We are almost there! The long weekend in May is considered the absolute height in bird migration numbers. Those of you who have been following these posted bird lists for years know that 40 species is a good day. 50 species is exceptional. Today we had 64 species in about two hours in an area of a few acres. We didn’t visit the lake area which would have given us even more species.

Species list: double-crested cormorant, great blue heron, Canada goose, trumpeter swan, turkey vulture, red-tailed hawk, spotted sandpiper, ring-billed gull, mourning dove, chimney swift, rock pigeon, red-bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, northern flicker, least flycatcher, bank swallow, blue jay, American crow, black-capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, red-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, house wren, gray catbird, brown thrasher, American robin, Swainson’s thrush, veery, blue-gray gnatcatcher, ruby-crowned kinglet, European starling, warbling vireo, red-eyed vireo, blue-headed  vireo, black and white warbler, Tennessee warbler, Nashville warbler, northern parula warbler, yellow warbler, magnolia warbler, Cape May warbler, black-throated blue warbler, yellow-jumped warbler, black-throated green warbler, blackburnian warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, palm warbler, ovenbird, common yellowthroat, American redstart, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird, brown-headed cowbird, common grackle, Baltimore oriole, orchard oriole, northern cardinal, indigo bunting, American goldfinch, chipping sparrow, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, swamp sparrow, song sparrow.  (64 species)

The highlight for me on this 15 degree, partly cloudy morning was the many warbler species. Here are a few:

I took over 1200 photos this morning and it was very entertaining to go through them.

I found a dead Chestnut-sided Warbler and please forgive me for this photo showing its wonderful plumage:

Another lovely warbler is the Northern Parula Warbler. Parula is the Latin name for several warbler species.

Other birds:

Two glorious plants here:

Park scenes:

This morning’s group:

NATURE POETRY

Rose Pogonias

Robert Frost – 1874-1963

A saturated meadow,
     Sun-shaped and jewel-small,
A circle scarcely wider
     Than the trees around were tall;
Where winds were quite excluded,
     And the air was stifling sweet
With the breath of many flowers,—
    A temple of the heat.

These were bowed us in the burning,
     As the sun’s right worship is,
To pick where none could miss them
     A thousand orchises;
For though the grass was scattered,
    Yet every second spear
Seemed tipped with wings of color,
     That tinged the atmosphere.

We raised a simple prayer
     Before we left the spot,
That in the general mowing
     That place might be forgot;
Or if not all is favoured,
     Obtain such grace of hours,
That none should mow the grass there
     While so confused with flowers. 

Miles Hearn