fall migration 2015

This is likely to be the last post from me in a while as we have performed our own fall migration, closing up the East Quogue house and moving back to Brooklyn. Fall bird migration was not exceptional this year although we did get flocks of sparrows (mainly White-throated Sparrows but also Song and Swamp), American Goldfinches, American Robins, and Northern Flickers. Royal Terns, Great Blue Heron and Great Egrets continued on the creek and marsh right into November. And this was a big year for Blue Jays, due (no doubt) to the big acorn crop.

Best bird by far of the fall migration was a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER (a great rarity on Long Island). Olive-sided Flycatcher was another good bird frequenting the same habitat (mainly hurricane-killed Pitch Pines, closely resembling the burnt-over woods that they frequent in their norther homes). Amazingly enough, the flycatcher arrived in July and stayed most of the summer. A Golden-winged Warbler was a bird that I have not seen here in many years; other warblers included Commmon Yellowthroat, Am Redstart, Blue-winged, Yellow, Prairie, Northern Parula, Black-throated Green, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll, Black-and-white, and Northern Waterthrush. Other northern visitors included Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Brown Creeper, Blue-headed Vireo and both kinglets.

Eric Salzman

Nelson's Sparrow

A couple of Nelson's Sparrows in the marsh this morning were the first of the season for me. These were both from the Atlantic subspecies, identified by the blurry breast streaks on a well defined washed-out-orange upper breast, a well-defined bright white belly, gray nape and back with white back stripes and a rather shortish bill. They were accompanied by a very well-marked Marsh Wren.

There were only five yellowlegs on the Weesuck Creek bulkhead (opposite Aldrich Boat Yard) this morning but I thought at least one of them was a Greater; the others were then Lessers. 

The flock of White-throated Sparrows was in its usual place at the head of the marsh along with a handful of American Goldfinches. A few Royal Terns are still coming in up the creek; this southern coastal nester arrives in mid-summer and stays here well into the fall.

One bird I forgot to mention from yesterday's Dune Road expedition was a Brown Creeper on the trunk of a couple of scraggly Red Cedars at Ponquogue.

Eric Salzman

yellowlegs & mantids

I found out where the yellowlegs are hiding out: in plain sight on a bulkhead opposite Aldrich Boat Yard. As far as I can see across the creek, there are not 16 but 20 birds in the flock and they all look like Lesser Yellowlegs (there might be a couple of larger ones mixed in but that may be only an effect of distance).

There are still Royal Terns coming up the creek, Double-crested Cormorants are moving over the bay in silent V-shaped formations and a pair of Black Duck flushed up from the pond (is this a mated pair?). A Hairy Woodpecker was working dead pine bark on our side and there's at least one Eastern Towhee still calling at the head of the marsh where all the sparrows are congregated -- mostly Song and White-throated but a few Swamp still in the vicinity.


About that king-size mantid that was here the other day: Terry Sullivan thinks it's a Chinese Mantid, an invasive species that he photographed eating a Monarch Butterfly (ouch) in his yard in Sag Harbor (see below).

Eric Salzman

raptor on a wire

I had just delivered our car to the car doctor on Montauk Highway and was walking back home when Eileen Schwinn came by in her Jeep and asked me if I'd like to go down to Dune Road. I accepted immediately and we cruised on down to the Quogue Bridge and then east on Dune Road all the way to Shinnecock Inlet. It was not a particularly birdy day (more details below) but as we were coming back from the Inlet and about to take the Ponquogue Bridge back to the mainland we were literally stopped by a large raptor sitting on a wire right above the road. This was a trim, slender bird with long wings, a long tail, brown-backed with a brown-streaked breast; it did not have the facial markings of a falcon and seemed too slim to be a Goshawk. It didn't look like any Cooper's Hawk that I had ever seen (I often see them perched) but I was going to ID it as one anyway when suddenly it took off. White rump! It was a Northern Harrier, the first one that I have ever seen perched above (their usual perch is on the ground; I've also seen them soaring high above in migration when they are equally difficult to identify).

In fact, we ended up seeing four Harriers in all.

We have had Red-tailed Hawks at the property but there were no other raptors seen on Dune Road.

Fair numbers of Brant, a few Red-breasted Mergansers, Black Duck and Mallards (Bufflehead were reported but we didn't seem them).

A few sparrows: Chipping, Savannah, Song, White-throated and Dark-eyed Juncos (first I've seen this season). Also a scattering of Great Egrets, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Black-capped Chickadees, House Finch. 

Eric Salzman

how to quiet down the birds

There were dozens, perhaps hundreds of birds, at the head of the marsh this morning all chittering or chinking away when suddenly every single one disappeared and silence covered the scene. It was, of course, a bird hawk -- a Sharp-shinned Hawk to be specific -- chasing some poor little passerine. I don't think the hawk (probably a first-year female) actually caught anything; it landed in full view on a dead branch not very far off from where I was standing and proceeded to do its toilette. Eventually a few skulking Blue Jays peered out from cover but most of the rest of the previously lively avian crew simply vanished and remained out of sight even long after the Sharp-shinned had taken off.

Before they were gone, I did see (and hear) large numbers of White-throated Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers and American Goldfinches. Other birds which I thought had already moved on turned up as well including Great Blue Heron, Great Egret and Royal Terns on the creek; Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Common Yellowthroat, Swamp, Song and Chipping Sparrows on the marsh and marsh edges; and, most notably, the flying flock of 16 yellowlegs that has been hanging around for the past week or so. Also, big flocks of blackbirds (Red-wings and Common Grackles mostly) are starting to form and move around.

Eric Salzman

King Tides & a big Praying Mantis

Super high or 'king tides' yesterday morning and this morning filled up the marsh and pond; no chance to find any possible lurking Yellow Rails. This was in conjunction with the so-called Hunter's Moon that lit up the night. Both mornings had a lot of wind and a bit of rain came in today. There are dozens, perhaps hundreds of White-throated Sparrows on the property, many of them whistling all or part of the White-throats pretty signature tune.

A huge late-season Praying Mantis appeared at the back door of the house yesterday (see photo). This creature, lethargic in the cool weather, c. 6" in length, is perhaps the biggest mantis that I've ever seen.

There are perhaps a dozen deer on the property including two or three antlered adult males and a number of fawns just now losing their spots; presumably the rest are adult females. A herd like this is disastrous for flower or herb gardens but, since we don't garden, it helps us keep the vegetation clipped and preserves our views of the creek and bay! 



Eric Salzman

bird clave

As I was walking down the path from the house to the pond I heard a very distinct Morse code signal coming out of the marsh -- click-click click-click-click -- fast and continuous. Two stones being tapped together in rhythm, steady and sure, like a kind of avian clave! After a little double-checking with the xeno-canto web site (the go-to site for bird vocalizations of all sorts), it became obvious that this was the classic 'song' of the YELLOW RAIL! I tried to get out into the marsh to flush the bird but the tide was coming in and I didn't have on my boots.

With or without the visual sighting, I'm sure about this call! This was not the first Yellow Rail on the place. On October 15, 2002, I flushed Yellow Rails twice in two different parts of the marsh. These birds were calling but not with the classic clicking song but with another vocalization that I finally tracked down and identified as the 'descending cackle', a little known contact call. If I hadn't seen these 'Sora-like' rails with the big white patches on their wings in the early light of dawn (see my sketch below), I never would have been able to identify them. This time I had only the call to go by but the quality of the sound was perfect and the October date equally so! These birds are supposed to call mainly at night but it was early morning and overcast; my experience is that rails of all species will call under these conditions. With this evidence -- admittedly 13 years apart -- and some other clues from the years in between, I've just about come to the conclusion that the Yellow Rail is a regular -- if unseen -- migrant hereabouts.

Swarms of White-throated Sparrows and a handful of Golden-crowned Kinglets (the Ruby-crowns seem to have passed through) are also birds of October. Can November be far behind?

This was my sketch from 2002 of a small, darkish rail flushed twice from our marsh. You just do not see the brownish/yellowish coloration of the plumage in the early-morning light but the shape of the wings, the short tail and the startling white patches are definitive.

