Registrar: Russ Comeau
Participants: 17
Weather: 65°F. Mostly cloudy; humid; gentle breeze from SE–E.
Bird Species: 40
A morning chorus of melodious bird song wafted on the warm breeze as Rob Jett led us through the inner hills and dells of the NE, NW, and SW quadrants of this world-class arboretum. We skirted Green-Wood’s four ponds, and Rob chose different routes on the way out and back to maximize our coverage.
Rob concentrated on tall native trees that are budding and producing catkins (the hanging tassels of tiny tree flowers), which provide many birds with food—not just the edible buds and catkins, but the many juicy insects attracted to them as well. Tail-bobbing, bright yellow Palm Warblers and shrilly trilling Chipping Sparrows were most abundant in such trees, alongside other active songbird species as well. There were nice numbers and a diversity of woodpeckers as well.
On the walk out, Amy Simmons put us on a freshly arrived Blue-headed Vireo, which was a first-of-year look at this dapper species for many in our group.
As we reached the halfway mark, Jim Demers discovered a Wilson’s Snipe resting quietly in the shade of a manmade structure along a pond shoreline. Great views were had by all from a respectful distance, so as not to disturb this woodland member of the shorebird family.
We were delighted to see an Osprey fly overhead—and doubly delighted when the Osprey flew back again a few minutes later, this time gripping a glistening golden fish in its talons.
Amy got a brief glimpse of yet another elusive Blue-headed Vireo. Suzanne Zywicki scanned the nearby landscape and found it (or another one) taking a time-out on a low-hanging branch, then dropping into the grass, giving everyone great views.
We couldn’t have hoped for a better, birdier day than this, sequestered from the city amidst the early spring verdure of Green-Wood Cemetery.
Species Lists
Birds
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Mourning Dove
Wilson’s Snipe
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Double-crested Cormorant
Osprey
Red-tailed Hawk
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Blue-headed Vireo
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Red-breasted Nuthatch
European Starling
Northern Mockingbird
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
House Sparrow
House Finch
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
White-throated Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Red-winged Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
Common Grackle
Palm Warbler
Pine Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Butterflies
Mourning Cloak
Mammals
Groundhog
