Inwood Hill Park - Apr 22 - few birds, but more trees in bloom

Went in to the park around sun-up hoping for a wave of birds on the southwest winds, but was disappointed. No warblers and just the same birds as in recent days with the exception of a couple of Northern Rough-winged Swallows on the way out a bit before 9:00 am, but these were not new for the year. Did see the area of yesterday's fire - basically it burned over the leave litter in a small area not far from the Henry Hudson Bridge tolls.

                                                                                  © Joseph DiCostanzo

The Shadblow/Serviceberry trees are coming into bloom now.

Shadblow/Serviceberry                                                                           © Joseph DiCostanzo

Shadblow/Serviceberry                                                                                             © Joseph DiCostanzo          

Inwood Hill Park - Apr 21 - afternoon brush fire

Walking home from the 207th Street A train stop I couldn't help but notice several helicopters hovering overhead. As I walked past the baseball fields along Seaman Ave I spotted the smoke rising from the north end of the ridge not far from the bridge toll booths. Coming down Indian Road, I could see flames from the brush fire. After dropping stuff at home, Ann and i went back out to investigate. By that time the NYC Fire Dept. was clearly engaged in a minor mopping up operation. There was a brief flare-up in the leaf litter that was quickly put out by a fireman with a carried extinguisher. We could see water being sprayed from a hose higher on the ridge to wet down smoldering areas.

                                                                                                                     © Joseph DiCostanzo

                                                                                                 © Joseph DiCostanzo

                                                                                                           © Joseph DiCostanzo

Inwood Hill Park - Apr 21 - blooms and few birds

Another beautiful, but cool morning in the park. Temperatures were in the low to mid 40s with crystal clear blue skies when I went into the park around 7:30 am. A lot of the resident birds were calling: Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Song Sparrow, etc. Eastern Phoebes and White-throated Sparrows were also calling - phoebes have nested, but not usually. I could not find any warblers, but did come across a singing Ruby-crowned Kinglet and a calling Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

Among the plants, there was my first Dandelion flower of the season up on the valley overlook.

Dandelion                                                                                                                 © Joseph DiCostanzo

The Forsythia is now in full bloom all over the park.

Forsythia                                                                                © Joseph DiCostanzo

The forecast is for warming temperatures and southwest winds tonight. Maybe tomorrow will produce the first real wave morning of the spring.

Inwood Hill Park - Apr 20 - Cool and quiet

Went out this morning from a little before 8:00 until 10:30 am. It was cool and quiet with a northeast breeze. Did not encounter any warblers. White-throated Sparrow numbers are down but there were still a few Eastern Phoebes calling. It is supposed to warm up over the next few days, so fingers are crossed.

Inwood Hill Park - Apr 19 - Prairie Warbler, Savannah Sparrow and others

A really beautiful morning in the park. Went in from 8:30 - 11:00, then home to go to the Farmer's Market with Ann and then another short afternoon walk. On the way in at 8:30, one of the first birds was a Great Blue Heron flying north over the ridge as seen from the soccer fields. Heading up the Clove there was a bright yellow Palm Warbler near the Indian Caves. Five days ago (Apr 14) I came across the first blooms of Cowslip/Marsh Marigold [UPDATE: probably actually Lesser Celendine] I had seen this spring. Today they seemed to be everywhere, with seemingly even more out in the afternoon than in the morning.

Lesser Celendine ?                                                                        © Joseph DiCostanzo

Eastern Phoebes and Carolina Wrens called from various places in the Clove. The ridge was fairly quiet except for four species of woodpeckers: Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and Northern Flicker. As I came down the road from the Henry Hudson Bridge, just above the soccer fields I heard a Prairie Warbler sing and then spotted it off the road below me. Others have seen Prairies this spring, but this was my first of the year. It has always been one of my favorites and its distinctive rising song I think was the first warbler song I have learned when I was a beginning birder.

Prairie Warbler (male)                                                                                                              © Joseph DiCostanzo

Crossing the soccer field there was a group of five Brown-headed Cowbirds (males and females) and a sparrow flew up and over to the top of the fence around the small wet area at the north side of the field. Checking it in my binoculars I saw it was my first Savannah Sparrow of the year - two year birds in just a few minutes as I was heading out.

Savannah Sparrow                                                                               © Joseph DiCostanzo

When Ann and I came back in after lunch, unfortunately we could not refind the Prairie Warbler, but we did see a Palm Warbler up on the ridge. On the ridge we saw two Mourning Cloak butterflies and coming back down the Clove we enjoyed a very cooperative male Spring Azure. (I believe it was a male based on the bright blue upper wings which you cannot see in the photo.)

