Rusty Blackbird

Prospect Park, Brooklyn has been reporting a rusty blackbird for a week or so. A Saturday walk in the park allowed me to see this unrusty looking black bird. I missed it earlier in the morning at the Lilly pond. But I saw a report on Peter Dorosh's blog: Prospect Park Sightings & North Brooklyn that it had been sighted at the other end of the park in the Vale of Cashmere. Since my car was up that way I leisurely walked there. I saw lots of sunning turtles and a Yellow-rumped Warbler, the first warbler for the season for me. Yes, spring is coming.

I sat on one of the benches and watched the chickadees, titmice and other small song birds feed on some seed that someone had put out. I saw a grackle first and for a moment thought that was the black bird before realizing it was too big. Then I saw a black bird in the swampy pool digging through the leaves. It wasn't until another birder came and confirmed for me that yes, that is the rusty blackbird. Unlike most birds the male is more rusty in the non breeding season. If you caught his back in the right light you could see rows/stripes of rust on his back. Well I'll be. Sure enough there was the rust. His female counterpart is a slate color during breeding season.

"Its mine don't even think about it"

You can see the rust on the back, side and flecks in the face

Yum

"Three sunning turtles and a mallard on a log" (to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas) somtimes I get too carried away...