Southwest wind

A nice southwest wind and the distant roar of surf offered the possibility of a late migration push this morning but nothing of the sort was in evidence. There were Common Terns on the creek and martins and swallows over the marsh, a Yellow Warbler singing somewhere at the edge of the marsh and the three ensconced Common Yellowthroats loudly proclaiming their respective territories. There are Eastern Kingbirds in the neighborhood and a Great Crested Flycatcher that comes by with his harlequin laugh. There was a raccoon call as well (it stumped for a moment; we don't usually heard raccoons in the daytime) and there he (or she?) was, not in his usual sleepytime pine tree perch but literally out on a limb; something was stirring in the raccoon world but I'm unlikely ever to know what it is (a short time later, he/she/it was gone). Our local swans have five cygnets and spend their time hanging around the pond and the creek edge; if I listen hard I can hear the little swanlet murmurings which probably help to keep the family together.

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Just when I thought the morning's birding was over, Eileen showed up and proposed a visit to the so-called bicycle path, part of the publicly owned pine barrens preserve just off Route 51 (near the junction of Rt.111 and Rt. 51).  This is what is technically known as old field, land that was formerly farmed but is now reverting to pasture and brush. This trail, next to a pine-and-oak wood, is a veritable fairyland garden filled with birds including (to name a few of the more unusual sightings) Willow Flycatcher, Blue-winged Warbler, Blue Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, House Wren and Field Sparrow not to mention more Yellow Warblers than you have ever seen in your life. And, sad to say, ticks. Even in paradise there are ticks.

Eric Salzman