birdsoup

I usually don’t believe in omens, fortune telling or other ways to predict the future. But driving down the West Side Highway on the way to Central Park I had hints that this would be a good day. First, the rising sun was striking the towers of the George Washington Bridge at an angle that made them glow and sparkle like tinsel on a Christmas tree. Spectacular.   A little farther south a mammoth cruise ship floated in the middle of the Hudson River. I’ve seen them docked at the passenger piers before but they looked totally different on the water. Looked like a 12-story hotel perched precariously on top of a barge, very top-heavy. Don’t understand why they don’t tip over in rough seas.  

I wonder if these two new sights were foretelling more interesting sights ahead.

Maybe they did – the birding in Central Park was exceptional. It was one of those days that birders talk about for years. Every tree was dotted with colorful spring migrants. Our birding group tallied 62 species that morning, including 16 different warblers. We had a large group, about 35 people, so there were a lot of eyes looking for birds. But we didn’t a lot of eyes, birds were everywhere. Even before the walk officially started, while the group was assembling, four brilliant red Scarlet Tanagers stopped traffic on Central Park West.

When we actually started into the park itself, the going was very slow. It probably took us 20 minutes to travel the first 300 feet, not because of crowds, obstacles or rugged terrain. Because there were so many nice birds. The first trees yielded Chestnut-sided, Magnolia and Black-throated Blue warblers. A good start to a memorable day.

Colorful birds were everywhere. Here is a bit of anthropomorphism: Cardinals, with their brilliant color are used to being stared out. Not today. Birders focused on warblers instead. And it appeared that the cardinals were jealous. At least twice a male cardinal perched in the open on a low limb just off the path. He seemed to be saying “Hey, don’t forget me. Remember I’m colorful too.”

It was that kind of day. But you never get tired of too much of a good thing.