway, just west of Town Line Road in Sagaponack, this also
containing up to three GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.
Among various CACKLING GEESE were three still visiting the Great Lawn
in Central Park last Saturday.
A drake TUFTED DUCK was spotted on New Croton Reservoir in Westchester
last Saturday but has been difficult to relocate, as the ice there
continues to increase. The concentrations of DUCKS there, mostly
RING-NECKEDS, does still contain one or two female BARROW’S
GOLDENEYES, a few REDHEADS and a CANVASBACK, with a RED-NECKED GREBE
also there to at least Thursday.
A female KING EIDER was spotted flying up Shinnecock Inlet with COMMON
EIDERS on Wednesday, heading into the bay, and three HARLEQUIN DUCKS
were still around the Inlet last Saturday. Other HARLEQUINS include a
male still around Southold Town Beach last Saturday and another drake
off Ditch Plains Wednesday.
A THICK-BILLED MURRE continued at least to Saturday off the southern
tip of Staten Island, seen from Conference House Park and farther up
the coast in Tottenville, while on Wednesday alcids seen off Montauk
Point featured two DOVEKIES and 9 RAZORBILLS.
A GLAUCOUS GULL visited Bush Terminal Piers Park last Saturday, and
ICELAND GULLS included three around Gravesend Bay Wednesday and one
out at Old Field Point Thursday.
A LARK SPARROW was photographed at Calvert Vaux Park in Brooklyn
Monday, while the CLAY-COLORED SPARROW lingering at Heckscher State
Park Field 5 was last reported last Saturday.
A few ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS still continue in appropriate habitat.
To phone in reports call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the
National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
You can also send reports and digital image files via email to
nysarc44<at>nybirds<dot>org
If electronic submission is not possible, hardcopy reports and photos or
sketches are welcome. Hardcopy documentation should be mailed to:
Gary Chapin - Secretary
NYS Avian Records Committee (NYSARC)
125 Pine Springs Drive
Ticonderoga, NY 12883
Hotline: New York City Area Rare Bird Alert
Number: (212) 979-3070
Compiler: Tom Burke
Coverage: New York City, Long Island, Westchester County
Transcriber: Gail Benson
[~BEGIN RBA TAPE~]
Greetings! This is the New York Rare Bird Alert for Friday, January30, 2026
at 11:00 pm.
The highlights of today’s tape are CASSIN'S and LECONTE’S SPARROWS, PAINTED
BUNTING, ROSS'S and GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE, TUFTED DUCK, BARROW’S
GOLDENEYE and KING EIDER, THICK-BILLED MURRE and DOVEKIE, GLAUCOUS and
ICELAND GULLS, LARK and CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS and more.
As anticipated, this week's horrendous weather has definitely impacted
local birding. The CASSIN’S SPARROW at Montauk Point was reported Saturday
and then again on Tuesday, still around the perimeter roadway near the
lighthouse entrance and upper parking lot, so this tough little bird could
still be present, as unlikely as that seems.
On the other hand, as a note to this week's tape, the TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE on
Long Island was last noted in the Oyster Bay area back on Monday the 19th,
but also could possibly be lingering locally.
On Thursday a LECONTE’S SPARROW was found on the landfill at Croton Point
Park in Westchester and noted there again today. The bird has been in
company with other ground feeders around a plowed section at the top of the
landfill technically only for maintenance personnel, so please be mindful
of this if visiting there.
A female–type PAINTED BUNTING was photographed visiting a private feeder
last Saturday and Sunday in Hampton Bays but has since disappeared.
A ROSS’S GOOSE was noted again Saturday in the large flock that had been
feeding on a set of fields on the south side of Route 27 Montauk Highway,
just west of Town Line Road in Sagaponack, this also containing up to three
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE.
Among various CACKLING GEESE were three still visiting the Great Lawn in
Central Park last Saturday.
A drake TUFTED DUCK was spotted on New Croton Reservoir in Westchester last
Saturday but has been difficult to relocate, as the ice there continues to
increase. The concentrations of DUCKS there, mostly RING-NECKEDS, does
still contain one or two female BARROW’S GOLDENEYES, a few REDHEADS and a
CANVASBACK, with a RED-NECKED GREBE also there to at least Thursday.
A female KING EIDER was spotted flying up Shinnecock Inlet with COMMON
EIDERS on Wednesday, heading into the bay, and three HARLEQUIN DUCKS were
still around the Inlet last Saturday. Other HARLEQUINS include a male
still around Southold Town Beach last Saturday and another drake off Ditch
Plains Wednesday.
