Rambling with Ricki

Ricki at model boat lake with
birding list and binos

Blue Jay at the start of the walk

Northern Cardinal

Hummingbird is in here somewhere

Red bellied wood pecker

This morning I have an early rendezvous planned with Ricki, a New York birder. I met yesterday at the model boat lake in Central Park when she showed me Pale Male a famous Red-Tailed Hawk who has lived on 5^th avenue for many years. Our goal is to see the number one bird on my list that is not in Australia, a hummingbird. Ricki knows where there is a nest so it’s worth a try, probably a 50/50 chance of seeing it.

Leaving bright and early I start the walk up to our meeting place at 71^st street. Dogs are everywhere but I can’t get distracted I don’t want to miss Ricki. Arriving at the allocated spot, I see it is called Hunter’s Gate that’s appropriate. Ricki arrives a moment later and we start on the small winding path, trees and bushes surround separating us from the street and the main grassy areas of the park. Within a few metres there is a beautiful blue bird hoping on the path in front of us, it’s a blue jay. How cool is that. Then there is an American Robin (much larger than our robins) and a common grackle, dark and boring. How is it that a minute into the walk and I have three new American birds! Much using of binoculars and camera ensues the birds, are very well behaved and stay around for the fun.

Now what’s that calling in the trees it’s a Grey Catbird, Ricki is excellent and identifying the birds by their calls. Ricki, what’s this beautiful red bird with the peak, it’s a NorthernCardinal, and there’s another. Who cares about the hummingbird this is amazing birding.

But its time to move on, we walk down a little glade and onto a bridge at the very end of the lake. Ricki takes back (her) binoculars and see’s if she can find the hummingbird on the nest. She can! It’s well hidden in amongst a lot of branches with big green glossy leaves. I have my turn and I think I see the nest, but there is no bird so not sure if I am looking at right spot. The nest is small, only just over an inch wide. She flys back and it on the nest, I see it, I see it, it’s a Ruby throated hummingbird! Can this holiday get any better? Ricki and I are both as excited as each other, she is the best.

After calming down its time to move on, we may as well try for a woodpecker, it’s late in migration so not very likely. We arrive at the spot and he is there. A red bellied woodpecker, on a tree 3 metres in front of us. Wow. What’s that calling? A Northern Flicker (another type of woodpecker) high up in the trees, with the binoculars I see it in all its glory with the shafts of gold along the front of the wings. American birds have amazing colours and patterns. This one looks like it would not be out of place in Times Square.

We keep moving along the path and the word must have got out I was here as a black throated warbler visits now. Ricki has to keep moving so she can get to work on time we chat about how Central Park is managed as we walk over to the model boat lake. A final look through the binoculars at Pale Male and we say good bye. 

 

A big thanks to Ricki, for sharing her experience and love of birds with me. That is a day I will never forget.