A Year by the River
June 2025
Every May, June, July and September, Westchester County Parks shuts down portions of the Bronx River Parkway for "Bicycle Sundays". Residents are invited to bike, walk, jog, and skate the closed portions of the parkway from the Westchester County Center in White Plains to Exit 4 which is located at Scarsdale Road in Yonkers/Tuckahoe. Back when Sam was younger, we did this a few times as a family, biking up to Scarsdale Village and then looping back home.
On the first Sunday of June, I thought why not go for a walk along the Bronx River Parkway with your camera. I was hoping to explore the other side of the river that I have been photo-graphing since January. While I didnt come across many new species, I did find a Baltimore Oriole family tucked away in a tree off near one of the exits. They were flitting about, flying into the tree and out of it to the water, looking for food for their young. Pictured here are the proud new parents - mom is in front and dad is standing behind her.
Here, mom is perched in what I believe is an American Elm, tree, with a beak full of soft, squishy maggots. Seconds later, she hopped down to her nest (pictured in lower right corner) and fed her young. I could not see the babies, but I could hear their eager calls.
Although I could have spent a lot more time observing this family, I really try to keep in mind The Nature First Principles when I am out with my camera. I knew that this mom and dad had babies to tend to and I did not want to interfere with their morning.
So, off I went onto the bike path where I was greeted by the scolding chirps of a ruby red curious cardinal.
Much to my delight I saw this beautiful female Wood Duck floating in the sunshine in a river full of green and yellow reflections. She loved having her photo taken.
On my way back to the car, this snapping turtle was making it's way from a grassy edge of the ball field back to the river. I wonder how long it took...
Back in the parking lot, a Grey Catbird met up with me to say "Farewell, see you next month"
