First birds of 2010

A Palm Warbler. This one is awfully cute, but he's not in his spring plumage, so if you want to see his rust-colored cap, try this copyrighted photo.

(If you haven't read this blog in the spring before, be forewarned. I get really enthusiastic about warbler migration! If you're one of those people who doesn't see the fun in spending hours looking straight up into trees with binoculars during pollen season, I won't be offended! It should be safe to return by early June.)

I was able to spend about an hour birding in Riverside Park yesterday. It was a cool, windy day which blew clouds rapidly over the Hudson and further dappled the light under the new, yellow-green leaves. I wore a wool jacket, but I didn't really need gloves.

Here's what I saw:

2 American Kestrels, squabbling high in a tree. Their querulous cries where what made me notice them.

4 Mourning Doves

1 Red-bellied Woodpecker, carving out a hole in the same spot as last year. I really admire his persistence, as last year's nest got taken over by Starlings. At first I thought this bird had really worn feathers, but eventually I realized he was all ruffled because his head would scrape the top of the hole on each strike.

1 Northern Flicker

2 Blue Jays, chasing one another

1 Black-capped Chickadee, heard only

1 wren, but only saw the silhouette so I'm not sure what type

2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, one with his bright red crest up, furiously chasing the other

Robins everywhere. Singing, of course!

Yellow-rumped Warblers, several

1 Pine Warbler

Palm Warblers, lots and lots of them flying from tree to tree with the Yellow-Rumps and Pine Warbler, all eating catkins

2 Eastern Towhees

2 Chipping Sparrows

White-throated Sparrows, still around for now, calling, "Oh say, Canada! Canada!" I think they're homesick. Their friends the Juncos are gone.

2 Cardinals, an obvious pair

These birds were not here a week ago. I don't even think they were here three days ago. So these are the very first arrivals!

I was somewhat surprised to see so many Palm Warblers, since usually the Yellow-rumps arrive first, and in such large numbers that for about two weeks they're almost as common as House Sparrows. If House Sparrows are the street urchins of the bird world, Yellow-rumps are the bird equivalent to the zucchini squash--early and abundant, yet still seasonal enough that you're delighted to see them make an appearance.

Chipping Sparrow

All photos from Wikipedia Commons.