Birding the Ridge and a Backyard Scarlet Tanager
Published: May 11, 2011
Tags: Parks and Preserves, Scarlet Tanager, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, White-crowned Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Chestnut Ridge
Today I birded Chestnut Ridge Park with my son and sister-in-law to take advantage of Deb's visit from out-of-town and the picture-perfect day. We didn't find many birds, other than a few Dark-eyed Juncos, a couple of Blue Jays, the ubiquitous Black-capped Chickadee, and, to my delight, several Yellow-rumped Warblers. We heard a Pileated Woodpecker, but never did lay eyes on it. The hike, itself, was a lot of fun, though, and we made it down to the Eternal Flame and back without mishap!
Later, I decided to do a little backyard birding and found much more variety in shorter bit of time than what we found at the Ridge. I was so pleased to find a couple more Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1 Red-bellied Woodpecker, 2 Gray Catbirds, 3 Northern Cardinals, several Blue Jays and Juncos, 2 White-crowned Sparrows, a White-throated Sparrow, 5 American Gold Finches, 4 American Robins, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird at the feeder, and then the biggest treat of all - a gorgeous male Scarlet Tanager! Wow! What eye candy! I managed to get a few halfway decent photos of him as well as the Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Scarlet Tanager Isn't he gorgeous? Scarlet Tanager Scarlet Tanager Yellow-rumped Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Tom and Deb at the Ridge
Dave, you inspired me to try again at Negri-Nepote (it's on the way to work, and the atatrnelive is 45 minutes on the inclined treadmill! so, it's your fault if I don't get an exercise session in ) But, birds were fewer today than Monday. On the other hand, I had a very bright chat and a rather dull parula. I think chat breeds at 6 mile run. But I kind of think both were migrating. When birds are relatively bold, hitting the edges and inhaling the food with abandon, that makes me think they are newcomers.
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