back from Ecuador

Got back from Ecuador late Tuesday evening. It was a great trip but exhausting and it literally took me all day Wednesday to recover -- at least enough to do my morning walk, run a bunch of errands and now write this post.

The Ecuador report will be along shortly. In the meanwhile, migration has progressed notably around here in the past two weeks and many of the birds of October have arrived. This morning everything was wet with dew but a surprising number of birds popped out to greet the sun, dry off and begin the endless search for food.  I can't say for sure when they arrived but I suspect that most of them came in last night. The dominant birds were Yellow-rumped Warblers and Common Yellowthroats, both literally by the dozen plus almost as many Swamp Sparrows. A handsome winter-plumaged Bobolink came up right in front of my nose, giving excellent looks of this sparrowy but quite distinct yellow winter plumage of this unusual bird. There were also several Golden-crowned Kinglets and at least one Ruby-crowned Kinglet. Other birds included a Palm Warbler, several American Goldfinches, a few White-throated Sparrows (detected by their 'chink' calls), several Brown Thrashers, a Great Blue Heron and the usual locals (Carolina Wren, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, Crows, etc.). No terns at all although I did hear Royal Terns later in the morning.

On the floral scene, the Seaside Goldenrods are still blooming but are now well advanced. Baccharis is now in its most attractive phase -- not the flowering which is dull and well gone by but the white seed bundles. And various asters are in full bloom.

On the mammal front, there is a Woodchuck (Groundhog or Marmot; seen around here only once before) in the area. And the deer, missing for much of the summer, have come back. Wonder where they were.

Eric Salzman