a cold weather bird bonanza

The temperature dropped into the thirties last night and many new birds came in. Notable (and new for the season) were a Bald Eagle on the creek early on and a big flock of Pine Siskins. The eagle was almost certainly a juvenile. I was facing east against the rising sun and couldn't see any effect of white in the plumage. The bird was attacked by several American Crows and the size differential was very noticeable. The eagle eventually landed on a dead tree at the tip of Pine Neck and, after a spell, took off out over Shinnecock Bay. The Pine Siskins were at the head of the marsh in a flock of some 150-200 birds (there were other flocks coming across the creek and the bay but I couldn't be sure of the species). The first Siskins I saw were individuals mixed in with a large number of American Goldfinches but the big flock -- easily identifiable by sound -- seemed to appear out of nowhere. Last year was a big year for Siskins and I didn't expect them to appear in these numbers two years in a row.

There were other birds of interest. Mixed in with Goldfinches were several Purple Finches, male and female (there were a few House Finches as well). Ruby-crowned Kinglets were scattered around as well as some numbers of sparrows of the usual four species: White-throated, Chipping, Song and a very few Swamp. There were many Eastern Phoebes, a scattering of Yellow-rumped Warblers and at least one Palm Warbler of the brownish Western type. I had all five woodpeckers -- Downy, Hairy, Northern Flicker, Red-bellied and, yes, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker; a veritable quinfecta of 'peckers. Another new bird for the season was Hermit Thrush, not only the first Hermit of the season but the first thrush of any kind seen here (not counting Robins of course). Where have all the thrushes of yesteryear gone to?

Eric Salzman