Eric Salzman

sparrows & yellowlegs

A swarm of White-throated Sparrows came in last night and were easily identified visually and aurally (by their chink-chink alarm call and by their melodious song, both of which were in evidence all over the place). Other sparrows seen were the expected Song and Swamp Sparrows plus a few Chipping.

A flock of 16 Lesser Yellowlegs -- probably the same birds seen the other day and not a new flock -- appeared over Weesuck Creek with the same soft flight calls. I still didn't get a first-class look at them (they were again flying away from me up the creek) but I think they were also Lessers. This species migrates inland in the spring but on the Atlantic coast in the fall and its winter range traditionally extends up the coast to the Carolinas at least (and, with climate change in full blast, probably much further north).

Other birds of interest: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Eric Salzman

yellow legs and red seeds

A flock of a dozen-and-a-half Lesser Yellowlegs was over the creek yesterday morning. They were calling to each other with a rather soft flute-y call and, as far as I could see, had rather short bills -- for which reasons I am calling them Lessers! Lessers are tundra nesters and their breeding range is further north than the Greater so they tend to turn up later in the season when the weather starts to turn cold.

White-throated Sparrows have been surprisingly sparse but they now seem to be filtering in; when the weather is warmish (as it was the past two mornings), they identify themselves by singing. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, another northern nester that has been missing for the past few days, turned up again yesterday and this morning. A fairly large flock of American Robins accompanied by a few other birds was feeding on the ripening red seeds in the cone-shaped pod of a Big-leaf Magnolia. There were a lot of noisy birds in the neighborhood but they all appeared to be common local breeders or visitors -- whether annoyed at the influx of Robins or trying to join in, I couldn't say.

Eric Salzman

how many D-C Cormorants make a flotilla?

A big flock -- a flotilla really -- of tens of dozens of Double-crested Cormorants came barreling into Weesuck Creek this morning accompanied by a couple of dozen screeching Ring-billed Gulls and numbers of Royal Terns. By the time I noticed them, most of the cormorants were at the mouth of the creek directly off our shore where, to avoid being carried out by the outgoing tide, they performed an overlapping series of leap-frog maneuvers with bunches of birds flying up from behind and landing in front. This sort of cartwheel continued for at least a quarter of an hour until the entire flock up and left.

What were they doing? I would guess that they had followed or chased a school of fish into the creek and were forcing them to bunch up, making them easier bait -- not only for the cormorants but also for the gulls and terns.

Outside of this, the weather was warm and windless -- not conducive to migration. There was one big, barrel-chested accipiter that looked big enough to be a Goshawk but probably was just a female Cooper's Hawk; the Blue Jays managed to chase it away. One or two thrushes (first of the season for me) showed up back of the house and in a neighbor's backyard (where she photographed it); probably both Hermit Thrushes but neither bird's tail was visible.

There are still some Blue Asters in bloom as well as small and medium White Asters. The Seaside Goldenrod has been largely finished off by rains, cold weather, etc. 

Eric Salzman

a fishing eagle

A first-year Bald Eagle was over the creek this morning. It was on the other side of the creek, not directly in my field of vision, and I didn't initially recognize it for what it was. Then I noticed out of the corner of my eye that it was dragging its feet in the water. This bird was much bigger than both the Osprey and the Red-tailed Hawk that were also moving over the creek. In any case, Red-tails don't fish and Osprey don't fish like that (they plunge in feet first). The big bird, as soon as it hit the water, pulled out and headed right over to Pine Neck to settle on the top of one of the trees directly opposite, presumably to enjoy its breakfast. There it sat silhouetted against the rising sun while it was immediately attacked by a passel of crows. After ignoring the nasty crows for a while (and perhaps polishing off its catch), it jumped into the air and, shaking off its tormenters, flapped its way up an updraft. It was a windy morning with cold breezes out of the northeast and the bird had to work hard until it reached a high soaring spot in the sky where I lost track of it. This was the first time that I can recall actually seeing a fishing eagle in the act of fishing and it reminded me that our national bird is one of a widespread group of eight species of fishing 'sea eagles', all in the genus Haliaeetus.

Besides these three raptors there was a Cooper's Hawk which came across the creek to our side and, after making a pass at a Great Egret sitting in the open on a dead branch, it settled somewhere inside the woods. This was an adult bird in the beautiful 'blue darter' plumage. Another Cooper's Hawk in juvenile plumage flew back across the creek so there were at least two of these accipiters around.

Speaking of the Great Egret which stood its ground against the Cooper's Hawk, I think that this the same bird that I see every morning along with a single Great Blue Heron, both perched on the edge of our woods facing the marsh. Ironically, the Great Blue, usually sitting higher and much further back, is invariably spooked when I show up and comes squawking out and away. Yet, at the same time, the Egret will sit calmly and watch me sauntering by even as I pass right under its perch.

Also in the mix -- but definitely more nervous and spookable -- is a noisy Yellowlegs but whether Greater or Lesser I am never quite sure.

Eric Salzman

a cold weather flock

In fall migration (and in winter), birds seem to team up in flocks, sometimes mostly consisting of one or two species, other times in mixed groups that include locals as well as visitors. The logic seems to be that the locals know the best spots to look for food, especially in cold weather (and this morning was definitely cold weather).

There was a fairly large and very active mixed group that passed through this morning, led (as is often the case) by Titmice and Chickadees but also including long- and short-distance migrants -- Blue-headed and Red-eyed Vireos, Brown Creeper, Blackpoll, Yellow-rumped Warblers, A few Eastern Towhees were also present as well as the usual raft of woodpeckers but I'm not sure they can be considered part of the flock. Considerable numbers of Swamp Sparrows, a few Common Yellowthroats and Ruby-crowned Kinglets were present in the marsh edges and the bush areas between woods and marsh. The Swamp Sparrows seem to dominate the sparrow scene abetted by some numbers of Song Sparrow and a few -- surprisingly few -- White-throated Sparrows.

Eric Salzman

Pumps and Rumps!

Pumps and rumps! Lots of birds came in on the cold weather of the past two days. Not surprisingly, the dominant species was Yellow-rumped Warbler (a.k.a. Myrtle Warbler) with dozens, maybe hundreds of birds active mostly in the shrub layer between the woods and the pond (or marsh). With them were a number of Palm Warblers of the Western variety, with yellow undertail coverts but otherwise dull brownish gray (lightly streaked on the breast) and non-stop tail-pumping.

Otherwise, most of the other arrivals were sparrows: Song, Swamp, a few Chipping, White-throated and at least one Lincoln's. The Palm Warbler and the Lincoln's Sparrow were new for the season (Lincoln's Sparrow is uncommon in these parts -- or, at least, uncommonly identified).

Also seen: Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, several Eastern Phoebes, at least one large raptor (probably a Red-tailed Hawk), American Goldfinches, and House Finches. There were many woodpeckers yesterday (all four breeding species including Hairy) but few today. Wonder why. And where did all the Yellow-belied Sapsuckers go? They were all over the place a couple of days ago.

Eric Salzman

influx of Sapsuckers; Blackpolls en route

A veritable flotilla of Yellow-breasted Sapsuckers came in last night. There were at least a dozen (probably more), mostly clustered in an around the dead trees at the head of the marsh and flying from tree to tree to tree. This bird, with its inimitable moniker, is a regular migrant and winter visiter here but I have never seen so many of them at once.

Check the picture below. Eileen Schwinn had Blackpoll Warblers in 'confusing fall warbler' plumage on Monday and managed to get a fairly good photo. If you can blow this photo up (or look at it in Preview) you can see -- barely -- most of the features that distinguish it from the very similar fall Bay-breasted and Pine Warblers. These include light breast streaking on a greenish/yellowish breast, white wingbars, heavier back streaking, white undertail coverts and yellow feet and legs. Spring males are black and white so this is quite a change. These birds are on their way to South America, flying up to 1800 miles or more, one of the longest ; many Blackpools are known to do the longest part of their fall flight over the open Atlantic!

