Annual Report - 1990

REPORT OF THE NEW YORK STATE AVIAN RECORDS COMMITTEE 1990

The New York State Avian Records Committee received 74 reports from 1990, representing 36 records of birds. This is a substantial and gratifying increase over the previous two years. In addition, single reports were received from 1989 and 1962. Two of the reports from 1990 and that from 1962 are not yet resolved. Reports (see The Kingbird 39:142-156; 1989, for a list of species which should be reported) should be sent to the Secretary:

Todd A. Culver, Secretary
New York State Avian Records Committee,
c/o Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology,
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, New York 14850

It is important to be accurate, and observers are reminded to be very clear and specific as to locations of the birds which they report. A local name for a locality can be included, but please use named roads and localities from an authoritative map or atlas in all reports.

1990 Accepted Reports

Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster). 1990-19-A: one off Jones Beach State Park, Town of Hempstead, Nassau Co., 4 October (ML).

Northern Gannet (Mortis bassanus). 1990-29-A: one over Lake Ontario off Edgemere Drive, Town of Greece, Monroe Co., 8 November (KG).

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos). 1990-36-A: one on Round Pond and Braddock Bay, Town of Greece, Monroe Co., 20,22 May (RS).

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens). 1990-17-A-C: one adult at Derby Hill, Town of Mexico, Oswego Co., 23 September (WP, SA, MR). This is the first record from upstate New York.

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea). 1990-14-A,B: one adult on Bolivar Road near Chittenango, Town of Sullivan, Madison Co., 24, 2627 May (DC, PD).

White Ibis (Eudocimus albus). 1990-28-A: one immature at intersection of Route 75 and Shirley Roads, Town of North Collins, Erie Co., 7 November (RA).

Ross's Goose (Chen rossii). 1990-1-A: one at Baiting Hollow, Town of Riverhead, Suffolk Co., 1 and 15 January; one at Short's Pond near Water Mill (likely the same individual), Town of Southampton, Suffolk Co., 24 February (JC). 1990-6-A: one at south end of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca, Town of Ithaca, Tompkins Co., 8 March (DN). In both records, an escape from captivity cannot be ruled out, but the species is being reported with increasing regularity on the Atlantic coast.

Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis). 1990-18-A: one in brushy area adjacent to mall parking lot at Lansing, Town of Lansing, Tompkins Co., 30 September (KD).

Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis). 1990-10-A: one at Derby Hill, Town of Mexico, Oswego Co., 10 May (GS).

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis). 1990-15-A: one at Buttercup Farm Sanctuary, Route 82, Town of Pine Plains, Dutchess Co., 26 May (RG, LG). 1990-34-A: one off Hogan Point Road, Town of Greece, Monroe Co., 21 May (CC). 1990-35-A: one off Curtis Road, Town of Parma, Monroe Co., 25 March (DF).

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola). 1990-27-A-D: one at Marshlands Conservancy, Rye, Town of Harrison, Westchester Co., 31 October-5 November (TB, LB, RGu, BF, PD). An account of this second record from New York appears in The Kingbird 41:70-72; 1991; a color photograph appears in American Birds 45:174; 1991.

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea). 1990-16-A-D: one at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Town of Alabama, Genesee Co., 30-31 July (WD, DS, MS, AC). This is the second Upstate record of a species found nearly annually on Long Island.

Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini). 1990-32-A: one adult and one immature off Milton Point, Rye, Town of Harrison, Westchester Co., 22 September (TB).

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus). 1990-12-A: one at Brookins Road, Town of North Norwich, Chenango Co., 9 May (SM).

Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus savana). 1990-21-A-J: one on Moscow Road, Town of Hamlin, Monroe Co., 7-15 October (RM, KG, AC, RA, DC, GR, RS, MS, CC, PD); an account of this record, with a photograph, appears in The Kingbird 41:1-3; 1991. 1990-26-A: one at intersection of Dog Corners and Dublin Hill Roads, Town of Ledyard, Cayuga Co., 26 September (PH).

Cave Swallow (Hirundo fulva). 1990-13-A,B: one at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Queens Co., 23 May (GL, KK). Seen well in mixed species flock of swallows, this is the first record for New York.

Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides). 1990-8-A: one male at North Tarrytown, Town of Mount Pleasant, Westchester Co., 20 April (RL). 1990-24-A: one male at Jones Beach State Park, Town of Hempstead, Nassau Co., 20 October (RKM, SS).

Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi). 1990-2-A-1: one off Duell Hollow Road southeast of Wingdale, Town of Dover, Dutchess Co., 7-14 January (MVW, MK, JK, HM, DF, BB, MY, JB, EB).

Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius). 1990-7-A-C: one at Goat Island, Niagara Falls, Town of Niagara, Niagara Co., 19-22 April (WD, MG, WW).

Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii). 1990-33-A-C: one off River Road, 0.3 miles north of intersection with Dygert Road, Town of Portage, Livingston Co., 14-15 May (MR, CC, LV).

Dickcissel (Spiza americana). 1990-3-A: one at Taughannock Falls State Park, Town of Ulysses, Tompkins Co., 24 January (DN).

Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus). 1990-20-A-C: six at Beatty Point, Town of Greece, Monroe Co., 6 October (KG, CC, AC).

Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula). 1990-5-A,B: one at southwest corner of Walpole Road and Route 38, Town of Groton, Tompkins Co., 11 and 21 March (SK, DC). The feeder operators hosting this sparrow, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Prinz, said it had been visiting their feeder since late November or early December and that it was last observed on 1 May 1990-25-A: one at Jones Beach State Park, Town of Hempstead, Nassau Co., 30 October (MB).

1990 Report, Identity Accepted, Origin Uncertain

Red-crested Pochard (Netta rufina). 1990-22-A: a pair at Lake Ontario entrance to Irondequoit Bay, Monroe Co., 14 October (JH), photograph on file. A pair of this species was present at Fairhaven Beach State Park, Cayuga Co., for much of November 1990 and reappeared there in November 1991, but details were not submitted to the NYSARC (fide PD).

1990 Reports Not Accepted

Common Eider (Somateria mollissima). 1990-30-A: one in Lake Ontario off East Manitou Road, Town of Greece, Monroe Co., 10 December.

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis). 1990-9-A: one, Town of Big Flats, Chemung Co., 23-27 April, 15 June.

King Rail (Rallus elegans). 1990-11-A: two 0.5 miles east of Pulver's Corners, Town of Pine Plains, Dutchess Co., 12 May.

Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra). 1990-31-A: two adults, one juvenile on Brookhaven National Laboratory property, Town of Brookhaven, Suffolk Co., 6, 21, 25-27 June.

1989 Report Not Accepted

Black-capped Petrel (Pterodroma hasitata). 1989-15-A: one found dead off Route 20 just west of New Lebanon, Town of New Lebanon, Columbia Co., 30 September. Unfortunately, the specimen, apparently one of a number of this species brought inland by Hurricane Hugo, was not preserved for verification.

Erratum

In "Report of the New York State Avian Records Committee 1988" (The Kingbird 40: 209-212; 1990) under 1988 Accepted Reports:

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.

should read:

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis). 1988-10-A: two in a pasture at intersection of Robertsand Sour Springs Roads on the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Town of Alabama, Genesee Co., 21 December (GR). This is one of the very few December occurrences of Sandhill Crane in New York. Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge Manager Don V. Tiller states in a letter that these birds were first observed on the Refuge on 15 December at Ringneck Pool, (Town of Shelby, Orleans Co.) and from 17-21 December in the above stated pasture.

One addition, Cave Swallow, was made in 1990 to the New York State List, which now stands at 436 species.

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

OBSERVERS SUBMITTING RECORDS CITED IN THIS REPORT: Sue Adair, Robert F. Andrle, Matt Bayer, Jean K. Beck, Lysle R. Brinker, Elsa C. Bumstead, Thomas W. Burke, Barbara Butler, Carolyn T. Cass, Anne Clarridge, Richard Clements, James Clinton, Dorothy W. Crumb, Karl David, William C. D'Anna, Paul DeBenedictis, Dorothy M. Fleury, Betsy T. Franz, Michael F. Galas, Leslie Gershon, Richard Gershon, Art Gingert, Kevin C. Griffith, Susan B. Grove, Richard Guthrie, Paul J. Hess, Jody Hildreth, Steve Kahl, Kenn Kaufman, Mary C. Key, James W. Key, Geoffrey S. LeBaron, Manny Levine, Robert H. Lewis, Robert K. Machover, Helen C. Manson, Robert E. Marcotte, Susan Moran, David M. Nutter, William A. Purcell, Martha Reinhardt, Gerald R. Rising, Margaret S. Rusk, Starr Saphir, Dominic Sherony, Gerry Smith, Robert G. Spahn, Mary Ann Sunderlin, Donna F. Traver, Lyn VanderWerf, Marion E. Van Wagner, William Watson, Mary W. Yegella