Has Spring Finally Sprung?!?

Date: March 30, 2008
Time: 2:00-2:40 p.m.
Weather Report: Mostly Cloudy, 41°F, 41% Humidity, Winds: ESE @ 16 mph; feels like 32°F.
Location: The Erie Canal Trailway between Lock 33 and Center Park in Brighton, New York.

Bird Species/Markings/Features: Two adult Pilleated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus), five American Robins (Turdus migratorius), and quite a few Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos).

Sights/Sounds/Activities: While running yesterday morning on the Erie Canal Trailway, I couldn't help but notice the many bird songs and aviary activity I could observe as I made my way West from Pittsford to Genesee Valley Park. In an effort to better document what I experienced the day previous, I brought our digital camera with us, as my wife and I took our dog for a walk on this sunny (albeit cool) Sunday afternoon.

While walking down the path, we did come across a few fairly birds which are extremely common to our area, and some of which we generally have in our backyard at different points during the summer. As usual, I attempted (with little luck) to capture some pictures of them in their "natural habits."

The most interesting bird we observed was a cousin to one more regularly found in our backyard. If you look carefully toward the center of the picture below you can (sort of) make out what my wife and I suspect was a Pileated Woodpecker. (Frequently, we'll have Downy Woodpeckers come by for a visit.)

We actually spotted two Pileated Woodpeckers in successive trees, and when we passed by later we could clearly hear their call, as well as the chatter of some babies.

Breath in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!