Eric Salzman

42 species

A lot of migrants came in last night. New for the season were a few Blackpoll Warblers in their fall plumage: white wingbars, lightly streaked on a yellowish/greenish breast, strongly streaked on the back, buffy on the undertail coverts (several of these features distinguish them from the similar Bay-breasted and Pine Warblers). Blackpolls are famous for some of the longest non-stop migrations undertaken by any land bird (some of them have been known to take off from the Canadian Maritimes and hit terra firma only on the coast of S. America!). Nevertheless, a few almost always appear in the woods at this time of year.

Here's a complete list of birds seen this morning (42 species in all):

Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Canada Goose
Mallard
Black Duck
Red-tailed Hawk
Greater Yellowlegs
Ring-billed Gull
Herring Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Royal Tern
Mourning Dove
Belted Kingfisher
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Eastern Phoebe
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow (calling)
Black-capped Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Cedar Waxwing (young ones catching insects high up among the standing dead trees)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (flocks eating Red Cedar berries)
Blackpoll Warbler (see above)
Common Yellowthroat (unexpected; several came in last night)
Northern Cardinal
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
American Goldfinch
House Finch

Eric Salzman

Every creek has two sides

Eileen Schwinn came over yesterday morning to help look for the Black-backed Woodpecker. We didn't find it and we didn't find much of anything else: a single Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a few late Tree Swallows overhead. Where did all the birds go?

Today was a substantial improvement. There were many sparrows popping up from the marsh edge and perching prettily on the woodland edge. Most of them were Song and Swamp Sparrows but there was a Field Sparrow -- first for the season. Also a female (or immature) Indigo Bunting, a handsome Nashville Warbler in bright plumage and a Sharp-shinned Hawk hightailing it the wrong way across the creek; all of these were season firsts.

The acorn crop has been one of the best that I can remember and, as a result, the Blue Jay crop is equally prolific. Eileen tells me that all the Yellow-rumped Warblers (and a Palm Warbler or two) are on the east side of the creek in a couple of good-sized flocks. I haven't seen a single one on this side in two days now.

Eric Salzman

a woodpecker phantom on the creek

The closest I could come to another sighting of the Black-backed Woodpecker was a medium-sized woodpecker hightailing it across the creek to Pine Neck. The light was bad and I am far from certain that this was the target bird (based on size, it could have been a Red-bellied). But it gave me hope that the bird might be still hanging around.

This was not the first Black-backed Woodpecker record for Long Island. "Bull's Birds of New York" reports that individuals were seen in 1887, 1936 and 1963 (thanks Harry Maas). Not sure exactly where these sightings were recorded but it seems that Black-backed Woodpecker is at least as likely around here as Pileated Woodpecker!

One new bird for the season: Brown Creeper. A few Yellow-rumped Warblers and at least one Blue-headed Vireo also seen but not a whole lot else.

Eric Salzman

Black-backed Woodpeckers? Not today!

Alas, no Black-backed Woodpeckers today (not that I didn't spend the whole morning searching). This might very well be the first Long Island record of this elusive bird which leaves its northern nesting ground every few years but rarely comes this far south. Derek Rogers tells me that there was one photographed on Nantucket Island in 2009 and I saw one in Eastern Pennsylvania (just over the New Jersey line near the Delaware Water Gap) about 15 years ago.

A few new birds came in, notably a small flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers working the areas all along the marsh, pond and creek edge and, one of my favorite fall birds, Blue-headed Vireo. Other birds of note (already seen this season) were Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Swamp Sparrow, Royal Tern and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. And a Screech Owl calling for the past two nights but invisible in the day.

Eric Salzman

a cracking good bird!

Have I got a good bird to report! Flying across the 'front range' -- the woods facing the marsh and creek -- and briefly perching in the morning sunlight on high dead branches two or three times was a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER: black head with a thin white stripe on the lower part of the face, black back with faint white markings on the wing and tail. No yellow on the head but could have been a female or young bird. A little bigger than a Hairy and not as big as a Flicker, this species famously prefers burned over (or insect devastated) areas on forest edges with standing dead trees -- a perfect description of the hurricane-blasted dead trees which now line our woodland. The hurricane-created landscape very much resemble burnt-up landscapes and we have seen the arrival and/or proliferation of more than one fire-adapated spcies: Fireweed (also known as Pilewort), Olive-sided Flycatcher and now Black-backed Woodpecker! Wow!

Could I have made a mistake? I don't think so. The bird was clearly a woodpecker and was flying with woodpeckers (Flickers). No other North American woodpecker has such a large, solid black crown, nape and back. The only similar woodpecker, the Three-toed, is smaller and has some obvious white on its head and back. And, as if to help out with the comparative ID, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker appeared (plenty of white on the back and wings) making a total of six woodpeckers on the place!

A few other birds of note included Nashville Warbler, several Golden-crowned Kinglets and Eastern Phoebe, the first two of these three also being first-of-the-season birds. A good day!

Eric Salzman

migratory waves

Migration continues in waves. American Robins, which had disappeared for the past couple of days, are back in numbers along with Northern Flickers and a handful of American Goldfinches and Houses Finches. Royal Terns are still moving in an out of the creek and there are Kingfishers on the creek. The only raptor seen was a high-flying Turkey Vulture (going the wrong way!) On the other hand, Catbirds have virtually disappeared and there are relatively few Chickadees and Titmice.

One new bird for the season: Ruby-crowned Kinglet (didn't see or hear Golden-crowned). A few Swamp Sparrows mixed in with the remaining Song Sparrows. I tried to turn a small passerine that jumped out of the marsh edge into a wren but it was most likely a Song Sparrow. Great Blue Heron spooked from the same tree perch almost every day.

Eric Salzman

new bird?

Flushed a small pale Marsh-Wren type bird out of the marsh edge vegetation this morning and then, moving quickly to the spot where it dropped back in, flushed it again. Could not flush it a third time. Although I saw it twice but only briefly in flight, it seemed quite distinctive: small, fluttery, pale. There's a good chance that it was a Sedge Wren, a bird that turns up here in fall migration in October and is always rare and difficult. It would be a new bird for the property if I could confirm it.

A huge flock of Common Grackles (with a few Starlings mixed in) descended on the place in late morning, feeding on the ground all around the house and bathing in one of the cottage gutters which was still filled with water. It was very amusing to watch these birds line up for their turn in the tub -- a good splash and then out onto the roof and into the sun to dry out a bit while another one took its place in the bath.

Strong winds suggested that this might be a good raptor day but I didn't last long at my hawk-watch spot at the edge of the pond, being driven back by the strong gusts after only a single Red-tailed Hawk.

Here is a dramatic shot of Sunday night's moon eclipse -- taken just after full eclipse by John Heidecker ; I'm glad I got his permission to use it as I didn't manage to take any photos myself.

Eric Salzman

A dioecious plant

On Monday, a Savannah Sparrow showed up on Randall Lane, just about the only new bird seen recently.

In addition to the spectacular display of the Seaside Goldenrod (now ruined by the rain), there are several other wildflowers in bloom: Pearly Everlasting (the most widespread I've ever seen it), Evening Primrose (a late arrival probably delayed due to the fact that we cut the meadow around the house) as well as one or more of the small white asters. Another flowering plant that has become widespread in the wake of Irene and Sandy, is the Baccharis halimifolia or Groundsel Tree. This is not really a tree but a rather robust bush that grows at the edge of the marsh. It is a dioecious, a fancy word meaning that it has separate male and female plants. The male flowers, already past their peak, are not very noticeable but the female flowers are striking with a bundle of silky-white strands coming out of a purple sheath; the wind-distributed seeds are at the end of each strand or filament. They are just now developing and make a notable display at the head of the marsh.

Eric Salzman

Eclipse-watching from the pond

We pulled up chairs in front of the pond to watch Sunday's night's eclipse and, in spite of some weather predictions to the contrary, the rather wispy cloud cover dissipated in plenty of time to show us a bright super moon and to reveal the creeping earth shadow that gradually blotted it out leaving only the ghostly golden (or reddish) orb in its place. The moon rises in the east and the full moon makes a double display as it is reflected in the water of the bay. As was widely reported, this was a super moon on one of its closest passes to the earth and, until overtaken by the earth's shadow, it was incredibly brilliant. Seen through binoculars, the creeping shadow gave it a beautifully three-dimensional look as the bright area gradually shrank to a mere sliver and then to almost nothing. All that was missing from this unearthly scene was a calling owl and, sure enough and right on cue, a Screech Owl began a long series of ghostly whinnies from the woods between the house and the pond. Maybe this was its command for the earth to let go of its moon. If that's what it was, it worked perfectly.

