Just another sunset at South Cape May Meadows

Despite a sea of reasons making it completely improbable, I did manage an hour or so before sunset at the Meadows, and for the first time in days, the wind was neither absurdly gusty, nor cold. It was, in fact, ever so lightly out of the Southwest and on the verge of touching Balmy's hem this evening. The birds were in agreement regarding the agreeableness of the situation.

A smattering of waterfowl were about, including 8 Blue-winged Teal, more Northern Shoveler lingering a bit later than is usually considered decent, and a pair of rapidly coloring up Ruddy Ducks. The Meadows would be such a nice place for a wayward pair of colonial-minded Ruddies to want to raise a family...

Preening and stretching drake N. Shoveler

And a stretching hen N. Shoveler

Not really in focus, but.

Wouldn't it be nice?

A very nice touch and one that is characteristically an early April phenomenon were two pairs of Horned Larks out in the dunes foraging among the toadflax and beach goldenrod. Their song almost always fakes me out the first time I hear it unexpectedly; it's so insubstantial that it takes a bit to sink in as belonging to a living creature and not merely just some bit of ambient life soundtrack. Tonight it sounded like the too distant querdles and squeaks of happy spring swallows too far overhead; other times it has had me convinced some cool grassland sparrow was just over there....

 Another welcome spring addition was the "Witchity-witchity-Witch!" of a male Common Yellowthroat, and judging from where it was coming, What I had heard the other night was not my wishful thinking, but indeed a Yellowthroat.

A singing Marsh Wren or two,  five Lesser Yellowlegs, some obliging Wilson's Snipe, a nice showing of Purple Martins, Northern Rough-winged and Barn Swallows, and lots of frolicking, tail-slapping Bottle-nosed Dolphins also added a touch of spring to a fine, fine, evening walk.

And just in case you've never considered it before- don't you think Fish Crows have a distinctly ravenesque quality about them when you start breaking it down? Check out his noble roman culmen, the long and lavish nasal bristles, the loose leggings, the loooong primaries. Nearly a Ravenette. I do have a strange fondness for Fish Crows though. Passes understanding.

Check out the nictitating membrane.