The weather in New York is exquisite this weekend. Although we we really busy today, we managed to steal a few minutes to dip into Central Park. The first thing we noticed was the unusually large number of White-throated Sparrows.  If you are in NYC and haven’t seen these birds yet, this is your lucky day.  They are recognizable by the bright flash of yellow in their white eyebrows.

We found a large puddle that seemed the focal point of a lot of avian action.  In addition to the multitude of sparrows, the usual city birds all came by for a bath. The grackles and starlings looked especially handsome; I guess the spectacular weather is an excuse for everyone to wear their finery. Even the robins were a welcome sight. The highlight of our abbreviated birding session, though, was the spotting of a new bird.  We saw not one, not two, but three Hermit Thrush. This species’ trademark rusty tail was a helpful clue as to their identity, but the real clincher was the confident shouts of “hermit thrush!” from the birders around us. Who says New Yorkers aren’t friendly?