Eric Salzman

winds followed by gliders, Kingfish follow by fish, shorebirds heading north

The steady winds of the past week or so seemed promising so I sat myself down by the pond facing east in the hope of seeing some raptor migration. Alas, except for a high-flying Osprey (with a fish), a single Tree Swallow and a couple of gliders (human variety), there wasn't much. What did come in was a male Belted Kingfisher who alighted on the top of the dead Red Cedar on the bank just opposite. I sat quietly watching him but he didn't do much. The breezes were mild and the sun warm enough so that, after a while, I closed my eyes and dozed off only to wake up with a splash! Surprise: the Kingfish had fished a fish out of the fishpond! He was back on his perch with his catch crosswise in his ample bill -- the right way to capture it but the wrong way to swallow. I was hoping to watch him jiggle and gulp down his prey but, with a meal securely in his beak, he wasn't so willing to put up with my near presence; after a moment or two of hesitation, he took off to eat his dinner elsewhere.

A dozen or so shorebirds came overhead melodiously calling as they worked their way in a rough V formation. The song was so sweet and repetitious and the direction so improbable that I first thought the source must have been a flock of finches. Even after I realized I realized they were shorebirds heading straight north, I was baffled. Why would they head north at this time of year? Wrong-way migration appears to be fairly common around here particularly in the fall and my guess is that many birds migrate at night off shore and when the sun comes up, turn towards the land looking for a place to set down and recharge their batteries. In our area, that means that they come in from the south and head north looking for a landing spot. That seems to be what was going on here. The birds were Yellowlegs, probably (but not certainly) the Lesser which has a sweeter song than its slightly larger relative.

With the berry eaters of recent vintage largely emptied out, there wasn't much else to report: a single Monarch butterfly and another White-throated Sparrow. I have been told that White-throats are moving along the barrier beach but the usual fall influx has not yet shown itself around here.

Eric Salzman

two firsts

The first White-throated Sparrow of the season (or, at any rate, the first I've seen) appeared yesterday morning even as the crowds of berry-eaters -- Robins, Catbirds,  Waxwings -- fell off in numbers. The first American Kestrel of the season appeared over the marsh this morning; it seems odd to say it (the Kestrel was once our most common raptor) but this species has become something of a rarity outnumbered even by the once-rare Merlin. An accipiter chase -- a male Cooper's chasing a female overhead (or, just possibly, a male Sharp-shinned chasing a Cooper's) -- provided some additional raptor thrills as did a Red-tailed Hawk being chased by a whole squadron of crows. 

Eric Salzman

don't be too hasty

I was a little too hasty in saying that the turn of weather pushed out Royal Terns and American Goldfinches from our area; both species were present this morning, the Terns on the creek and the Goldfinches around the head of the marsh. Robins and Catbirds are still around although in smaller numbers while Northern Flickers and Cedar Waxwings seem to have increased. A curious-looking finch with white on the head turned out to be a House Finch with a plumage problem and a raptor flying up behind a screen of trees appeared, in the bright sunlight, to have a white head but, when perched, turned out to be, not a Bald Eagle, but a Red-tailed Hawk.

The Seaside Goldenrod is making a splended display but, except for a single Monarch, its insect visitors seem to be mostly bees of one sort or another.

Eric Salzman

a change in the weather

The change in the weather promised more than it delivered. Several species have all but disappeared (American Goldfinch, Royal Tern) while others (Robins, Catbirds) are down in numbers. On the other hand, the northeast winds delivered a few birds -- Belted Kingfisher, several Eastern Phoebes and some raptors (Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Merlin).

Seaside Goldenrod is at or near its peak flowering but, except for the many bees nectaring at the flowers, there are surprisingly few insects and almost no Monarch Butterflies. We'll see what the morrow will bring.

Eric Salzman

more on the merry berry-eaters

The merry berry-eaters -- mostly Robins, Catbirds and Goldfinches -- were still at it this morning although in somewhat reduced numbers. When these birds first came in last Thursday, there was a tremendous amount of agonistic activity with Robins chasing Robins, Goldfinches chasing Goldfinches and Catbirds chasing Catbirds. These squabbles and chases diminished significantly after Day 1 suggesting that these birds were sorting out feeding territories for their local visit. Although the morning activity was largely confined to the berry patches at the head of the marsh in the earlier part of the day, some of these birds began to move around the area in small flocks -- often with Chickadees and Titmice, woodpeckers, the occasional flycatcher and even a few warblers.

After a quiet, warm early morning, a north/northwest wind came up today bringing with it for starters, a Belted Kingfisher and a couple of smallish falcons, probably both Merlins (the smaller one of the two was probably a male, the other a female.

Eric Salzman

merry berry-eating flocks

A flock of Cedar Waxwings appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, to join the merry berry-eating flocks of Robins, Catbirds, Goldfinches feeding around the head of the marsh. These handsome, strong, silent creatures are known as fruit specialists and will often wander many miles looking for fresh fruit. Well they found some. Waxwings have been present as breeders in past years but, oddly enough, this year -- perhaps the best berry year I can remember -- they didn't show until now.

I looked in vain for the Golden-winged Warbler seen on Thursday but I did find a Parula as well as the more familiar Common Yellowthroats, American Redstart and Black-and-white Warblers. Today's Empid was a "Traill's Flycatcher" with a very weak eye ring (and so, probably a Willow).

As the morning progressed, large numbers of birds moved from the marsh and through the woods, ending up encircling the house where they were joined by woodpeckers, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, flocks of titmice and chickadees, some Common Grackles and a handful of warblers.

On a different note, the creek Ospreys -- possibly the young of the year -- have been extremely active, calling all morning; at least one bird, was flying with a fish in its talons and calling attention to itself quite loudly. Is this autumn romance among the young birds?

Eric Salzman

migration picking up?

I was sitting in one of the wooden chairs outside the Aldrich Boat Yard on Weesuck Avenue when a Merlin came over carrying prey. It disappeared into a woodsy area just behind the boat yard where I found it flying, perched and then flying again. Merlin has been the most common raptor here since the beginning of the month but I don't know if this is always the same bird or a succession or arrivals. A few Tree Swallows were migrating high in the sky; my theory is that the Merlins migrate with the Tree Swallows and feed on them.

Big flocks of hundreds of American Robins, Gray Catbirds and American Goldfinches continue to pile into the head of marsh area and then spread out all around. But there were some new additions, all in this same area: the first Swamp Sparrow of the season, the first couple of Eastern Phoebes (yes, wagging their tails) and at least two warblers -- the handsome green-backed fall version of the Chestnut-sided Warbler and a very intriguing gray warbler with a fat yellow wingbar which I believe was a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER, the first I have seen in many years. The latter bird was high and deep into foliage so I wasn't able to see the face pattern but I don't think there is another bird with a wingbar like this.

Another new warbler for the season: Black-throated Green. The other warblers seen were the ones familiar from recent weeks: Common Yellowthroat, Black-and-white, American Redstart, Yellow Warbler. Both Contopus flycatchers -- Olive-sided and Eastern Wood Pewee -- put in appearances as well as the four local woodpeckers and the ever-present White-breasted Nuthatch whose unmistakeable 'hank-hank-hank' is always a giveaway.

Other visitors in recent days include Red-eyed Vireos and Ruby-throated Hummingbird. A young Green Heron may be one of the offspring of the family that bred here this summer. Screech Owls have been calling at night; not sure if these are migrants or local birds.

