Blue Heron on the Potomac

Today Jack and I took the train down to DC to visit my family, and we had oodles of time to drive to dinner.  No traffic!  It was actually just a bit weird.  So driving along the Potomac, we stopped at a scenic outlook pull-off to take a look.  The view was significantly blocked by trees, but there were still some spots where we could see the river.  And along came a large bird, flying up the river!  It looked like a pelican to me at first, with the shape and movement of the wings, but that made no sense at all, and I didn't get a good look at the head.  I called Jack over quickly so he could take a look, and the bird flew over the trees.  I thought we had lost it, but I scanned the far shore and saw a great blue heron down there!  He walked around on the shore for a while, he started out in the water like he was fishing but pretty quickly went onto the land, I don't know why.  It was a special thing to see on our way down!  :-)

Robins, robins, everywhere

The park today would have been a complete delight if I had a robin fetish!  They were seriously everywhere - more robins than sparrows, grackles, and pigeons put together.

I was happy to see a couple of cardinals and a blue jay.

I did see a couple of waxwings at the stone benchlet, one of the red-bellies by the wooden bridge, and a downy (which I even saw drumming) by Evodia field.  Oh, and a lingering common yellow-throat at the upper lobe, along with one mystery warbler which may have been a female.

I just went around the lake and took the subway back home, didn't go down to the pond.  I was hoping for some water birds, but nobody was out - no herons, no egrets, no cormorants.  I did run into a very nice birder lady who said she saw a green heron at the point a couple of days ago, but we couldn't find it today.

How quickly I have become spoiled!  I remember when seeing a waxwing and 2 types of woodpecker would have been a banner day for me.  Hahahahaha, I think I might be entering my intermediate phase.  :-)

The pond without binocs

So I went back to the dentist today.  It was supposed to storm this afternoon and I wasn't sure I was going to get to the park afterwards, and the new binocs are so heavy, I ended up leaving them at home.  But after the dentist it was somewhat okay, so I walked around the pond without binocs - frustrating!  I saw the night heron on the far side, and I actually glanced around to see if anyone nearby had binocs.   Hahahaha, no, and I'm lucky it was a no, because I might have been tempted to weasel my way into a look!  I also saw the wood duck and the goslings, and then went to the zoo.  The goslings are very nearly the size of a Mallard now!

After the zoo I came back around the pond to get home, and saw that the wood duck was up on the rock outcropping, so I headed over there just to check it out.  On the way was a cluster of random people with cameras, it turns out Paris Hilton was being interviewed right then and there.  She was quite shiny.  I just kept my face away from the cameras and kept on, but I would have enjoyed a better look at the wood duck.

Slower and smellier.......

Today I just went around the pond, testing my brand new binocs (shiny!) and harness (strappy!)

The harness is much better than a neck strap (um, not looks-wise) but the weight point in the back keeps riding up, so it's not as good as it could be.  I'll try some others that have a larger weight-point, almost like a vest, maybe that will be better.  Also I'm going to hold firmly to the notion that I look like an ultra-hot Bond girl in the harness, not like a possibly delusional lady who got some of the steps wrong in dressing this morning.

Anyway, at the pond I got a much better look at the female red-winged blackbird.  She's really quite something!

The goslings were all present and accounted for, as was the wood duck.  The wood duck is the same size as the goslings, it's hilarious!

No herons, egrets, cormorants, warblers, etc.  I did see a blue jay.

That pond was smelly!

A slow and smelly day in the park

Today was the only option weather-wise for us to go birding this weekend, so we went for it!  We started out at the pond, where we saw ~three~ night herons.  Or possibly two if one of them flew quickly past us in stealth mode.  :-)

Also hanging out on the near shore was this duck, who looks to me like he might be a hybrid.  There was no green really in the head.  Interesting.

The goslings were all still alive, and cute as ever!  We also saw the wood duck, and a female red-winged blackbird.  My first time seeing her!  She was interesting, I saw her first up high in the trees on the Hallett side, then hanging out in the reeds.  Elusive little lady, she did not like the camera.  Maybe she was playing coy with her man, who was there as well.  :-)

Once we left the pond and started walking towards the middle, we saw three crows flying over and cawing, one at a time.  So.... yeah, seeing crows is cool...... but why do they seem upset?  Keep going, but keep an eye on where they were flying from.  There he is!  Red-tailed hawk, flying low and meaning business!  We searched for him where it looked like he would land, but could not find him again.  Great to see a hawk again, it feels like it's been a while!  I never thought I'd say it, but.......... I miss winter, or as I think of it now, hawk season.

