Ferns, Dragonflies, Butterflies, and Huckleberry Blossoms

Palm Warbler, Ridge Hill Reservation, Needham, MA

A mid-day stroll through the Field View and North Trails. A few nice birds, including a friendly palm warbler and my first-of-the-year black & white warbler. But the real attraction was everything else.

The ferns are a-rolling out.

Dragonflies of all varieties are zooming around.

Butterflies too. Question-marks (above), red admirals, mourning cloaks, tiny blues.

And what's this trail-side? Could it be future trail-side huckleberries?

April in Manhattan

View from our hotel room of Central Park, NY

A family trip to New York. We stayed in the Rockefeller Center area rather than Times Square, which was a relaxing change. And the view from our room was spectacular.

Not having done a full New York trip while in my birding phase, I was still a Central Park skeptic. Pigeons, starlings, house sparrows. I'll see those. But what else?

Partially leucistic American Robin, Central Park, NY

I'm now a believer. Almost literally the first bird I spotted was the piebald robin above. Interesting...

The Pond and Hallett Nature Sanctuary, Central Park, NY

Then I wandered over towards "The Pond." White-throated sparrow songs were everywhere.

White-throated sparrow, Central Park, NY

At 3 on a Saturday afternoon. With people everywhere. When I spotted a hermit thrust in the bushes off of 79th St. I nearly lost it.

Hermit Thrush, Hallett Nature Sanctuary, Central Park, NY

Turns out this was peak hermit thrush migration time in the area. I would see them in all sorts of locations, including Ellis Island, during our trip.

At the Pond itself, a lone drake wood duck. It was being corrupted by a guy tossing bread crumbs and holding its own against the mallards.

And twice I saw folks gesturing excitedly at things on the opposite bank. A raccoon, casually plodding along (at 3 in the afternoon).

And a woodchuck.

Ruby-crowned kinglet, Central Park, NY

The other migrant of note was the ruby-crowned kinglet, singing occasionally and in the tops of trees in Central Park, Ellis Island, Battery Park, and probably every green space in the city.

Laughing Gulls, East River Bike Path, NY

The most surprising sighting of the weekend, though, which literally made me exclaim, out loud, "What The..." was a yellow-bellied sapsucker in Battery Park. OK, New York and Central Park, I am definitely a birding believer.

Ridge Hill birdiness

Pine Warbler, Ridge Hill Reservation, Needham, MA

Things are heating up. Walking through the trails at Ridge Hill I was serenaded by a ruby-crowned kinglet (Field View Trail) and a winter wren (Chestnut Trail). The chipping sparrows have joined the pine warblers in the Ridge Hill trillfest.

Pine Warbler, Ridge Hill Reservation, Needham, MA

I was so proud of my ability to distinguish chipping sparrows trills from pine warbler trills. Then I realized that palm warblers were also in the mix. And things got all confused again....

Palm Warbler, Ridge Hill Reservation, Needham, MA

At any rate, nice to see the palm warblers.

Better CRP Kestrel Photos

American Kestrel, Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA

The kestrel let me get a little closer today. The best shot is above. I also liked the poses below.

And of course, flying.

Bonus shots:
Red-bellied woodpecker

And a couple of bluebirds

Easter Morning Fallout

Tree Swallows, Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA

Migrants galore this morning--dozens of robins on the meadow, a couple of tail flipping palm warblers on the forest edge, and even more tree swallows and bluebirds, if that can be believed.

 Joining our kestrel visitor on the shagbark hickory--a half dozen red-winged blackbirds, initially distressed when it flew in but perfectly comfortable to share the tree when they saw who it was.

And  distributed throughout the property--colorful plastic eggs.

Where did they come from?

Plastic birds?

Honestly, I hope whoever did this is going to do tick checks after the egg hunt. Some of the eggs are quite deep in the field.  And I really hope the kids don't stumble across the recently deceased cottontail in the brush off the parking lot....

Charles River Peninsula Kestrel

What's that in the shag-bark hickory tree at the Charles River Peninsula?

Could it be?

Yes it is. An American Kestrel. A male.

See the blue?

I usually see kestrels in April at the CRP, just passing through. This one left not long after I arrived. BUT on my wait out I noticed it had returned to the shag-bark hickory. So who knows. Maybe this is the year the kestrels stay....
[UPDATE: Friday April 6--still there. Even heard a little vocalization (aimed at red-tailed hawk)]

First of April

Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA

Up early and out to the CRP this morning. The fields were frosty.

Last year around this time the brush was filled with singing fox sparrows and the river was stuffed with wood ducks. This year has been different.

So a stop-off at Great Meadows on my way home from Accepted Students Day.

I got my fill of wood ducks. There were dozens. And not as skittish as they sometimes are.

Today was a coot day at Great Meadows, with ring-necked ducks in the background. I was happy to spot my first grebe of the year.

I'm not sure what it was trying to swallow but it was clearly a challenge.

 And I'm never unhappy to see tiny green-wing teal.