This morning was so glorious, I just HAD to go outside and enjoy spring! The Arboretum is lovely and quiet on weekday mornings, and I had the place to myself for almost an hour. Spring really has sprung: migrant warblers are dripping from the trees, flowers are blooming, and everyone is frisky. The squirrels are in the middle of their territorial battles and are kicking up a fuss, and my ears were working overtime to identify unfamiliar bird songs. A dapper male Pine Warbler came down to say hello and foraged on the path just a few feet in front of me. I even stumbled across a family of birds with at least two brand-new fledgelings! They barely had tails and their gapes were HUGE. I wanted to stay and identify the parents, but the babies were scared and I didn't want to cause unnecessary stress. I did snap a quick photo, though!
Birds seen:
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Little Blue Heron
Cooper's Hawk
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
White-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
Black-throated Green Warbler
Pine Warbler
White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
House Sparrow
Reptiles seen:
Red-eared Slider
Unidentified skink sp.
Mammals seen:
Eastern Gray Squirrel
