Catbirds occupy the catbird seats

Catbirds came in last night. Yesterday: Catbirdless. Today: Catbirds all over the place. They're not yet singing very much but they are popping up and down and meowing as if they had been here all the time. And yet before this morning there was not even a hint of Catbird.

There were a few other first-of-the-seasoners: terns (Common Terns presumably) fishing on the creek, a beautifully-plumaged Black-Crowned Night Heron and a pair of Green Herons on the pond and marsh at low tide. Also a pair of Willets and our faithful Yellowlegs.

The Pine Warbler is widening his circuit as he moves around the woods, not always sticking to the pines. Other warblers? Not a trace. The lateness of the season and the tardiness or absence of long-distance migrants has been notable and not only out here on Eastern LI but also in the city parks and surrounding areas -- usually loaded with warblers and other neotropicals at this time of year. Does anyone have a likely explanation?

Among the locals, the corvids continue to dominate. A Fish Crow sits on the top of a tree honking away at regular intervals (definitely more of a honk than a caw); is this a Fish Crow mating signal? Blue Jays are preparing to nest -- I saw one carrying nesting material. American Crows are probably already on eggs and they are ready to flock up and create a major racket-- the classic 'Murder of Crows' -- at the first sign of a raptor flyby.

Eric Salzman