Central Park, May 1, 2011

After a brief stop at a friend's birthday party in Central Park this afternoon, I took a stroll through the Ramble. The usual suspects were around--Robins, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Starlings and Grackles, several Downy Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmice, and numerous unidentified (as well as English) Sparrows. In addition, I was treated to Yellow-Rumped and Black-and-White Warblers and an Ovenbird, an Oriole resplendent in orange, and a couple of Herons. Most of my shots didn't work out--the black-and-white was a gray blur--but some of these are passable. I was sorry to miss a Summer Tanager by the Turtle Pond.

An Oriole taking a quick bath, with a splashing Robin for a neighbor

A Green Heron on the far bank of the Lake . . .



Black-Crowned Night Heron getting ready for a night's hunting


Oh, and a handsome Mallard couple:

I also ran into the author Jonathan Franzen, who also happens to be a birder. I shook Franzen's hand but didn't take his picture--the camera's reserved for the birds.