Avian Rarities

Coney Island’s Grey-headed Gull, which has made the big time, reminds me of some other rarities that have shown up in NYC in the last few years:

Boreal Owl ~ 1/05 Central Park (Origin: Northern Canada)*
Western Reef Heron ~ 7/07 Calvert Vaux Park (Africa)**
Scott’s Oriole ~ 1/08 Union Square (Western U.S.)
Black Swan ~ 8/09 Jamaica Bay (Australia)***
Varied Thrush ~ 11/10 Central Park (Western U.S.)
Hooded Crow ~ 6/11 Great Kills Park (N. Europe)

I saw each of these except for the Hooded Crow, a black and gray crow I became familiar with in northern Scotland in ’06 where they’re known as Hoodies.

*This owl hung out in the conifers north of that weird pile, Tavern on the Green.
**This species crosses the Atlantic more readily much further to the south of us.
***Yes, Black Swans exist, not just in the minds of the wretched dismal scientists. They are native to Australia and have been exported around the world to decorate ponds and gardens. If you see one off the reservation, so to speak, it’s pretty likely an escapee.