October 5 - Central Park

Well this was the first time I ever birded in this park, save for the Boreal Owl that was at Tavern on the Green a few years back. Although rain started our day it quickly stopped and the birds were ready for business too.
Highlights included a Western Kingbird found near DellaCourt Theater, along with Great-Crestred Flycatcher, Baltimore Oriole, and later a Connecticut Warbler was seen in the Pinetum.
credit: http://www.philjeffrey.net/COWA_2008.html

Other goodies were thrushes as we saw Swainson's, Gray-Cheeked, Hermit, and Wood along with Veery, Robins, Thrasher, Mockingbird and a gazillion Catbirds

Sparrows were represented by the ubiquitous House plus others like Song, Swamp, Field, Chipping, White-Throated, White-Crowned, Lincoln's, and Towhees plus a Junco.

Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers and Scarlet Tanagers were numerous all day long with about two dozen seen of each. Blue-Headed Vireo was seen along with Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, Brown Creeper and both Kinglets.

Warblers of the aforementioned Connecticut were joined byTennessee, Parula, Chestnut-Sided, Maggie, BT Blue, Yellow-Rumped, BT Green, Pine, Palm, Blackpoll, B&W, Redstart, Ovenbird, and Northern Waterthrush.

Pretty damn good for my first complete sortie into the park.

October 3 - Northern Wheatear at Garret Mountain

After having struck out on this species twice before, back in 2006 & about 12 days ago, lucked turned my way today when a vagrant Northern Wheatear was found at Garret Mountain.
credit: Smithsonian National Zoo

As soon as the reports came in I took some time off of work to chase this bird. Although traffic was seemingly taking me forever to get there I was actually on the bird within 40 minutes of the internet's rare bird alert.

The most significant feature of the winter-plumaged Wheatear is it's white tail:
credit: Dave Appleton

The Range Map for this very rare visitor:

I saw a few friends there, and made a couple more, plus I hear some other friends also got to see the bird.
A great way to start the weekend ! ABA Lifebird # 577.