At last the trees have flowers and leaves! It happened in less than a week.
Last Sunday was so cold we wore winter coats in Schenley Park. By midweek it was 80 degrees every day. In the heat, the trees responded. Their buds burst into flowers and leaves.
As soon as the buds burst, the insects responded. Most are too small to notice but the tentworms stand out. When I see these tents I know there are lots of bugs in the trees.
And with the bugs came migrating birds. Here are the new arrivals in Schenley Park, Wednesday May 2 to Friday May 4:
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Ruby-throated hummingbird
- Yellow-throated vireo
- House wren
- Eastern bluebird (bluebirds don’t overwinter in Schenley)
- Swainson’s thrush
- Wood thrush
- Gray catbird (I hoped for him last Sunday; he arrived on Friday)
- Ovenbird
- Black-and-white warbler
- Tennessee warbler
- Nashville warbler
- Hooded warbler
- Chestnut-sided warbler
- Palm warbler
- Scarlet tanager
- Rose-breasted grosbeak
- Baltimore oriole
UPDATE: additional species on Saturday May 5:
- Golden-winged warbler (!)
- American redstart
- Northern parula
- Magnolia warbler
- Black-throated blue warbler
- Black-throated green warbler
- Orchard oriole
I can hardly wait for an indigo bunting. I’ll be out there again today.
I love leaves!
(photos by Kate St. John)
Heard a Common Nighthawk last night in Squirrel Hill at dusk, first of year. Seems early? I know I saw and heard one solitary Chimney Swift a few weeks ago, before they arrived in force this past week, so maybe that one nighthawk last night was a “lead scout” :-).
I had an indigo bunting in my yard about 50 miles north of Pittsburgh yesterday, May 4th.
Indigo Bunting in Sewickley Heights Borough Park today, and Veery in North Park.
Yup, that indigo bunting guy has been stuffing his belly over here in Weirton WV for the past few days!
Indigo Bunting today about 6pm at Frick Park, along the Riverview trail.