April 15 - Central Park

Finally a spring-like morning for one of my AMNH Central Park bird walks! There was a cool northerly breeze, but it was much warmer than the last two weeks. The bright sunshine also helped. We had forty species in the two hour walk through the Ramble from 7:00 - 9:00 am. Highlights included Ruby-crowned kinglets everywhere, about half a dozen Pine Warblers at the se end of Turtle Pond and two beautiful male Purple Finches at the feeders. The full list is below:

Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Shoveler (1, male, the Lake)
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Egret (Turtle Pond and the Point)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (7, the Lake)
Red-tailed Hawk
American Coot (1, near Upper Lobe)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (several)
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (1, Turtle Pond, first of the year for us)
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper (Evodia Field)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (2, sw of Belvedere and west of the Point)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (all over the Ramble)
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Palm Warbler (1, s. side Turtle Pond)
Pine Warbler (6, Turtle Pond)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (several)
Eastern Towhee (3, males west of the Azalea Pond)
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Purple Finch (2, males, feeders)
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

On the way out we came across some Bloodroot in bloom.

Bloodroot