Anyway, we made our way up to the fountain, and around the boathouse.  Up the path to check on the beehive - it was quiet but had plenty of bees in it, they just weren't flying around much.  I like this much better than that time I saw it all...... abuzz.    Hahahahaha, couldn't help myself!

Anyway, we checked on captain's bench and the tulip tree, which had a northern parula and a female oriole - Jack's first oriole sighting!  The little tree to the  right of the viewing rock had a Canada warbler, I didn't even try to get a picture.

Okay, okay, let's get to the point!  We took the dirt path there and came back on the main path.  Along the way there were a female redstart, a magnolia, a blackpoll, and a couple of common yellowthroat.  At the actual point we spotted the ducklings hanging out on the opposite shore.  They were hard to see, I only found them because I was looking at the goose that was a few feet away from them.  :-)

At the bathing station we looked at the robin's nest and saw mama robin feeding her chicks.  So cute!

Then we headed over to the oven.  There was really nothing unusual there - except the smell!  Oh, yes, it smelled actually quite a bit like that bad-smelling, good-birding pool in Cayman.  If that's the general rule....... well, I guess I'll just have to learn to live with that smell!

We strolled over to the wood bridge to check on the red bellied woodpeckers, who flew in and out of their nest a few times.  While we were waiting, a blackburnian came through!  It was way too brief, and I ended up with one sad picture of a branch were a bird used to be, but it was great!

In the trees to the front-left-ish of the log seat were a bunch of waxwings, having some sort of waxwing convention.  They are so cool!

And in an obvious attempt to upstage the blackburnian, a common yellow-throat came through.  Slowly.  He lingered.  He was almost begging me to photograph him.  After all this time, now he wants pictures!  Well two can play at that game, little buddy - no pictures for you!  He left, I'm sure he would have looked dejected if he didn't have such a vivid mask.

Next was the stone benchlet.  Poor Jack wanted to much to leave, but this was on the way, so.......... Anyway, the waxwings came through and we had a nice but brief look at a water thrush.

Okay, okay, time to leave.  This time for sure!  But at the upper lobe, I ask him to wait for me on the bench while I loop around.  But he doesn't want to - he wants to come with!  And he's glad he did, because we saw the cormorant catch a fish and wrestle it into its....... gullet?  Well, somewhere, anyway.

We continued around and spotted a night heron perched in a tree!  Then Jack went ahead to sit on the bench while I lingered, and found another night heron, this one hiding in the fallen tree!  That was a total of at least four and maybe five night herons this trip.  It was wonderful!

We also saw a black and white warbler, and a magnolia.  But the night herons were the stars.  :-)

That is, until we got to the water fountain and filled up our bottle, because there we spotted a gorgeous Wilson's!  I tried and tried to get pictures, poor tired Jack was patient.  And the pictures totally did not come out at all.  Oh well, maybe next year........ time to really head for home!

The day of pretty birds and crappy pictures

Today the park still had lots of birds, but not many wanted pictures!  And, to be honest, not quite as many as yesterday.  I started at the upper lobe on my usual route, where I saw a Canada, some magnolias, and some common yellowthroat.  No egrets or herons or cormorants.  There were a couple of mystery birds that hopefully I will figure out next year.  At the tip of the upper lobe, an oriole flew over and landed briefly in that tree that's across the path.  They are so gorgeous!

I ran into a couple of birders there, including that photographer guy who looks like Apollo.  He said he was just meaning to cross over the park but got stuck there because there were so many birds.  :-)

There was a work crew on the shore on the way to bow bridge, a tree fell or was cut down and I think they were chipping it.  Some of the paths were closed, and it was ~quite~ loud.  I took an alternate route over to the wood bridge, and saw a magnolia, blackpoll, and another Canada.  The tall trees were filled with thrushes, it seemed like everywhere I looked was another one!  A female redstart came over to bathe, looking delicate and sweet.  A pair of cardinals made their appearance, making sure I saw them and paid them proper attention.  Sometimes they are like publicity-hungry minor celebrities, they want their pictures taken so badly!  A downy came through and rustled around in the bramble a bit.  And of course the red-bellies came and went.  I heard chicks!  :-)

From there I went over to the stone benchlet, but just after I got there the noise started again, and it was just too loud.  To the oven!

