Robins were still moving overhead by the dozen -- maybe hundreds in all -- early this morning as we said a temporary goodbye to East Quogue. It was another cloudy and slightly damp morning here in early November. Except for the American Robins and some of the waterfowl yet to come, migration has pretty much ground to a halt. The Osprey have almost all gone through and Gray Catbirds, all over the place in October, have disappeared. The common on-site birds are almost all either year-rounders (Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, N. Cardinal, Am Goldfinch, House Finch, Song Sparrow, Carolina Wren, American Robin, B-c Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Am Crow, Blue Jay, Downy Woodpecker, Belted Kingfisher) or winter visitors (Great Blue Heron, Hermit Thrush, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow). And, of course, the three gulls and Double-crested Cormorant.
What do these birds eat all winter? Of course, as long as the water stays open (as it has for many years now), the water birds have fishy prey and, for most waterfowl, salt-water-loving plants. Some of the land birds seem to be able to find dormant insects and grubs but mostly their winter feed consists of seeds (grasses, marsh plants, herbs and forbs) or berries (Red Cedar and Poison Ivy being the most widespread and the most popular around here). The other day I saw Flickers, Robins, Chickadees, Yellow-rumped Warblers and Am Goldfinches eating Poison Ivy berries. The Goldfinches also like the Baccharis seeds which are similar to their favored thistle seed; the Chicakees also know how to pull out the tufts and nip off the seeds at the end. This was not a very good year for Red Cedar berries (really juniper berries, similar to the stuff that gin is made out of) so the Yellow-rumps are down somewhat but, as always, Poison Ivy and Baccharis is in profusion.
Eric Salzman
