Week 25 - Green-Wood Cemetery

Week 25 saw more of our breeding bird's offspring leaving the nest. Also, while I haven't seen them yet, I've received reports of a few "chuckling" sightings. I was hoping to cross paths with the young Groundhogs during my dawn walks. Maybe this coming weekend.

Our fledgling Red-tailed Hawk is still exploring the area fairly close to home base. During Sunday's early walk we found her near the grave of Samuel Chester Reid. Despite her impressive size, she disclosed her immaturity by crying for mom when being mobbed by Blue Jays.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk

By week's end some of the young birds who fledged were Warbling Vireo, Baltimore Oriole and Great Crested Flycatcher. The mockingbird nestlings in the sapling at the middle of the wildflower meadow seemed to have fledged. The nest looked empty, but they are clearly in the immediate vicinity as the adults attacked me when I tried to walk across the meadow.

Great Crested Flycatcher nestling

Baltimore Oriole nestlings

A Northern Flicker nest cavity along Border Avenue still had a couple of very large nestlings as of Sunday. Given their large size, I expect they will leave the nest some time this week.

Northern Flicker

Lots of wildflowers throughout the cemetery, too many to mention. A stretch of Central Avenue, just up the road from Valley Water, is especially rich with botanics right now. Here are just a couple of recent standouts.

Butterfly Weed

Common Yarrow

As far as trees go, the Little-leaf Lindens are still filling the air with their honey-like fragrance, although many are starting to drop their flowers. The Southern Magnolias are now in bloom. Their large showy flowers are giving the lindens a run for their money in the scent department. A new species for me, the Starburst Amur Maackia (Maackia amurensis 'Starburst'), has begun flowering. Also, I've noticed that the Blue Atlas Cedars are sporting new cones.

Southern Magnolia

Amur Maackia

Blue Atlas Cedar

Butterfly diversity is increasing, with more Monarch and swallowtail sightings. I spotted a Question Mark butterfly drinking sap from a small hole on the side of a Red Oak. Firefly abundance is on the increase and I'm hoping we have a big summer for them this year. We'll definitely know at the "Evening at Niblo’s Garden" event on July 18th.

Question Mark

Firefly

Finally, all the rainfall last week stimulated lots of slugs into activity. The only two I've ever observed in Green-Wood Cemetery are the Leopard Slug and the Dusky Arion. Both of these species of slug are introduced to North American.

Leopard Slug

Dusky Arion

Upcoming Trips

Below are the birding/nature trips from Saturday, June 29 - Sunday, June 30, 2024:

Green-Wood Cemetery

Birding in Peace
Sunday, June 30, 2024, 6:00am - 7:30am
Description: Before our gates open to the general public, birding expert Rob Jett leads these peaceful early morning walking tours to discover the many birds that make Green-Wood their home—at least temporarily. From ruby-throated hummingbirds to over twenty species of colorful wood warblers, our peak migration tours will feature many of the 163 bird species that have been recorded at Green-Wood during the month of May. Beginning just after sunrise, we will experience spring’s dawn chorus at the most active time of day for birds.
View Details


**********

NYC Bird Alliance

Accessible Birding in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Saturday, June 29, 2024, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Leader: Alex Wang
Description: Kick off summer by joining us in exploring the woodlands and meadows of beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park! Enjoy coastal views of the city and the waterbirds on the East River.
Registration: Registration page
View Details


Let's Go Birding Together on Governors Island
Saturday, June 29, 2024, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Leader: _____
Description: Celebrate Pride every Saturday this month on Governors Island! Let's Go Birding Together (LGBT) events are especially welcome to those in the queer community, but allies, families, and friends are also greatly encouraged to join!
Registration: No registration required. Free.
View Details


Intro to Birding in Marine Park
Saturday, June 29, 2024, 9:00am - 10:30am
Leader: Sam Philbert
Description: Explore the beauty of Brooklyn’s largest green space, Marine Park! Consisting of grassland and salt marshes, this park is habitat for a variety of migratory songbirds and waterbirds. This series is hosted in partnership with the Marine Park Alliance.
Registration: No registration required. No limit. Free.
View Details


