Bluebird in the park yesterday

Photo by ARDITH BONDI -- Central Park -- 10/29/10

Ardith Bondi reported on eBirds yesterday:

I covered a limited area today, but I wanted to report the Eastern Bluebird that I saw in Maintenance Meadow at 10:50 AM.

Here's Ardith's list for the day:

Pied-billed Grebe (2, reservoir)
Mallard (lots, everywhere you would expect them)
Ruddy Duck (reservoir)
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren (Maintenance)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (multiples)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (multiples)
EASTERN BLUEBIRD (maintenance, pointed out by a gentleman whose name I
don't know)
Hermit Thrush (multiple)
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Chipping Sparrow (maintenance)
Song Sparrow (lots everywhere - at Turtle Pond, I scared up about 15 in
one place)
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Common Grackle
Purple Finch (pair, maintenance, pointed out by Sally Weiner)
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow

PS I wrote Ardith to ask if she had photographed the bird, hoping to include her photo on this page. She sent the photo above, adding:

I did photograph it, Marie, but it was pretty high up, the light was almost non-existent, my longer lens is back at Nikon and the photos aren't gallery quality. But, I am attaching a shot, which is proof that the bird was really there. By the way, I learned today that the name of the man who spotted it and called it out to me was Steve Chen.

PPS In my opinion the lovely, poetic photo needs no apologies!

Prothonotary update - 2nd new post

On her website http://ardithbondi.com/page80.html photographer [and flutist] ARDITH BONDI includes the photo above, of a man sharing his breakfast with the Prothonotary Warbler and a bunch of House Sparrows at the New York Public Library on Saturday, 10/23/10


And on the day before, on Friday, 10/22/10, the Library Prothonotary posed for his official portrait by DAVID SPEISER
[see below]

Rare warbler not going hungry

Prothonotary Warbler accepting Rebekah's offering 10/23/10


[So much for the hot dog buns and bread crusts the warbler has been getting until now. Lately, Rebekah Creshk0ff has been providing the special visitor at the New York Public Library with organic Valencia Peanuts. Rebekah's customers are usually the lucky cardinals, white--throated sparrows, woodpeckers and other denizen of the North Woods who share her offerings of organic peanuts and other delicacies [even mealworms on occasion!] She is such a regular bird feeder there that in the winter an eager avian welcoming committee often greets her on Columbus Ave, a block before she enters the park.]

Sharing the bounty with a Hermit Thrush

both photos by Rebekah Creshkoff, 10/23/10