A visit to Central Park

The second Saturday in May is International Migratory Bird Day. The American Birding Association (ABA) and New York City Audubon set up a table at the base of The Point in Central Park with literature, information and publications including BIRDING and WINGING IT, both put out by ABA. I have affiliations with ABA through both of these publications and I decided to go into the city this morning to hang out at the table and get in a little birding as well. The table was, by the way, set up yesterday as well as today and it will be there again tomorrow (when, as readers of this blog, will know, I'm leading a walk at Maple Swamp in Flanders). 

In spite of some light morning showers, this was a great day to be in Central Park -- full of both birders and birds. Yes there were birders. A lot of birders. I saw many old friends that I haven't seen in years. And yes, there were warblers. A lot of warblers. Without leaving The Point, I saw 17 species including Bay-breasted, Wilson's, Canada, Chesnut-sided and lots of Blackpolls (usually rare so early in the season). And that was without some of the birds that might have been expected -- no waterthrushes, no Blackburnians, no Nashvilles. Central Park (along with all the other NYC parks) is indeed a great place for migratory birds in mid-May.

Eric Salzman