So from the title you don't have to work too hard to figure out what I saw today - kingfisher! At the upper lobe! Oh, glorious day!
So I went up to meet the AMNH group and got to the upper lobe with 20 minutes or so to spare. As I was putting on my super-cool birding gear, I saw a heron fly into the upper lobe and saw a large tree crash wildly towards the top. So I went to the bridge to find the heron, and sure enough, there it was!
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| great blue heron |
As I was enjoying this gorgeousness, I saw a little flitter of something nearby, which turned out to be this parula. It was hilarious to see this teeny little snip of a bird next to that huge heron!
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| northern parula |
I guess I paid too much attention to the parula, the heron wanted to demonstrate how it got its name so it showed me its amazing wingspan.
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| great blue heron |
I saw something weird out of the corner of my eye, and took a few steps to check it out. And guess what it was???? Kingfisher! In Central Park! I have of course heard stories of such things happening, but never have I witnessed it. Never, that is, until this very moment.
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| belted kingfisher |
After a few minutes I lost track of my new favorite bird, and went to meet the group. It was a great walk, there were birds everywhere! Of course I was super impatient to get back to the upper lobe to try to find the kingfisher again, but I tried, tried, tried to be cool. It only partly worked.
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| ruby-crowned kinglet |
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| northern waterthrush |
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| scarlet tanager |
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| American redstart |
Back at the upper lobe, we did indeed see the kingfisher again! But it was not a great view, and it did not want to fly around for us. But at least the group got to see it! And the blue heron, who stood in the sun and showed us its beak at different angles. And more migrants were here there and everywhere!
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| rose-breasted grosbeak |
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| magnolia warbler |
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| field sparrow |
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| northern flicker |
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| indigo bunting |
After Paul reluctantly headed back to work and the group disbanded, I went back to the upper lobe. And found the kingfisher again! What an amazing lucky day.
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| belted kingfisher |
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