From 6:30 until about 8:00, we were beset by gloomy
overcast. We then had a 20-minute rain squall. After that, it slowly
got sunny. It was breezy at times. It was never exactly warm, and it
certainly wasn't spring-like, but I'd say we were really lucky with the
weather. For the first two hours after I got home it was hailing,
sometimes hard. Water levels are high as well, after all of our recent
precipitation, though there wasn't water over the trail, just mud.
For all of the stormy weather, it was fairly birdy too.
Highlights:
Osprey
Two hanging around the nest
Sharp-shinned Hawk
I had one at the Rowing Club late
MERLIN
Streaked through right over our heads
Hairy Woodpecker
Saw a couple
Northern Shrike
One still in the East Meadow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow About 2 at the lake
Yellow-rumped Warbler
LOTS
The MERLIN gave us a great show, flying in from the west just south of
the weir, and streaking over our heads as it crossed the Dog Meadow. It
aimed a little smack against an American Crow as it went by (no contact,
I don't believe).
The NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS were our only new arrivals for the
year. We looked in vain for Cliff and Barn Swallows, Hermit Thrush,
Orange-crowned Warbler, migrant Lincoln's Sparrows, or Brown-headed
Cowbird, all of which should be here soon.
I spent some time afterwards observing the (click for photos)
ANNA'S x RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD hybrid at the Rowing Club.
Again, I did not hear it vocalize while perched. When I played the
Anna's Hummingbird track on my iPod, the bird responded aggressively.
During that time, it made the ticking call that Anna's make.
There was also a possibly gynandromorphic Mallard at the Rowing Club.
It had a female-type bill, but it's overall coloring was a washed-out
version of a male Mallard.
Salmonberry are blooming fully. Red Elderberry are really beginning to
bloom, as are many species of tree.
For the day, 62 species.
== Michael
Bushtits were visiting this nest in a
Weeping Willow at the Rowing Club
Male Hairy Woodpecker behind the Rowing Club dock
Mallard on left has a washed out male plumage, and a female-type beak
This is possibly a case of gynandromorphism. The male to the right appears normal
Hugh Jennings' photo of the tulips at the windmill
Hugh Jennings' photo of the turtles at the Rowing Club pond