pairs

I was standing on our neighbors dock near the mouth of the outflow from our pond when two Mute Swans came by in a stately twosome -- one with his or her foot incongrously lifted up to the rear above the water line (which didn't prevent him or her from keeping up with his or her companion). After seeing that I had nothing for them, they swam right under the dock, continuing down the creek.. Aside from a stray foot in the air, what was unusual about two swans on Weesuck? Only the fact that, for the first time in years, there was no successful swan nesting on the creek and no sign of any swans for extended periods this summer. Perhaps this is a new pair ready to take over a prime abandoned territory?

Waterfowl often come in pairs. Two ducks cavorting over the creek turned out to be Black Duck. Unlike the introduced swans, this is a native species that has been pushed aside as a breeder by the introduced Mallard. Mallards also did not do well this year on the creek. Could Black Duck reestablish itself? Why not? There are a few pair in the Shinneock marshes opposite through the summer and they are common birds in migration and winter.

There were two Northern Mockingbirds mixed in with a small flock of American Robins in the tree tops back of the pond this morning. Mockers are not usually thought of as migrants but they seem to move around quite a bit (ditto the Robins). Also, there are still two Osprey on the creek as well as two Green Herons -- all perhaps young birds of the year whose parents have already left for warmer climes.

An odd couple was formed by the American Redstart and Black-throated Blue Warbler that were working the trees right around the house. There were a few other warblers around but, except for a couple of Common Yellowthroats in the low vegetation at marsh edge, they were moving high through the canopy and were difficult to identify.

The final pair in this report was even more mismatched. A fast-flying, squeaky little bird came shooting up the edge of the marsh -- fleeing for its life as it turned out. It was closely followed by the season's first Merlin which came within an ace of catching it. I didn't identify this bit of prey but I can testify that it got away. The disappointed Merlin pulled up short, veered off and landed in a tree on the other side of the marsh.

Eric Salzman