New York Trip Report (21st May-30th May 2015) - Photo Gallery

New York Trip Photo Gallery

American Redstart - Prospect Park (23rd May 2015)

American Robin - Central Park (21st May 2015)

Baltimore Oriole - Central Park (22nd May 2015)

Black and White Warbler - Central Park (22nd May 2015)

Black Duck - Jamaica Bay (29th May 2015)

Black Skimmers - Plumb Beach (24th May 2015)

Black Vultures - Doodletown (24th May 2015)

Blackburnian Warbler - Prospect Park (23rd May 2015)

New York Trip Report - Days 5 & 6 (Green-wood Cemetery, Prospect Park & Niagara Falls)

Days 5 & 6 -  Monday 25th May & Tuesday 26th May 2015

The next day we decided to concentrate on finding one of the missing species so far on our trip and one that we had thought we were guaranteed to see – Veery. With a lady at Prospect Park on Saturday mentioning she had seen them in abundance at Green-wood Cemetery, we took the tube back down to Brooklyn again in the hope of catching up with this tiny ginger thrush.

The tombstones at Green-wood Cemetery

Starting off the morning at Prospect Park, it was now evident that migration was most definitely reaching the tail end, with just single male Chestnut-sided and Blackpoll Warbler along with a couple of Common Yellowthroats and American Redstarts flitting about the trees in a 45 minute period. This was a complete contrast to Saturday morning when the woods were absolutely alive with activity and birds were positively dripping off the trees in comparison! It really goes to show just how incredible a fall of birds can be.

Walking around the lake and keeping our eyes peeled for the pair of Belted Kingfishers that had been seen yesterday, a Song Sparrow stood out from the numerous Red-winged Blackbirds nesting in the reeds, their distinctive calls carrying across the water. The large swallow flock from two days ago had also reduced in numbers, with just a handful of Chimney Swifts chattering above the surface of the water. I managed to pick out a Tree Swallow again fluttering over the waves, the iridescent marine blue plumage shining out, but the increase of pedal boat numbers due to people enjoying the gorgeous weather on what was a bank holiday meant there was very little bird activity.

The birds revenge on Alex...

A Red-spotted Purple Butterfly showed extremely well at the edge of the water, and despite having a plastic sheet detailing the common New York butterflies, this was the only species we managed to positively ID (and the only one that actually remained still enough to do so!)

Red-spotted Purple Butterfly

We headed through the bustling Brooklyn Streets and on to Green-wood Cemetery, stopping to get some refreshing juice in the heat. A small falcon flew overhead above the apartment blocks, and although probably the first American Kestrel of the trip, I didn’t get enough on it to get a positive ID before it had sped off over the trees.

Green-wood Cemetery held a variety of birds that we otherwise hadn’t seen in Prospect Park. A Chipping Sparrow hopped along the road pecking at the crumbs left behind by relatives visiting their loved ones, while a House Finch foraging by the side of the leaf strewn path was only the second of our trip. 

This Downy Woodpecker got our hopes up as being a Hairy before we got a closer look - another species we had yet to find in New York

New York Trip Report - Day 3 (Prospect Park)

Day 3 -  Saturday 23rd May 2015

We arose bright and early the next morning ready for our first day at a new location – Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Taking the tube and arriving at around half 8, it was obvious that despite not being there at the crack of dawn, the day would provide a wealth of birds – there had evidently been a huge fall in the night. Taking just a few steps down the path, I immediately heard a call that was now engraved in my memory – the high pitched chiming trill of a Blackburnian Warbler high at the tops of the trees. With decent views the day before but no photos, I was keen to try and catch up with what would be our second individual of the trip, and we headed in the direction the call was coming from to try and track down this fantastic warbler.

My favourite bird of the entire trip - Blackburnian Warbler!

The perfect overnight conditions had obviously brought down a large number of birds in the park, and the trees were alive with brilliantly coloured warblers in every direction we looked. Craning our necks to see right to the tips of the branches, the bright yellow of a male Canada Warbler caught our eye in the leaves above while several Magnolia Warblers flitted from branch to branch. Red-eyed Vireos called from the very tops of the trees, while American Redstarts and Northern Parulas flashed their lively colours in abundance.

American Redstart

And then we had it. A beautiful male Blackburnian Warbler foraging at the tips of one of the branches high above our head, the vibrant tropical orange throat unmistakeable as it peered through the leaves. Grabbing my camera, I was finally able to get some record shots of what was for me, the star species of the trip.

The bright orange throat was clear even at a height

With the Blackburnian Warbler disappearing high in to the very tops of the trees, we continued exploring the rest of Mid-Wood to see what other goodies we could find. A quick, mouse-like movement up the trunk of a tree at the side of the path turned out to be our first House Wren of the trip, providing brief views as it crept up the bark. Much more elongated than our Wrens back in the UK, the difference was clear to see, and we watched as it scurried high up the tree and disappeared out of sight around the back of the trunk.

Heading further in to the trees, an extremely showy Ovenbird provided great views as it perched on an open branch right in front of us, while numerous American Robins and Swainson’s Thrushes turned over the leaves almost everywhere we looked in the search for insect prey. 

Ovenbird - showed so well but the light was terrible!

Swainson's Thrush

A great spot by Alex of a pale coloured warbler above the undergrowth resulted in a female Bay-breasted Warbler, our first new warbler species of the day and a bird which we hadn’t managed to locate in Central Park. Quite a large bulky warbler, the females are readily identifiable by an overall peachy wash to the belly and two thick distinctive white wing-bars that can be seen even at a distance. A great bird to catch up with and one of our main targets for the day crossed off our list.

Following the twisting trails around Mid-Wood, the birds kept coming thick and fast. A female Black and White Warbler gave the best views yet as it foraged right in front of us on the wooden sides of the path, this time completely unobscured from any branches and providing the perfect opportunity to get some photos.

The Black and Warblers moved more like a Nuthatch!