May 6 - Inwood Hill Park - mainly non-avian notes

After the great morning I had in Central Park Ann and I went for a late afternoon/early evening walk in Inwood when I got home. Considering how birdy Central was this morning, it was surprisingly quiet, even given that it was now late in the day. Wood Thrushes were still singing in the Clove and on the ridge. We had a few Ovenbirds walking around in the leaf litter and I finally saw my first Magnolia Warbler in the park for the season - I knew others had seen them, but the species had eluded me. Perhaps nicest was a first year male Orchard Oriole vocalizing and feeding in a flowering tree on the edge of the overlook meadow.

first year male Orchard Oriole 05/06/2015 Inwood Hill Park

Our most surprising sighting, however, was not a bird. Up on the ridge as we came onto the middle stretch of the center road, we startled an Eastern Cottontail which scampered off into the woods. I don't remember seeing a rabbit in the park before. I suppose it could have been somebody's spring pet that was dropped in the park, but it looked like a regular wild cottontail, not a pet store rabbit.

We also came across a few flowers seen blooming for the first time this season: a Wild Geranium and Lilies-of-the-valley.

Wild Geranium 05/06/2015 Inwood Hill Park

Lilies-of-the-valley 05/06/2015 Inwood Hill Park

The first American Lady butterfly I have seen in the park this spring came into the flowering lilac bush at the river overlook, but did not sooperate for its picture.

On the way back out, at the bottom of the Clove road, as we approached the old monument rock there was a strong odor of skunk. Perhaps a dog made the mistake of bothering one of our local population!