May 13 - Inwood Hill Park

Another beautiful morning in the park. I met up with Danny Kartlson a few minutes after 7:00 am for a walk through the park. There was less activity than yesterday morning, though still a good variety of birds. The biggest difference was the lower numbers of Scarlet Tanagers. There were still very good numbers around, but not like yesterday's spectacular flight.

Though the spring migration is still in full swing, and in fact may not have hit its peak yet, we are  already into the nesting season. In recent days I have photographed Canada Goose goslings and Mallard duckling. Yesterday, we saw in the Clove a parent American Robin feeding begging chicks in its nest. Another robin has built its nest in the top of one of the broken park street lamps.

Also today, we came across a Baltimore Oriole building its distinctive hanging nest on the end of a branch..

I found a total of 58 species this morning with one new one for my spring list: Indigo Bunting. This brings my spring total for the park to 109 species. Below is today's list.

Canada Goose 6
Mallard 8
Rock Pigeon 8
Mourning Dove 2
Chimney Swift 2
Ring-billed Gull 25
Herring Gull 3
Great Black-backed Gull 2
Double-crested Cormorant 1
Great Blue Heron 1
Great Egret 1

Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey 1 - soaring overhead carrying a fish
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 4
Downy Woodpecker 2
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 2
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Yellow-throated Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 5
Red-eyed Vireo 3
Blue Jay 8
Tree Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 2
White-breasted Nuthatch 4
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3
House Wren 3
Carolina Wren 3
European Starling 12
Gray Catbird 10
Northern Mockingbird 2
Wood Thrush 5

American Robin 25
House Sparrow 25
American Goldfinch 3
White-throated Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 5
Eastern Towhee 1
Orchard Oriole 1
Baltimore Oriole 10
Red-winged Blackbird 6
Common Grackle 4
Ovenbird 4
Black-and-white Warbler 3
Common Yellowthroat 4
American Redstart 4
Northern Parula 4
Yellow Warbler 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler 2
Black-throated Blue Warbler 5
Prairie Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 4
Scarlet Tanager 6
Northern Cardinal 6
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1