Saturday, September 26, 2009

ever see a pink moth on a yellow flower?

Early morning yesterday was overcast and quiet but the weather soon changed as the clouds disappeared and some stiff northeast breezes came up. When the sun came out, birds appeared included a fair number of obvious migrants: Eastern Phoebe (several), Red-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos (the latter in a brilliant must-have-just-molted astonished look with its brilliant eye-ring/spectacled look), a non-scarlet Scarlet Tanager, a handsome female Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a Swamp Sparrow. All in addition to the familiar Am. Crows, Robins, Flickers, Blue Jays, B-c Chickadees, House and Goldfinches. Almost no warblers: one Yellowthroat and one plain-looking tree-top bird seen from underneath. There were Osprey but no other raptors seen.

In a recent post, I mentioned Evening Primrose and I got an e-mail from Hugh McGuiness suggesting that I look for Schinia florida or the Primrose Moth, a pink (or pink-and-yellow) moth which is found on this plant but apparently has never been reported from Eastern LI. I rushed outside to check but didn't see it (it may be too late in the season). It's something to look for next year.

Eric Salzman

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