World Migratory Bird Day 2022

     While my bird outings have changed in wild ways over the last three years, this was a lovely World Migratory Bird Day. Today I took my daughter with me to Green-Wood Cemetery. The whole way there I thought about how our outing could go one of two ways; one where my kid runs amok  and needs to be escorted out be security or one where she has her own agenda in what she wants to explore, but tags along for the ride. It was for sure the latter scenario and with two decent snack sessions in our nearly two hour time out, I'd say it was a really delightful outing for what it was. It was plenty birdy, so enough to see and hear, even while on the move, plus bonus puddles to splash in, giant spikey seeds of all kinds to explore, and lots of acorns to collect. Plus stairs, the kid loves walking up and down stairs-- although I quickly learned that some stairs are not good to explore, due to their uneven nature and causing a (very) minor spill. A memorable outing for sure, the cards I was drawn today were in my favor, because doing anything with a toddler is always a gamble. And the fact I spent two hours out and never once had to carry my child, damn, that alone is a birding with toddler win!

    I also did some birding yesterday before work at Marine Park and again, in one hour, it was delightfully birdy, in the barely 1 mile I walked, I saw a decent amount and found great satisfaction in that.

At Marine Park a Double Crested Cormorant dries its wings.

It seems like kinglets are everywhere, here is a ruby crowned kinglet. Lots of them bouncing around at the Salt Marsh Nature Center.

I noted some commotion in the skies, a dove flying with a slightly larger hawk in pursuit. The dove lived to see another day, as the Cooper's hawk came back around and took a perch. It doesn't look disappointed in things at all.

Always love seeing brown creepers! The tree it was on was full of tree crawlers, the creeper at the tree base, a few white-breasted nuthatches on the lower limbs, and high up, a yellow-bellied sapsucker worked on some sap wells.

Such tiny little things, perfectly plumed to match mossy bark.

I wasn't fast enough with my camera to capture a Lincoln's Sparrow in the chain link, so this song sparrow will suffice. Lots of song sparrows and even saw my first white-throated sparrow and dark-eyed Junco today, sure signs of winter.

A blackpoll warbler I was able to pick out from all the (very many) yellow-rumped warblers.

A female belted kingfisher was busy fishing at this point. But now with the osprey family gone, she also uses the osprey platform as a perch for herself, near to the green bridge at Marine Park.

As I decided it was time to start my day.... I found some trees that literally just had warblers hanging off of them. Damn.

A couple of peeks at mostly black-throated green warblers...

... Northern parulas (lots of them)...

And more black-throated green warblers, and even a few pine warblers (Not pictured). But dang, their yellow colors sure do make sense seeing them up against green leaves fading into yellows.

On to today, I am also really excited that I carried my camera around and took some pictures. Not as many, but I got a few and when you go birding with a little kid, you celebrate every little triumph!
An american Godfinch takes advantage of one of the many native plantings at Green-Wood Cemetery.

Before we decided upon Kestrel as a name, I was pushing for Phoebe. And I think about that every time I see phoebes. 
I love you, Eastern Phoebe, but I like Kestrel better.
And yes, we did see a kestrel today.... eating another bird.

This was the best part.
We had TWO common nighthawks flying overhead. My daughter was unimpressed as she worked a cup of goldfish crackers. But I was very excited to see these birds and add them to my year list.

After this prize, I promised the kiddo a trip to the playground and we only extended our wonderful time outdoors.
I'll be leading a family nature walk later this month, looking forward to sharing some nature with everyone, and Kestrel will be there to help (I hope)!