Shorebirds of the Bronx

Whimbrels in Turtle Cove, Pelham Bay Park, Bronx

In mid-July a couple Bronx birder friends and I were talking about we have never really had that much luck with shorebirds in the Bronx. There were several species that could be generally found at certain times in certain places, but the Bronx definitely seemed to be the least shorebirdy place in NYC.

That luck would change, due to some serious puddles, but also perhaps some increased attention at the right times.

Before we get to puddles, let’s cover some basics about timing and habitat. Except for definitely Killdeer and American Oystercatcher, and maybe American Woodcock, Spotted Sandpiper or Willet, there are no shorebirds that breed in the Bronx. Even Piping Plovers, which even breed on other NYC beaches, do not have adequate habitat in the Bronx (probably true for Willet too). Most of the shorebirds breed nowhere near the Bronx. and just pass through on the way to and from their breeding grounds, often in the Arctic for many species. This limits the time they can be observed, so it would probably not be productive to check the following spots for shorebirds much of the time. The range of April-September, with peaks particularly in May and July-August, would be the most promising times to look for shorebirds. Still, there are a lot of shorebird species that migrate to and from different places, and some of them spend their winters on Long Island beaches. So why not the Bronx in November or January, right? There are not that many people birding the Bronx relative to other boroughs, and frankly, some great sites are totally under-birded.

Although shorebirds can be found elsewhere in the Bronx, any and all shorebird discussion for the Bronx starts and ends with Pelham Bay Park, the largest NYC park, which contains tidal mudflats, salt marsh, and rocky coast.

American Oystercatcher, on an off-shore island at
Pelham Bay Park

At Pelham bay Park, the rocky shore, especially the offshore rocky islands, around Hunter Island are a good spot to find up to about 4 American Oystercatchers from April through August. On these same rocks, you can spot small flocks of Semipalmated Plovers and Semipalmated Sandpipers during migration. This area could also be good for winter shorebirds, maybe Dunlin, Black-bellied Plover, or Purple Sandpiper.

Greater Yellowlegs in Turtle Cove, Pelham Bay Park

There are some tidal areas in between Hunter Island and the Twin Islands of Pelham Bay Park. I have not had many shorebirds here, but once I had a Black-bellied Plover there (very uncommon for the Bronx).  Goose Creek Marsh at low tide could host shorebirds as can the lagoon. Perhaps the best spot for low tide is the mudflats in Turtle Cove. With multiple angles to view parts of the cove and the invertebrate prey to attract the birds, Turtle Cove is a likely spot to find the common shorebird species and possibly uncommon to rare ones. Whimbrels even made a showing in September 2017!

There is not much wave action at Orchard Beach, and it is only occasionally that Sanderlings have been recorded there, although maybe people are not looking enough.

Puddles in Orchard Beach Parking Lot

Semipalmated Sandpipers in a parking lot puddle,
Pelham Bay Park

Short-billed Dowitchers in a parking lot puddle,
Pelham Bay Park

There are some semi-permanent puddles in the Orchard Beach parking lot (they do appear in Google Maps) that are one of the only freshwater spots in all of Pelham Bay Park. Starting in July and continuing through September 2017, these puddles gained quite a reputation for hosting shorebirds, attracting flocks of over a hundred Semiplamated Sandpiper, dozens of Least Sandpipers, and even a few Red-necked Phalaropes (I was out of town and missed these). Other birds the puddles attracted included Short-billed Dowitcher, Pectoral Sandpiper, and Lesser Yellowlegs. Western Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Whimbrels and Stilt Sandpiper were also observed this season on one-two occasions each, but I missed those. For a place like Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens or Jones Beach in Long Island, shorebird sightings are pretty standard. However, friends who have birded the Bronx for years were surprised and getting “Bronx lifers” with just about all of those shorebirds (minus the Semipalms and Least).

Pectoral Sandpiper, in a parking lot puddle, Pelham Bay Park

Semipalmated Plovers blending into the mudflats at low tide
near the mouth of the Bronx River at Soundview Park.
Compare the distance and difficult views of this natural
habitat to those crazy puddles in the parking lot.

The Bronx River at low tide at Soundview Park features exposed mudflats; I found Semipalmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers, and Killdeer there. Its rocky edges could also be good for winter shorebirds, maybe Dunlin, Black-bellied Plover, or Purple Sandpiper.  The Bronx River’s muddy banks elsewhere, such as at the Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Garden, can hold Solitary Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper, or Least Sandpiper. Pugsley Creek Park might also feature some nice habitat, but I haven’t visited there yet.

Solitary Sandpiper in exposed mud along the edge of Twin
Lakes at New York Botanical Garden

The muddy fringes of the freshwater lake at Van Cortlandt Park or at New York Botanical Garden are also good spots to find Spotted Sandpiper or Solitary Sandpiper.

Killdeer can be found in any of the mentioned wet habitats, but you can find them in open grassy areas, such as the Parade Grounds at Van Cortland Park, the large grassy medians at Orchard Beach, or even the Bison exhibit at the Bronx Zoo.

But where else? Please comment if you are finding shorebirds elsewhere in the Bronx (or at least make sure to submit them to eBird). And what about the other shorebirds that are possible? I am still waiting for an Upland Sandpiper to show up, maybe in the Pelham Bay Park landfill or early morning Van Cortlandt Parade Grounds before the sports activity picks up or the restored grassland at Soundview Park or the golf course by Throggs Neck. That would be a great find!