Eric Salzman

bird berries

Flocks of American Goldfinches (including young still being fed by their parents) were at the head of the marsh feeding along with good numbers of Catbirds and a few other species (Mockingbird, Am Robin). The attraction is almost certainly the many berries ripened on Tupelo trees, Pokeweed and Poison Ivy. Also there were at least two Eastern Pewees active in the dead trees that encircle the area (didn't see the Boreal Pewee, otherwise known as the Olive-sided Flycatcher, the northernmost of the Contopus pewees, which has been here for the past couple of months!).

The warbler population is unchanged: Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Black-and-white, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush. One or two Red-eyed Vireos as well plus all four woodpeckers (including Hairy which is a regular visitor on our dead Pitch Pines). Only saw a single raptor: a Cooper's Hawk flying up the creek.

Eric Salzman

another reason why birds may seem to disappear

I thought of another reason why someone's yard or locale might appear to be totally birdless. This morning, a Merlin came swooping over our marsh and a pall of silence descended over the whole area -- not a peep, not a single movement. Merlins and accipiters (Cooper's & Sharp-shinned Hawks) are bird hawks and the bird know it. When one of these raptors is hunting in the area, birdlife can seem to disappear!

The Olive-sided Flycatcher was back, perched on the tippy-top of dead stubs surrounding the head of the marsh. Although the bird was somewhat distant and facing away, it was clearly not an Eastern Phoebe -- a quite robust flycatcher, good-sized bill, no tail wagging, bright white throat contrasting with darkish head.

A large sparrowy bird with an unremarkable face pattern, a white spot at the base of the primaries and white outer tips on a longish tail dove into low bushes at my approach. Although mid-September seems like a late date, it was almost certainly a juvenile Eastern Towhee. Small numbers of Tree Swallows continue to move southeast high overhead in the morning.

Eric Salzman

no birds?

Diane Taggart, who runs the LI Birding site, sent me a communication from someone in Smithtown who bemoans the fact that there are no birds in her area. She literally means NO BIRDS and is clearly very upset about it.

There are two or three reasons why things seem quite birdless right now. One is that many of our local migratory birds have moved on while new arrivals from the north have not come in to replace them. In any case, there is no doubt that overall bird populations are down, seemingly due largely to factors that transcend our local problems. There may also be a weather factor as we are on the Eastern edge of the Atlantic flyway and many of the birds that we might expect to be here are in fact moving through the Hudson Valley and New York City!

This is, in any case, a kind of interregnum between summer birds and the major push of fall migrants. Watch for a cold front to bring a least some new arrivals. Some of them are already here. I just had a second report of EVENING GROSBEAKS, this one from Dan Wilson at Brooklyhaven National Laboratory. Has anyone else seen these birds? It's been years since we've had a major influx of these nothern beauties.

Things down here on Weesuck Creek in East Quogue are certainly quiet but the Am Robins keep moving across in small groups and there are flocks of Common Grackles in the neighborhood along with Blue Jays (collecting acorns), Common Crows, both wrens, three or four woodpeckers, House- and Goldfinches, a few warblers of several species and at least one Empid flycatcher. Most of the Red-winged Blackbirds are gone and the numbers of Tufted Titmice and Black-capped Chickadees have dropped precipitously. But there an influx of Gray Catbirds with a few Northern Mockingbirds feeding on the berries of the quantities of pokeweek, poison ivy and tupelo.

Eric Salzman

that flycatcher

Here's my post from July 25th:

"There's a somewhat mysterious flycatcher hanging around at the edge of the woods facing the pond and marsh, generally remaining quite high in dead branches. This bird should be an Eastern Phoebe but its head is not particularly dark and it doesn't seem to wag its tail very much -- if at all. There's no particular breast markings that I can see nor is the breast at all yellowish or cream colored as one often sees on juvenile Eastern Phoebes. Size and the lack of wing bars seem to preclude pewees or empids. So, going on the general structure -- big head, bull neck, long dark tail -- and adding in the likely odds, it would have to be an Eastern Phoebe."

What I am describing here is, of course, the Olive-sided Flycatcher which had already appeared here in the last week of July (or even a bit earlier) and has remained here ever since! Lorna also saw what was clearly the same bird and was equally puzzled over it.

How did I misname it so badly? The bird (I'm assuming there was only one but I have no proof of that) was not singing and did not show the white tufts on the sides of its rump. Also, I missed the vest effect which is not always visible at a distance. And I did not expect to see this north woods flycatcher here in mid-July -- which only goes to show that mental categories can overwhelm the evidence of one's eyes.

In fact, Olive-sided Flycatcher is known to migrate as early as July. It is also known to like dead snags, particularly in burned-over areas. This bird (or birds) actually found here a similar area of dead trees created, not by fire, but by hurricanes, and extending all around the wetland edges -- perfect for its habit of perching high on a dead snag from which it performs its characteristic flights and insect captures.

The Olive-sided is not our only midsummer arrival. Most years we get Northern Waterthrushes from the north and Royal Terns from the south, both in July. Also Spotted Sandpipers, American Redstarts and a few other species that nest elsewhere on Long Island but typically turn up here in midsummer.

Eric Salzman

a mysterious flycatcher

There has been a mystery flycatcher hanging around the place for several weeks now. It arrived sometime in early August and takes high perches on hurricane-dead trees all around the marsh periphery. This bird has a dark bull-headed head, a big bill with a pale lower mandible), pointy wings, a short tail (no tail wagging), a white breast (central breast at least) and a looping flight to capture insects between high perches (often returning to the same perch). Once or twice, I saw white patches on the rump leading me to call Olive-sided Flycatcher. But "all" these birds were/are undoubtedly Olive-sided Flycatchers, possibly all the same bird.

I saw this bird (or its twin) many times before and the question is why the ID didn't dawn on me earlier. I suppose that I was looking for those white patches (which mostly don't show) or waiting for a call ("hip-three-beers", apparently the exclusive property of spring migrants and breeding birds). At any rate, with or without the white patches, this bird is an Olive-sided, feeding from dead snags just as it does on its breeding grounds. And it has been here for a good while!

Red-eyed Vireo put in an appearance this morning and there were small groups of American Robins flying in the wrong direction (SE to NW!). Numbers of Tree Swallows came over, feeding in the marsh for a good part of the early morning before moving on; these birds are outliers from the large numbers moving along the barrier beach.

Eric Salzman

a Merlin and some Evening Grosbeaks!

Today's visiting raptor was a Merlin being chivvied by the Blue Jays near the head of the marsh. It stood its ground (or perch) against the jays but took off on my arrival showing the classic stocky Merlin profile with tapered, pointy wings and a hurried falcon flight just over the treetops. It might seem early for Merlin (a high northern nester) but I have seen them in early migration -- late August or early September -- over the years. I suspect that they follow the Tree Swallow migration which peaks about now.

Speaking of early migration from the north, Daniel Wilson tells me that he had a flock of Evening Grosbeaks come by for a brief visit at his East Moriches property last night. Evening Grosbeaks are not regarded as regular migrants in these parts but are rather an invasive species from its northern breeding grounds. Many years ago, Evening Grosbeaks were common visitors in fall and winter hereabouts but, for reasons unknown, their numbers have fallen off almost completely in the past few decades. Maybe this will be a northern finch winter -- one of those winters in which crop failures in the north woods push northern species to come wandering south in search of sustenance. Good for birders if not for the birds!

Eric Salzman

The bats are flying!

The bats are flying. Every evening at dusk we see them over the open area in front of the house. There are nine possible species in New York but these are moving too fast to identify beyond the obvious fact that they are bats of a certain medium size and possibly belonging to one or two species.

I expected some bird migration along with last night's cool front but not much materialized. There are still some numbers of American Redstarts around -- males in breeding plumage as well as adult females and juveniles -- along with some of the other warblers of the season (Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Waterthrush) and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. But these birds have all been noted locally in recent days and are probably not new arrivals. A Red-tailed Hawk soaring on a windy morning appeared to be a migrant. Royal Terns still fishing on the creek.

Add to the late summer flower list (now turning into an early fall list): Clematis virginiana or Virgin's Bower, now blooming all over the place (although not particularly on our place). This is the fast-spreading vine with four-lobed white flowers that is a sure sign that fall is approaching.

Eric Salzman

Who was Cooper anyway?

