Steady rain and thick forest foliage made it very difficult to spot any birds on this 17 degree morning. Fortunately several were singing; notably Scarlet Tanager, Yellow Warbler and Great Crested Flycatcher.

Species list: great crested flycatcher, gray catbird, American robin, European starling, yellow warbler, Baltimore oriole, brown-headed cowbird, common grackle, scarlet tanager, northern cardinal, song sparrow.  (11 species)

Park scenes:

Maple-leaved Viburnum and Alternate-leaved Dogwood were in flower:

Other botany:

For only the third time in 13 years, I had this walk to myself though I wasn’t alone. Thousands of mosquitoes were enjoying perfect conditions. Wet and no wind. Thanks to a dog walker for snapping this photo:

NATURE POETRY

It is blue-butterfly day here in spring,
And with these sky-flakes down in flurry on flurry
There is more unmixed color on the wing
Than flowers will show for days unless they hurry.

But these are flowers that fly and all but sing:
And now from having ridden out desire
They lie closed over in the wind and cling
Where wheels have freshly sliced the April mire. – Robert Frost

Miles Hearn