Week 12 - Green-Wood Cemetery

With the vernal equinox arriving on March 19th this year, we are now enjoying the "official" start of Spring. On Saturday we experienced nearly 24 hours of torrential rain, so perhaps that bodes well for the coming cherry blossom explosion. Right now only a few cherry trees are budding, with the higan cherries fully in bloom. The magnolia blooming usually occurs first, so I'm not surprised to see the saucer, yulan and star magnolias ready to burst. In addition, several more species of daffodils are illuminating the understory. Forsythia shrubs throughout the cemetery are now creating beacons of brilliant yellow. I'm drawn by the color, but many of the overwintering sparrows are drawn to them for their protective tangle of stems and branches.

Forsythia

Star Magnolia "Rosea"

Daffodil "Red Devon"

Northern Flickers have suddenly increased in abundance. While technically a woodpecker, they tend to spend more time on the ground digging for food, than excavating tree trunks. Most are just passing through the cemetery, but some will remain and nest here. Listen for their rhythmic "wick-a, wick-a, wick-a" call and look for them mixed in with the robin flocks foraging in the grass.

Female Northern Flicker

Some waterfowl are still moving through the area. A pair of female Ring-necked Ducks have been staying on the Crescent Water for about a week. Waterfowl tend to molt in the early-Spring, so perhaps that has kept them grounded for a short time. Some species can't fly (or have difficulty) while molting. Enjoy these lovely ducks while you can.

Female Ring-necked Ducks

Eastern Phoebe numbers have gradually increased, but haven't yet reached the point where "they are everywhere".

Eastern Phoebe

Tree Swallows are also migrating through the area. A relatively small flock has been acrobatically grabbing insects on the wing over the Sylvan Water for the past week. We should be seeing many more, and more species, in coming weeks.

Tree Swallow

Both species of kinglet have started showing up, with Golden-crowned outnumbering Ruby-crowned by about 10 to 1.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Up to four Eastern Bluebirds were seen in the cemetery this week. The state bird of New York, we've been observing them more frequently in Green-Wood Cemetery likely due to improvements in the habitat. The mockingbirds have also seemed to notice as many have added the bluebird's musical "turalee" call to their repertoire. Try not to be fooled by it, as I often am.

Eastern Bluebird

Finally, I've been hearing, then seeing, a raven circling over Sylvan Water. It's frequent calling makes me think it is looking for its mate. It flies in and out of the cemetery from the direction of Bush Terminal Park. I've seen them in that area collecting nest material, so perhaps this is part of their annual courtship. We usually see the adults with their offspring foraging in the cemetery by early-Summer.

Common Raven