Located in the Bronx, New York, City Island is a small island, approximately one mile long and a quarter mile wide. City Island is surrounded by Eastchester Bay on one side and Long Island Sound on the other. Its bridge attaches to a roadway adjacent to Pelham Bay Park, New York City's largest park. In this area, and in the waters and wetlands, in and around City Island, many bird species thrive. Here, several and varied migratory birds are found. This website was created to help study, appreciate, and protect all the birds of this area.
Jack Rothman
AP Photo/Kathy Willens
Plant Talk- NYBG (Blog)
Bird Population Studies (USGS)
NYS Ornithological Association
(former City Islander)
Pelham Bay Advocacy
Updated 3/15/10
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Welcome to City Island Birds. I created this website because this area of New York City is little known and underutilized by birdwatchers and other nature lovers. Pelham Bay Park, with its woods and wetlands is a critical stopover and nesting area to many migratory species.
I took this Song Sparrow photo last year. This year, even the Song Sparrows have been few because of the cold.
This photo of two Great Horned Owlets was taken in early April of last year. (Can you see two?) I’m guessing that one of our pairs of owls is sitting on eggs right now.
This is one of the owlets from last year. So far we’ve had owlets for several consecutive years. I have no reason to believe this year will be different.
Very Early Migrants ......
Thursday, I strolled through Prospect Park with Jane, my daughter Julia and Rudy, her dog. I wasn’t birding, but of course I had my binoculars. I saw an Eastern Phoebe perched on a fence post. Other migrants included Common Grackles, lots of Robins moving and Red-winged Blackbirds. So it looks like spring is finally coming. Perhaps after this weekend’s rainstorm, more birds will ride in on the wind. By next week we should be able to find some early moving warblers. If enough birds seem to be moving in, let’s walk!
Early migrants, like Eastern Phoebes, have been arriving!
What about Turtle Cove’s barren appearance....
When I drive by Turtle Cove, I am upset at it’s appearance. It looks devastated. The NYC Parks Department removed all of the invasive species in the area, thus the barren appearance. Hopefully, native plant species will take over soon. I’m not sure what effect this will have on our nesting birds in the area. As the weather warms, it will be interesting to see what happens. As everyone knows, several birds nested in that area, including returning Willow Flycatchers, Marsh Wrens, Yellow Warblers, hundreds of Red-winged Blackbirds, Song Sparrows, Catbirds and several others. In addition, we were always able to find a Snowy or Great Egret, Great Blue and Green Herons and a variety of shorebirds. Without the cover that the foliage provided, I am not optimistic for this year. However, I am not an ecologist and in the long run, it is probably a good thing to remove these invasive vines and plants that were taking over.
What about Turtle Cove? There are many questions regarding our nesting birds, that will be answered in the next few months. Hopefully the radical elimination of the invasive plant species by the NYC parks Department won’t impact our nesting birds. However, with much reduced foliage and cover, birds may not return until the area grows out again.
Willow Flycatchers nested at Turtle Cove every season. I could find them on the berm, between the salt and fresh water marsh. Now the berm is slated to be removed. What will happen to our nesting species?
We are an “Important Birding Area”
Have you seen an American Kestrel?
They need your help. Link here.
Owl Update.....
I received a bunch of emails asking me when our next owl walk will be. I looked back into my log book and see that it isn’t until early April that the female Great Horned makes an appearance. Most likely she is down in the hollow of a tree, sitting on eggs. I’ve been checking the area where she might be every few days. As soon as she makes an appearance, hopefully with her owlets, we’ll have a walk. We’ve seen the male nearby a few times.
Northern Saw-whet Owls have not been around very much. I remember in 2006 or 2007 we counted about 15 of these owls in the pines. Every year is different. If there is ample food supply up north, they probably hang around there. This year we might have seen three and none of them stuck around very long. About a week ago there was a single Long -eared Owl on Hunter. A day or two later the bird was gone. Loud people and loud dogs seem to frighten the owls, although I’m not sure what really makes them leave. So sit tight, the weather will warm and the Great Horned Owls will show, with their owlets!
Check out last year’s Owl Walk- Link here.
