conuly

We definitely have a white-throated sparrow somewhere and a chipping sparrow and field sparrows - this may go a long way to explaining why I couldn't quite identify that other sparrow if it's three different species pretending to be one... and possibly also two birds I'm sure I've never seen before in my life, much less my yard, a carolina wren and a red winged blackbird! (And a goldfinch... I'm editing as I listen, guys. Edit: And a house wren and a tufted titmouse and an eastern towhee and a killdeer... and an american kestrel and a chimney swift and a northern flicker... and a red eyed vireo...)

Now, how do I lure them into my yard so I can see them?

Also, way back when I was a kid I read a book The Hermit Thrush Sings by Susan Butler, and sometime later, as an adult, I was reminded of that book and looked up the song of the hermit thrush. And then this year I looked the bird up and saw that the reference photo on whatever website was taken in Union Square, and if you can find hermit thrushes in Union Square you've gotta be able to find them on the North Shore. Or at least in a park, I'm thinking? Like a park park, not Union Square? So now that's my dream for this year. Gotta dream big!

(Well, it's not impossible. There are wild rabbits (hares?) on Staten Island, and just a few days ago one of my neighbors claims she saw a deer in the back alley, which is just wild to me, because I was pretty sure they weren't this far North on the Island. Actually, I think the city is still selling the story that they just swim over from Jersey, but that's ridiculous, there is definitely an established population Mid-Island and probably another one on the South Shore. But the point is, there was one here on our block, which is unprecedented.)