As I sauntered down to the pond this foggy morning, a large bird took off from the top of one of the dead trees that, courtesy of Sandy, now fringe the western side of the water. On a hunch that this was a raptor, I followed the bird to the mouth of the pond where it was sitting quietly on a cross-branch. Except for its staring yellow eye, the bird showed every sign of being a large (hence female) accipter: gray-blue back, striped tail with white edging at the tip, a large white puffy undertail, a slight touch of white on the hackles at the back of the head giving a kind of subtle crest effect and making the head look square. And, as I noted when the bird finally took off, reddish horizontal striping on the breast.

The bird was surprisingly tame as I approached it, slowly making my way almost underneath its high perch. It was facing away from me but was following my movements by rotating its head more than 45 degrees in both directions. It accomplished these owl-like head turns without moving its body in the slightest,  a character that nailed the ID as a Cooper's Hawk (Sharp-shinned Hawk has to twist its body or lower its shoulder to perform this maneouvre).

As can be imagined, not much else appeared in the vicinity while this hawk was in position. However, at one point, a single Cedar Waxwing came in to a nearby treetop (the first I've seen of this bird in a while), surveyed the situation and then quickly took off at high speed in the opposite direction from where the hawk was facing!

The Hairy Woodpecker was back as were a few warblers (Common Yellowthroat, American Redstart, Black-and-white); otherwise things were fairly quiet. A strong cold wave should change all that.

Eric Salzman

flowers of late summer

The dominant understory plant since Sandy has been Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) whose waxy white flowers have now turned almost completely into lush purple berries. This plant is considered to be poisonous to humans although its early spring shoots are edible (best to boil and change waters at least a couple of times). At this time of the year, it makes a very exotic undergrowth display and the berries are eaten by many animals -- birds in particular -- who are apparently not affected by the poisons. Supposedly deer will not eat the mature plants but one look at the nibbled shoots all along the open paths will put that theory to rest!

The other common post-Sandy understory plant is also unusual. Pilewort or Fireweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius) is a flowering plant in the aster or daisy family that does not seem to actually flower but bursts into dandelion-type seed heads before the flowers ever open. The Fireweed moniker comes from the fact that it is known as a pioneering species after fire but, in our case, we should probably call it Hurricane Weed.

Other flowers of late summer: Sea Lavender, Marsh Aster (both in the marsh), Pearly Everlasting (or a closely related species), one of the thistles (still haven't figured out which one) and at least two different goldenrods (Solidago rugosa or Rough-leaved Goldenrod and Euthemia tenuifolia or Slender Fragrant Goldenrod). But the goldenrod we're anxiously waiting for is the Seaside or Solidago sempervirens, a robust and beautiful plant which is everywhere along the edge between the woods and wetlands and is going to burst into spectacular bloom any day now.

Eric Salzman

a burbling wren

New bird of the season: MARSH WREN, singing up a storm from the Phragmites not far from where the Clapper Rail has been clapping. Unlike the rail, which remained hidden, the wren eventually showed itself, spread-eagled between and hanging on to parallel stalks of reeds (see picture above) while burbling away non-stop. This, species, an uncommon breeder on Long Island, is a regular visitor to our marsh in fall migration but we'd never know he was there if he wasn't so songful.

There were at least two Black-and-white Warblers (male and female) in the woods this morning plus little groups of American Redstart and Common Yellowthroat. Also Ruby-throated Hummingbird (at the intersection of the woods and marsh), Eastern Wood-Pewee (ditto), Great Blue Heron (ditto; no egrets in sight!). A pair of Mute Swans on Weesuck Creek were swimming out on the creek with just a single offspring between them. Where are the swans of yesteryear?

Eric Salzman

a kek-kek-keking rail

A Clapper Rail has been present for the past three days in our marsh, often calling loudly and coming very close to the opening where water flows through the marsh but never poking its head out to be seen. It could, I suppose, be a (closely-related) King Rail which has appeared in our marsh a few times over the years. But the persistent kek call and the obvious appeal of a salt marsh all make Clapper the most likely choice! Clappers nest in the marshes on the south side of the bay and, if I am not mistaken, there was a nest this year in the Pine Neck marsh.

There are notable numbers of American Redstarts all over the property, easily picked out in the canopy by their lively movements, tail flicking and fast chases. Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warbler and Northern Waterthrush are still showing along with Hairy Woodpecker and Green Herons. A few swallows dot the skies here and there -- mostly Tree Swallows with a handful of Purple Martins and an occasional Barn Swallow. A notable feature of this summer's activity has been the presence of White-breasted Nuthatches which have probably bred (and whose offspring are scattered around, hard to see but easily identifiable by sound). I think this is the first time that this species has been with us all summer.

In my list of large butterflies seen this summer, I neglected to mention the pair of look-a-likes: the Spicebush Swallowtail and the Red-spotted Purple. Both are mimics of the Pipevine Swallow which, like the Monarch, is poisonous or noxious to predators.

Eric Salzman

Pine Warbler in a dying pine

I was hopeful that the cool weather of the past two evenings would produce migrants but this morning was fairly quiet. Pine Warbler appeared high in a big dying pine half way down to the marsh (the pine is presumably a late victim to the hurricanitis of past years). Setophaga (formerly Dendroica) pinus is prominent here in the spring when its trilling note is very prominent but it has not been heard or seen for many weeks now. Other warblers seen this morning were the same ones (same species at least) that have been prominent in the past week or two.

The loud peeeeek of the Hairy Woodpecker from the same dying Pine Warbler pine was what originally attracted my attention in its direction. Down by the water, there are two East Kingbirds hunting around the pond and a very drab Eastern Phoebe moving hither and yon. Royal Terns continue to frequent the creek in seemingly increasing numbers.

Unlike past years, there has been no big butterfly or dragonfly influx to date but there have been a few Monarchs on the move, many Tiger Swallowtails, a number of Red Admirals and Mourning Cloaks, an occasional angle-wing (probably mostly Eastern Comma) and various skippers which I am still tearing my hair out trying to identify.

Eric Salzman

Clapper Rail, possible Olive-sided Flycatcher & a young night heron

Was that a cool front that came through last night? At any rate, this was a beautiful morning with some signs of migration. A Clapper Rail was clapping away on the marsh early on (this species breeds elsewhere on Shinnecock Bay but this was its first noted appearance on our marsh this year).

Another 'new' bird perched high on the dead branches of a Sandy victim, had a big dark head and a strikingly white 'shirt' and a fairly substantial bill. A striking feature was the white markings under the wing, all of which point to Olive-sided Flycatcher. Late August is probably not an early date for these birds in migration.

An Osprey landed on one of our dead trees to devour its prey, a small fish from the creek. A Red-tailed Hawk has also been hanging around, attracting the interest and enmity of the local crows.

Many Gray Catbirds scattered around; most of them probably came in last night. Eastern Kingbird plus several Blue-gray Gnatcatchers along with half a dozen warblers (American Redstart, Prairie Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Waterthrush) were holdovers from the past week's activity.

Eileen Schwinn sent me this photo of a night-heron, seen on the opposite side of Weesuck Creek for the past week or two. This is a very young bird (note the wispy crown feathers). The elongated shape, distinct neck stripings, thin lines and white dots on the wing coverts, thick bill, long legs and general 'jizz' all indicate juvenile Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, possibly (I would say likely) the offspring of the two adults seen on this side of the creek yesterday. I have been seeing adults and young of this species quite regularly during the past couple of summers indicating that there is a nest somewhere on the creek!

Eric Salzman

Eric Salzman

Yellow-crowned Night-Herons

Not one but two adult Yellow-crowned Night Herons on the pond this morning. This gorgeous bird was a regular visitor last year at low tide but it hasn't been seen much this year until now.

Royal Terns come up the creek quite regularly, mostly in the morning and later in the afternoon. They often come in pairs with an adult leading the way with its easily identifiable raspy call followed by a juvenile whose call is noticeably less raspy. Yesterday, a noisy adult came up the creek with a fish in its beak followed by equally noisy youngster who was clearly campaigning to get a bite. Eventually, the young bird landed on the water, still calling, and the adult circled round, landed next to the juvenile, and gave him/her the fish!