I took the shore path to the oven.  At that thick bush over the water that I always think should have herons, there actually was a night heron!  It was tucked up under there almost invisible, I would not have seen it if I didn't always look under there just in case.  At last, a heron in the heron bush!

I thought that was a great sighting, until I got to the oven.  On the fallen willow, on the diaganol branch with vines, was this night heron, just out there perched in the sun!  Everyone had a great view, and I felt really lucky.  The water thrush was also there, along with the common yellow-throat, magnolia, and a gorgeous northern parula.  I guess it's the same one I've seen here before, really vivid and beautiful.  I was hoping to see the ducklings there again, but, no joy.  The sandpiper wasn't there either.  I did see a couple of swallows flying over, they are fun to see!

Next, the point, where things were pretty quiet.  I went out on the regular path and came back on the dirt path.  I found a Wilson's and was trying to get a picture when Lingering Photo Guy found me.  It was awkward, he wanted to show me really a lot of pictures.  And he seemed like he had been looking for a rosy-breasted grosbeak for 40 years and not seen one.  It's possible we didn't have the best communication I guess.  Anyway, I never found the Wilson's again so I still don't have any pictures.  There was also a Canada, a couple of magnolias, and a female redstart there.  I looked again for the moorhen, but couldn't find it.

Up to captain's bench!  The beehive had lots of bees inside but not a lot of activity outside.  I definitely prefer it when it's calm.  Not much going on up here, bird-wise.

I walked around towards azalea pond, where I ran into a couple of photographer dudes, including the same one who was just crossing over 2-3 hours ago.  Hahahahaha, I totally understand!  Quote of the Day: "If you see something with a long tail, just get your lens on it and start shooting!"  We chatted for a couple of minutes, then I walked on and a birder lady who has ignored me in the past talked to me and gave me some pointers on where to go.  I mean, in the good way!  :-)

I ended up walking towards the wooden bridge, and along the way saw this gorgeous male redstart come down to bathe.  He hopped down, looked right at me, waited for the camera to be ready, and fanned out his tail.  It was hilarious!  Then he took quite a thorough bath, looked at me again, and flitted off to dry and put himself back together.

I sat for a little while back by the wooden bridge, where this Canada finally allowed a picture!  Oh, I'm so happy to finally have a decent shot of a Canada!

Then a pair of orioles came through, on the move but not super-quick.  Here's the male, I didn't get a picture of the female.  She posed for me, but I had camera aiming trouble and instead got pictures of branches near her.  A magnolia also came through, and what I think is some sort of flycatcher.  It was going too fast for me to be able to really zoom in, so the pictures are not good enough to ID the bird.

Back to the oven, which was definitely missing a night heron.  The water thrush was still there, but not much going on otherwise.  I sat for a few minutes, it's one of my favorite spots to sit and see what cool things come through.

But it was time to go.  I hugged the shore on the way back to the upper lobe to take the subway home, and along the way saw a cute and quick black and white, and this chestnut-sided.

A long, warm, wonderful Thursday in the park

I got to the park early-ish (about 10) because I was supposed to be home for Melissa to come over at 2 for a trade.  But before I even got to Balcony Bridge she had moved it to 3.  Fine, I thought, more time in the park sounds good!  Then at Balcony Bridge I saw an egret fly over pretty low, I hoped it was headed for the upper lobe.

And it was!  It landed and walked on the far (east) side of the upper lobe, then flew over to the west side, where I was, to chase off a night heron!  It was an embarrassment of riches right off the bat.  The night heron hid in the fallen tree.  I continued around the upper lobe and back down the mulch trail, along the way I saw a Wilson's, a Canada, and a black and white warbler.  Also a couple of magnolias and common yellow throat.  There was good activity there, I was wishing for a seat!

I hugged the shoreline to the stream inlet and climbed up it, pretending to be an actual hiker.  I had my outdoorsy-girl pants on, so I looked the part, at least on the bottom half.  :-)  Along the way was a robin's nest, but it didn't have eggs or chicks.

I sat on the stone benchlet for a little while and saw this female rose-breasted grosbeak.  I had no idea what it was.  There were a couple of thrushes in the trees, and one or two warblers that came by.

