My visit to Central Park started with the search for the Western Flycatcher.  It was the star of the day.  A vagrant from the west coast, it is unclear if it is a Pacific-Slope or Cordilleran Flycatcher.  It was photographed by at least twenty photographers, so I decided just to watch it.  A fun bird to watch and get to know, even if it looks a bit scruffy.  The two species interbreed, so the discussion about “which species this is?”, is really fascinating.  See the NY State Bird List for an interesting discussion.

The end of the day was with the Great Horned Owl which was cooperative before and after fly out.  It tends to like the tops of bare trees after fly out, which helps greatly while following it after fly out.

The Great Horned Owl which wasn’t found last Sunday, was found mid-week and this Saturday.  Today, it was on an open branch giving birders excellent looks.  I’m glad it’s stuck around so long!

The Great Horned Owl in Central Park was difficult to photograph and observe today.  It faced away from the easy spots to photograph from this afternoon and evening.  Fly out was a little later than the last few nights, but it was a clear rather than cloudy night so this was to be expected.  Except for a a brief second flight, we were unable to track the owl tonight.

Update: The owl was not seen Sunday morning, 11-15-15

I arrived at the roost just as some Red-tailed Hawks spooked the Great Horned Owl. It made for some fun owl watching as we got to see some flights in daylight, but it didn’t make for great photography.  After dark, two of us were able to keep track of the owl for a good 30 minutes from a vantage point across the lake.  It was wonderful to watch the owl stretch and wake up without any birders or hawks to distract it.

The Great Horned Owl in Central Park has hung around. Tonight was a typical fly out.  Lots of stretches and a wonderful circular flight around the roost site.  It then perched on a nearby tree for about ten minutes before flying a good distance south.

For those lucky enough to see this bird, please be respectful of this wonderful owl.  The ABA’s Code of Ethics has some great recommendations about how to promote the welfare of birds and their environment.  

I went to Central Park, in New York City today to look for Pale Male and an Immature Red-headed Woodpecker.  I saw both but the surprise of the day was a Great Horned Owl roosting in a Sweet Gum Tree.  The tree had red and yellow leaves and was a perfect backdrop for the owl.  Let’s hope it sticks around for a few weeks.