Friday's Foto

The arrival of the first Eastern Phoebes and Pine Warblers are two sure signs that Spring has finally arrived around NYC. Another, more subtle, indication of the changing season can be seen in the overwintering Ruddy Ducks on our ponds and lakes. Within the last couple of weeks the male's drab mottled body plumes have transitioned to a deep rusty, red-brown. Their head and nape have darkened to black and their bills have morphed from a dull gray to brilliant sky-blue. By the end of May, nearly all of the birds that Wintered around New York will have departed for breeding grounds in the western United States and western/central Canada.