Birding by ear in NYC

Another afternoon of Audubon meetings in NYC netted me sightings of crows, starlings, House Sparrows, and pigeons from the windows of 700 Broadway. After the meetings, I was greeted by a familiar sound (listen here) as I stepped out onto the sidewalk--the high rapid chittering of Chimney Swifts. Looking up, I couldn't see the birds initially, but then two swifts cruised across the sky between the rims of the urban canyon. Nice ot see a native bird making its way here in the heart of America's largest city. It was a magic moment standing there looking up, with dozens of passerbys streaming past me oblivious to the aerial dance occuring 150 feet above the street.