Spring Azure                                                                                                 © Joseph DiCostanzo

Finally, crossing the soccer fields, I did not see the Savannah Sparrow, but there were a couple of singing Chipping Sparrows.

Chipping Sparrow                                                                                      © Joseph DiCostanzo

I can't wait to see what tomorrow morning may bring. It is the time of year when every day is a surprise.

[UPDATE: The Prairie Warbler and Savannah Sparrow were my 76th and 77th species for Inwood for the year.]

Inwood Hill Park - Apr 18 - still cool with few migrants

Went for a short walk in Inwood this morning before heading downtown. It was cool and the last few days of cold weather seems to have brought bird migration here to a virtual standstill. Did not see a single warbler. I did come across a couple of Eastern Phoebes and a single male Blue-gray Gnatcatcher up on the ridge. White-throated Sparrows are still singing throughout the park.

The cool weather has not discouraged the Dutchman's-breeches wildflowers which look to be near their peak all through the Clove.Many more Periwinkles are out. Coming down from the Henry Hudson Bridge I came across the first cherry starting to bloom.

                                                                                                       © Joseph DiCostanzo

The winds do not look favorable for much of a flight tonight, the birds have got to come through sometime. Maybe tomorrow will be better than today.

Central Park - Apr 17 - a little warmer, but still cold

OK, it was warmer for my Thursday AMNH bird walk, but it was still cold. At least the ground wasn't covered with all that frozen white stuff - compare today's view below with yesterday's.

Edge of Tupelo Meadow                                                                            © Joseph DiCostanzo

As with yesterday, we had beautiful blue skies with a similar bird list, but definitely a few differences. We only had one warbler species (vs. two yesterday), but it was a different one - a lovely, bright yellow Pine Warbler. Other highlights included a singing Ruby-crowned Kinglet, two Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, the bright male Baltimore Oriole (singing a bit) that has wintered at the feeders and an American Robin building a nest.

American Robin building a nest                                                                                                 © Joseph DiCostanzo

Our total list was 25 species:

Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Shoveler - approx. 25 on the Lake
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  - east side of Upper Lobe
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue Jay
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 2, west of the Point and east of the Tupelo
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - singing male east side of Upper Lobe
American Robin
European Starling
Pine Warbler - 1, between the Point and the Bow Bridge
Chipping Sparrow - 2, at feeders
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird - male at feeders
Baltimore Oriole - male at Feeders
American Goldfinch - at least six at feeders, others calling nearby
House Sparrow

Lots of the trees, shrubs and flowers are now starting to bloom. I was asked about one pretty white flower that was on the side of the road east of the Upper Lobe. It was thought to be one of the anemones. I took some pictures and based on a quick look at a wildflower guide in the office, I would say the rounded leaflets identify it as a Rue Anemone.

Rue Anemone                                                                                                                    © Joseph DiCostanzo

Central Park - Apr 16 - COLD!

It was an extremely pretty morning in the Ramble for my AMNH bird walk this morning, but it was perhaps the coldest morning walk I have led in the nearly twenty years I have been doing the Central Park walks for the Museum. In addition to the temperature being below freezing (about thirty), there was also snow and ice on the ground from last night's weather.

edge of Tupelo Meadow                                              © Joseph DiCostanzo

Despite the cold, we were able to find a few spring birds. Our total list was 30 species. We have Evelyn Huang to thank for our only warblers which she spotted on the south side of the Bow Bridge as we walked west from the Point. A few of the group had seen a Palm Warbler earlier from the Point, but most of us missed that one. The full list is below.

Canada Goose
Mallard
Northern Shoveler - approx. 25 on the Lake
Great Egret - one, flying south
Red-tailed Hawk - on the San Remo
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - male west of the Point
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker - several
Blue Jay
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - one on the Point
Golden-crowned Kinglet - one by the Oven
Hermit Thrush - one
American Robin
European Starling
Palm Warbler - one or two depending on whether the first one seen from the Point was
                    the same one at the south end of the Bow Bridge
Yellow-rumped Warbler - one south end of Bow Bridge
Chipping Sparrow - Maintenance Meadow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole - dull male that has been at the feeders this winter
House Finch - at the feeders
American Goldfinch - at the feeders
House Sparrow

I am keeping my fingers crossed for the return of spring.

[UPDATE: I noticed in the afternoon that I had left off the flyover Great Egret. I have added it above increasing our total to 30.]

