Cover: A Great Egret arrives on a rock in the Salt Marsh as a goose flies overhead. March 19, 2025. 7:31 a.m. Inwood Hill Park, NYC.
A bright sunrise at 7:01 a.m. brought a golden hue to Inwood Hill Park. The last full day of winter is a good time to observe the birds of the moment and to memorialize the passing season.
The golden hour, the time just after sunrise and just before sunset, brings a warm glow to the scene.
What unfolds here is a series of images I captured on my morning walk. Some walks can bring mild disappointment if no birds are seen, but this walk delivered many wings on the promise of a new day.
The birds I observed included several park regulars including the newly arrived Great Egret, a Blue Jay, a Red-tailed Hawk, a Northern Cardinal, a White-breasted Nuthatch, and a Cooper’s Hawk. I also saw several woodpeckers, many American Robins, a couple of Song Sparrows, and many gulls too numerous to count.
All of the birds were intent upon some activity this morning. Morning for birds is not a time for rest. They were seizing the first hour of the day to forage, hunt, build a nest, or sing.
The walk begins in the Salt Marsh area and ends on the eastern hill above the handball courts. I thought a lot about the little birds I saw during the winter, including several hawks, a couple of owls, the many Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Dark-eyed Juncos, and White-breasted Nuthatches.
After I left the park and was nearing home, I glanced up to see the Cooper’s Hawk of Cooper Street in its favorite tree.
The hawk was ready for the day.
The Spring Equinox occurs on March 20, 2025 at 5:01 a.m.
Recent posts
- Observing Birds Outside the Window: The Comforts and Surprises of Birdwatching During a Winter Storm
- A Thanksgiving with Hawks and All the Birds of Inwood
- Easy Fall Birding with White-throated Sparrows
- The Birds for Our New York City Moment
- Fall Birding Falls Into Place: Notable Birds of Inwood During Mid-October
Birds of Inwood 
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