New York City. May 08th – May 17th 2007
Having read a great report,"An Englishman in New York" on the Internet about his trip to New York we decided to take the bull by the horns and go for it ourselves. We bought Sibleys book, Birds of North Eastern America, which proved invaluable as we had little previous experience of American birds apart from trying to twitch them in England. (A fruitless few hours at Porthgwarra trying to find Red Eyed Vireo while on holiday in Cornwall and a recent American Widgeon spring to mind). In America they would virtually be outside our balcony as our hotel was just two blocks away from Central Park where we had planned to spend a few hours before meeting our non birding, friends for a foray onto the city. We got a great deal through Expedia but it will be interesting to see what the prices will be like once Ryanair start their service in October. When you arrive after a long tiring flight be prepared for a long tiring wait in customs. The taxi into Manhattan a set $45 was half what our travel agent in England tried to charge us. Ignore the touts and join the queue at the taxi rank. The ride was an experience in itself but with a distinct lack of birds. My first American bird was a Starling!
Wednesday
The first day we got up late. A very civilised 10 o’clock, which luckily for us turned out to be 5 am local time. We strolled into the park at 72nd street. The Ramble one of the best places to find birds is just opposite. Our first real bird was an iridescent common crackle, you will soon learn to recognise its call, followed by a catbird and a bird I really wanted to see, an American Robin -all of which were to prove very common over the next few days. The Ramble is brilliantly designed in concentric circles so you can cover a lot of distance without going very far away if you get my meaning. There are plenty of benches on which you can sit and bird the tree canopies. A word of warning here-you are going to get a stiff neck trying to i.d. the warblers up in the tree tops over a period of time, so the benches are a real boon. The locals use them and don’t mind you sitting next to them while pointing things out to you and having a chat! It was how I saw Magnolia Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and Black Throated Blue Warbler. We all sat on three benches and they just shouted them out. It was here that I finally connected with Red Eyed Vireo. Someone saw a cuckoo fly by so we all shot off and followed. It was traced to a nearby tree and the general consensus was Black Billed Cuckoo!
Thursday
Turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far. It was dark when we left the hotel and we had breakfast at an all night diner .At the entrance we were joined by a birder who picked out a Northern Parula for us. You can tell it apart from other warblers by its busy behaviour.(They call them paraIlas over there-having never heard it spoken before I tended to call it paroola myself).It was one of my half dozen target birds, one which turns up regularly in England and I had always wanted to see. In truth it was a poor view .I was to find better views myself on other days but it created a lot of excitement and we hadn’t even got into the park yet! We made our way into the Ramble and found a woodpecker at its nest hole. It was a Red Bellied Woodpecker. We often caught glimpses of it and the very handsome Northern Flicker .It was a very slow morning and we went over to the pond where things picked up and bird followed bird. A Black and White warbler was a special one for me. It turned out to be quite common too. It behaves like our tree creeper and later I was to find the similar Blackpoll Warbler. Someone saw a Nashville warbler but I could only get poor views of it. A couple of hours birding stretched into a whole morning and very tired we rushed back to our friends.
In the evening we decided to walk along the road to the Reservoir a bit further north and come back through the park. Couldn’t see the Red Throated Loon, which had been reported every day up until now. All the local birders told me it had probably gone which was a blow as I really wanted to see one in summer plumage. Couldnt make out any terns but we hadn’t brought our scope (apart from the reservoir you really don’t need to lug a scope with you to bird the park).On the way back we had Yellow Rumped, Chestnut Sided and Magnolia Warbler all in the same clump of trees!! (American warblers are so colourfull it is relatively easy to i.d. them if you have a book with you). Although Pine and Palm warblers had already been through we were constantly told that the main migration had been delayed - huge fires in Virginia and heavy storms in Georgia being two of the reasons. Well apparently something was delaying them but we weren’t complaining, we had more than enough to be getting on with. Thunderstorms were expected later which should ground them .We went to a restaurant that evening that had seared ruff on the menu..(we didn’t ask)
Friday
Well we had our thunderstorms and boy did it rain. It seemed to do the trick. Next to the Polish statue at the pond we had two Magnolia, two Black and White and one Parula all flittering around the same cherry trees. This was rapidly becoming my favourite spot. We found a Wilsons Warbler, which caused a stir, a smart bird with a tiny black crown stripe and in a tree, Prairie Warbler, Warbling Vireo, and Yellow Warbler.In the pond itself we saw Great White Egret, Spotted Sandpiper and Black Crowned Night Heron. The Red Tailed Hawk flew slowly over and on up to the building where it nests. From here to Belvedere seemed to be the most productive area, a short walk with lots of benches. We always saw a staggering array of colourful warblers and friendly helpful birders. We also met George a Red Shouldered Blackbird who landed on Ellen’s bag, while she was wearing it!! (Unfortunately the camera was also in the bag). Walking back from here to the Rambles you pass the workshops, opposite which is a field. This became another favourite place to stop because the opening in the trees affords better views. I would try to come here every evening and to the Tupolo tree area nearby. The variety and beauty of these birds is just fantastic. It makes birding in the states quite easy compared to our little brown jobs. Here I saw a crimson Summer Tanager,Indigo Bunting, Housefinch and my first Canada Warbler. (the Finch caused some debate and Anne who seemed to be a local expert decided on Purple finch). Nearing the Tupolo tree we tracked down a brilliant coloured Baltimore Oriole by its fluting song. Another fantastic day.
