News from Birds of Inwood includes stories of Great Egrets and a Bald Eagle.
Egrets
Let’s start with the egrets. A multitude of Great Egrets appeared on August 8 for two years in a row. Circle August 8 on the calendar for next year.
Park regulars in Inwood are so accustomed to seeing just one Great Egret that the appearance of more than one can cause heads to spin. Which one is our egret, and who are all these other egrets?
On the morning of August 8, 2024, I looked up to see three angelic Great Egrets flying high overhead. I watched them circle over the main Salt Marsh and then slowly descend and land in the water. Another Great Egret soon joined them, and another of the species appeared at a distance near the end of the peninsula. I observed five in total.
Last year, on August 8, 2023, I observed multiple Great Egrets at the marsh that day. I was surprised then, as I noted in this post from this time last year.
So many egrets! Should I be surprised? Maybe not. Egrets gather from time to time, and perhaps this time of year, juvenile egrets are taking their first adventures away from home. Fishing is good during August. Seasonality is a thing with birds and humans, too. We may circle a family reunion date on our calendars. If you like egrets, save the date – August 8, 2025.
Bald Eagle
My birdwatching walk on the morning August 13, 2024 was bright and clear, with cool temperatures and a hint of autumn. As I rounded the Salt Marsh, I noticed the absence of the usual Great Egret and Great Blue Herons.
After checking the local migration tools from the BirdCast website, I was hoping to see some early fall migrants. It’s that time. Just yesterday, I saw a Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the Clove. Carolina Wrens are coming back.
Yet, the morning was quiet. As I reached the end of the Peninsula, I happened to see a blur of brown and white colors on a branch of a leafless tree across the waters. As I zoomed in with my camera, I gasped at the sight of a Bald Eagle in a sunning pose. Wow, wow, wow.
Local birdwatchers have recently seen Bald Eagles fly overhead. On August 8, the same day of the multiple egret visits, I caught a Bald Eagle in flight heading southeast over the Harlem River. It scared away the birds from the trees. See August Sightings page.
The Bald Eagle of August 13 also scared off nearby birds. With a pose like that, the herons and egrets take notice and make themselves scarce. While observing the herons at the Salt Marsh, they look keenly aware of potential threats. Follow their gaze.
I watched the perched Bald Eagle for thirty minutes. After drying its feathers, it stretched and preened. It eventually flew off over the river.
Last year, on September 7, 2023, I got a good look at a Bald Eagle that landed in the Osprey tree.
On the walk home, the resident Great Egret had assumed its chore of foraging for fish in the tide. The coast was clear.
Raptor season is coming. It may already be here.
Story lesson: Go into the field with open attention and awareness. More birds may be discovered in our field of vision than we think. Birdwatching, like meditation, is a practice.
Cover: Bald Eagle in a tree on the slope of Inwood Hill Park facing the water. View from the Peninsula. August 13, 2024. 7:58 a.m.
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