Sunday birding was fairly quiet in Central Park, but if you looked hard enough you could find some fun species.

The fall migration is in full swing and I’ve been concentrating on adding birds to my Central Park list these last few weeks.  On Saturday, I added two more to my list, a Purple Finch and a Tennessee Warbler.

Some fall migrants (two might stay for the winter) photographed this weekend…

Fall Warblers photographed in Central Park over the last week.

Some bird identifications can be difficult.  Sparrows, Flycatchers and Gulls are the tough birds in Central Park.  On a foggy Saturday afternoon, three sparrows were seen together.  (Credit for the first sighting goes to Jacob Drucker with follow ups by Tony Lance.)  Two of the birds were clearly Chipping Sparrows, with the third appearing to be a Clay-colored Sparrow, a species not normally found in Central Park.

In the Spring, these two species are easier to tell apart.  In the fall, it’s harder.  Rump color, lores, crown patterns come into play.