A week+ of birds.

    I'm anxious, I'm pregnant, I have a chronic cough (it's not the virus) that I just can't shake, there is a pandemic - so how do I escape? Birds. Here are birds. Migration is just starting, nothing is stopping nature from doing its things, I can feel somewhat relieved to be outside and not among the havoc (have you walked into a grocery just to do your regular shopping?! Ugh, what an awful mess).

And now. Birbs.

Friday, 3/16, Green-Wood Cemetery:

I really wanted to see a fox sparrow (and a woodcock), and I got a fox sparrow.
Trying to keep the year list growing as much as I can.
Each outing this week I added another year bird, today was fox sparrow.
I love these chonkers.

A male belted kingfisher in its usual spot on the Crescent Water, making all the noise.

A close (and cropped) white-throated sparrow. I saw some chipping sparrows too, but got no photos.

Monday, 3/9, Floyd Bennett Field:

Today's year bird to add on was wood ducks. There were many to be had. The Return-a-Gift pond was full of them. Actively calling and puffing up their heads, many males with two females.

They make a funny upward nasal whistle call. The averge human being probably expects ducks to quack, a-la mallard, but ducks make some funky noises depending on the species.

Wednesday, 3/11, Marine Park Salt Marsh:

I had a late start to my work so I walked at the Salt Marsh Nature center. This downy woodpecker was soaking up the sun.

Everyone was singing - and among the cardinals, the males were scuffling a bit too.

A song sparrow singing its song.

I love how they jump up onto a high branch to belt it out. It is one of my favorite signs of spring.

Another sign of spring, are the "ONK-a-REEE's" of the red-winged blackbird.

Three killdeer gathered on the field. The field was devoid of the trees that were sprouting taller each season so they are back to grassland.
Year birds added today were swamp sparrow and black-capped chickadee, a bird I've been seeing less and less each winter.

Friday, 3/13, Green-Wood Cemetery:

An Eastern Phoebe on the Sylvan water, a second bird remained all winter on the Dell water.
I love these little birds. We will see more as spring progresses!

I was on Battle Hill, the highest point in Brooklyn and was surprised to be so close to a black vulture, that was traveling with a second bird just overhead.
Todays year bird was fish crow.

Saturday, 3/14, Prospect Park:

There are far less American Coot out in the park, I'll miss these goth babies.

Speaking of goth, I was really hoping to run into a rusty blackbird.... and I did! This is today's year bird!

I also love looking at the face on, because...

That.

FACE!

This bird's population has declined steeply since the 1960's habitat loss has likely been a contributing factor toward this.

I really like these birds, I hope we can keep them around.

One sleepy downy woodpecker before calling it a morning.
Birds are great :)