Prospect Park's new arrival

There was a celebration on Payne Hill today. Squirrels were nibbling away at clusters of disk-shaped elm fruits and spilling them down onto flocks of hungry White-throated Sparrows below. The sparrows were singing choruses of "pure sweet, canada, canada, canada", while scratching and dancing in the leaf litter. Chattering goldfinches tirelessly flew from the fresh fruits at the tops of the trees to clumps of the pale green confetti on the ground. Two Baltimore Orioles whistled and churred from the tops of a pair of oak trees while a party of warblers fluttered, munched and sang for the new arrival. On Big Mama's nest a small, downy head wobbled from side to side as it peered out over the flurry of activities. The proud parent stood back on the edge of the nest and tidied up a few out of place twigs.
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Prospect Park, 5/6/2004
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Red-tailed Hawk (2 adults, 1 chick seen in nest.)
Ring-billed Gull
Chimney Swift
Northern Flicker
Yellow-throated Vireo (BBG, native flora section.)
Blue-headed Vireo (BBG, native flora section.)
Tree Swallow
House Wren (BBG, native flora section.)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (BBG, native flora section. Payne Hill.)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (BBG, native flora section.)
Wood Thrush (4 or 5, Midwood and Payne Hill.)
Gray Catbird
Nashville Warbler (6-8 between BBG, Midwood and Payne Hill.)
Northern Parula (Fairly common.)
Yellow Warbler (2. BBG, native flora section.)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Next to Litchfield Villa.)
Black-throated Blue Warbler (3 or 4. BBG, native flora section & Payne Hill.)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Abundant.)
Black-throated Green Warbler (2. BBG, native flora section.)
Prairie Warbler (Payne Hill.)
Palm Warbler (BBG, native flora section.)
Blackpoll Warbler (BBG, native flora section.)
Black-and-white Warbler (Fairly common.)
American Redstart (3. BBG, native flora section.)
Ovenbird (Fairly common.)
Common Yellowthroat (BBG, native flora section.)
Scarlet Tanager (2. BBG, native flora section.)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Fairly common.)
Eastern Towhee (BBG, native flora section.)
White-throated Sparrow (Abundant.)
Common Grackle
Baltimore Oriole (3. BBG. 2, Payne Hill.)
American Goldfinch (Common.)

Other resident species seen (or heard):
Mallard (BBG, native flora section.), Herring Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, American Robin, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, House Sparrow