I went just after sunrise into the woods here to photograph some of the plants in what photographers call the “golden light” of early morning:













Some park scenes:






This morning’s group:

Our most common singing bird today was the Gray Catbird:






We also saw some Palm Warblers; a species which exhibits characteristic “tail-wagging” behaviour:



There were many orioles about:



and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks:





Species list: double-crested cormorant, great blue heron, Canada goose, mallard, wood duck, turkey vulture, ring-billed gull, belted kingfisher, hairy woodpecker, tree swallow, rough-winged swallow, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, gray catbird, American robin, blue-gray gnatcatcher, ruby-crowned kinglet, warbling vireo, palm warbler, yellow warbler, northern waterthrush, red-winged blackbird, brown-headed cowbird, common grackle, Baltimore oriole, northern cardinal, rose-breasted grosbeak, house finch, American goldfinch, song sparrow. (31 species)













NATURE POETRY
This is the weather the cuckoo likes,
And so do I;
When showers betumble the chestnut spikes,
And nestlings fly;
And the little brown nightingale bills his best,
And they sit outside at ‘The Traveller’s Rest,’
And maids come forth sprig-muslin drest,
And citizens dream of the south and west,
And so do I.
This is the weather the shepherd shuns,
And so do I;
When beeches drip in browns and duns,
And thresh and ply;
And hill-hid tides throb, throe on throe,
And meadow rivulets overflow,
And drops on gate bars hang in a row,
And rooks in families homeward go,
And so do I. Thomas Hardy
Miles Hearn