Central Park NY 16 Jun 2007

A recovery day. Jamaica Bay sounds like the best spot within reach, but the website has more insect warnings than bird details so I decided to stick to Central Park.

First widely recommended area is the Ramble just beyond the BoatHouse. The trees are tall so to avoid 'jungle neck' finding a high exposed rock seemed a good plan. American Robins everywhere, plus cOmmon Grackles, Starlings and Sparrows, Red Winged Blackbird. After waiting ages I began to see other things. An all-red bird went past: SUMMER TANAGER? Plus a silver grey silent leaf-exploring bird nyi. And high up up yellow tailed bird glimpsed. Walking on I found a woodpecker the size of a sparrow...DOWNY WOODPECKER. A large woodpecker glimpsed too.

On the Western Edge around 73rd street lots of screeching alerted me to a tree housing a family of BLUE JAYS teaching their young to fly.

Walked on to Harlem Pond. Gadwall and a BLACK CROWNED NIGHT HERON.

Egyptian Goose

Having returned from Boston on the Red Eye (7 hours horizontal and eyes closed but no sleep) I got a couple of hours sleep before taking the kids to karate. I decided to go for my usual run, which in fact proved a very successful way of overcoming the jet lag.
Anyhow, I was amazed to see an Egyptian Goose by the water's edge near Corney Reach. I mentioned it excitedly to some people with binoculars further along and they were disappointingly un-excited, saying that a few years ago there had been a pair breeding on Chiswick Eyot.

Milwaukee

Milwaukee 15-17 May 2007

On arrival I had a short get-sunlight walk and saw Common Grackle and CARDINAL. An early morning run the next day added American Robin and Red-Winged Blackbird (pic), plus others frustratingly glimpsed around the lake in Veterans/Juneau Park.

On our last day I grabbed an hour to go back to the lake properly equipped. Dozens of RWB and Grackles. Also WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW (which, i only read later, would have popped to the top of its bush if I had 'squeaked'). I vow to return and try that.....

Thrush by the water, that would be a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH then.

Also a largish yellow bird and a warbler, which i havent identified yet.