Fall Birds at The Battery - Woodpeckers, Warblers and Sparrows

You can experience Battery Park at its most peaceful time during early morning walks with expert birder and naturalist, Gabriel Willow. Despite ongoing construction to raise the edge of the waterfront to prevent flooding from rising sea levels and climate change, birds still live in the park’s woodland areas, and many migrating birds are stopping by on their journeys to southern wintering grounds. 

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are woodpeckers that make holes in the bark of trees to release sweet sap that they lap up with their long tongues, along with any insects attracted to the sap. 

 Northern Flickers are also woodpeckers and they will look for insects in the bark of trees too, as well as on the ground. 

And for the first time I saw a Red-bellied Woodpecker at The Battery, even though some of them stay in the area all year. The red is more noticeable on its head than its belly, though.

 

There haven’t been as many migratory warblers this season as I hoped for, maybe because of the wind and weather patterns. 

Still there have been many of the regulars, especially around the Labyrinth.

An Ovenbird crept around on the ground in the Labyrinth.

 Along with a Palm Warbler.

While a male Common Yellowthroat climbed on the Labyrinth fence. 

A Black-and-white Warbler hunted for insects on the Atlas Cedar in the Labyrinth.

 

Plus a Cape May Warbler.

 

And an American Redstart 

 

A tiny Ruby-crowned Kinglet flitted around.

 

A Baltimore Oriole was inconspicuous in drab winter feathers.

 

While a young Hermit Thrush scratched below in the leaves.

Throughout the city parks, White-throated Sparrows are arriving to stay for the winter.  

 

Along with Song Sparrows.

 

And a Brown Creeper that was creeping along a tree trunk - well-camouflaged except from the side, when you could see its light belly. 

It's been a good group to hang out with!

An October Walk at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

Monarch Butterfly on Seaside Goldenrod

On October 5, we went on a walk with Jamaica Bay Guardian Don Riepe, from the American Littoral Society. It was a lovely fall day, not too windy, but we only saw a few migrating monarch butterflies. And one Common Buckeye. I learned that they also migrate to the southern states as the weather gets colder. 

Common Buckeye butterfly

Meanwhile, back at the Visitors Center there were butterfly-related activities led by Wing Kong, a local environmental artist and educator (wingny.com). She brought an enclosure with monarch butterflies and chrysalises to show participants, and then later released a newly emerged butterfly near the Pollinator Garden.

Wing Kong 

There was a large flock of Snowy Egrets gathered around the West Pond, resting for a while before resuming their journey south.

And Canada Geese flew by as well. 

Over at the East Pond, we saw a large collection of ducks, including the large billed Northern Shovelers.  

And Ruddy Ducks

Plus American Black Ducks.

 

Also Pied-billed Grebes were diving close by. 

A great day at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, right here in New York City. 

     

 

The Tiny Pond in Battery Park City is a Downtown Oasis

The pond is built of stone and set into the promenade between the Hudson River and the Irish Hunger Memorial. 

 

The shiny buildings nearby, including the World Trade Center tower, are reflected in the surface of the water.

When the light is right and the Mallard ducks are swimming in the pond, the effect can be psychedelic. 

In early summer, the Mallard ducks nest in dense clumps of reeds that are planted around the pond in circular, sunken containers.

The male Mallards are more colorful than the females, with their irresistible bright green heads. Both parents are involved with looking out for the ducklings.

When the ducklings first enter the water, they are smaller than the Koi fish in the pond.

The ducklings swim around the pond, following their parents, then rest on the rocks. 

Sometimes the family is joined by other birds using the pond, including an iridescent Common Grackle.

There is a shallow ledge on the upper level with a light waterfall coming off it. That’s where the smaller birds come for their baths, including the Grackle.  

The ducks do their splashing down below.

 

The Mallards are vegetarian and don’t bother the Koi. 

However, a Black-crowned Night Heron sometimes comes by to enjoy the little pond and its abundance of bright, tasty fish. 

Sometimes it might be hard to actually swallow a fat, wiggling fish.  

After the struggle, the Black-crowned Night Heron can rest and digest in a nearby tree. 

For all of us, it’s a great place to relax for a while and watch the activity in the pond. 

Nests and Young Birds All Around the City - June 2024

 
There was a Mute Swan family at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. 

Mute Swans

And at Riis Park beach and Fort Tilden, Oystercatchers and Piping Plovers sheltered their babies on stretches of cordoned off sand monitored by volunteers for the Plover Project, plus cameras set up by the NYC Bird Alliance (formerly NYC Audubon). 

Oystercatchers

 

Piping Plovers

 On a Governors Island walk with Loyan Beausoleil, sponsored by NYC Bird Alliance, we spotted Killdeers raising chicks among the trees. 

Killdeers

 

      While Common Terns were nesting far out on the empty pier towards Brooklyn. 

Common Terns

 

                  The recently fledged Red-tailed Hawk was practicing flying.   

Red-tailed Hawk

 

And a baby Herring Gull on a rooftop cried for food as the parent calmly preened. 

Herring Gulls 

 

On an evening cruise up the East River sponsored by NYC Bird Alliance, we saw Double-crested Cormorants nesting on U Thant Island across from the United Nations headquarters.

Double-crested Cormorants

 And an Osprey nested high up on a deteriorating metal structure along the waterfront. 

Osprey on nest

Closer to home, on a walk with Marieke Bender sponsored by Battery Park City, we saw a young starling beginning to hunt for its own food instead of begging the parents. 

Young European Starling

 And on the way home I saw that the Mallard ducklings in the little pond in Battery Park City are getting pretty big too.

Mallard ducklings