Annual Report - 1988

REPORT OF THE NEW YORK STATE AVIAN RECORDS COMMITTEE 1988

Since the 1987 report the NYSARC has lost two valued members, 'Fritz' G. Scheider and Steven C. Sibley. Kenneth P Able and Thomas W. Burke have been appointed to fill their places. Only 15 reports were received in 1988, a large decrease compared to the 45 received in 1987. If you observe a species that is on the list of reportable species, or a species new to New York (for a list see The Kingbird 38:227-228; 1988 and 39:142-156; 1989), please prepare an account of your observation and send your report to:

Secretary, NYSARC
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850

This summary covers 18 reports representing 15 separate records from 1988, two from 1987, and one from 1986.

1988 Accepted Reports

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis). 1988-2-A eight adults and six juveniles at West Inlet Island, Moriches Bay, Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk Co., 13 July (MW). The color slide submitted shows ten of the 14 birds reported. This is the largest number of Brown Pelican ever recorded at one time in New York.

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea).1988-3-A adult at Nine Mile Point, Town of Scriba, Oswego Co., 8 April (GM, JS, TB).

Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis). 1988-8-A one at Fire Island, Suffolk Co., 13 October (DM).

King Rail (Ralliis elegans). 1988-9-A one at Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area, Town of Newstead, Erie Co., 19 July (GR). This species was recently added to the list of species to be reported owing to the paucity of reports in the last decade.

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis). 1988-10-A two in a field at Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area, Town of Alabama, 21 December (GR). This is one of very few winter occurrences of a Sandhill Crane in New York.

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe). 1988-12-A one at Rye, Westchester Co., 7 May (LB).

Townsend's Warbler (Dendroica townsendi). 1988-13-A adult male at Forest Park, Queens Co., 14 May (SW).

Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica). 1988-14-A adult constructing nest at Science Lake, Allegany State Park, Cattaraugus Co., 12 June (GR). This is one of the two known nesting sites of this species in New York.

Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra). 1988-15-A one on Butts Hollow Road, Town of Washington, Dutchess Co., 14 May (BB).

1988 Report, Identity Accepted, Origin Questionable

Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea). 1988-4-A,B one at Monty Bay, Lake Champlain, Town of Chazy, Clinton Co., 18 December (RH, TM).

1988 Reports Not Accepted

Western Grebe (Aechmophorus Accidents). 1988-1-A four on Pepacton Reservoir, Town of Andes, Delaware Co., 1 May.

Mississippi Kite (Ictinia missisippiensis). 1988-5-A one over Forest Park, Queens Co., 24 May.

Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni). 1988-6-A one at the Pelham Bay Hawk Watch, Bronx Co., 24 September.

"Western" Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis calurus). 1988-7-A one at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Town of Shelby, Orleans Co., 24 December.

Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird. 1988-11-A one at Ithaca, Tompkins Co., 21 July (SS). After consultation with persons who have had considerable laboratory and field experience with Rufous (S. rufus) and Allen's (S. sasin) Hummingbirds, it is thought best to accept this report only as Selasphorus species, as was the case for a previous New York report (Kingbird 31:210; 1981). The bird was coming to a feeder but spent most of the time perched on dead twigs in the lower canopy of a nearby woods and searching for insects along the trunks and leaves of trees.

1987 Accepted Report

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus). 1987-4 -A one at Ithaca, Tompkins Co., 7 December (SS). There are several prior late dates and winter sight records from both upstate and downstate New York.

1987 Report Not Accepted

Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor). 1987-36-A four near Manitou Road and Ontario Parkway, Monroe Co., 8 November. This report was previously accepted by our Committee (Kingbird 38:229; 1988). However, the NYSARC has changed its decision based on careful review of the details and new information received.

1986 Report Not Accepted

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo). 1985-38-E one at Summervllle Pier, Rochester, Monroe Co., I February 1986. (Note that this report, though from 1986, was inadvertently given a 1985 code number). This report was previously accepted (Kingbird 38: 233; 1988). However, the Committee has changed its decision based on further research, a careful reevaluation of the report, and new information received.

No additions were made in 1988 to the New York State List, which stands at 435 species.

New York State Avian Records Committee
Kenneth P. Able
Robert F. Andrie (Chairman)
Thomas W. Burke
Robert O. Paxton
Barbara J. Spencer

OBSERVERS SUBMITTING RECORDS CITED IN THIS REPORT - Tanya Bertram, Lysle R. Brinker, Barbara Butler, William C. D'Anna, Robert K. Hagar, John H. Kitchen, Theodore Mack, George R. Maxwell, David Mizrahi, Mike Porter, Gerald R. Rising, Jon Schneider, Steven C. Sibley, Don and Donna Traver, Murray C. Wade, Steven Walter.