A THICK-BILLED MURRE continued at least to Saturday off the southern tip of
Staten Island, seen from Conference House Park and farther up the coast in
Tottenville, while on Wednesday alcids seen off Montauk Point featured two
DOVEKIES and 9 RAZORBILLS.
A GLAUCOUS GULL visited Bush Terminal Piers Park last Saturday, and ICELAND
GULLS included three around Gravesend Bay Wednesday and one out at Old
Field Point Thursday.
A LARK SPARROW was photographed at Calvert Vaux Park in Brooklyn Monday,
while the CLAY-COLORED SPARROW lingering at Heckscher State Park Field 5
was last reported last Saturday.
A few ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS still continue in appropriate habitat.
To phone in reports call Tom Burke at (914) 967-4922.
This service is sponsored by the Linnaean Society of New York and the
National Audubon Society. Thank you for calling.
Date: 1/30/26 2:51 pm From: Andrew Block (via NYSBIRDS-L list) <NYSBIRDS-L...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Croton Gorge Park ducks
At Croton Gorge Park as seen from the dam in the flock of several hundreds of Ring-necked Ducks there are the continuing two Barrow's Goldeneyes and one Common and one Canvasback male. No sign of the Tufted Ducks, but I didn't have a scope so couldn't see the farther part of the flock well enough to see if they were there. Will have to go back with a scope.
Andrew
Andrew BlockConsulting Naturalist
Yonkers, New York www.flickr.com/photos/conuropsis/albums
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Date: 1/30/26 2:46 pm From: Andrew Block (via NYSBIRDS-L list) <NYSBIRDS-L...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] Croton Pt. Park Le Conte's Sparrow
The Le Conte's Sparrow is still at the landfill at Croton Pt. Park. It's at the end of the plowed trail on the left on the top of the landfill coming from the parking lot at the camping area. It was with other sparrows and some Horneds Larks.
Andrew
Andrew BlockConsulting Naturalist
Yonkers, New York www.flickr.com/photos/conuropsis/albums
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Date: 1/29/26 10:52 am From: Thomas Fiore <tomfi2...> Subject: [nysbirds-l] N.Y. County, NYC - thru 1/28 - waterbird movements, etc.
New York County -in N.Y. City- including Manhattan, Randalls, Roosevelt, and Governors Islands and the adjacent waters and skies above -
thru Wednesday, Jan. 28th -
Small updates for Thursday, Jan. 29 include a couple of American Wigeons showing around Randalls Island, and at least one Lesser Scaup at Stuvesasant Cove off E. 23rd Street one the East River, continuing there again Thursday.
The 3 Cackling Geese with very large numbers of Canada Geese -well over 1,200 for the entire park- had been ongoing at Central Park, following a pattern just thru Saturday, ahead of the snowstorm, of going from overnighting on the Central Park reservoir with many of their Canada cousins, then moving to the nearby Great Lawn to feed during most of each recent day. Since that storm, it seemed the Cacklers were not seen, although with rougher conditions excepting for a slight warmup on Monday, recent days were not as conducive to great numbers of observers out and about, by comparison to milder periods of a good bit of the winter here thus far.
By Monday, in any event, a rather large movement of geese and perhaps other waterfowl was happening, in particular with geese moving south down along or near the Hudson River, multi-thousands in total for that one day, starting as early as daybreak and ongoing. A smaller number appeared to be visible moving south from parts of the county other than by the Hudson, but perhaps to lesser degree. And, some -smaller- geese, more than just 3 individuals, could be seen moving along in some of those southbound flocks. With a lot of those geese at varying altitudes, it was presumed some flocks were moving well-out of the county, perhaps out of NY state. By Monday, at Central Park the goose numbers seemed to be roughly halved from two days prior and of those looking, we were not seeing any Cacklers… however, that species may certainly show again in the county as the winter goes along.
Out on Randalls Island, some of us made forays on Saturday, and a good mix of water birds and varied others was seen by the collective observers, including those hardy enough to be out in single-digit to below-zero wind-chill periods of the morning. A Lesser Black-backed Gull was one of the less-common species for this county, found at Randalls, and a nice variety of waterfowl for one site in the county was also tallied in the collective. At least one Orange-crowned Warbler was hanging in thru Saturday, and further, at Randall’s Island, while it may be that still-more were surviving at least thru that day. One Orange-crowned Warbler was present again on Randalls in the area of the saltmarsh at Little Hell Gate, into Wed. and at least a couple of Yellow-rumped Warblers were surviving as well, the latter around feeders where suet was still available, including at Carl Schurz Park, by Gracie mansion on Manhattans upper east side, with another at a little-watched feeder in a central-Harlem location.
