Ubiquitous Birds of Riverside Park

Broadway shows, high end shopping, fancy restaurants, and ubiquitous birds.

Last weekend, Anne and I went to New York City to visit her son, Gregory, who is interning this summer. Because he it is not cost-effective to stay on campus, Gregory's is spending the summer renting a room in a friend's  fraternity house across the street from Riverside Park. Each day when we would get together with him, Anne and I would wait to meet him in the park. While there, with time on my hands and an interest in the commonplace in my heart, I snapped some pictures of the American Tree Sparrows that populate Riverside Park in New York City.

This species of bird also happens to regularly visit our backyard feeders in Western New York, as well as nearly every the park and backyard in your neighborhood (assuming your in the Northern United States and Canada), too! Though according to the Cornell Ornithology website, American Tree Sparrows "rarely seen south of northern Canada in summer," these everyday birds seem to be unbelievably prevalent year round! Of course, their pervasive presence in parks and yards does not make them any less interesting to watch...

Backyard Birding

Male Blue Jay keeping an eye on American Tree Sparrow. (7/30/15)

I spend many hours a day during the summer watching the aviary (and rabbit) activity in our backyard from either the large windows in the kitchen or from our recently reconstructed open back porch. My wife, who is much more observant (and knowledgeable of bird-types), will often call me to the window if I am elsewhere in the house to tell me that "there is a Gold Finch on the feeder!" or "the rabbits are playing in the backyard!" Contrary to popular misinformation, despite living in a city, there is quite a bit of beauty to observe in the natural world daily. You do, however, need to look for it.

Blue Jays and squirrel vie for position. (7/30/15)

Over the course of the past week or so, I am happy to report a slight uptick in activity around our backyard bird feeders, of which we have three: one cylindrical feeder with traditional variety mix of seed, a second smaller cylinder with Nyjer seed and a third suet feeder. While a personal goal is to lure the more "exotic" (i.e. colorful) birds into range of my shaky lens, it is quite relaxing to observe any birds (yes, even the Sparrow mobs) stop by to interact with one another and the environment.

Female Northern Cardinal glides past squirrel on way to feeder. (7/22/15)

The uppity recreational backyard birder in me would LOVE to see more Woodpeckers and Gold Finches, but the truth is that all birds "gotta eat." As much as I love seeing rabbits in the yard (and they are often within the field of vision of the frames shared here), it would be unfair for me to begrudge the squirrels their due too. This of course, doesn't deter me from attempting to minimize their gorging by using peppered feed and suet (which works better than you'd expect).

Tree Sparrow rests amid conifer branches. (7/23/15)

Downy Woodpecker makes an appearance! (7/31/15)

Downy Woodpecker observes... (7/31/15)

... a mob of gorging Tree Sparrows, which chase him 
from the feeder! (7/31/15)

Male (upper) and Female (lower) Northern Cardinals assess the situation 
from electrical wires. (7/22/15)

Common Male Grackle stops by for a set. (7/17/15)

Female Northern Cardinal, striking in a subdued, earthy way. (7/22/15)

From coloring to call, nothing subtle about the Male Northern Cardinal.(7/22/15)

Gray Catbird--the angler minimizes the generally longer , 
narrow beak.(7/25/15)

The ubiquitous but sharp American Robin. (7/22/15)

Omnipresent visitors: Tree Sparrows and squirrels. (7/22/15)

In a few short weeks, I will return to coaching and school, and with the change of scenery will come a shift in lens. Rather than staring out into our backyard, I will have the parks the girls team and I train at, as well as the courtyard my second-floor classroom window looks out into. There I will attempt to sneak peaks into the trees during the day. Whether at home or t school I look very forward to catching a glimpse of an uncommonly, beautiful bird or the beautiful in the common bird.

Summer Backyard Birdwatching Begins

Tree Sparrow and House Finch snacking on seed. (5/24/15)

These pictures were taken during the waning days of May and early June, so while colorful and varied, I am hopeful of even a wider array of visitors as we officially move into summer. Between the birds and the bunnies which have frequented the feeder and garden I am please to share that things are looking up. If and when the painters who have been working on our home for two weeks (it's a long story) ever get around to finishing, and the human activity once again minimizes, the yard will be even more welcoming. With our recently built (or re-built as it returns the exterior of the house to a more historically accurate structuring) open back porch, there is now a pleasant locale from which to observe.

Male Northern Cardinal. (6/8/15)

Yes, they are very common in most yards, but I do enjoy the bright colors and sharp coloring of the male and female Northern Cardinal. The two captured in the images above and below came over our next door neighbors fence together and spent a short time surveying the immediate area. It is fortunate that their coloring make them easy to pick out among evergreens and leaves, though I wish I had better luck snapping pictures of them in motion. Who knows, maybe this is the summer I get it right!

Female Northern Cardinal. (6/8/15)

House Finch. (6/3/15)

Despite my wife's occasional (okay, frequent) gentle ribbing about my taking time to photograph the incredibly common American Robin, I do so enjoy watching them. While the pic below is not terribly dynamic they are sharp dressed little birds.

The ubiquitous American Robin. (6/3/15)

The little Mourning Dove below hopped around in the hardened mulch beneath the feeder for nearly thirty minutes before flitting over the fence into the neighbors yard. As I watched him (her?) interact with the yard, he was clearly favoring his left wing. Obviously injured, though I am unsure how badly he was hurt after pecking away at the dropped seeds and discarded shells fallen from the feeder above, he (presumably) hopped or flew into a neighboring yard. A short time later I went out to the yard to see if he was trapped back there but he had gone.

Injured Mourning Dove scrounges for vittles. (6/3/15)

Sparrows. (6/1/15)

Sparrows. (6/1/15)

Like most urban settings, squirrels are constant visitors to most backyard bird feeders, and our's is no different. While I recognize the inconsistent thinking involved, as much as I adore the bunnies that have suddenly become so plentiful in our neighborhood, I would be completely okay with fewer tree rats squirrels stopping by. On the plus side, occasionally you catch them in precarious situation (see below) at which points they do provide a chuckle or two.

The Evil Empire of the Squirrels makes an appearance at the feeder. (5/31/15)

Sparrows. (5/31/15)

Backyard Birdfeeder Roll-Call

Northern Cardinal awaits his chance to hop to the feeder.(4/19/14)

A common, colorful, visitor to our backyard bird feeder in Rochester, New York, is the Northern Cardinal. especially resplendent among the brownish grass and naked branches of tres in springtime, the Northern Cardinal is just a wee bit less noisy than the equally vibrant Blue Jay.

(4/19/14)

Tree Sparrows tam-up to feast. (4/19/14)

American Tree Sparrows are the most common passers-by. The cylindrical feeder does not remain full for long as large groups will snack when available. Amidst tree sparrows and Black-capped Chickadees, the House Finch's rosy red coloring is striking and beautiful.

House Finch atop feeder. (4/19/14)

Snack time for House Finch. (4/19/14)