**********

North Fork Audubon Society

Bug Light Cruise & Boat Tour
Sunday, June 30, 2024, 12:30pm - 2:30pm
Leader: John Shemilt
Description: We will board the Peconic Star at the Museum dock in Greenport (100 3rd Street, Greenport), take a short trip to the lighthouse and have the opportunity to observe nesting Least Terns, Piping Plovers and Oystercatchers from the deck of the lighthouse. We will then have a tour of the East End Seaport Museum.
Registration: Via Eventbrite
View Details


**********

Protectors of Pine Oak Woods

Annual Fourth of July Butterfly Count
Saturday, June 29, 2024, 8:00am - 6:00pm
Leader: Cliff Hagen
Description: For nearly three decades folks from Staten Island have gathered to survey and document the populations of Staten Island butterflies. Each year data is consistently collected along a well-established route on the last Saturday of June. From Snug Harbor to Conference House, butterflies are sought and identified with totals being shared with the North American Butterfly Association.
Registration: For more information or to join the count call Cliff Hagen at (718) 313-8591 or e-mail chagen72@gmail.com.
View Details


**********

Urban Park Rangers

Saturday, June 29, 2024
Riverside Park Birding Club at 116th Street and Riverside Drive (in Riverside Park), Manhattan
8:00am – 9:30am
Monthly walks through birding hotspots in Riverside Park. Learn and build a birding community.
Free

Celebrate Shorebirds Festival at Entrance - Beach 44th Street and Boardwalk (in Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk), Queens
12:00pm – 3:00pm
Love the beach? So do nesting shorebirds. Enjoy a day of educational activities to learn how we all can share the beach and support a healthy living environment.
Free

...Read more

In Memoriam

It is with deep sadness that I report the loss of another well loved and respected member of the New York City birding community. Yesterday I received news of the passing of Lenore Swenson after a brief illness. I'd known Lenore for over twenty years and always found her to be a kind, sweet soul. A longtime member of Audubon, the Brooklyn Bird Club and Linnaean Society of New York, she was not just a birder, but possessed a wealth of knowledge spanning botanics, butterflies (insects, in general), and, seemingly, all things nature. Lenore will be sorely missed. More information on a memorial service to follow.

Week 24 - Green-Wood Cemetery

The early breeding bird species, such as robins, grackles and starlings, have finished at the nest and are mostly trying to teach their fledglings independence. Our young Red-tailed Hawk fledged last week, but remains in the general vicity of the nest tree. It will continue to periodically return to the nest to ask for food for another week or two. Meanwhile, several other species are still feeding tiny chicks or incubating eggs.

Fledgling Red-tailed Hawk

The Sunset Park Common Raven pair now have some very vocal offspring and have started leading them into the cemetery to teach them how to forage (or raid bird nests).

Common Raven family

There is at least one pair of Northern Flicker nesting in Green-Wood Cemetery. I hope to take some decent photos for next week's summary.

Northern Flicker

I've confirmed that the Great Crested Flycatcher nest has chicks as one of the parents was seen carrying a fecal sac from the nest.

Great Crested Flycatcher removing waste from nest

Here are some occupied nests from my weekend "Birding in Peace" walk. We also watched the activity at a Baltimore Oriole nest, I just didn't take any decent photos of it.

Warbling Vireo feeding chick

Red-bellied Woodpecker delivering food to nest

American Goldfinch on nest

Cedar Waxwing on nest

Mourning Dove on nest. Likely 2nd or 3rd brood

Northern Mockingbird chicks

Eastern Kingbird on nest

Some standout botanics from last week.

Tiger Swallowtail feeding of Privet flowers

Orange Daylily

Coreopsis, yarrow, beardtongue & Black-eyed Susan

Finally, the fruiting catkins of the Japanese hornbeam along the edge of Sylvan Water looks very much like something one would use in beer making. I wouldn't recommend it, however.

Japanese hornbeam (Carpinus japonica)

Upcoming Trips

Below are the birding/nature trips from Saturday, June 22 - Sunday, June 23, 2024:

Gateway National Parks

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Guided Walk
Saturday, June 22, 2024, 2:00pmm — 3:00pm
Leader: Park Rangers
Description: Join a park ranger for a guided tour of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and learn about what makes this space special.
Registration: Not required.
View Details


**********

Green-Wood Cemetery

Birding in Peace
Sunday, June 23, 2024, 6:00am - 7:30am
Description: Before our gates open to the general public, birding expert Rob Jett leads these peaceful early morning walking tours to discover the many birds that make Green-Wood their home—at least temporarily. From ruby-throated hummingbirds to over twenty species of colorful wood warblers, our peak migration tours will feature many of the 163 bird species that have been recorded at Green-Wood during the month of May. Beginning just after sunrise, we will experience spring’s dawn chorus at the most active time of day for birds.
View Details


**********

Linnaean Society of New York

Great Swamp N.W.R.
Saturday, June 22, 2024
Leader: Richard ZainEldeen
Description: The Great Swamp is located in Morris County, New Jersey. Its varied habitats host a diversity of wildlife. Ranging from open marshes to woodlands, the place is a haven for nesting heron species. Also, a variety of raptors can be seen soaring overhead, including Bald Eagles. Not to be outdone, passerines, such as several swallow species including Purple Martin, can be found within its borders.
Registration: Lisa Kroop — lisakroop2@gmail.com
View Details


**********

NYC Bird Alliance

Accessible Birding in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Saturday, June 22, 2024, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Leader: Alex Wang
Description: Kick off summer by joining us in exploring the woodlands and meadows of beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park! Enjoy coastal views of the city and the waterbirds on the East River.
Registration: Registration page
View Details


Let's Go Birding Together on Governors Island
Saturday, June 22, 2024, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Leader: _____
Description: Celebrate Pride every Saturday this month on Governors Island! Let's Go Birding Together (LGBT) events are especially welcome to those in the queer community, but allies, families, and friends are also greatly encouraged to join!
Registration: No registration required. Free.
View Details


The Parakeets of Green-Wood Cemetery
Sunday, June 23, 2024, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Leader: Gabriel Willow
Description: Explore Green-Wood Cemetery, rich in both history and wildlife, in search of spring migrants and its unique avian residents: the huge flocks of brilliant green Monk Parakeets that nest there. Native to South America, these charming immigrants flourish even in our harsh winters.
Registration: Registration page
View Details


New York Botanical Garden Bird Tour
Sunday, June 23, 2024, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Leader: _____
Description: Join us and the New York Botanical Garden for some spring birding! Get to see some of NYBG’s diverse landscape and learn why this unique green space is such a vital haven for a great variety of species year-round. The tour will meet at the Reflecting Pool in the Native Plant Garden.
Registration: While this NYC Bird Alliance (formerly NYC Audubon) event is free, participants are still responsible for paying for Garden admission.
View Details


**********

Protectors of Pine Oak Woods

Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve
Saturday, June 22, 2024, 11:00am - 1:00pm
Leader: Don Recklies
Description: We’ll meet at the Nature Center at Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve, 2351 Veterans Road West, Staten Island New York 10309. (Be sure to use this address lest your GPS send you to the park headquarters on Carlin Street.) From the Nature Center we will walk Clay Pit Ponds Trail to Clay Pit Pond, passing through some of the Park’s unique pine barrens, then return to the parking lot by way of Abraham’s Pond Trail and the Green Trail.
Registration: For more information call Don Recklies at 718-768-9036 (646-675-5787 on the day of the walk).
View Details


**********

Queens County Bird Club

Nickerson Beach
Saturday, June 22, 2024, 7:30am - 12:30pm
Leader: Mike Zito (516) 507-9419
Description: The first part of this trip is Nickerson Beach, where we will view various species of terns, hopefully some that are rare to our area. Common Terns, which nest on this beach, will be abundant.
Registration: Contact the trip leader to register for this trip.
View Details


**********

Urban Park Rangers

Saturday, June 22, 2024
Birding: Hawk Watch at Avenue A and St. Marks Place (in Tompkins Square Park), Manhattan
11:00am – 12:00pm
New York City is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best wildlife viewing spots in the urban jungle.
Free

...Read more

Best of the Fortnight

Here's a small selection of my photos from the first two weeks of June.

Red Admiral butterfly

Red-tailed Hawk with an attitude

Fledgling Blue Jay

Turkey Vulture and chapel

Downy Woodpecker at nest

Great Crested Flycatcher

House Wren with grasshopper

Orange Daylily

Great Crested Flycatcher at nest

Fledgling Red-tailed Hawk coming in for a landing

Hungry Northern Mockingbirds

Red-bellied Woodpecker with mulberries

Upcoming Trips

Below are the birding/nature trips from Saturday, June 15 - Sunday, June 16, 2024:

Bedford Audubon Society

Birding and Brunch Field Trip
Saturday, June 15, 2024, 7:00am - 2:00pm
Leader: Tait Johansson
Description: Join us for Birding and Brunch on a unique mini excursion to beautiful Dutchess County, NY! Enjoy the feeling of an extended birding weekend away without the lengthy travel and overnight stay. Tait Johansson, our naturalist-in-residence, will provide his expert guidance on this half-day exploration of two distinct habitats: Sharon Station Marsh and other wetlands as well as Buttercup Farm Sanctuary. Our itinerary will include a stop at a local gourmet coffee shop for an optional snack/beverage between locations. And it will be capped off by a delicious brunch at an area restaurant, during which Tait will recap all the birds seen and heard and answer any of your questions. Some of the birds we’ll be looking out for include Least Bittern, Common Gallinule, Virginia Rail, American Bittern, Sora, Bobolink, and Eastern Meadowlark.
Registration: Cost: $50 (members); $85 (non-members and we’ll credit $35 toward an annual membership). Fee includes brunch. Level of Difficulty: Moderate. Registration required by emailing Susan at info@bedfordaudubon.org or by calling 914-302-9713.
View Details


**********

Brooklyn Bird Club

The Last Gasp of Spring at Jamaica Bay NWR
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Leader: Peter Dorosh
Description: Enjoying the final week of spring looking at breeding birds, waterbirds, late shorebirds and the emergence of butterflies through casual, slow sauntering.
Registration: Peter Dorosh, email Prosbird@gmail.com or Prosbird@aol.com.
View Details


**********

Green-Wood Cemetery

Birding in Peace
Sunday, June 16, 2024, 6:00am - 7:30am
Description: Before our gates open to the general public, birding expert Rob Jett leads these peaceful early morning walking tours to discover the many birds that make Green-Wood their home—at least temporarily. From ruby-throated hummingbirds to over twenty species of colorful wood warblers, our peak migration tours will feature many of the 163 bird species that have been recorded at Green-Wood during the month of May. Beginning just after sunrise, we will experience spring’s dawn chorus at the most active time of day for birds.
View Details


**********

Linnaean Society of New York

Van Cortlandt Park Nature Walk
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Leader: Ken Chaya
Description: Van Cortlandt Park is New York City’s third largest green space. It contains a variety of natural habitats within its 1,146 acres, including woodlands, marshes, meadows, and a lake. Green Herons, Mute Swans, Red-winged Blackbirds, Tree Swallows, Eastern Wood-Pewees, Double-crested Cormorants, Great Egrets, Gray Catbirds, Northern Flickers, Ebony Jewelwings, Net-winged Beetles, Banded Hairstreaks, and one of our target species, the Silvery Checkerspot Butterfly, are only a few of the bird and insect species encountered on past Linnaean walks there. Attendees should bring lunch, water, and insect and sun protection. There is a restroom at the beginning of our walk and another about halfway through the park, where there is a water fountain as well.
Registration: Anne Lazarus — amlazarus47@gmail.com
View Details


