Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Early Spring Migrants

Hello and Happy Spring!~~

Raymondale and especially Luria Park near the main bridge and the chain link fence around the old baseball diamond has had a lovely assortment of early spring migratory songbirds. grab your binoculars and take a look!

You may find...

 This tiny active bird is the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.  The bird was foraging for insects on bare branches over the smaller bridge.


 This yellow-hued bird with white wing bars is the Pine Warbler. Wintering in the US south it's one of our earliest warbler migrants.

 This yellow bird with the rusty patch on top of it's head is the Palm Warbler. Seen bobbing it's tail and flitting from the trees to the ground around the chain link fence.


This bird is the Eastern Phoebe. It's about the size of a Northern Cardinal and like the Palm Warbler it pumps its tail when perched and alert. Seen in the trees along the larger bridge and along the chain link fence. It flies out usually from the same branch/perch catching insects. And speaking of catching insects...

This Ruby-crowned Kinglet (the ruby crown in a few tiny feathers on top of the head rarely seen) was seen in low-growth around the creek catching a tasty insect. These birds are winter residents (like some of the migratory warblers and insect eaters) and are heading far north into Canada to breed.