May 25 - Inwood Hill Park - A beautiful morning

A magnificent, beautiful spring day in Inwood Hill Park. Went out for about 2.5 hours in the morning. Not as much activity as yesterday morning, but some nice birds. The best was a singing Mourning Warbler seen briefly north of the Overlook Meadow. I missed Olive-sided Flycatcher yesterday, but had one today on the ridge shortly after reaching the top of the Clove Road. Another flycatcher today was a single Yellow-bellied on the ridge. Also on the ridge was a singing Tennessee Warbler.

The complete list of 42 species for my morning walk is below, but first a few photos of some interesting non-avian finds. On the ridge I came across a nice patch of Columbine in full bloom.

Columbine                                                                                     © Joseph DiCostanzo

Also on the ridge I came across a patch of "Bluebell" (Hyacinthoides sp.) that is presumably an escape from someone's garden or a leftover from a garden of one of the old estates in the park.

"Bluebell"                                                                                            © Joseph DiCostanzo

On a rotting log near the top of the Clove Road, there was a nice group of Turkey Tail fungus.

Turkey Tail                                                                        © Joseph DiCostanzo

Finally, for a winged, but non-avian find, there was a nice Silver-spotted Skipper that posed for me on the ridge.

Silver-spotted Skipper                                                                                      © Joseph DiCostanzo

Canada Goose
Mallard
Double-crested Cormorant
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Olive-sided Flycatcher

Olive-sided Flycatcher                                                                                       © Joseph DiCostanzo

Eastern Wood-Pewee - calling on the ridge
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Great Crested Flycatcher - several heard calling
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Tree Swallow
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Veery
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Tennessee Warbler - 1, singing on the ridge
Mourning Warbler - see above
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Magnolia Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Canada Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting - singing near the Overlook Meadow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow