Warblers, Ravensnest, More

Glorious weather, and the birding is notching up. Over the last couple of days, warblers are starting to arrive including: Yell0w-rump, Palm, Black-and-White, Black-throated Green, Yellow. Also Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Barn, Northern Rough-winged, and Bank Swallows; Blue-headed Vireo, White-throated, Savannah, Vesper, and Field Sparrows ... and a whole bunch more. Today was the first 50+ day locally.

Only songbird which held still long enough and close enough was this (Eastern) Palm Warbler ...


A visit to Ravensnest showed two chicks growing like weeds. They spent most the time asleep while waiting the next home delivery meal to arrive. Mom and Dad are clearly nervous about coming to the nest when I'm watching, so I left quickly.

One chick awoke enough to stretch a bit and preen ...

Bar-headed Goose is still hanging with the Canada's in the pasture and waters around the treatment plant at the Retreat Meadows ...

In the West River, this Great Black-backed Gull was feasting on what one in the group named a yellow perch ...

Once in a while, instead of looking up, I looked down. The Spring wildflowers are bursting with the irresistible impulse to life, gathering in light before the trees leaf out. Here's a sampling:

Trilium ...

Bloodroot ...

Dutchman's breeches ...

Good birding ... wildflowering ... and whatever else you may be doing. And now it's time to toast Bacchus by the river.