Central Park
With the snow and ice, I only stayed in the center of Central Park today. I added two species to my year list, a Fox Sparrow and a Rusty Blackbird. Highlights also included a very tame Carolina Wren and a Long-eared Owl.
Red-tails and Long-eared Owls
Sunday was as warm as Saturday, making it enjoyable to walk around Central Park. I started up north, and saw a Brown Trasher by the Pool, my 57th bird in Manhattan for the year.
While in the Conservancy Garden, I saw a Red-tail perch on the roofs of the Cardinal Cooke Heath Care Center and El Museo del Barrio.
Then after a walk to the middle of the park, I had two Long-eared Owls. A nice relaxing afternoon on Superbowl Sunday.
It Was Above Freezing
Finally a warm day, in the high 40’s to watch birds in Central Park. The cold was getting a bit old. My day started with a Cooper’s Hawk, and then some fun song birds at the feeders in the Ramble. It ended with two Long-eared Owls, one of which had an adventure with a gray squirrel and coughed up a pellet.
Randall’s Island
I love birding Randall’s Island (a small island East of Manhattan, south of the Bronx, and west of Queens) in the winter. I generally don’t see another birder when I visit, but today because of a Barnacle Goose found by Anya Auerbach, there were lots of birders. I also had two Snow Buntings by the water’s edge east of Field 31. Both species were life birds for me, so today was a great day. New York City has lots of great birds in January!
Snowy In Snow
Snowy Owls continue in the area. This afternoon, I got to photograph one in the snow. White on White, what a delight to photograph.
Horned Larks at Floyd Bennett Field
For some reason, Horned Larks are a species that has escaped my view until today. A flock was on one of runways at Floyd Bennett Field this afternoon.
