Here is the description of a Veery from Sibley Birds: uniformly reddish above and faintly spotted below, with pale face lacking distinct pattern around the eye. This morning’s bird was confusing because it appears to have a brownish “bib”.

We heard a Wood Thrush during the walk but this is definitely not a Wood Thrush so I am calling it a Veery:

We also had my first Rose-breasted Grosbeak of the season:

There were also a few Baltimore Orioles:

a Yellow Warbler:

a Northern Flicker:

Species list: Canada goose, mallard, turkey vulture, spotted sandpiper, ring-billed gull, mourning dove, hairy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, gray catbird, American robin, wood thrush, veery,  blue-gray gnatcatcher, European starling, yellow warbler, common yellowthroat, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird, Baltimore oriole, brown-headed cowbird, northern cardinal, rose-breasted grosbeak, American goldfinch, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow.  (29 species)

Red and Gray Squirrels:

This morning’s group:

Park scenes:

It is always exciting to see an unfamiliar plant. One group member told me that this is Corydalis and another used an App called Inaturalist to narrow the identification down to find that it is a garden plant called “Fumewort” or “Bird-in-a-bush” (Corydalis solida).

Here is what “Michigan Flora” says about Corydalis solida: Introduced from Europe; a scarce weed of grassy and weedy banks and lawns. We found it on a grassy bank of the Humber River.

Trilliums have 3 petals and 3 leaves.

At least they are supposed to! Deborah Wingate took this photo of an unusual Trillium from yesterday’s walk which has 4 petals and 4 leaves:

Perhaps it should be called a “Quadrillium”

Other botany:

NATURE POETRY

Spring Breaks in Foam

by Sir Charles G. D. Roberts

Spring breaks in foam

Along the blackthorn bough.

Whitethroat and goldenwing

Are mating now.

With green buds in the copse

And gold bloom in the sun

Earth is one ecstasy

Of life begun.

And in my heart

Spring breaks in glad surprise

As the long frosts of the long years melt

At your dear eyes.

Miles Hearn