sundries

Among the species that are out and active (besides the deer and the squirrels), there are moles burrowing in the sandy soil; haven't actually seen one but the burrows are everywhere. A handsome Red-spotted Purple (that's a butterfly) landed on a patch of open ground just in front of the house.

Saw a Cardinal fledgling being fed by his father; since this species doesn't migrate but stays here all winter, they get a head-start and often have young earlier than most other local breeders. No sign or sound of Yellow Warbler and I hear only one Common Yellowthroat singing. A male Northern Flicker landed right outside the porch window followed shortly thereafter by a male Baltimore Oriole feeding in the Hickory tree right above it. Didn't even have to get out of my seat.

From the front deck, I had a good look at the male Pine Warbler perched and singing on a bare branch at eye level; to my surprise, he was quite well marked with a clear yellow throat set off by a necklace of dark streaks on yellowish breast as well as gray wings with distinct white wingbars. Pine Warbler has the reputation for being rather indistinctly marked compared to other warblers but apparently spring males can break out of the average. The streaks were darker and stronger, and the yellow was yellower than I had expected. I assume that this is the bird that I hear every day making his rounds -- usually a lot higher up.

Eric Salzman