Westerly, Barn Island, Statuary

I spent the weekend with the Westerly Chorus, R.I. rehearsing and performing the Faure "Requiem" and the Karl Jenkins "Gloria", two pieces as perhaps contrasted as choral music can be. Thanks to Mary Cool's hospitality, was able to get up early and bird on Barn Island. I was enchanted by the statuary in the graveyard in downtown Westerly and include a few images.
The performances went very, very well, and the chorus was astonishing.  The Jenkins sounds like he must have listened to "Chichester Psalms" before he wrote it.  There was a repeated pedal C to Eb gliss, (48 times without a break!), and I thought I would hate the  piece, but it was remarkably exciting, and the audience roared their approval.
Images from the weekend:

Savannah Sparrow

Killdeer at Point Judith

American Redstart

Orchard Oriole

Immature Baltimore Oriole

Common Yellowthroat

Magnolia Warbler

Veery?

Mother's Day trip with Susan, mating swallows

Susan and I took a drive down to Heritage Museum and Gardens, and saw Spring.  Always beautiful, the Azaleas were just starting, and it turned out to be wonderful.  We went to dinner in Plymouth (Blue-eyed Crab, one of our favorites, excellent, even has Gruner Veltliner on the wine list, many delicious half-plates, $7.50-10.00).
A few photos:

Heritage

Tree Sparrow

A perfect river of bulbs, over 12,000 in all

Red-tail circling over out heads

Black-capped Chickadee

This flower was behind the gift shop, I couldn't find a label.

We stopped at the Sandwich Boardwalk, and these two Tree Swallows
were providing quite a show.

They repeated this fluttery approach and mating four times, each
event lasting about 8-10 seconds.  Then they were scared off by humans, and flew down
the beach.

Alex and I at Carver's Pond, Bridgewater

This conservation area is a very short walk from Cheryl and Scott's home-to-be, and I took Alex there for a look.  It was a very special walk.

This swan Alex and I saw before school in Hanson

At Carver's Pond. Circling high overhead, Red-tailed Hawk



First Yellow warbler photo, Carver's Pond

A very cool Alex

Young Baltimore Oriole