Category: Other Birds
Immature White-crowned Sparrow
I finally had a chance to look for the Immature White-crowned Sparrow that had been reported by Leo Bix on the 15th of January. The sparrows it had been hanging out with on the dirt path north of Sheep Meadow had moved about a block north to the hill just south of the Falconer’s Statue. It was in a mixed group of House Sparrows and White-throated Sparrows. There was also a single Fox Sparrow and a single Dark-eyed Junco.





Common Loon
The Common Loon returned to Central Park’s Reservoir on Tuesday and was there on Wednesday morning. There were reports of a Red-throated Loon on the Reservoir Tuesday, but the bird I photographed in the late afternoon was a Common Loon, so either we had two different Loons, or there was confusion about the ID.
Tuesday Afternoon






Wednesday Morning







American Woodcock and Osprey
I was away for about a week in Florida at a family reunion, so I missed the Barred Owl and two Great Horned Owls that had been in the Ramble of Central Park. On the off chance they might have still been around, I went to look for them without success.
However, I did get to see an American Woodcock and thanks to the kindness of Charlotte Khoo, who came and found me to tell me about it an Osprey perched in a tree by Balancing Rock, just up the path from the Loeb Boathouse.







Vesper Sparrow
On the lawn south of Sparrow Rock, near the Crab Apple trees, late in the day there was a Vesper Sparrow on Friday. A rare sparrow for Central Park, all of us were cautious to I.D. it on the spot. I wasn’t sure until I looked at my photographs at home and then got another birder to confirm the species for me.







Winding Down At 230 Central Park West
As expected, the number continue to decline at the 230 Central Park West roost. Tonight, I only saw about 100 swifts, but I may have started counting late. Either way, we’re at the tail end of the migration through New York.


