a waterthrush and a night-heron

Northern Waterthrush is here; it apparently arrived last night. This is a warbler which does not breed on Long Island but arrives here from the north every summer in the middle or end of July or, as this year, early August. These summer visitors are often here throughout August. Like the Royal Terns (which come from the south), these birds make an intermediate stop to feed and fatten up before they continue with their 'real' migration south to warmer climes.

A young night-heron was in the pond this morning and, from its upright stance and a few other features, I deduced that it was a Yellow-crowned and not the more common Black-crowned Night-Heron. Last year there was an adult Yellow-crowned Night-Heron on the pond almost every day but I haven't seen a one this year. There are at least two young Green Herons here, birds that were probably born in a nest in our woods. Both white egrets are regulars and there are a couple of Great Blue Herons on the creek. All four local terns were on the creek yesterday and this morning: Royal, Common Forster's and Least; they're all easy to pick out by call (I usually hear them first and then find them by sight).

Although there are a few Purple Martins is still in the vicinity, most of the Bay Avenue birds have vacated the colony site in preparation for migration. I now think that the noisy display over the house the other evening was some kind of preliminary social activity leading to the beginning of migration for the birds in this colony. Also, I note that, with swallow migration is in full swing on the beach, there are very few swallows over the marsh and creek on this side of the bay. Like the shorebirds (which they resemble in many ways), these aerial insect eaters have already begun their migration.

There was a small family of three Eastern Phoebes by the pond this morning and there are feeding flocks moving around the place dominated by Black-capped Chickadees or Tufted Titmice (Titmouses?), apparently each from one or two families. These small flocks have guests, Seen yesterday and this morning: Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Yellow Warblers, Pine Warblers, an American Redstart, both wrens, and Downy Woodpeckers. At least one of the White-breasted Nuthatches in residence has a gray rather than a black cap suggesting that it may be a juvenile (in a plumage not illustrating in the field guides).

The rains brought fungi, mostly Lactarius volemus (Milky Caps) and Chanterelles, both good eating mushrooms.

Eric Salzman