Birding with Baby

     So our baby girl is nearly 2 months old and we have been able to enjoy some birding but it has been crazy how much she has changed, how much I have learned from her, learned about myself, and have experienced so much sappy stuff I never ever dreamed of ever being so absorbed in -- hormones, they are insane.

     I will admit, it has not been easy, and toss a pandemic on top of it all, keeping myself mentally in the right place has not been easy. I am most happiest and content when I am out birding, exploring a park, and being outdoors. A very needy baby has made doing the things I love very hard, and I feel selfish for feeling the way I do, but feeding every 3 hours, pumping nearly every 2 hours, and trying to figure out why a baby won't stop crying has taken a toll for sure. 

     Then summer hit, and the mosquitoes are out in full force, while she has a great set up, complete with a mosquito net, I can't bring myself to use deet on my own skin when I have to handle her. So I am working on finding places to go where the mosquitoes are not horrendous.

     But truthfully, being a new mom, I know that as she gets older she will (hopefully) enjoy coming out, exploring nature and being out in the world with me. Even in just this second month she is far more interactive and even stays awake for walks around our neighborhood, looking around as we go.

     So, while I have not been out as much as I'd like, the moments where we got out were great, here are some of our sights...

Earlier this month we got to Green-Wood and were greeted by a gaggle of Canada goslings! 

We also saw an eater of baby birds (like mallards), a common snapping turtle in the Sylvan water. I always love seeing these turtles, so prehistoric!

What a cute lil chomper!

We also saw a bird flycatching, it is an Eastern wood-pewee!

Because it says "PE-weeeEEEE," it is so named.

Marked as rare on ebird for June 1st, a blackburnian warbler. I was so excited to identify this individual because it is female. The female warblers can easily be over looked, they are less "flashy," and camouflage is what they are all about.

I got to walk Prospect Park one morning while my husband went for a run. Baby and I explored the Vale, the Ravine, and back out to Flatbush Avenue.
We saw a cute little chipmunk in the vale.

Being quiet on the bird front, we mostly saw the regulars, like this American Robin. 

I checked my go-to raccoon tree behind the upper pool and sure enough, found some snoozers inside.

Back in Green-Wood, by the Dell water, we enjoyed a small group of brown-headed cowbirds. This is a female, foraging for seeds.

Not a cowbird, but a gorgeous common grackle (grackles don't get enough appreciation for those glossy, glorious hues), also foraging near the cowbirds.

The male brown-headed cowbird. Who sings a very interesting, metallic song, seen alongside the female bird.

And the regular Great Egret of the Crescent water. 

I treated myself to a new laptop, my macbook from 2013 was moving at a very slow pace, I can't even call it a snail's pace because I think they move faster. I got a Dell XPS15, the display is super for going through photos and lightroom is SO different on it, so I hope to enjoy using it (between feeds, diapers, and pumping). Also, Grandma said she'd watch our little girl if Tim and I want to go out for a walk somewhere. Looks like I might get some birds in this weekend! Win-win for everyone!