good day for insects and insect feeders

Yesterday was a great day for insects and there were literally dozens of swallows feeding on them all over the marsh and pond yesterday morning. Strangely enough,  the dominant species was Rough-winged Swallow. There were many Purple Martins from the Bay Avenue colony opposite, a number of Barn Swallows and -- perhaps -- a Bank Swallow or two. But they were all outnumbered by the Rough-wings. My first thought was that they must be Bank Swallows but every bird that I could follow -- with the possible exception of one or two -- had the square-tailed silhouette and smooth flight of a Rough-wing. Where do these birds come from? Rough-winged Swallows are not even considered colonial although they do bunch up in migration. Could these be late migrants? It seems unlikely as Rough-wings are not a particularly northern breeder (in spite of the fact that they are sometimes called Northern Rough-winged Swallow -- there is a Southern version). Maybe all the Rough-winged Swallows in our neighborhood (and there may be more than we think, given the mousiness of this bird) knew where to find sustenance on this bright June morning.

A singing Eastern Wood-Pewee -- a flycatcher so also an insect feeder -- in the woods near the house was a little easier to explain. This is a fairly common species in the oakier parts of the Pine Barrens and it is not unusual to see or hear one down here. They never seem to stay but I believe that they may breed in the Pine Neck Reserve on the other side of Weesuck Creek.

Eric Salzman