Gateways

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) absolutely owning the place.There are a good number of Songs nesting at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, which is part of Gateway National Recreation Area.Another was singing on top of this Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nest box. There’s probably a whole family of swallows in there behind the parent seen poking out.The same situation several days later at another Tree Swallow nest box, on the opposite end of the West Pond. (This time the light was with me.) This Song has a bug in its mouth.

The nest boxes are very convenient places to perch. Not to mention nest: Tree Swallows and House Wrens are really making use of them out there.