May 20/21 - Inwood Hill Park - breeders and late migrants

I birded Inwood Hill Park on the mornings of May 20 and May 21. The first morning I met Stan Cho at the entrance to the park at West 218th Street for a few hours of birding. The next morning I happened to run into Jessica Ancker at the top of The Clove path and we birded the ridge together. On both mornings the birding was quieter than reported for the park last weekend, though my combined total species count for the two morning was 51 species. Migration is still going on, though many of the eleven species of warblers found were represented by females, a sure sign of the tail end of migration. This morning, there were Northern Rough-winged Swallows perching on the fences at the north end of the soccer fields. These are summer residents here and breed either in the park or nearby.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow 05/21/2016 Inwood Hill Park

All through the woods you could hear Wood Thrushes singing their wonderful flute-like songs. Yesterday, Stan and I were treated to one perched up and singing at the top of The Clove path.

Wood Thrush 05/20/2016 Inwood Hill Park

Its cousin in the thrush family, American Robins, have been on nests for sometime already this season. I have already seen young robins out of the nest down in Central Park.

American Robin on nest 05/21/2016 Inwood Hill Park

Jessica told me about watching a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak building a nest on the ridge the other day. We went to check it out and the female was on the nest. In my photograph below, if you look carefully, you can make out the top of her head, her eye strip and part of her bill as she sits on the nest.

female Rose-breasted Grosbeak on nest 05/21/2016 Inwood Hill Park

When Jessica and I came by the nest later after birding around the ridge, the female had been replaced on the nest by her mate whose red breast made him more conspicuous.

male Rose-breasted Grosbeak on nest 05/21/2016 Inwood Hill Park

My combined two morning species list is below.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Double-crested Cormorant
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Ovenbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Canada Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Song Sparrow
Scarlet Tanager
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow