Floyd Finds

     My Birding spot this week was Floyd Bennett Field. After seeing the forecast for rain all day Friday. I got out for a little after work on Thursday afternoon, and headed back there this morning for more. I was not disappointed. 

    While it appears the grasses of the fields have been moved, the cricket field is (mostly) over grown; a portion was mowed for the green meadows farm that takes over every fall. The Cricket field is a sparrow's and sparrow hawk's paradise right now. I'd highly suggest a visit!

    And bonus, today was World Migratory Bird Day!

I birded ecology village after work Thursday with the baby. We didn't see a whole lot, mostly because a pair pf merlin were patrolling the skies.
We did see lots of yellow-rumped warblers, though.

Also a nice treat, Thursday, a not shy and very low red-breasted nuthatch. It was working really hard at stashing a little morsel it had. It really had a tough time finding the best spot to cache its find.

This morning I made a quick decision to go to Floyd Bennett Field hoping to see an American Golden Plover. Usually when I try to find a bird that is reported, I usually fail. Not today! It was hanging with a few black-bellied plovers in a puddle on an old runway. This was a lifebird.

These birds breed in the high Arctic and migrate through the middle of the country. I'm glad I have finally gotten to see one!

Next I went over to the Cricket Field. 

And so did this female American Kestrel. She knew there was also good things to be found here.

I love this wind-swept look...

Of course today my daughter was not with me, and there were quite a few kestrels around.

Below the Kestrel, the birds were rightfully upset, sounding the alarm in sharp, loud calls. Robins even approached the tiny falcon and sized up to her.
Smaller, more prey-likely birds stayed low, but still called out their anger. This Savannah sparrow was just the start of the sparrow show.
Soon after spotting this savannah, I spotted swamp, song, white-throated, white-crowned, and field sparrows.

And then I saw this little chonky sparrow, white eye-ring and white boarders to the tail means only one thing: VESPER SPARROW!

And what a treat, you cab even see the detail of its pupil! A beautiful little thing just popping up in the open. What luck! Always check all your sparrows; this one was with a group of Savannah's.

I am also happy to have found this bird on my own. That always gives me the birding warm and fuzzies.

And even if most of the birds on the field were Savannah Sparrows, let's be real, you cant get tired of looking at these little stunners.

The buttery end to a good morning of birds.
(Yellow-rumped warbler, aka: butter butt)