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Central Park

New York

   The Lake & Manhattan Skyline

21 October 2002

Observers: F. Simpson

 

INTRODUCTION


 

On returning from working in the field in Peru in late October 2002 I had a stopover of several hours at Newark Airport in New Jersey. Not content with seeing loads of good birds in the Neotropics I could not miss the opportunity for a few hours birding in one of the most famous parks in the world. Transport to Manhattan is quick and easy - I took the train for $11 return to NY Penn Station on 31st Street. From here it was a short walk to the south end of Central Park on 59th Street and, in the next four hours, birded about a third of the whole area getting as far as the hawk watch point at Belveder Castle. Here, there was a small gathering of helpful and friendly regulars and they put me on to a few good birds. One thing that struck me, in comparison to say Hyde Park in London, was both the abundance of birds and how much more approachable they were. The list below indicates the species found either from the train (mainly around the Hudson River) or in the park itself. Most notable were the huge numbers of Wood Thrush, the presence of five woodpecker species and, of course, the Red-tailed Hawks.

 

 

List of Species recorded in and around New York City:


 

     

     

    CP

    T

     Great Egret  

     Ardea alba

     

     

     Great Blue Heron  

     Ardea herodias

     

     

     Double-crested Cormorant

     Phalacrocorax auritus

     

     

     Mute Swan  

     Cygnus olor

     

     

     Canada Goose  

     Branta canadensis

     

     

     Mallard

     Anas platyrhynchos

     

     

     Green-winged Teal  

     Anas crecca carolinensis

     

     

     Turkey Vulture  

     Cathartes aura

     

     

     Cooper's Hawk  

     Accipiter cooperii

     

     

     Sharp-shinned Hawk  

     Accipiter striatus

     

     

     Red-tailed Hawk  

     Buteo jamaicensis

     

     

     American Kestrel  

     Falco sparverius

     

     

     American Herring Gull

     Larus argentatus smithsonianus

     

     

     Ring-billed Gull  

     Larus delawarensis

     

     

     Feral Rock Dove  

     Columba livia domest.

     

     

     Mourning Dove  

     Zenaida macroura

     

     

     Northern Flicker 'Yellow-shafted'

     Colaptes auratus

     

     

     Red-bellied Woodpecker  

     Melanerpes carolinus

     

     

     Red-headed Woodpecker

     Melanerpes erythrocephalus

     

     

     Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

     Sphyrapicus varius

     

     

     Downy Woodpecker  

     Picoides pubescens

     

     

     Blue Jay  

     Cyanocitta cristata

     

     

     American Crow  

     Corvus brachyrhynchos

     

     

     Black-capped Chickadee  

     Parus atricapillus

     

     

     Tufted Titmouse  

     Parus bicolor

     

     

     Brown Creeper  

     Certhia americana

     

     

     House Wren  

     Troglodytes aedon

     

     

     Winter Wren  

     Troglodytes hiemalis

     

     

     Gray Catbird  

     Dumetella carolinensis

     

     

     Brown Thrasher  

     Toxostoma rufum

     

     

     American Robin  

     Turdus migratorius

     

     

     Wood Thrush  

     Hylocichla mustelina

     

     

     Hermit Thrush  

     Catharus guttatus

     

     

     Swainson's Thrush  

     Catharus ustulatus

     

     

     Golden-crowned Kinglet  

     Regulus satrapa

     

     

     Ruby-crowned Kinglet  

     Regulus calendula

     

     

     Starling

     Sturnus vulgarus

     

     

     Myrtle Warbler  

     Dendroica coronata

     

     

     American Redstart  

     Setophaga ruticilla

     

     

     House Sparrow  

     Passer domesticus

     

     

     Red-winged Blackbird  

     Agelaius phoeniceus

     

     

     Purple Finch  

     Carpodacus purpureus

     

     

     House Finch  

     Carpodacus mexicanus

     

     

     Dark-eyed Junco  

     Junco hyemalis

     

     

     Chipping Sparrow  

     Spizella passerina

     

     

     White-throated Sparrow  

     Zonotrichia albicollis

     

     

     Fox Sparrow  

     Passerell ailiaca

     

     

     Song Sparrow  

     Melospiza melodia

     

     

     CP = Central Park, T = from the train

     

    Belveder Castle  Literary Walk, The Mall

 

   

All photographs © 2002  F. S. Simpson

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