The light was much better on Saturday and I finally got some nice photographs of the Least Sandpipers on The Lake mud flat.

The Park’s Department has dammed a section of The Lake, to allow for construction in the North Lobe.  In doing so, they’ve created a large mud flat that Sandpipers are enjoying.  The fall migrations starts first for shorebirds, so we’re seeing Sandpipers now.  On Sunday, Ben Cacace saw four Sandpiper species, Solitary, Spotted, Semipalmated and Least.

I photographed three species on Sunday, Solitary, Spotted and Least.

What’s a commercial bred of duck doing in Central Park?  For years there have been Pekin /Mallard duck hybrids up by the Pool, who always fool first year birders who try to find them in their guides.  But on Sunday, I saw a new pure bred farm duck in the fenced in area south of Turtle Pond.

Is this duck an escapee from a slaughter house or an Easter chick who grew too big for a household?

I got into the park on a sunny, warm Spring evening.  The park was full of birders.  I was able to photograph a Whip-poor-will and a Hooded Warbler.  The Whip-poor-will was a new bird for my Central Park list.

I spent an hour doing some “normal birding” while the spring migrants were still in the park.  I got this shot of a Belted Kingfisher.