northerners and a southerner

Another northerner appeared this morning: Ruby-crowned Kinglet joining the Red-breasted Nuthatches and Winter Wren as early birds (let's call them October birds as that's when they usually appear). Both nuthatches were present: the White-breasted was working along the woodland edge facing the marsh while the Red-breasted were in the pines with the Chickadees. A spotted thrush was with a group of Am Robins feeding on the cedar (i.e. juniper) berries on a Red Cedar; it had an eye ring but it stayed in the shadows and I couldn't see the plumage coloration; it was probably a Swainson's but could also have been a Hermit Thrush -- both northerners (although Hermit Thrush breeds on Long Island). A flock of a half dozen Red-eyed Vireos was feeding in the canopy of a couple of the taller oaks but, try as I might, I could not find any warblers or other vireos with them.

Rocky Jr. has been back up on his Pitch Pine perch for past couple of days. It's one of this raccoon's favorite daytime sleeping spots but he was awake both mornings, doing his toilette before settling down for an all-day snooze.

Butterflies are still coming in -- many Monarchs this morning. I did see another Red-banded Hairstreak this morning trapped, alas, in a spider web. This once rare southerner may be getting more numerous. Of the three hairstreaks I've been able to see well in the past few days, two of them were Red-banded.

Eric Salzman