big flight

A blue-sky, mild, dewy morning with wet birds popping out of the brush and moving in flocks through the trees, living and dead.

As predicted (by somebody looking at radar), there was a big movement last night and, sure enough, the place was full of birds this morning including several new species (new for the season, that is). The dominant species here were vireos (Blue-headed in the lead closely followed by Red-eyed; try as I might I couldn't pick out any other vireos) and woodpeckers. Yes woodpeckers. With the exception of the Northern Flicker, our woodpeckers are not supposed to be migratory but an awful lot of Downies appeared here this morning and they must have come from somewhere. Plus Flickers, several Red-bellied and at least one Hairy. I am convinced that these birds (like Blue Jays and Black-capped Chickadees) move around more than is usually thought to be the case.

There were several new birds of the season. In addition to the Blue-headed Vireo, there was a Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Purple Finch (including a female with the tell-tale eye stripe) and another Confusing Fall Warbler -- quite different from yesterday's Cape May in that it had no streaking and was quite light colored underneath with just hints of buff; almost certainly a first-year Bay-breasted Warbler. Also a Swamp Sparrow along with many (new?) Song Sparrows. In short, October birds in the waning days of September.

There was more: Eastern Phoebes, Eastern Wood-pewees, several Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, small flocks of American Robins and a Cooper's Hawk slinking around looking for breakfast. And, of course, screaming Blue Jays trying to alert everyone to the hawk.

Eric Salzman