young birds abounding

There were two Forster's Terns in non-breeding plumage fishing in the creek this morning along with a Common Tern. As with the Royal Terns (which are also around), the pair consisted of a young bird following an adult; apparently the youngsters learn how to fish by following the adult's example. The comparison with the Common Tern was striking. Even apart from the obvious differences (the Forsters' in non-breeding plumage has a white head with a black eye patch), the comparison was striking: Forster's is bigger with much whiter primaries and a very different, stockier jizz.

Extremely low tide in the early morning left our tidal pond as one big mud flat. The few remaining pools of water were dominated by a Great Blue Heron which was finding easy pickings among the fish trapped in these pools. An adult and a young Spotted Sandpiper and a couple of Least Terns completed the picture.

Young birds abound. Three young orioles, at least two of them orangey males, were working the trees near the head of the marsh. A strangely ventriloqual chip was coming from a densely vegetated area while an adult Song Sparrow with a large insect in its beak gave away the identity and the age of the hidden young chipper. An adult Downy Woodpecker was moving through the hurricane-blasted trees near the head of the marsh accompanied by a juvenile and there is at least one juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker in the area (it has a rather blank-faced look with very little red on the nape). Young Titmice and Chickadees are everywhere, moving in family groups with their elders. And a few of the late-flying fledglings in the Purple Martin colony are starting to fly and hunt on their own.

Eric Salzman