April 3 - Inwood Hill Park - birds returning

Looking out my apratment window this morning I saw a Great Egret feeding on the edge of Muscota Marsh - the first I have seen in Inwood this spring. I headed out into the park for a quick walk before the predicted rains started. The egret was cooperatively still standing on the edge of the marsh as viewed from the boardwalk platform at Muscota.

Great Egret at Muscota Marsh, 04-03-2015                                                    © Joseph DiCostanzo

When I got to the bay north of the soccer fields, at first I saw no sign of the Horned Grebe that has been there for nearly a week, but then I spotted it at the north entrance to the bay. Later it was back in its same spot, close to shore, on the east side of the bay.

On the soccer fields, near the fenced in weedy area on the north side I found my first Palm Warbler of the season.

Palm Warbler on soccer field, 04-03-2015, Inwood Hill Park.                                     © Joseph DiCostanzo

Continuing up the Clove, I found one tiny bit of snow left in a sheltered spot. At the upper end of the Clove the Snowdrops were in full bloom.

Snowdrops, 04-03-2015, Inwood Hill Park.                                                      © Joseph DiCostanzo

The ridge was still fairly quiet. On the road west of the Henry Hudson Parkway there were still a few ice patches under piles of leaves that were helping to insulate them from the warming weather. The forecast today is for rain and temperatures in the 60's, so this is probably the last of the ice until next winter. (Finally!!) While I was scanning the Hudson, the rains finally arrived so I decided it was time to head home. The total list of 28 species seen follows.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Horned Grebe (1)
Great Egret (1)
Red-tailed Hawk (2)
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe (3)
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Palm Warbler (1)
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco (1)
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
House Sparrow