East Hampton and back

I had to make two round trips to East Hampton yesterday. The second trip was to go to the performance of The Choral Society of the Hamptons of music by Handel and Haydn (which I am reviewing for the E.H. Star). The first trip was to lead "Birding by Ear", a SOFO walk at the Grace Estate. There was a good people turnout for the walk and a good tick turnout as well but not such a good showing by the birds. July 6 is a bit late in the singing season as most birds have nests and/or young at this time and tend to stop singing. And, of course, we managed to pick the hottest day of the year; even by 8 am (the scheduled start of the walk), things had quieted down in the growing heat of the day. Finally, although I regret to say it, I am afraid that the Grace Estate is no longer the outstanding nesting area that it once was.

In spite of all this, we managed to hear a few songs and a fair number of calls -- alarm chips and the like, always a challenge to identify. Among the birds heard (a few were glimpsed as well) were Scarlet Tanager, American Redstart, Prairie Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-throated Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Wood-pewee, Rough-winged Swallow, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Robin, Carolina Wren, House Wren, American Crow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown Cowbird, Cedar Waxwing. When you list them like that, it doesn't seem too bad. However distinctly missing were Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Pine Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Blue-winged Warbler, Yellow Warbler, White-eyed Vireo, Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay and other previously known denizens of this woodland. I heard the first three of these from my car window while driving through Northeast going to and from the walk site so some of these species are still in the area. Others may have quieted down as the nesting season advanced.

Eric Salzman