The rather heavy snow, and much more-so, additional lengthy bouts of continually sub-freezing temperatures present a challenge to many birds in this more than week-long period. The icy and frigid conditions for some locations obviously keep a lot of birders less-likely to roam in some of those ice-covered areas. It is the first winter in a number of years with ice covering a vast majority of the Hudson River and the other waters of the county, with floes out into N.Y. Harbor as well. This looks to be ongoing, and also increasing, for a time into next month, and while the Hudson and nearby estuaries are highly-tidal here, that alone will not be eliminating all the ice very rapidly, only some prolonged thaws will get that process going.
For Common Goldeneyes, a pair of that species was seen and photographed just off Muscota Marsh next to the NE corner of Inwood Hill Park on Tues., and the pair were certainly some of closer-in of the species to show for N.Y. County birders, and also within county waters. The Hudson can be good for that species off Manhattan, although often requiring a scope or keen scanning with smaller optics. Other species of diving ducks, and of course other waterbirds are always a possibility in winter season and those ice floes may not be enough to prevent such waterbirds being present. At least 4 Common Mergansers were also seen off Muscota Marsh area on Tuesday. A Rusty Blackbird was ongoing at Fort Tryon Park, present there all of this month. Along the Hudson in particular, ice floes showed off multiple Bald Eagles, occasionally even to double-digits in view, at times. Bald Eagles were also showing over or in multiple areas of the county, as still more seem to be arriving. Other raptors also were continuing, some active after-dark. At least several American Woodcock were trying to make it in the snow and ice-wracked conditions, in some locations on Manhattan island. There are multiple sites in this county where the possibility exists for birds locating mini-habitat with what could be seen as milder microclimates, in part where heated buildings or vent-pipes both prevent sub-sub-freezing temperature, or may even allow some minuscule insect and arthropod activity besides or in addition to that which is typically possible in winter season.
Some of the birds still being seen in and after the big snow - Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Wood Duck, Northern Shoveler, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, American Black Duck, Mallard x American Black Duck hybrid, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Wild Turkey - one at its regular location at The Battery -, feral Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, American Coot still on the C.P. Reservoir into Monday, Killdeer, American Woodcock, Ring-billed Gull, American Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Red-throated Loon, Common Loon, Great Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Coopers Hawk, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Owls, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern -Yellow-shafted- Flicker, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Monk Parakeet, Blue Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, Winter Wren, Carolina Wren, European Starling, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, House Sparrow, House Finch, Purple Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow - off Riverside Drive near W. 150 St. -, Field Sparrow, American Tree Sparrow, Red Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed -Slate-colored- Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Eastern Towhee, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Rusty Blackbird, Common Grackle, Northern Cardinal, and perhaps some of the hardiest or luckiest survivors among warblers, such as Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped, as well as other -possible- birds still around or even lately-arriving from still-colder realms.
Some of the species noted were in small plazas, gardens, and varied locations on Manhattan, while a number of waterfowl were off the shores around Manhattan or to the east, or south, near the three other sizable islands of the county. While many birds also have flocked to feeding areas prepared by humans, there are still many birds, such as native sparrows and finches and Mourning Doves and such, along with the ever-present House Sparrow in large numbers, which are foraging by and under natural sources of food, in many locations, on top of snow or by digging in where it was possible to, as well as coming to places where seed and other food is being thrown or otherwise offered or left to the snowy ground.
Many many locations all around the county had snow-covered scenes with various hardier birds more out in the open, that is, feeding in any way that they could and in many parks or smaller greenspaces, gardens, plazas, and churchyards, as well as many building courtyards or smaller plantings and up on terrace or roof gardens, much more obviously-so if any feeding of birds were taking place, a fair variety of species, county-wide, could be found, particularly on Manhattan island in the snow. Birds which seemed a bit harder to find in any numbers included fruit-eating species such as waxwings or even American Robins, the latter rather numerous into early January but dwindling in relative numbers as the month had moved along, and even where such winter-fruits as certain crabapples were still abundant in a few locations, the birds were not yet finding all the available fruit, or were simply less-interested. Modest movements were noted of American Robins mainly moving south or southwest in recent days.
Good winter birding, stay safe in the extreme cold,