**********

NYC Bird Alliance

Breeding Birds of Calvert Vaux Park
Saturday, June 15, 2024, 8:30am - 11:30am
Leader: Tod Winston
Description: Meet at Calvert Vaux Park and explore this Brooklyn waterside site on an early morning stroll. A surprising variety of nesting birds have been found at Calvert Vaux Park in recent years, including Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Brown Thrasher, and Indigo Bunting.
Registration: Registration page
View Details


Birding at Alley Pond Park
Saturday, June 15, 2024, 9:00am - 10:30am
Leader: Woo Sung Park
Description: Alley Pond Park is an ecological treasure. Containing both fresh and saltwater wetlands, forests, tidal flats, meadows, and glacier-formed landscape, this park supports a vast array of birds. Join Woo Sung Park to discover this green space for yourself!
Registration: Registration page
View Details


Let's Go Birding Together in Central Park
Saturday, June 15, 2024, 9:00am - 11:00am
Leader: NYC Bird Alliance, the Feminist Bird Club & NYC Queer Birders
Description: Celebrate Pride Month with NYC Bird Alliance (formerly NYC Audubon), the Feminist Bird Club, and NYC Queer Birders on our annual Let's Go Birding Together (aka "LGBT") bird outing in Central Park! This event welcomes members of the queer community and allies alike. Anyone who is interested in discovering and enjoying the birds of NYC, regardless of experience level, is encouraged to join!
Registration: Registration page
View Details


Van Cortlandt Park Birding
Saturday, June 15, 2024, 9:00am - 10:30am
Leader: Joe McManus
Description: Join NYC Bird Alliance (formerly NYC Audubon) on a bird tour in one of the Bronx's largest green spaces. Participants will look for various species of resident and migrant birds and discuss a wide range of avian topics. This event is held in partnership with Van Cortlandt Park Alliance.
Registration: Registration page
View Details


Let's Go Birding Together on Governors Island Birds & Bees Tour
Saturday, June 15, 2024, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Leader: NYC Bird Alliance and The Bee Conservancy
Description: Join NYC Bird Alliance (formerly NYC Audubon) and The Bee Conservancy for a special tour highlighting the birds and bees around Governors Island, including the Urban Farm. Since 2018, The Bee Conservancy has established a Bee Santuary on Governors Island, complete with native flower beds, honey bee hives, and native bee homes. In additiion to bees, nearly 240 bird species have been spotted on Governors Island, which provides excellent habitat all year round.
Registration: No registration required. Free. Binoculars are available to borrow.
View Details


Breeding Birds of Inwood Hill Park
Sunday, June 16, 2024, 7:30am - 10:30am
Leader: Tod Winston
Description: Come explore the varied habitats of Northern Manhattan’s Inwood Hill Park on an early morning hike. This lovely park's mature forest and open meadows attract nesting species such as Wood Thrush, Hairy Woodpecker, and both Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, while its salt marsh and mudflats draw foraging herons and shorebirds.
Registration: Registration page
View Details


Intro to Birding in Marine Park
Sunday, June 16, 2024, 9:00am - 10:30am
Leader: Heydi Lopes
Description: Explore the beauty of Brooklyn’s largest green space, Marine Park! Consisting of grassland and salt marshes, this park is habitat for a variety of migratory songbirds and waterbirds. This series is hosted in partnership with the Marine Park Alliance.
Registration: No registration required. No limit. Free.
View Details


Astoria Park Birding
Sunday, June 16, 2024, 10:00am - 11:30am
Leader: Andrew Reiter
Description: Join NYC Bird Alliance (formerly NYC Audubon) bird guide Andrew Reiter and explore Astoria Park! Right by the water, this park offers beautiful views of the East River and the water birds right off the shore.
Registration: Registration page
View Details


