Flowers of Rochester: Lilacs
The queen of Rochester flowers is definitely the lilac.
Rochester's annual Lilac Festival kicked off this week, and the stars of the festival were right on schedule for spectacular blooming. Lilacs don't only come in lilac -- they also come in snow white, pale blue, baby pink, magenta, and even a hint of yellow. Here are just a few of the 500+ varieties found at Highland Park. Wish I could do a scratch 'n sniff blog -- the smells at the park were spectacular!
Lilac variety: Monge
Lilac variety: Miss Ellen Willmott
Lilac variety: Yunost
Lilac variety: Professor Sargent
Lilac variety: William C. Barry
Lilac variety: Martha Stewart
Lilac variety: Frederick Law Olmstead
Lilac variety: Kate Sessions
Lilac variety: My Favorite (that's the name of the variety, not necessarily my opinion!)
Lilac variety: Bridal Memories
Lilac variety: Pocahontas
Lilac variety: Flower City
Lilac variety: Sensation
Lilac variety: Sweetheart
Enjoying the lilacs!
Which one is your favorite?
Flowers of Rochester: Tulips
Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers
The Rochester spring brings with it not only magnificent flowers, but the sweet chirping of dozens of migratory birds. I spent Saturday morning with friends and a birdwatching group on a field trip through Durand Eastman Park and Island Cottage Woods, both in the Rochester area. We spotted over 40 species, including lots of colorful warblers and yellow-bellied sapsuckers (yes, there really is such a bird, it's not just a made-up name used to poke fun at us birdwatchers!)
Red bird at Durand Eastman Park, Rochester, New York
I'm guessing this is a cardinal, but not sure since this was before our bird guide was there to confirm it.
And yes, this was the actual, bright red, color.
My birdwatching buddies (from left to right: Coleman, Mary, our guide Dominic, and Sheila) at Durand Eastman Park, Rochester
Most of the birds were quite small, so I didn't get any good photos, but I did add several dozen new species to my life list.
Birds spotted at Durand Eastman Park and Island Cottage Woods, Rochester:
| # | Common Name | Scientific Name |
| 1 | Yellow-rumped warbler | Dendroica coronata |
| 2 | Palm warbler | Dendroica palmarum |
| 3 | Pine warbler | Dendroica pinus |
| 4 | Black-throated green warbler | Dendroica virens |
| 5 | Black-throated blue warbler | Dendroica caerulescens |
| 6 | Black & white warbler | Mniotilta varia |
| 7 | Blackburnian warbler | Dendroica fusca |
| 8 | Blue-winged warbler | Vermivora pinus |
| 9 | Warbling vireo | Vireo gilvus |
| 10 | Blue-headed vireo | Vireo solitarius |
| 11 | Veery | Catharus fuscescens |
| 12 | Common Loon | Gavia immer |
| 13 | Green heron | Butorides virescens |
| 14 | Great blue heron | Ardea herodias |
| 15 | Chickadee | Poecile atricapilla |
| 16 | Northern waterthrush | Seiurus noveboracensis |
| 17 | Blue jay | Cyanocitta cristata |
| 18 | Eastern kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus |
| 19 | Ovenbird | Seiurus aurocapilla |
| 20 | Great crested flycatcher | Myiarchus crinitus |
| 21 | Least flycatcher | Empidonax minimus |
| 22 | Northern flicker | Colaptes auratus |
| 23 | Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis |
| 24 | Osprey | Pandion haliaetus |
| 25 | Sharp-shinned hawk | Accipiter striatus |
| 26 | Cooper's hawk | Accipiter cooperii |
| 27 | Turkey vulture | Cathartes aura |
| 28 | Northern Harrier hawk | Circus cyaneus |
| 29 | American redstart | Setophaga ruticilla |
| 30 | Gnatcatcher | Polioptila sp. |
| 31 | American robin | Turdus migratorius |
| 32 | Downy woodpecker | Picoides pubescens |
| 33 | Yellow-bellied sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius |
| 34 | White-throated sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis |
| 35 | Ruby crowned kinglet | Regulus calendula |
| 36 | Red-breasted nuthatch | Sitta canadensis |
| 37 | Red-winged blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus |
Heard But Not Seen: | ||
| 38 | Tufted titmouse | Baeolophus bicolor |
| 39 | Goldfinch | Carduelis tristis |
| 40 | Nashville warbler | Vermivora ruficapilla |
| 41 | Wood thrush | Hylocichla mustelina |
| 42 | Oriole | Oriolidae |
