Tag: birding
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Observing Warblers in Migration Through Moments of Chaos and Clarity
Small migratory birds such as warblers move through the landscape so swiftly and unpredictably that observing them can feel at times chaotic and overwhelming. Since the beginning of September, a few nights of high nocturnal migration have brought a flurry of new or returning birds to Inwood Hill Park. Experienced birdwatchers have gathered in the…
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Herons From On High, and a Juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron Goes Fishing
The past week I’ve hiked up the high trail in Inwood Hill Park that leads up and under the Henry Hudson Bridge. From this high vantage point, observers can get great views of Spuyten Duyvil, the Hudson River, and the New Jersey Palisades. The high trail also affords good views of herons and raptors. I…
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A Heavenly Host of Egrets and a Bald Eagle Strikes a Pose
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…
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Early Morning Birdwatching in the Heat of Summer
Birdwatching during the early morning hours is often a favorite time for birders in general, but during a summer heatwave, the earlier the better. The month of July is frequently hot in New York City, but in the past few days the heat has been amplified by high humidity and poor air quality. Still, an…
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A Common Grackle Takes the Waters of Inwood Hill Park
A Common Grackle has lately been foraging for food and bathing in a flooded part of the path leading to the open athletic fields in Inwood Hill Park. I’ve observed it splashing in the puddle and dipping berries into the cool water. Many other birds have taken to this large puddle, including Mallards, European Starlings,…
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The Sparrows of April
The month of April could be told in sparrows. That rusty-capped little sparrow you may have seen this past month in the local parks, the Chipping Sparrow, is currently traveling north from Mexico and South America, stopping here on its long migration journey. It breeds in late April and May. The Chipping Sparrow trills loudly,…
Birds of Inwood 