A fog settled over the Salt Marsh in Inwood Hill Park early this morning. It was also a time of high tide, and the tide was higher than usual. The regular denizens such as the Great Egret were away. A couple of Song Sparrows were present. Looking closer at the tree that reaches over the water, though, three Northern Rough-winged Swallows could be seen preening their feathers or resting for the next flight.
Northern Rough-winged Swallows do not particularly announce themselves on a drizzly morning such as this. They are dullish brown in color, fading to white on their chests, and they have long bodies and smallish heads. Their name derives from the tiny hooks on the edge of their outer wing feathers, giving them a rough appearance. Such details would be hard to discern even in clear weather.
The swallows left the branch from time to time, usually in pairs, to fly over the marsh or to circle the athletic field in order to eat insects in flight. Their nonchalant flights, slower than other swallows, made for pleasant entertainment on an atmospheric morning.
These images would not suffice for any proper bird identification, but I like their painterly quality.
Here are additional pictures of a Northern Rough-winged Swallow at the Salt Marsh from May of 2022. On that morning, the weather was clear.
May 12, 2022
Recent posts
- Sporting Colors: The 2026 Baltimore Orioles Season in Inwood Hill Park
Several Baltimore Orioles made their way back to the high trees of Inwood Hill Park this year. They’ve been building and attending nests at the edges of the park. The female builds the nest over the course of the week, while the male goes out on foraging errands. The orioles usually stake out the same… Read more: Sporting Colors: The 2026 Baltimore Orioles Season in Inwood Hill Park - Field Notes from the 2026 Cedar Waxwing Gathering in Isham Park
Dozens of flocks of colorful Cedar Waxwings have arrived in Isham Park in Northern Manhattan for their annual feasting of the Juneberry trees (Amelanchier is the scientific name, or serviceberry). The festive occasion takes place during late May and early June and lasts as long as the bright red berries are consumed. While Cedar Waxwings… Read more: Field Notes from the 2026 Cedar Waxwing Gathering in Isham Park - Birds in the Garden of Eden: A Field Trip to Untermyer Park and Gardens in Yonkers, New York
At Untermyer Park and Gardens in Yonkers, NY, on May 18, I didn’t see many birds out of the ordinary. I was so taken in by the dramatic vistas of the park and garden that I may have overlooked them. Tens of thousands of birds migrate north of New York City each spring and… Read more: Birds in the Garden of Eden: A Field Trip to Untermyer Park and Gardens in Yonkers, New York - An Evening Walk with a Great Egret, and Spring Migration Report
On an early evening walk on May 11, I came across a Great Egret foraging near high tide at the Salt Marsh in Inwood Hill Park. I usually take my walks in the early morning, and the egret usually forages near times of low tide, so this was new for both of us. The Great… Read more: An Evening Walk with a Great Egret, and Spring Migration Report - Birds on the Forest Floor: Ovenbird and Veery
During spring migration season in an old-growth forest like Inwood Hill Park, be sure to look for birds wandering along the park paths or in the dense foliage near the ground. While we are often straining our necks looking for warblers and other small songbirds in the high canopy, some warblers like the Ovenbird or… Read more: Birds on the Forest Floor: Ovenbird and Veery
Birds of Inwood 
Comments welcome!