What's black and white and fed all over?

Today was Black-and-white Warbler day. There were half a dozen of these birds -- males and females -- in a single spot and at least as many elsewhere on the property, all working the trees, branches, leaves and bushes for insect prey. There was also a clutch of House Wrens in and around the head of the marsh although it was impossible to say whether these were members of an extended local family or early migrants.

Northern Waterthrush is still here along with numbers of Common Yellowthroats -- again whether local or migrant is a difficult call. Three woodpeckers (Downy, Hairy and Flicker), an Eastern Wood-pewee and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Several Great Blue Herons including three on the marsh.

The local Carolina Wrens, almost as numerous as the House Wrens, are singing away in a curious mixture of their usual rhythmic song and a variety of other rather formless melodic bits -- perhaps the attempts of young birds to sing.

Later in the morning, we organized a clamming expedition (successful) and, on the way back to the house, I saw my first Monarch Butterfly of the season. As readers of this blog undoubtedly know, Monarchs are in big trouble so it was a pleasure to see even one!

Eric Salzman