Spring at last!

Today was another AMNH walk, and it finally feels (and looks and sounds) like spring.  :-)  Warblers are here!

First I quickly visited the upper lobe before meeting the group, where this northern shoveler was posing for a dramatic picture.  They won't be around much longer.

northern shoveler

 And two palm warblers were flitting about in a tree near the bridge, with a kinglet across from them!

palm warbler

 Once the group got started, we headed back there and saw them again, along with this swamp sparrow.

swamp sparrow

 Then we started seeing the yellow rumps.  They were everywhere!  It seemed like if we just paused in a random location, and looked around, we would find one.  This one posed on the rocks along the streamlet.

yellow-rumped warbler

 There were flickers everywhere too, mostly flying away.  Here's a pair flirting, caught up in the magic of springtime.

northern flicker

 Don't worry, this blue-grey gnatcatcher does have a head.

blue-grey gnatcatcher

 Palm warbler at the point.

palm warbler

 This flicker has a fresh hole, and was working on it.

northern flicker

 As we left, we saw two blue-headed vireos!

blue-headed vireo

 And then some crazy kinglets.  You can see this one is displaying his quite impressive ruby crown.

ruby-crowned kinglet

 Kinglet is strong like bull.

ruby-crowned kinglet