Jeanette's Big Blog of Animals: Prairie Warbler!

I had a few minutes at the upper lobe before going to the AMNH meeting spot, and it was great! I saw this Baltimore oriole - we saw many that day, but this was the best picture. This guy was posing and lingering and generally looking extremely handsome.

Baltimore Oriole

And this black-crowned night heron was there, looking both gorgeous and slightly hilarious.

Black-crowned Night Heron

This black and white warbler moved around quite a bit, as did a black-throated blue, and while this picture is not great of the bird, I love how it looks like such an idyllic forest scene. To me it does not look like I'm on a paved path just a quick stroll away from busy Manhattan streets!

Black and White Warbler

And here is the star of that picture, the lovely black and white warbler! We saw several of these today too, their favorite trick is to fly by when I'm trying to relocate another bird and distract me.

Black and White Warbler

The robin's nest is doing quite well. Check out the size of the chicks! I saw three, and they just barely can wedge themselves into the nest. They were so tiny last time! And they are definitely in the cute stage now. I wonder what they will look like next week!

American Robin Chicks

We saw a few black-throated blues, but they were too busy for us, really.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

This prairie warbler was my favorite bird of the day. His markings are not super dark, but he is gorgeous!

Prairie Warbler

We got fleeting glimpses of many thrushes, including a couple of wood thrushes, before this one stayed still for a few minutes. It seems to be checking us out at the same time we are checking it out. Look at how vivid that cap is!

Wood Thrush

This rose-breasted grosbeak stayed directly overhead for a frustratingly long time.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

The drama of the day...... We've been watching the red-bellied woodpeckers making a cavity in this old tree near the oven. Apparently the starlings have been watching too, and they think the cavity looks pretty good! So there was some woodpecker-starling drama. At the time we left the woodpeckers still had the cavity, it will be interesting to check on it again later.

Red-bellied Woodpecker, European Starling

This particularly vivid cardinal was so cheerful!

Northern Cardinal

We saw so many ovenbirds! I've never seen so many in one day, I think. It seems to me I saw at least a dozen, and that feels like a low estimate. They are striking with that stripe on the top of their head!

Ovenbird

Hmmmmmmm......... veeeeeeery interesting..........
Sorry. Had to be done.

Veery

After the group split up I headed home through Strawberry Fields, and saw this common yellowthroat. Behold the mighty hunter!

Common Yellowthroat

I ran into a group looking for the worm-eating warbler, apparently I arrived just after it left. During the search I found this redstart, but the group was unimpressed. I did not see the worm-eating warbler. Maybe someday......