**********

Protectors of Pine Oak Woods

Brookfield Park Bird Walk
Saturday, June 15, 2024, 8:00am - 11:00am
Leader: Anthony Ciancimino
Description: Join Anthony Ciancimino and Protectors of Pine Oak Woods for a bird walk through the grasslands and marshes of Brookfield Park. Formerly a landfill, Brookfield is now a safe, exciting, and expansive park. Expect to see and hear marsh species like Marsh Wrens and Clapper Rails, which breed along Richmond Creek.
Registration: For more information contact Anthony Ciancimino at sibirdwatcher@yahoo.com.
View Details
...Read more

Week 23 - Green-Wood Cemetery

Week 23 was a short week for me as I went out of town for several days. That said, there were few updates in the landscape to report. That's not to say that everything was unchanged. Nature is in a state of flux, so sometimes you just need to look a bit more closely to spot the changes.

I did see a couple of procrastinating migratory bird species this week; a Northern Waterthrush and a Willow Flycatcher, the latter has a small population which breeds along the coast.

Northern Waterthrush

Willow Flycatcher

Our only successful breeding pair of resident Red-tailed Hawks have a single, healthy nestling that, as of this writing, is moments away from leaving the nest. The Downy Woodpeckers in the cemetery have been busy feeding their young, with a family next to the Steinway mausoleum getting ready to fledge.

Nestling Red-tailed Hawk

Nestling Downy Woodpecker

The Linden trees are back for a second round of flowering. This time the small, yellow flowers of the Little-leaf Lindens are filling the air with an incredible, honey-like fragrance. In addition, the cemetery's Common Persimmons are now sporting inconspicuous, pale yellow blooms.

Little-leaf Linden

Common Persimmon

Within the sea of green grasses along the Hill of Graves are occasional tall stems of flowering Orchardgrass standing above the other meadow species.

Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata)

Finally, one of the fruiting plants I noticed last week is an introduced invasive vine: Bittersweet Nightshade. A member of the same family as our tomatoes, this fruit is highly toxic to humans. It is, however, an important fall and winter food source for birds.

Bittersweet Nightshade

Week 22 - Green-Wood Cemetery

With the northbound migration essentially concluded, the remaining birds are busy raising their young or incubating eggs. Regarding the nesting stage, over the past weeked I observed Cedar Waxwings nest bulding, as well as, Eastern Kingbirds. Warbling Vireos are sitting on nests as are Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. I got lucky and spotted a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird collecting nest material. The challenge will be finding its minuscule nest. In addition, there are still lots of fledgling American Robins, European Starlings, Mourning Doves and Common Grackles relying on their parents for food. I still haven't spotted any young Chipping Sparrows, but did stumble on some young Blue Jays.

Warbling Vireo on nest

Fledgling Blue Jay getting fed

Red-bellied Woodpecker in nest hole

I was surprised to see several Turkey Vultures still on the move, with one briefly stopping off next to the historic chapel.

Turkey Vulture

Most of the water bodies now have large populations of adult American Bullfrogs. Listen for their loud, baritone "rummm, rummm, rummm" calls. Later in the summer tadpoles and young bullfrogs become the primary diet of several species of wading birds.

American Bullfrog

We shouldn't forget about our resident mammals. There are suddenly lots young gray squirrels. The timing of our Red-tailed Hawk's family building is likely tied in with that event. I haven't seen any skunk kits or Groundhog "chucklings" but assume they will be out of their dens and exploring very soon.

Juvenile Eastern Gray Squirrel

Striped Skunk

Insect diversity has increased with many more dragonflies and butterflies seen around the cemetery. I made an interesting discovery when importing some photographs of English Plantain flowers taken on the Hill of Graves. A recently emerged Meadow Katydid was hiding among the tiny petals. The katydids will be a source of food for hunting American Kestrels here later in the summer.

Blue Dasher

Black Swallowtail

Meadow Katydid on English Plantain

Finally, here are some botanics (and one fruit) from last week. Of particular note was Janet's wildflower meadow which was ablaze with brilliant yellow coreopsis flowers.

Woodland Strawberry

Mock Strawberry

Garlic sp.

Rose

American Snowbell

Coreopsis sp.

Chinese Globeflower

Common Snowberry