Yesterday's power winds from the northwest suggested (1) a major effort to strip the leaves off the trees (not quite successful), and (2) conditions conducive to getting some big birds into flight (also not very successful). Instead the first birds I saw were some of the smallest around: both kinglets, goldfinches, a smattering of warblers (almost all Yellow-rumped), both nuthatches and even a single high-flying Tree Swallow struggling desperately to make headway against the strong gusts. Plus a few Robins, Flickers and Blue Jays. Where were the hawks? Even the gulls seemed to be lying low.
By contrast, this morning was quiet and sunny and there were lots of birds -- all of them Yellow-rumped Warblers. Well, almost all. The kinglets and nuthatches were still around and there was a small run of sparrows. The most interesting observations were vocal: a calling Eastern Towhee (never saw it but the call is unmistakable) and several unusual sounds that I could not trace.
Eric Salzman
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