Here's a tally of what I found:
At the Harlem Piers, two canvasbacks continue,
while there were also these newcomers...
3 American Black Ducks!
I was also able to observe the Riverside Peregrines, and 1 adult
and 1 juvy RTH over this section of Riverside Park. Working North, the park was devoid of all waterfowl save for one or two mallards, scads of ringbilled gulls
and 1 small group of Canada Geese (much depreciated from their numbers even last week).
At the GWB, I saw no evidence of peregrines, eagles or any other raptor, but working just 5 blocks to the North, was a very shy and secretive Adult RTH moving down along the Henry Hudson Parkway. It was here that I almost died due to the icy/slush conditions! Regaining my composure, I passed Ft. Tryon and up into Inwood Hill. Songbird activity was hushed, no doubt due to the presence of hawks. At the Ranger Station, I observed 4 Redtailed Hawks--2 adults and 2 juvys--kettling up over the soccer fields.
They scattered in different directions, and I scanned the waterline for more ducks. Finally after scouring the nooks and crannies, I discovered a raft of 6 more Canvasbacks!!!
Including this shy female (a lifer).
Refueling at Indian Road Cafe, I then shot over to Broadway Bridge, where I encountered the 2 resident peregrines hunting along the towers as well as 2 more redtailed hawks way out over Kingsbridge.
Here's the remains of breakfast.
The light and relative warmth made for an enjoyable afternoon here. If I had more time, I would've stayed till night fly-in. But now to the South I traveled, hitting up Swindler's Cove on the Harlem River. I found many ring-billed gulls, mallards,
more black ducks and this gal, skulking in the trees!
I was not able to observe the Highbridge Pair of RTH's, but way out over 180th in the Bronx I did see 2 adult RTH's circling each other...perhaps the Fordham U. pair?
By now I was pretty beat, so I exited off the bike path onto 155th for my final surprise...
The overwintering Merlin, high on a Watertower.
Species totals:
4 peregrines, 2 riverside church, 2 broadway bridge.
10 rths, 1 125th st, 1 145th St. 1 185th St., 4 Inwood Hill, 2 180th over the BX and 1 over Highbridge and 155th.
2 Coopers: 1 Swindler's Cove, 1 Kingsbridge
10 canvasbacks: 2 harlem piers, 6 columbia boathouse, 2 Harlem River
10 black ducks, 3 harlem piers, 7 Swindler's Cove
near-death experiences: 2
surveying so much natural beauty in NYC: priceless!
2 comments:
If I'd known you where headed up the bike trail below Fort Tryon, I would have warned you about the conditions.
Beautiful photos. I walk over the Broadway Bridge a lot, see the bird remains on the sidewalk, but I never knew why! Two falcons....I'll look for them next time.
Post a Comment