Rained out

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Fumbled and swore with the rain-proof gear

AKA Rain day AKA Rain-nihilation redux

June 5, NDG

-I rolled out of bed early and when I saw that there was a steady, heavy rain outside, I should have slept in. But I didn’t! But…I should have.

-10 species, somehow, in less than an hour

-Only birds singing were the REVIs

-Heard a Yellow Warbler outside of my place a couple of hours later (only warbler on the day), as the rain ebbed and the sun sliced up the grey. It’s been hanging around for a week or two - perhaps singing for a mate that will never arrive? (Wipes tear from eye)

Indigo, Tennessee

Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea

Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea

American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla

American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla

Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia

Tennessee Warbler Leiothlypis peregrina

Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus

(trio)

Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus

Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina

Eastern Cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus

NDG, May 30, much belated

-Started slow but ended on quite a birdy note

-24 species in 2 hours

-11 degrees and sunny/windy/fresh (heavy rains the previous night)

-3 Red-eyed Vireos together

-2 male Indigo Buntings in song (Species #87 for the site)

-Still some warbler activity

-4+ Tennessee Warblers in song

-American Redstarts seemingly on territory

-Chipping Sparrows with nesting materials

Warbler Shrapnel

Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca

Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens

Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata

Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia

Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia

Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia

Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia

Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia

Nashville Warbler Leiothlypis ruficapilla

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
(With nesting material)

Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina

Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus

Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata

Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Canada Goose Branta canadensis

Woodchuck/Groundhog/Siffleur Marmota monax

Sleepy thumbs-up - yay birds

Nettle babies

NDG, May 9, 2026

-The second week of May is a high holy holiday for birders, so I set out proper early to see if I could pick up any warbler shrapnel from the mountain…and found it!

-Started clear and 5 degrees at dawn…gloves were needed…it was cool in the breeze but I didn’t feel a thing, amidst the scorching heat of shimmering waves of white-hot warblers

-Quickly cooled and clouded, and by 7:15am it was pretty quiet

-Grey Catbird heard on the way in (2nd for the site)

-Warbling Vireo singing (I wonder if they will nest there again this summer)

-10+ White-throated Sparrow, 40+ Chipping Sparrows

-8 Ruby-crowned Kinglets

-19 Blue Jays headed north

-1 Red-breasted nuthatch

-1 Pileated Woodpecker chopping at a tree

-1 Chimney Swift

-9 warbler species

-2nd warbler wave consisted of mostly Yellow-rumped Warblers, with a few Nashville (2nd most abundant warbler on the day) sprinkled in, headed due north

-Walked out with a huge grin

-33 species in 2.5 hours

Warblers 9:

-Blackburnian Warbler (2 – I got swooped by one, it was awesome)

-Magnolia Warbler (3)

-Tennessee Warbler (1)

-Yellow-rumped Warbler (20+)

-Ovenbirds singing (2 – my 84th species for the site, 19th warbler species)

-Black-throated Blue Warbler (1 male)

-Nashville Warbler (8)

-Black-and-white Warbler (1)

-Yellow Warbler (1)

Endeejee, April 18

Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus

Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus

Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula

Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis

Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii

-11-15 degrees and sunny

-Didn’t spot any warblers, but it felt like they were watching me from afar

-40+ Dark-eyed Juncos

-A lone Red-breasted Nuthatch was notable, only my second for the site

-Several Pine Siskins moving through some woods

-Eastern Phoebes and Song Sparrows are back at the site, and quite vocal

-Decent numbers of American Robins and Northern Flickers working the dirt

-Several Brown Creepers out and about

-10 or so Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and 2 Golden-crowned

-Single White-throated and Chipping Sparrows

-24 species in 90ish minutes

Birds! Late March-Early April

American Robin Turdus migratorius

American Robin Turdus migratorius

American Robin Turdus migratorius

American Robin Turdus migratorius

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos

White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis

The same picture of tree buds I post every year 'round this time

Going

March 27, NDG

-On the way to work: Cardinal alarm from the treetops…Blue Jay noisily policing the skies just above that…American Crows doing the same 50 feet higher…then much higher…soaring overhead, the source of the hue and cry – two Red-tailed Hawks cruising around…just menacing specs…my kingdom for some optics.

March 28, NDG

-11 species in 75 minutes

-It was -10 but felt colder with the wind (‘real feel’)…clear blue skies that later paled

-Buds on the trees, but much colder than is usual for the time of year

-Looking for changes

-No arrivals yet but it’s feeling ‘different’ out there

-American Robins were getting after the sumac and digging in the newly muddy soil…the fast territorial drumming of Downy Woodpeckers echoed through some small woods…Northern Cardinals were heard having laser beam duels

-Hoping for some new sparrows at this spot this spring…I’d settle for a Lincoln’s

-I wonder if the Cooper’s Hawks will nest here again

-Heard the lunatic melody of a House Finch singing in the distance again

Turkey Vultures over NDG

Gone

March 29, Lasalle

-First-Of-Year Common Grackles spotted

March 30, Lasalle

-F.O.Y. Turkey Vulture floating over the Champlain Bridge, then several over Lasalle later in the day

April 5, Lasalle

-FOY Groundhog

-FOY Song Sparrows

-FOY Chipping Sparrows

-FOY Double-crested Cormorant

-Northern Cardinals laser duels at dawn

April 7, NDG

-2 Turkey Vultures low over the Decarie Expressway