Plenty of warblers, despite the weather

It was cool, cloudy, and breezy this morning in Estabrook Park, but at least the rain never amounted to more than spritzing. Also, the gray sky provides a less-than-ideal background, of course, but the wind forces the bugs to stay closer to the ground, and the birds follow them, so the sky might not even be in the picture.

Anyway, when I got to the pond, I was thrilled to find that the goslings hadn’t hiked down to the river after all. At least not yet, and here’s one of them grazing beside Mom or Dad, and you can really see how big they’ve gotten.

There was also a pair of wood ducks kicking around, and here’s the drake. I haven’t shown you them much lately because there’ve been so many new sights, but I was a little nervous about what pictures I might get today, so here you are.

The next nice surprise came when this Baltimore oriole, who tend to be shyer than this, swooped in to perch barely ten feet in front of me, and just about at eye level. I figured it would be gone in a second, but it turned, took a look at me, and proceeded to go about his business, which was singing, as though I wasn’t even there. So, I picked up my camera and snapped this nice portrait. Ta da!

On my way back south, toward home, I kept to the river path to stay out of the wind, and I must have found a spot where the bugs had accumulated, because it was just hopping with warblers. Here’s another chestnut-sided.

Here’s a black-throated green, who even found a bit of a thin spot in the clouds above.

And here’s our first darling female American redstart of the year.

Finally, your blossom of the day is this dainty little specimen, which I believe is a star-flowered lily-of-the-valley (Maianthemum stellatum), and I am happy to report is a native.

Speaking of natives, Friends of Estabrook Park is hosting a “weedout” tomorrow (Sunday, May 18th) morning from 9-12, in an effort to beat back the invasion of garlic mustard and dames rocket a bit. If you’re interested, meet in the middle parking lot, by the maintenance yard, and wear shoes and clothing suitable for the weather and the task.

No, you don’t have to work for the full three hours. Every little bit helps, but I won’t be able to join you because I have the happy occasion of a graduation to attend, instead, and I’ll post some pictures that haven’t made the cut yet to tide you over.