Today's birding for me was supposed to be a restful one , after an exhilirating week experiencing the Total Solar Eclipse in northern Maine. Not much effort today but with lucky chances I was able to spot several good ones with birders help.
First a walk through Prospect enroute to get my car stored away in my work stockyard. My hope was finding my traditional Pine Warbler, my spring official kickoff bird. Along the way, I found Rusty Blackbird at Lily Pool, feeding along the islands mudflat.
Now it so happens Lily seems like a lucky name. I ran into a photographer birder named Lily whom I know from the winter feeders that she got me my lucky spring bird. While we were conversing by Falkill falls trailhead she exclaimed to me a yellowish bird behind me. A quick turnaround and a search of a moving bird in the tree on the shoreline, and what you know its a Pine warbler . A chuckle there .
Later after an errand for my mother at 9th Street, we visited Greenwood Cemetery for the floral display.. I got word from Ryan Mandlebaum about Grasshopper sparrow and Blue Grosbeak seen at Cedar Dell. Eventually I got over there and grabbed the binoculars bi keep in the car. Jean Shum happened to be there with a friend and right away she pointed to the Grosbeak. It's a heck of a beautiful bird a young male with overall rich reddish cinnamon brown plumage and blue behind its beak and wings. I didn't spend too much time looking for the Grasshopper but needed to get back to the car my mom was in.
We count our blessings that we still experience the beauty of Spring migration ,it's only beginning.
"Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing. "
Camille Pissarro,19th c artist, father of Impressionism
Camille Pissarro,19th c artist, father of Impressionism