First warbler to appear (at least for me)

It was 45 degrees at 7:30 a.m., clear and sunny.

I started in the lower gardens as usual and was immediately greeted by a cardinal couple, tree swallows and a red winged blackbird. Song sparrows were singing, blue jays calling and robins foraging in the field. As I looked more closely, I saw this little guy and was excited to realize it was a field sparrow in a field!!

As I headed to the upper gardens there were titmice and more robins and cardinals. I stopped to watch the little hole in the birch that had so interested the chickadees last weekend and

Palm Warbler

saw them busily flying in and out. Looks like they are hoping to raise their young there. At the same time, I saw a little brown bird perch on a tiny, bare branch. It was a house wren! Then I saw a flash of yellow, and there was a beautiful palm warbler nearby. Very exciting.

The upper gardens yielded more of the same but with a cowbird high in a tree.  Jonathan appeared and told me he had seen a hermit thrush down in the lower gardens.

Saw a white-throated sparrow on the way to the pond which was very quiet, as was the river. In the meadow, we ended up seeing an Eastern phoebe, but no action on the nest yet.

House Wren

In Woodcock meadow, we saw another palm warbler and some gold finches.

So, all in all, our friends are arriving and I am looking forward to the Mother's Day bird walk led by Haynes Miller and Alison Leary. I hope you will join us!