Diann,

If I were to recommend an URBAN spot, as long as you don't mean "downtown,"
such as Central Park (which is superb for warblers), I'd recommend Garrett
Mountain, a park in Passaic County, New Jersey, just south of I-80 and west
of Saddle Brook. It's an oasis hill (not a "mountain" at all) surrounded by
residential and business in the densest populated state in the nation.

On May 5, 1996, in 2.5 hours birding, I got 22 lifers, mostly warblers and
vireos (You can tell I've lived in the west all my life.<G>) -- 46
passerine species total. That's a new species every 3.3 minutes, and a
lifer every 6.8 minutes!

Once the sun rises and strikes the tops of the trees, the place becomes
literally abuzz with warblers and other passerines. You need a partner to
write down sightings for you because you are too busy looking at new birds
-- I was fortunate enough to have an experienced local to help me. I was
nearly unable to speak after that immersion in bird life.

After crossing the concrete of New Jersey northbound, the migrants find
this hill to be their salvation -- a chance to rest and fatten up again for
the rest of the trip to their breeding grounds.

For anybody in New Jersey and southern New York (we're talking millions of
people now) this is ~the~ place for migrants -- yet it's not that well
known outside the area.

Jerry Blinn
Silverdale
<jerry at avisys.net>
Kitsap Audubon web site: <www.avisys.net/kingfisher.htm>