On the land side, there were Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, White-breasted Nuthatches, Common Yellowthroat, Prairie Warblers, House Finches and the usual collection of titmice and chickadees.

squeaky trees

There are two trees in front of the house -- one dead, one live -- that rub up against one another and, when the wind is blowing (as it was much of today), they produce the most amazing range of squeaks and squeals. This attracted the attention of a rather large flock of Black-capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice the members of which spent the better part of an hour trying to figure out the source of the sounds! I couldn't find any warblers in this flock but there was at least one Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, a Baltimore Oriole and several Blue Jays. At the same time, a rather large flock of Common Grackles, with a couple of Brown-headed Cowbirds included, moved in and scattered themselves all through the woods and open areas in front of the house.

The season's first Great Yellowlegs appeared in the pond in the morning with Eastern Kingbird nearby (and some flocks of Starlings and House Sparrows). Many Royal Terns on the creek. With the cloudy weather and fairly strong winds, there was the possibility of more migrants but I simply didn't have the time to search for them.

Eric Salzman

recent arrivals

Recent Arrivals:

Hairy Woodpecker: does not seem to nest on the property but appeared here a couple of days ago with its signature loud EEEK! as a giveaway. It joins our woodpeckers-in-residence: the smaller Downy Woodpecker, the common Red-bellied Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker. The only other woodpecker likely to be seen here is the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a winter resident that arrives in the fall.

Belted Kingfisher: Although this bird has been a regular on Weesuck Creek over the years, it has been noticeably absent this summer until this morning when one turned up on the creek. Its signature call, a loud rattle, is always a giveaway.

Spicebush Swallowtail: Not a bird but a summer butterfly and one of the biggest and most attractive of its kind. I think our insects feed on Sassafras which is a fairly common local tree.

I recently discovered a web site for "Skippers of the Northeast" with a lot of videos of different species. Skippers are butterflies but they are far and away the most difficult to ID>

Eric Salzman

big flock

The biggest flock of the season so far was in the pines, cedars and oaks just back of the pond and it was, not surprisingly, dominated by Black-capped Chickadees and Tufted Titmice, doing their amazing acrobatics in search of food. This morning's warblers (many of them mixed in with the flock but some out on their own) included American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Common Yellowthroat and perhaps as many as 10 or a dozen Northern Waterthrushes (the Waterthrushes were spread out along the marsh edge all the way up and down). Also Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, White-breasted Nuthatch, Hairy, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, House and Carolina Wrens, House Finches, American Goldfinch, a few swallows (mostly Barns).

Eric Salzman

more from the deck

The cicada pictured below was discovered on our deck yesterday and it has been identified with moderate assurance as Neotibicen lyricen lyricen, the Lyric or Swamp Lyric Cicada. This is the cicada that sings all day -- loudest in the evening -- and has a distinct crescendo-decrescendo in its song. Since they are all around, it is remarkable how rarely we get to see one! Note the brownish markings on the black.

Even more unlikely was the appearance in front of the deck of a Groundhog or Woodchuck that came loping out of the woods right in front of the deck. It stopped long enough to give us an extended once-over and then turned 45 degrees to gambol down the path towards the pond and marsh. Marmota monax is not a rare animal here on the East End since it colonized this part of the world a number of years ago. But it appears mostly north of here (often on the edge of the highway) and this is only the second one that I have ever seen down here.

Bird activity in the past couple of days has included Hairy Woodpecker, several Black-and-white Warblers, American Redstart and White-breasted Nuthatch along with the flocks of Tufted Titmice and Black-capped Chickadees. In some ways, the most interesting bird -- not flocking with the others -- was a Warbling Vireo. Once common, then rare, now making a comeback, Warbling Vireo is always a pleasure to see if you can pick it out. It is famous as the bird that can be identified by noting that iit has no identifying features. But this is a slight exaggeration; it is somewhat similar to but a little smaller than a Red-eyed Vireo with a horizontal perch, faint eye-line, rounded head, smallish bill and an even coloration from the top of its head to the back. The main confusion species is the much sought-after Philadelphia Vireo which is more yellowish underneath and has darker lores.

Eric Salzman

from the deck

Our daughter Eva, who spent her summers out here as a child (with her twin sister, Stephanie) often laments the fact that she has never seen a hummingbird. This afternoon, as we were all sitting on the front deck when a hummingbird suddenly appeared. "Eva," I shouted, "there's a hummingbird hovering right over your head." Of course, she whirled around and the startled bird took off for parts unknown. The bird was mostly gray underneath (I didn't get a good look from above) and there were white tips on the tail which probably indicated a female. I see hummers here fairly often but have never found a nest on the property.

I didn't get to do a walk this morning but, after the hummingbird incident, a flock of birds came through led by Tufted Titmice and a few Black-capped Chickadees. In the flock was a couple of Black-and-white Warblers, an American Redstart and a White-breasted Nuthatch. Plenty of butterfly activity visible off the deck as well including some of the same species as yesterday: Tiger Swallowtail, Eastern Tailed Blue and a couple of different skippers.

Eric Salzman

flutterbys, flycatchers and warblers

Many butterflies appeared after the Tuesday rains, some of them easy to ID (Tiger Swallowtail) and some of them quite difficult (skippers). The Tiger Swallowtails (there seem to be more than one) zip up and back in the open area in front of the house -- usually in the middle to late afternoon. I don't think this is a migration but perhaps it is a territorial or courtship display. A bright blue butterfly was probably an Eastern Tailed Blue. Some quite bright orange skippers active around the house are probably either Fiery Skipper or Delaware Skipper. A different skipper (Zabulon Skipper?) with a yellow hindwing spot enclosed by dark borders, occurs in the marsh where it perches on reeds;

Today's bird list included several flycatchers (Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Kingbird, one of the Empidonax flycatchers not identified as to species at a distance), several warblers (Blue-wing Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, several Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warbler and Northern Waterthrush). The Black-and-white was the first of the season.

Eric Salzman

a rough local census

The most common bird on the property right now is the Tufted Titmouse. They go round in flocks of half-a-dozen to a dozen birds, feeding and calling with a whole lengthly repertoire of sounds ranging from the classic 'peter, peter' to single notes, both clear and quavery, to various buzzing chick-a-dee-type sounds. They are very acrobatic, feeding anywhere from ground level to tree tops. The flocks are probably single families or, in some cases, the joining together of families. These flocks almost always contain a few Black-capped Chickadees, and a Downy Woodpecker or two. These birds are notable for their year-round presence. There was a Hairy Woodpecker on the property today plus the other two large woodpeckers: Red-belled and Flicker. A few Blue Jays (but not many possibly due to the poor acorn crop). Both wrens -- House and Carolina -- still active. Warblers still sparse in the woods.

Eastern Kingbird appears periodically and occasionally other flycatchers show up.

The bird life of the marsh has changed drastically with just a handful of Red-winged Blackbirds still active around the edges or in the marsh itself. The Purple Martins are gone and there are only a few swallows -- mostly Barn -- left to skim for insects across the wetlands. Around the marsh edges are Yellow Warblers, Northern Waterthrush, Common Yellowthroats and American Goldfinch.

On the creek itself, the most common tern is the Royal with very few Common or Least Terns. Does this suggest a nesting failure by these last two species, normally dominant on the bay and creek? Osprey seems to be holding its own with (as far as I can tell) two birds produced by each of the two Pine Neck nests.

Eric Salzman

Screech-owls, warblers and a butterfly

At c. 4 am this morning, there were calling Eastern Screech-Owls right outside our bedroom window. From the sounds, I would say that these were young birds accompanied by at least one adult. We heard Great Horned Owls duetting earlier this summer but these were the first Screech-Owls.

