Birding Manhatten

I've just had a very busy week in New York, we went to all of the usual attractions, and it wasn't really a birding holiday, but there are just so many birds in and around New York City that you can't really fail, especially if like me, you don't get to North America very often.

Central Park is an oasis in the middle of Manhatten, and just a leisurely stroll around will produce a good selection of birds, most of which seem oblivious to people. On no occasion did we deliberately set out to go birding, and the photos here are just birds and wildlife we came across on our walks through the park, often on our way to other places.

It's not all about Central Park. There are other smaller parks with a good selection of birds, and the Staten Island Ferry takes you past the Statue of Liberty, with plenty of birds to see as well. Species we saw from the ferry included Double-crested Cormorants, Ring-billled Gulls, Laughing Gulls and a single Red-throated Loon (Diver), whilst around the shore there were small groups of Pale-bellied Brent Geese.

However Central Park is the main birding location in the city. The most obvious species (apart from Starlings and House Sparrows) are the American Robins, which are everywhere and very tame, and the White-throated Sparrows. Perhaps more unexpected are the Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures.

The feeders in the Rambles are a good place to see a lot of species without trying too hard, whilst the reservoir, lakes and ponds of Central Park hold a good selection of waterbirds. During our stay this included at least 8 Buffleheads, 2 Hooded Mergansers, 1 Common Loon (Great northern Diver), 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 1 Wood Duck, 20 Ruddy Ducks, numerous American Coot and Double-crested Cormorants and a single Snowy Egret.

Even the train journey from Newark airport to Penn station New York had some birding interest, with a Night Heron and a Belted Kingfisher amongst other birds seen on the numerous ponds and marshes.

Non-birding activities included the Lion King on Broadway, the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, the Comedy Cellar in Greenwich Village, the Empire State building, the Statue of Liberty, the World Trade Centre Memorial, plus visits to the Museum of Modern Art and the American Museum of Natural History, as well as lots of shopping time! We sampled Spanish, Japenese, Etheopian, Italian, Greek and American food. A very enjoyable if slightly hectic visit. Everyday was like a week!


The Financial District of Manhatten from Brooklyn.


Strawberry Fields in Central Park, not far from the Dakota building where John Lennon was shot.


Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn.