The emerging patches of golds and yellows of early autumn in New York signal a rich time for birdwatching. As the fall migrants make their way from north to south hopping along the forest branches and salt marsh reeds, raptors explore the landscape from the sky. In the water, multiple species of colorful herons gather at advantageous moments of the variable tides.
During the past week, I observed a Red-tailed Hawk perched on a fence at the baseball fields, observant like a home base umpire. Baseball has a long tradition in Inwood, and it was perfectly fitting for a common neighborhood raptor to choose this spot.
Meanwhile, a little Green Heron appeared at the marsh, joining the company of a Great Blue Heron and one of the Black-crowned Night Herons. I had seen a Green Heron at the marsh last year around this time, so the sighting comes with some relief about the seasonal dependency of the natural world. We expect certain birds to appear at regular moments of seasons. This visiting Green Heron is particularly beautiful and lively.
A pair of Yellow-rumped Warblers caught my attention searching for insects on a double-branched tree at the edge of the Salt Marsh. Their fall migration colors are more muted than in the spring but with rich tones of tawny brown. That yellow rump was present to confirm their unmistakable identity.
Double-crested Cormorants have been exploring the waters, dipping in and out. One suddenly flew out of the water and landed on a post of the kayak/canoe launch, a move prompted by a leaf-blowing park worker kicking up a cloud of dust. The cormorant proceeded to groom and dry out its feathers, and in the process display a majestic array of inky feathers.
A little melancholy is inherent during early autumn bird season in New York. While the Great Blue Heron is still around, our old friend the Great Egret seems to to have taken a quiet leave from the Salt Marsh and flown to its winter home. Its departure, like the new arrivals, was expected. We will just have to wait until March to see it again. In the meantime, the cormorant is ready to supervise the marsh.
Cover: Green Heron at the Salt Marsh. October 5, 2024
October 2024 Sightings
The October 2024 Sightings page is launched. One useful tool for studying birds in the area is to compare monthly sightings from year to year. The October 2023 page, for example, indicates we can still anticipate the arrival of Palm Warblers and Dark-eyed Juncos later in the month. As with last year, the Great Blue Heron has found the most autumnal tree for perching.
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