Cedar Waxwings
At least one flock of Cedar Waxwings have been in Central Park this week. They’re such wonderful birds. They have been seen in the fruit trees on either side of the West Drive, in the 70’s through the 90’s.
Yellow-breasted Chat
Small pocket parks in New York City can yield great birds as was the case this week with a Yellow-breasted Chat in Verizon Plaza just west of 3 Bryant Park, between 41st and 42nd and Sixth and Broadway. Chat’s can be hard to find, as they tend to hide in brush, and only come out into view ever so often. However, this bird, in this park during migration was easy to watch. It was a nice treat after the heavy rains we have been having.
Clay-colored Sparrow
A Clay-colored Sparrow was found and reported by Edmund Berry on Sunday afternoon in Central Park’s Pinetum. It was a great find, and was enjoyed by many birders, who ended up discussing the finer points of Spizella pallida identification, with Chipping Sparrows and Field Sparrows nearby.
I found some nice articles online, including this PDF.
Belted Kingfisher
I had brief looks at the Belted Kingfisher that was at Turtle Pond on Friday. I love seeing them during migration at Turtle Pond or year-round out on Randalls Island.
Juvenile Red-tailed and Cooper’s Hawks
I found a juvenile Red-tailed Hawk eating a Grey Squirrel on a Great Lawn baseball backstop. After I got closer, it had finished eating. This is the same hawk I’ve seen chasing squirrels over the last few days here. It was good to see it able to catch one. As I started photographing, a young Cooper’s Hawk appeared next to the Red-tailed Hawk. I suspecting it was hoping to get leftovers. I’ve seen young hawks of both species steal food from the other species in the past.
Pale Male
Pale Male patiently waited for a Brown Rat to appear and caught it very easily in the Tupelo Meadow. It took it a nearby tree to eat it. The was a young Cooper’s Hawk nearby, so Pale Male took a few minutes to start his meal.
