This last Friday I was able to pay my annual spring visit to Doodletown and bring along some extra friends to share the experience with. Today, I spent the morning at Green-Wood Cemetery, oddly where I would usually devote my Sundays I can officially say now, a year ago.
Doodletown had many of the things we hoped to see, Cerulean warblers being one and a bonus visit to Sterling Forest gave us our Golden-winged Warblers.
Green-Wood treated me to a darling family or Common Ravens and Baked in Brooklyn. The Cinnamon Roll I picked up was ridiculous (in the good way).
With the trees fully leaved, seeing birds is getting harder. I have been trying to use my ears more and get excited for ID'ing birds by sound alone.
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We saw a lot of indigo buntings in Doodletown.
BUT THIS IS A BLUE GROSBEAK.
:) |
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Sear on my life this is a singing Cerulean Warbler.
In Doodletown, I have a spot where I first saw a cerulean. And another year saw one feeding its chick, and year after year it is my reliable spot. I explained this to my friends and then looked and we found this bird singing its face off. I find it funny how we habitually develop a particular "bird spot." This one, thankfully delivers. |
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On another trail, I mentioned how two of us saw a yellow-throated vireo over here last year. And then just chomping into my granola bar, this one flies in low. |
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A low treat!
Glad I was able to get a few okay captures. Because I literally had a granola bar hanging out of my mouth. |
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Saw a few flycatchers, including this great-creasted flycatcher. We also, positively saw an Eastern Wood-Pewee and Olive-sided Flycatcher. |
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SO HAPPY TO SEE A SNEK!
We saw a Northern Water Snake from the damn, basking on a rock below. |
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This one really stumped us
Turned out to be a female indigo bunting! |
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Upon our arrival to Sterling Forest, we didn't even get out of the car before our first exciting bird, a VERY compliant black-billed cuckoo! |
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What great looks it gave us!
For our friend, Jeana, this was a life bird-- rather it was, she found our only one in Doodletown. This one gave her bonus looks to soak in that loafy dollop of bird. |
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It was joined by a second, and equally compliant bird!
How lucky we were! |
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So fun thing we learned, and observed. When prairie warblers squabble over turf, they sing and fight at the same time, which just makes for a very comical sight. |
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Target bird achieved. A fast look. The blur of this bird is appropriate for its blink-of-an-eye appearance.
The Golden-winged warbler, known for nesting , specifically, in this place. |
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Also, it's banded. Unfortunately, can't get a full read. |
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A blue winged warbler. Not a golden-winged, but known to hybridize with the golden to create a "Brewster's Warbler."
The blue-winged gave us a lovely clear sight that we did not get in Doodletown. |
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Basic Frog. |
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This.
This little tiny snek. Not even a soba noodle, it's an angel hair pasta.
It's a baby Northern Water Snake! |
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These little babies develop in eggs that the mother retains. So the babies are born from their mom. Mom would look like what we saw in Doodletown. |
We got a chance to see it up close and release it on the side of the road, as opposed to the middle of it. We nearly stepped on this little buddy!
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Today in Green-Wood Cemetery, I said hi to my favorite denizen of the Dell Water, GREG.
Lots of little snacks were being had. |
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Little snack.
Sorry, Little Snack. |
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I was super excited to see 5 ravens at once! |
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This one seemed especially needy. |
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The pink showing around the corners of this birds mouth suggests it is a youngster. A fledgling, finding its wings, following its parents, still begging for food, while learning the lay of the land and workings of its wings. |
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I usually se our ravens here in Brooklyn in flight, so to see much of the family perched and interacting with one another was an especially wonderful treat! |
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Also a treat, my (finally) first of the year Canada Warbler. These are one of my top warblers. I love the eye rings, that delicate necklace, and how lucky was I this this little bird put on a show, stopping every so often to sing. |
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But really not compliant for photos. Ah well, I still savored the solid 5 minutes I got to observe this bird for. |
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Found this red tail hawk due to the ruckus of robins, mockingbirds, and sparrows.
It was donked in the head a number of times by some diving mockingbirds before moving on. |
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Who's having a good day? I suppose it matters who you pose that question to...
The spotted sandpiper, pretty good.
The Red Admiral, flat out awful. |
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