Saturday/Sunday
We went for a quick look around to see what else had arrived and found the place packed with dog walkers. New Yorkers love their dogs and they have a staggering variety. One guy had a Bearded Collie, a breed saved from extinction by an English woman in 1947.Next visit I am going to start a dog list as well! They are as friendly and chatty as the birders, but there weren’t too many birds around-nor children either oddly enough. In the evening I went back to Tupolo fields. Under the nesting American Robin I found a Hooded Warbler! I hadn’t been expecting it but It is on the cover of my cd-rom to the Birds of Eastern America and I recognised it instantly. A superb Wood Thrush was hacking about in the undergrowth and someone pointed out a Song Sparrow to me. It’s a funny thing about the thrushes and sparrows. They seem to have so many varieties-I had hoped for at least 7 sparrows-but I found them scarce. You had to really work for them or just be lucky unlike the warblers, which in spring plumage were easily identified. In fall however its matter entirely with juveniles complicating things. We decided to go into the ramble to avoid the crowds sunning themselves. A Rose Breasted Grossbeak drinking at the Azalea Pond was a heart-stopping surprise. There were more Parulas and I finally saw a Hermit Thrush. On the way back we had a Louisiana Waterthrush at the bridge near the exit.
On Mothers day instead of a well deserved lie in they all go for a run. There were so many participants we couldnt cross the road! We ended up at the path between the pond and Belvedere Castle where it was cheerfully announced that the Cape May warbler had been showing right up to our arrival. Another of my target birds but it didn’t return while we were there. Nevertheless we had a fantastic few hours sitting with the local birders and looking at all the birds one of which was an American Redstart which performed a great tail spreading dance above our heads. Later on I tagged along with a group from the museum whose tour guide was very knowledgeable and pointed birds out at breakneck speed. I could feel myself starting to hyperventilate with all the excitement so I strolled round to the maintenance sheds by myself to calm down. I stood very still sunning myself in the middle of the field when a Northern Cardinal flew up and tried to land on me! I should have kept still but I ducked and it circled around, before giving up and flying back! Then a Chesnut -sided Warbler appeared, a superbly marked little warbler giving a great view. I wondered if the tour group could see if from where they stood. I then moved on to Tupolo field where I saw a willow flycatcher and a bird I had on the front of a birdwatching magazine years ago and had always hoped one day to see. It was more arresting than its photograph, a brilliant orange with black stripes. None of my new birding mates were with me to share it - a Blackburnian Warbler. A fantastic end to a fantastic holiday.
All in all we saw 70 odd birds, met lots of friendly like minded souls and had a blinding holiday. I can thoroughly recommend New York as a birding destination, especially if you go with non birding friends. There are other places to go as well as central park. Jamaica Bay, which is quite a trek away, and better in fall anyway and Prospect Park is meant to be good too (There was a Prothonotary Warbler while we were there). Unfortunately I hurt my foot just before we left so I couldn’t go too far. They will have to wait for the next trip.
Trip list
It reads as if you had a very good holiday.
Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood
Excellent down to earth report.
Thanks for sharing.
Mick