New York's Central Park

With a 10 hour stopover in New York, en route from Lima to London, I had to visit to Central Park in Manhattan. I was last here in October 2002 on a quiet autumn day. Today the Big Apple was like the summer day London never had this year. And the locals knew it too… it was thronged with people. Despite this there were many birds to be found. American Robins were everywhere (why did I take an overnight bus to Yorkshire for one earlier this year?) I was happy enough to complete my set of New World kingfishers with a Belted and another US hummer but it was also a good time for the fall migrants. I spent most of the day in the undergrowth so probably missed out on any raptors heading south. The only birders I met were at Belvedere Castle who were wondering whether a Solitary Sandpiper on the Turtle Pond (admittedly, viewed from above – not the best angle) was a Louisiana Waterthrush! I got there from JFK using the Skytrain ($5 Metrocard), the Long Island Rail Road ($6 return) to Penn Station followed by a big slow yellow taxi ($9)… probably quicker walking there! Didn’t have time too eat so had a 100 Grand bar…

The list…

Gadwall, Mallard, Solitary Sandpiper, Feral Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swift, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Downy Woodpecker, Eastern Wood Pewee, Least Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Gray-cheeked Thrush, Swainson's Thrush, Veery, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, European Starling, Tennessee Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Wilson's Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch and House Sparrow. Two more from the train: Ring-billed Gull and American Herring Gull.