Fall Bird Migration 2024 - Part 3

Welcome to Part 3 of Fall Bird Migration. I've spent so much time out with the birds, I've fallen behind posting photos. Below are some recent highlights which were seen in Brooklyn and Governors Island.

Song Sparrow:

Swamp Sparrow:

I usually say White-Throats are my favorite sparrow, but Swamps rank right up there. They're beautiful in the late afternoon sun.

Northern Parula:

I've said many times that Parulas are my favorite warbler. I love their colors and the way they glean tiny insects from the undersides of leaves.

And they're just cute.

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet:

Speaking of cute, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets never disappoint, which is why I post so many photos of them.

Golden-Crowned Kinglet:

Golden-Crowned Kinglets rank pretty high on the cuteness scale. And they're fast! This was the only decent photo I could get of this one who was furiously chasing no-see-ums.

Magnolia Warbler:

Palm Warbler:

Common Yellowthroat:

Gray-Cheeked Thrush:

Yellow-Rumped Warbler:

Showing us how it got its name:

More to come...

Fall Bird Migration 2024 - Part 2

Below are some more highlights from Fall Bird Migration here in NYC. Birds included in this post were seen in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Governors Island.

Black-Throated Blue Warbler (male):

It's always a joy to see these royal blue birds.

The females have a much more muted bluish-greenish-yellowish look to them, which I find really elegant. And I like her dramatic white eyebrow.

Dickcissel:

Northern House Wren:

Lincoln's Sparrow:

Eastern Phoebe:

Common Yellowthroat:

Blue-Headed Vireo:

Black-Throated Green Warbler:

Magnolia Warbler:

Prairie Warbler:

Yellow-Throated Warbler:

Yellow-Throated Warbers are not often seen in around here, and I never seem to have my camera when one pops up. I did have a camera with me this time, but it was only a small point-and-shoot. Even so, I'm happy to have captured it with just one shot.

 

More to follow.

Previously.

Checking in on Christo and Amelia

I feel like I've been neglecting our local red-tailed hawks, Christo and Amelia, for some time. I spent the summer documenting their fledglings and, as usual, the kids and their antics tend to get all the attention.

This is a photo of Christo I took yesterday. He's looking good.

I also saw Amelia earlier in the day perched on the dome of Most Holy Redeemer church on E. 3rd Street, but I didn't have my camera with me. Both hawks are doing well.

Below are some photos of Christo and Amelia I never got around to posting because I was focused on the fledglings.

Here is Amelia looking pretty.

Here she is dealing with an annoying Mockingbird who kept trying to nip her in the back.

I love how she stares right at the hyperactive Mockingbird and appears unimpressed. The Mockingbird kept this up for about 15 minutes.

Meh, nothing to see here.

This is Christo being harassed by a male Kestrel.

Another Kestrel tries to intimidate Amelia by flying straight at her.

On a calmer day, I found Christo gathering seeds from his favorite Dawn Redwood tree next to the men's room in Tompkins.

He flew them to the "fake" nest the pair built in a tree at the end of the nesting season. They've done this the last several years, which I believe is a bonding activity. This additional nest has never been used for egg laying, and it's usually dismantled by squirrels by the time nesting season starts in late winter.

This is Amelia taking a stick to the false nest.

Amelia and Christo hanging out together:

Amelia watches Christo take off.

Amelia looking majestic:

Here is Christo with a few molting feathers on his face.

The molting makes him look scruffy. I wrote more about molting in a previous post.

Christo perched near the basketball courts:

And finally diving after...something.

Note:  I never received further updates on the fledgling taken to the Raptor Trust in August. I am inclined to think it was released back into the wild in New Jersey. It's unfortunate the fledgling was not released back into Tompkins, but it may have been safer for the bird to release it outside the city. All we can do is hope it and its two siblings are enjoying success on their migration journeys.