Colorful Jewels on a Gray Day - Some Old Friends Return

Song Sparrow Singing

43 degrees this morning and very gray but the park was hopping! Juncos and robins and cowbirds were combing the meadow in search of seeds. Bird song was everywhere despite the lack of cheerfulness of such a dull looking day.

This song sparrow pictured left was letting all the ladies know that he's the very best! Of course there were several other song sparrows singing, and they all thought the same thing!

In the lower gardens were chickadees, a cardinal couple and mourning doves in addition to the large quantity of song sparrows. I could hear a red bellied woodpecker purring from a tree near the parking lot.

I headed to the upper gardens and was immediately greeted by two tree swallows flying in circles high up above me. They genuinely seemed so excited to be back. Later, the two turned into at least six - twittering and performing flight maneuvers. Saw a couple of crows, geese and ducks flying overhead, more cardinals and heard some goldfinches. Later, I am happy to report, I caught a brief glimpse of our friend "Skulker", our wintering-over hermit thrush in some brush at the edge of the path on the swamp side. I was so hoping to see the bluebirds atop the purple birdhouse but no such luck.

Mallard Couple

The soccer field was filled with robins, song sparrows, goldfinches and more cardinals. The mallard couple was in the pond, but no sign of the lone merganser. A red winged blackbird called from a tree nearby. I checked out the river, but nothing terribly exciting. I was hoping the phoebe might be back, but not yet.

On my way back to the parking lot, I cut through the woods and came back down through the upper gardens. Just as I hit the path near the brushy triangle I was stunned to see our bluebird couple checking out the boxes down there!

 

Male and Female Bluebird