Around Inwood, Spring Birds Arriving - 3/31/21

 The GHO returned this weekend. Saturday I started the day relatively early at the Hudson River around Dyckman Street, using the Ft-Wash Greenway to check on the Red-Tail nest in the Henry Hudson Median. Red-Tails at that time were not showing any nesting behavior. The Red-Tails displayed some interesting aerial moves, torpedo-ing upwards. Two Peregrines and a pre-adult Bald Eagle flew over while I walked back north on the path. As I was passing the canoe club, two Red-Breasted Mergansers landed in the waters just south of the sailing dock. I met Michael Waldron on the pier. Up on the soccer the eagle made a few low passes and an adult made an appearance higher up near the overlook. Golden-Crowned Kinglets fed in the trees on the fence-line of the northern fields and in the woods along the northwestern path in the forest. Up on the ridge some Phoebes and a Pine Warbler foraging low between the two sets of pines on the center path. Four men explored the forest floor with metal detectors and small trowels (technically illegal in this park). I talked to James and Joe and met Diane. Later in the Clove I saw the GHO in the vine covered day-roost and encountered Danny nearby. People passed by in steady clusters on the road so I didn't hang out long. Saturday evening I returned to the park and found the GHO perched high in the Clove, approximately 100ft up. I observed from the east road above the Clove. He flew off to the ridge and I and others (the GHO was reported with location on eBird and Twitter) lost him on the north ridge. Also found the GHO on Sunday morning (raining heavily) and evening. Monday morning the GHO was in his vine covered, day-roost. I saw a loon, I think, flying north on the river. Monday afternoon I began work on English Ivy on the southern slope. I cut some gaps in the ivy attacking five or six trees - Oaks, hackberry and black locust. Later around 6:30pm I had the GHO perched about 100ft up in the Clove again. The owl stretched and released a pellet. After about 45 minutes he took off towards the north ridge. I caught him on video flying above Clove Road. In Englewood I've had a few good migratory encounters. Lots of house finches, a few Northern Flickers, many Red-wing blackbirds and Grackles. On my way in one morning I heard a Pine Warbler singing at the southern edge of the west side parking lot.