We had many bird species today on a day which ranged from heavy fog to sunshine and temperatures from 9 to 16 degrees.
Species list: red-necked grebe, great blue heron, mute swan, Canada goose, mallard, gadwall, bufflehead, long-tailed duck, hooded merganser, herring gull, ring-billed gull, rock pigeon, belted kingfisher, downy woodpecker, eastern phoebe, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, brown creeper, ruby-crowned kinglet, golden-crowned kinglet, European starling, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird, northern cardinal, American goldfinch, dark-eyed junco, song sparrow. (27 species)
There were 8 Hooded Mergansers mixed in with about a dozen Gadwall:
a few winter ducks were also present:
You can see in these photos why Starlings are called “starlings”. White dots on a dark breast. This is their winter plumage.
Other birds:
Other nature:
Park views:
10 a.m. group (2 photos as more arrived later:
1 p.m. group:
NATURE POETRY
O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all. – Robert Frost (1874–1963)
Miles Hearn