Inwood Hill Park - Apr 14 - more flowers and butterflies, less birds

Went into Inwood early hoping for an early wave of migrants on the warm, southerly winds, but was disappointed. There seemed to be even fewer birds around than yesterday with the only warbler I could find being a somewhat dull Palm Warbler. I did encounter Nadir Souirgi and James Knox again at the meadow overlook, where they also thought things were quieter than yesterday. The only thing of note we saw there was a very distant Common Loon flying north over the Palisades, though I think Nadir said he had earlier seen one going over Inwood. Nadir and James later called me about a singing Northern Parula they found on the ridge near the top of the Clove road, but it could not be found when I came back for it.

Flowers, however, continue to increase with many more Dutchman's-breeches and Periwinkles in bloom than yesterday. I also came across a small patch of Cowslip/Marsh Marigolds in bloom. [UPDATE: I now think this is probably the very similar Lesser Celendine.]

Lesser Celendine ?                                  © Joseph DiCostanzo

While unsuccessfully searching for the parula I did spot my first Cabbage White butterfly of the season, a female based on the two spots on its forewing.

Cabbage White (female)                                    © Joseph DiCostanzo

Inwood Hill Park - Apr 12 & 13 - plants, butterflies and birds

This is the time of year when every day is not only different but can bring big changes from one day to the next. That was certainly true this weekend. I went into Inwood yesterday morning with Gina Goldstein and again this morning on my own, but ran into Nadir Souirgi and James Knox at the meadow overlook. Neither day was as birdy as Friday, the 11th, but there were birds around. Before getting to the birds, however, I want to note the rapid changes in the plants over the two days. For some days now i have been watching for the Dutchman's-breeches to start blooming. Yesterday, I still saw no flowers. Today, however, after a few days of warm weather I saw a number of patches of them in full bloom!

Dutchman's-breeches                                                    © Joseph DiCostanzo

I also have been watching for the blooming of the Forsythia. It has been out in Central Park for some days now, but here in "upstate" Manhattan, I did not see any until yesterday, when I noticed one shrub in bloom. Today, however, the Forsythia seemed to be out all over the ridge!

Forsythia                                                                   © Joseph DiCostanzo

Another flower that seemed to be in bloom everywhere I looked today was the Periwinkle. I had not been watching for its pretty, purple flowers as much as I had been the previous two, but I don't see how I could have missed them yesterday in all the places I saw them today.

Periwinkle                                                               © Joseph DiCostanzo

In the non-botanical realm, Mourning Cloaks were obvious on both days. On Saturday, there was even one fluttering by the edge of the baseball fields as Ann and I came back from the farmer's market. Today they were obvious up on the ridge and in the afternoon two were chasing each other north of the ridge meadow.

Mourning Cloak                                                    © Joseph DiCostanzo

This morning also produced the second butterfly of the spring when a Spring Azure dashed by James, Nadir and myself as we watched the Hudson from the meadow overlook.

Saturday and Sunday also brought new avian arrivals, though overall Friday morning was a bit busier. Yesterday, Gina spotted a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher up on the ridge and we later saw what I assume was a second one west of the Henry Hudson Bridge where there was also a bright yellow Pine Warbler. As Gina and I were leaving the park a Killdeer flew over the soccer fields calling and a Northern Rough-winged Swallow flew over the Muscota Marsh area; later in the day I spotted a few more Rough-wings from my apartment window. This morning Nadir spotted a Barn Swallow overhead for the first I have heard of in the park this year. While James, Nadir and I watched from the overlook there were a number of migrant flocks of Double-crested Cormorants flying north. Before I arrived, James and Nadir had been lucky enough to see a breeding plumaged Great Cormorant flying up-river. Also from the overlook we saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk, an American Kestrel, and a Great Egret headed north; in the afternoon a Great Egret flew east past Muscota Marsh. My own bird list for the two days totaled 45 species and besides the birds mentioned included a lingering female Red-breasted Merganser in the shallows north of the soccer field Sunday afternoon, Hermit Thrush, both kinglets, Palm Warbler and Chipping Sparrow. Another sign of the progressing migration is the arrival of female migrants. I have been seeing Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers in the park for a few weeks, but Saturday morning had the first female. In many migrant species, the males move earlier than the females so that they can get to the breeding areas and set up territories before their potential mates arrive.

Finally, as I was leaving the park after an afternoon walk today, I spotted a group of apparent space aliens on the north side of the soccer field. I don't know whether to class them as migrants or accidentals.

                                                                              © Joseph DiCostanzo