Central Park - 30.8.13

 

 

 

Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher + Red-Tailed Hawk.

 

As it was my birthday I decided to treat myself and join up with a guided bird walk around the park. Unfortunately for me the meeting point was the Conservatory Garden on E 106th street and I was staying along W 63rd street! Ahead of me lay a 40 minute walk but I didn't mind one bit and once I'd reached the reservoir I noted 3 Double-Crested Cormorant. Just to make sure I was heading in the right direction I asked 2 of the park staff where I should head and shortly after leaving them I spotted a movement in a tree up ahead. To my amazement it was a lovely little TENNEESEE WARBLER. It soon flew off so I went and joined the group that was being led by Debbie Allen and within minutes a pinky male House Finch was seen. The second lifer of the day was a CAROLINA WREN singing from a bush that was identified by John Day who over the two walks helped me get onto the birds and give me pointers on what they are (so thanks John!) and then a strange sight was a Great White Egret that flew high overhead. The first of possibly 15 female/juv American Redstart was seen followed by my third lifer of the morning when a female DOWNY WOODPECKER hopped around on a tree. The first of 4 Common Yellowthroat was heard calling then seen in a shrub bed before a juv Red-Tailed Hawk showed brilliantly perched in a tree. 5 more lifers soon followed. A NORTHERN FLICKER perched up on the top of a dead tree. A juv CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER that showed well for a few seconds. But in between I missed out on a male Black-Throated Blue Warbler but scored with a lovely female BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER and a brief Empidonax flycatcher was seen but not ID'd but another flycatcher was seen with a Great-Crested Flycatcher. But then the one bird I wanted to see more than any other suddenly appeared in the tree next to us. A gorgeous male BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER moved around the tree Nuthatch like. While I was watching it someone found an adult BLUE-WINGED WARBLER up ahead and my gaze was averted to watch it. A Night Heron was perched in a Willow tree by one of the small ponds and in the woods I saw my first ever CHIPMUNK! Later in the day Carey and I had a wander and I had 2 Coopers Hawk fly over.