lots of bugs

'Normal' June weather returned this morning with warmer temperatures, higher humidity, hazy sunshine, and lots of bugs -- mosquitos, no-see-ums, moths and butterflies among others. The proliferation of insects is, of course, good for the birds and it comes just at the time that most species are starting to feed young. I saw a female Red-wing with a fat green caterpillar which she did not swallow but flew off with. The swallows and martins were out in force with at least one Bank Swallow accompanying the familiar legions of Purple Martins and Barn Swallows. A tiny, rather tame butterfly in the path at the edge of the marsh caught my attention. In flight, it showed flashing blue upperparts but, perched with folded wings, the underside looked like a hairstreak with an orange (or red) band. I think it may have been a Red-banded Hairstreak (and not a blue or azure), definitely something new for me. Red-banded Hairstreak is a southern species that has appeared on Long Island in recent years.

Common Yellowthroat #2 -- the bird that sings a loud resonant and non-stop 'weetchity-weetchity-weet' at the corner of the marsh -- appears to have won the singing competition with Common Yellowthroat #1 with its thinner, less penetrating 'weetchy-weetchy-weetch', heard since the first days of May at the head of the marsh but silent for the past two days. But was Yellowthroat #1 really the loser? It was the earlier arrival and it seems to have had a mate so it may have stopped singing because it has young in the nest. In the evolutionary game, that would make it a winner! Highly persistent singers like Yellowthroat #2 are likely to be lovelorn. But who knows? I'll keep looking for a female.

Also heard in the same area: the soft gulping sound of the Green Heron coming from the woods. I am almost certain that this sound means that this heron is nesting (or trying to nest) in the woods between the house and the marsh.

On the flower front: a third round of inflorescence. Multiflora rose is starting to bloom wherever the trails and right-of-ways come out of the woods, viburnum is starting to form its white umbels in the woods and a smaller, more stand-up version of the dandelion (species?) is blooming in more open areas.

Eric Salzman