In a weird twist, I'm missing many of the common warblers this season despite getting rare ones ( like Swainsons, hooded, yellow throated,and Prothonotary).My free time available hasn't been fruitful with cold weather impacting my off time birding plus family obligations as well as supervising volunteer groups three times a week keeps me grounded . So this morning was my first full weekend morning other than the Clove trip I led the bird club May 8th.
Again it was very slow as I ventured thru Greenwood Cemetery. It's tough with all the leaf out plus the bright sunny glare makes it difficult spotting birds. If only I could pick up three new warbler species...
Well I got my wish. Three it was after a very long walk. First along the road near Crescent Water , I spotted luckily a male American Redstart in a pin oak. I was happy as I missed this bird in Staten Island Great Kills park , a bird near my feet as I was looking straight into the brush..
After running into friends Alan and Janet who informed me they had a small pocket of warblers by Dell water, I calmly sauntered over there and ...nope ..they took off. Darn it.
It wasn't until I got to Sylvan Water South low slope that I picked up two in one shot . A group of birders were there already, one birder pointing to a small tree that I figure had a warbler. Yep, there was but another distracted me and that bird a little upslope was a Chestnut sided warbler. And right away in front of me too close for my bins, a male Wilson's Warbler.. I was happy as a lark . The Wilsons continued to entertain us as it visited various young trees likely newly planted in front of us. Upon hearing there was a Canada Warbler on the north shore in the birch grove I naturally pursued that. No luck but I can't get greedy. There's still migration time for another 2 weeks.
Greenwood was a good spot today . Other birders reported a few things.Most surprisingly , a late appearance of two drake Common Mergansers flew over Grape Ave. Black billed Cuckoo got the same birders attention at Dell water takes to a photo he took . A different birder reported Olive sided Flycatcher along Greenbough Ave . some flyover Black Vultures added suspense
Meanwhile over at Prospect where the half marathon impacted plans, a reported Mourning Warbler popped up near the Boathouse while behind the Well house , ass a Lincoln Sparrow
In other green preserves, namely the Botanic Garden and Fort Greene Park, the Native Flora section was a site of a termite hatch out where Rusty reported lots of warblers and vireos . In Fort Greene Park, an adult Blue Grosbeak was found at the north lawn.
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"There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of the birds, the ebb and flow of the tides, the folded bud ready for spring." — Rachel Carson
"Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?"
David Attenborough
100 years old May 8th
"Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?"
David Attenborough
100 years old May 8th
