Oh my goodness! I’m writing a blog post!
I know, I know, it’s been a long time. But after a couple of exciting visits to mud puddles, which long-time readers of this blog will remember is one of my favorite kinds of birding, I couldn’t resist sharing a few shots of the birds I’ve seen coming in for a drink and a bath.
Jochen knows why I thought it was important to share this Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Big Egg Marsh.
With a reflection in this image too!
We spent the bulk of May in New York City with virtually no rain at all so recent rainstorms have filled up long dry puddles and left them irresistible to a variety of birds. The two images above and the one below are from a puddle I have visited in the past, which is a perfect spot to visit early in the morning for some nice light and before people scare everything away.
Though ubiquitous in New York in spring through fall, Laughing Gulls are still fun to see. And so pretty!
The exciting news is that I have discovered a new puddle outside a park I have been birding of late, Idlewild Park. The park itself has some decent habitat but the puddle on the street outside is wonderful. It’s pretty deep so it holds water longer than most other puddles and on my most recent visit I discovered an added bonus! There’s a mulberry tree directly over the puddle that drops ripe and not-quite ripe berries to the ground. Birds can come in for a meal and a drink!
This Song Sparrow really liked the mulberries. (It’s the same bird as at the top of the post.)
So. Many. Berries!
It’s hard to find something interesting to say about Song Sparrows.
I wish this Baltimore Oriole had stuck around a bit longer. At least I got this decent shot!
Alright. I’m blogging again. Expect more soon! Have you missed me?
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The sparrow looks like a Lincoln’s to me. The streaks are fine and thin instead of coarse and thick. Seems to be no central breast spot. Barely any streaking on sides to flanks, should be heavy on a Song. Whisker also very thin and fine, Song usually shows big thick heavy one.
The bird is undoubtedly and undeniably a Song Sparrow, for a host of reasons, including that by June there are no Lincoln’s Sparrows in Queens, the bill is far too large, there is no buff coloration to the breast, and the streaking below is far too coarse. Also, while I watched it I heard it sing several times.