September wrap

     By mid-September I was mentally toasted. Navigating the DOE, arranging for where the kiddo goes and when, putting everything together, while working and getting education programs off the ground, it took a toll on me. The rain also didn't help. Birding is my re-set and not getting out a bunch, it kinda sucked.

    For the few times I did get out, it was great. Last weekend and the Monday that followed, especially so. Also, it seems that everything for school arrangements have fallen into place, thankful for the people who are able to help me make it happen.

    So, here are some birds.

A few weeks back I went to Green-Wood with a friend, I liked seeing this little song sparrow peer out between the weeds.

A lovely red-eyed vireo. Migration has been and continues on with many birds passing through and making the most of the green spaces around the city.

One shrub in particular had many birds coming and going including this scarlet tanager.

And this fall blackpoll warbler.

Love the prairie warbler among the crabapples.

My friend and I also then stumbled upon this American Kestrel who sat, peered around and dove after some things - likely insects.

A male kestrel by the looks of that colorful plumage!

Then it landed perfectly atop a monuments hand... showing us its false eye spots on the back of its head.

My kiddo kiiiiinda gets a little jealous sometimes when I leave the house....
"Mama you go look at birds??"
And sometimes she gets sad that I'm not taking her.
So, I promised her a nature walk, so off we went to Green-Wood!
And then she got to see a little blue heron!

Green-Wood is my favorite place to take her for a nature walk because there are no playgrounds, its relatively safe (the roads are still worthy of keeping eyes on because there are cars), and she actually explores, uses her imagination, and looks at birds.
She stared at this heron for like a solid 7 minutes, for a 3 year old, that's amazing.

The kiddo also somehow let me grab some pictures of this confusing warbler that gave me some pause, it's a Wilson's warbler.

I usually owe her a solid nature walk once every two months, so until the next time!

This past Sunday I got a mama time walk, it was needed and it refreshed my state - birds are healing!
The palm warblers are like yellow confetti, they are all over the ground, little sprinkles of color.

I enjoy a newer section of Green-Wood Cemetery - I call it the four seasons, because it has a winter walk, spring, summer, and autumn named paths. And I always find a little something nice in there. On this day it was a Blue Grosbeak.
Here it is checking out a Cooper's Hawk who had just flushed a whole butt load of flickers.

These little native plantings attract nice little things, like a blue grosbeak.

Also visiting the four seasons, a red-eyed vireo, who gave a few poses.

This one screams school picture day.

This one screams, field guide plate, showing red eyes.

This one is super stealthy.

A beted kingfisher that let me take their picture! And then caught a fish!

This young Northern Parula practically fell in front of me, so close, I wasn't sure if my camera would focus!
Fall migration is kinda fun because of the very young naïve birds who just pop out and stare at you for far longer than they ever should.

And then, I needed to get home but was very distracted....

This male American kestrel was hunting the sparrows and palm warblers, with no luck, but just sat and staked out the birds in the area.

He's a little rough, but I still think he's cute!

The most perfect bird.

I took Monday off, it was my 10-year lifeaversary. 10 years since my bike crash that landed me in the hospital with memory loss, broken bones, and hearing difficulty.
My ear still rings to this day.
A huge part of my healing involved birds.

So thinking I may not have time for birds, I squeezed in an hour in Prospect Park and this young Cooper's Hawk really stepped it up.

This hawk swooped into the ravine, below me and just sat at the waters edge. So despite it being so dark from the leaves of the canopy, the bird sat out in the open and I tried being so still to get some semi okay pictures.

I went to the vale and saw more birds, but they were fast and hidey... but this leucistic squirrel who has a bit of a following just walked right next to me.
I saw a leucistic squirrel in Prospect a number of years ago in a completely different area of the park, fun to see the genes are out there.

Also not a bird, but chipping in a spotlight, I couldn't resist a chipmunk shot!
Here's to a better October with more clarity, routine, and hopefully, birds!