The wooden bridge was still being built, so I went around by the pond and down to the oven.  As I approached the oven I saw a beautiful male rose-breasted grosbeak, but I was too slow with the camera to get a picture!  Aaaaaarrrrrrggggggghghhhhh!  I hope I manage to see another one and get a decent shot.  He was gorgeous.

The ducklings were there!  That started to cheer me up, but I was still sad.

This oriole came over to console me.  Now I'm starting to feel at least somewhat better.


Then after I took pictures of this gorgeous flicker, some guy from Queens and I started talking.  He liked to photograph birds but didn't know much about them, or about how to approach for a decent shot.  He had a great camera though.  No binocs.  He sort of trailed after me when I headed over to the point.

There was a guy out at the point who said he had seen a black-billed cuckoo there just then, but I didn't see it.  A bunch of us were looking, it was fun!  It's now getting to be a nice mix of being on my own, and being connected with this loose group.

I also looked all over for the moorhen, didn't see it either.  Someone reported seeing it just a day or two ago, so I guess it's still here and alive after all! Eventually Queens non-birder guy went back to the oven.  So I headed over to azalea pond.  I walked around azalea pond and the sitting spots by the two benches.  Somewhere along the way this gorgeous tanager came by to say hello.

About this time I notice another message from Melissa.  Today is a no go!  I get no massage today.  :-(  I hope we can reschedule soon.

I went up to captain's bench and the tulip tree to console myself.  On the way back down I went to check on the beehive - it was crazy with activity!  Several bees flying around, and lots of them inside, almost covering the honeycomb.  I don't know if a beehive here is the greatest idea.  It's right next to the path.

Anyway, I went back to the point for a last look for the cuckoo before going back to a spot to sit for a while. My poor neck and shoulders!  On the point, ran into Paul with Ann and another museum guy Andrew.  So obviously I tagged along with him for as long as he let me.   Hahahahaha, I'm such a groupie!

Then I went back to the oven, where there was some sort of flycatcher.  I have no idea which one, and the pictures are not great.  There was also a really pretty northern parula, the colors were just really vivid.  This one is going to get all the girls for sure!

Then I went back to the woodpecker nest, and just after I spotted a tanager that experienced birder guy whose name starts with a M came by.  I showed him the tanager, I was really happy to be able to show someone experienced a bird.  He already knew about the woodpecker nest, and we chatted for a few minutes, it was nice.  He told me about a sandpiper at the oven, which I apparently totally missed even though I have been there twice already today.

A redstart and this chestnut sided came over briefly.

Then another Canada worked its way through, and I managed to get this shot even though these guys are fast and have never consented to pose for me.

OK, OK, back to the oven.  The sand-piper was there and obvious once I looked at the mudflat.  The other times I was here people were sort of blocking that area, so I have an excuse for not seeing it before.  :-)  Also there was the lovely lady with the dark hair and exotic accent, we chatted for a bit.  It seems like about the 4th time you see someone and say hello they start to recognize you.  After that a chat is possible.  Anyway, while we chatted it up a pair of orioles came through, they are so gorgeous!

Now, I'm really leaving.  I head out just walking kind of slowly, it's been a long day here!  There's a tourist guy in front of me who stops to see one squirrel and I was like, oh, great.  But he didn't linger.  And then he stops to see another squirrel, and this one is actually behaving oddly.  Really agitated, chattering and gesturing away at another squirrel further out on the branch who is just hunkered down and still.  I was intrigued, so I watched for a while.  And the agitated squirrel was trying to deliver a baby!

She was in a tree on a low branch right over the path.  She would rest so that the branch was across her belly, helping to push the baby out.  The baby was so low, she was definitely ready to drop.  I actually saw the head come out.  It was pretty intense!  After a while it became clear that my watching was stressing her, so I left.  It seemed like it was taking way too long though, and after watching a squirrel delivery on youtube I think she was having problems.  Maybe stillborn.  Maybe her body's labor process wasn't working properly, maybe the positioning was off, but for some reason that baby just wasn't coming out properly.  I hope she managed to get it out of her body.

On the way out I noticed a black-crowned night heron in the upper lobe.  I love these guys!  Their white hindneck plumes just crack me up.  So fancy!

Anyway, a special ending to quite an eventful day in the park!