Today's Dave Taft column, "NYC Nature", features the Common Yellowthroat, about which he says that it may be "the most beautiful bird no one knows". There was a time when I didn't know it either. I can remember hearing one many years ago and misidentifying it. Although the classic call of this bird is a three-syllabed "witchity-witchity-witch", this  one sang a two-syllable "weechie-weechie-weechie". Aha, I thought, "teach-er, teach-er, teach-er"; it's an Ovenbird. But when I finally got a good look at the bird, I was startled to see an exotic-looking creature with a black mask -- nothing like an Ovenbird. Common Yellowthroats (sometimes two pairs) have raised young on our marsh edge every year since and it is indeed the most common warbler hereabouts.

We do see and hear other warblers. This morning's catch-of-the-day included Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Northern Waterthrush, American Redstart (first-year female) and two or three tail-wagging Prairie Warblers -- first of the season for this handsome bright yellow bird with side streaking.

As I came back from my morning walk, there was a Hairstreak sitting on the front deck of the house basking in the sun with closed wings. The Hairstreaks are a group of small butterflies; this one had a very noticeable zig-zag red band going all the way up the underside of its fore- and hindwings, making it almost certainly the Red-banded Hairstreak, Calycopis cecrops, a southern species which was long considered only a stray to the north (but may be colonizing our area).

Eric Salzman

bats and an empid

Last night's barbecue was enlivened by the presence of bats -- fair-sized creatures hurtling over the open areas in front of the house -- as well as a few late-season fireflies. Another feature of the evening was the katydidding of the season's first katydids (at least the first ones that I've heard).

Today's premiere avian appearance was a tail-flicking 'Traill's" Flycatcher working the Phragmites for insects on the far side of the pond. 'Traill's' is, of course, the old name for an amalgam of two Empidonax flycatchers: Willow and Alder, best differentiated by their song. Since none of the flycatchers seem to be singing at this point, the ID is much more difficult. This bird had a strikingly peaked head, yellow lower bill, very faint eye ring, strong wing bars and a medium primary extension. Although the plumage was mostly plain brown, there was a kind of discoloration on the back (between the wings) which appeared to be olivey or even slightly reddish, depending on the light. All these features plus the habitat plus the likelihood that the bird was a local, suggests a Willow Flycatcher, a bird that breeds in bushy vegetation near the water on the barrier beach.

Some of the other, more familiar midsummer visitors were in evidence. Strangled calls from the bay mean that Royal Terns are about. A young spotless Spotted Sandpiper and a dink-a-dink Northern Waterthrush popped up from the pond edge. Tufted Titmice everywhere. 

Eric Salzman

Purple Martins still here

In spite of yesterday's comments about the Purple Martin colony at the far end of our marsh (the implication being that the Martins had already left for the summer), there were half a dozen Martins hunting insects over my head this morning to the accompaniment of the melodious chirping that is their trademark.

Last night was a late night -- it was the opening night of "Les Miserables" at the Quogue Community Theater with our granddaughter in the cast -- so it was hot and sunny by the time I got up and I got no further than the pond on my morning walk. There were Royal Terns on the creek, several Green Herons flitting about, a warbler or two (Yellows as far as I could tell) and a hummingbird that came streaking across my field of vision.

Eric Salzman

warbler wave

There was a mini warbler wave this morning with the appearance of American Redstart, Blue-winged Warbler, two or three Northern Waterthrushes, several Yellow Warblers, and Common Yellowthroat. Does this represent local breeders starting to move around or is it the actual beginning of migration?

In contrast, Purple Martins and other swallows have become scarce with only a few stragglers (late nesters?) hanging around the gourd colony near the Town Dock. One Chimney Swift (not a swallow but with a similar mode of life) was working the edges of the marsh.

Eric Salzman

Blue Moon

Driving east from Westhampton to East Quogue on Wednesday evening, we encountered a remarkable sight: a huge round ball hanging over the trees. It was, of course, the Blue Moon -- not blue at all but rather orangey or cream-colored. The impression of huge size was overwhelming. "Why," Lorna asked, "does it look so huge."

Rather than heading straight home, we drove to the Town Dock at the end of Bay Avenue where the oversize moon and its reflection hung over the water. A bit later, we watched it rise -- and shrink in size -- from our front deck as it rose over the trees and water.

The delicate purple flower known as Germander or Wood Sage, is in bloom around the marsh edge. Small black dragonflies -- some with yellow tails -- are active in and around the marsh; these are the Seaside Dragonlets, a species indigenous to the salt marsh.

One 'new' bird for the season: Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. Also Yellow Warblers, Common Yellowthroat

Eric Salzman

a N Waterthrush flight

Alan Baratz tells me that Prospect Park in Brooklyn had its first Northern Waterthrush of the season yesterday morning. That tells me that there was most likely a flight of this species overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday from its northern breeding grounds.

Young or fledgling Downy Woodpeckers attacking some of our extensive standing dead wood. Easily identified by their red caps which they hold only in their juvenile state.

Lots of butterflies flickering about and fast moving in the heat -- too fast to ID with a couple of exceptions: a Monarch and a comma, probably a Question Mark.

Eric Salzman

midsummer trifecta

I was planning to do a walk this morning but even as early as 8 am it was hot, hot, hot (most of the circuit is in full sunlight) so I thought I would try another approach. I moved one of the chairs that I keep by the pond a short distance into the shade where it was facing the wooded area between the pond and the house (the tide was quite high so there were no muddy edges in the pond -- the usual source for early-morning avian life). This was going to be The Big Sit.

Sure enough, almost immediately I picked up two or three Green Herons, a White-breasted Nuthatch and the usual collection of titmice and chickadees. An auspicious start for The Big Sit. Then, nothing. Suddenly there was a dink...dink...dink from the Red Cedar directly in front of me. Even without my binoculars I could see a small yellow- or cream-colored, streaky bird bouncing up and down on a branch like a child's toy. The first Northern Waterthrush of the season!

This completes the trifecta of midsummer arrivals that come every year like clockwork in mid- to late July: Royal Tern, Spotted Sandpiper and, now, Northern Waterthrush. These are not true migrants but might be called summer residents: the terns moving up from their southern strongholds, the sandpiper from who knows where (a few probably breed somewhere on the bay) and the Waterthrush from north of us. Each of these species will hang out for a while with us before moving on to winter quarters.

Eric Salzman

Green Herons just out of the nest!

Three fledgling Green Herons appeared this morning along with two adults (presumably their parents). These prehistoric-looking creatures make the dinosaur-bird connection entirely plausible. Their gawky, crested, streaked-neck appearance with greenish legs, heavy straight bill and fuzzy down on top of the head suggested birds just barely out of the nest. They seemed to be barely able to hang on to their perches or to fly from one branch to another but that didn't prevent them from being feisty and openly squabbling with each other! The family was in, on or by the pond when I first came down but, using the dead trees at marsh edge, they gradually worked their way ahead of me to the top of the marsh.

Royal Terns continue to fly up and down the creek, outnumbering even the gulls, Spotted Sandpipers continue around the muddy pond edges and both Yellow Warblers and young Yellowthroats can be seen working the low vegetation back of the marsh. A Tree Swallow and a Chimney Swift were flying with the Purple Martins and Barn Swallows over the marsh.

Eric Salzman

owl duet

Last night as we finished our barbecue and were searching the darkening sky for bats (didn't see any), two owls suddenly started a hooting duet from the trees in front of the house (between the house and the pond). These were rhythmic hoots in the form of a canon or a round and one of the birds had a clearly higher pitch range than the other, strongly suggesting a male-female duet. This remarkable concert of owl music went on for a bit as we sat transfixed.

Although these hoots were not as deep as those of a typical Great Horned Owl and we never actually saw the birds, Great Horned was the most likely species -- possibly two younger birds whose hoots had not yet matured! No other owl has quite this pattern of hooting. Great Horned Owl is a typical species of the Pine Barrens but, on occasion, the birds do come down here near the water. Also, although this is early in the season, it is not impossible for mating activity to start in late summer (the birds have been known to nest as early as late fall or early winter with young appearing in February or March).

I was hoping that the Blue Jays or Crows would find the bird roosting this morning but no such luck.

Eric Salzman

mystery flycatcher and bodacious blackbirds

There's a somewhat mysterious flycatcher hanging around at the edge of the woods facing the pond and marsh, generally remaining quite high in dead branches. This bird should be an Eastern Phoebe but its head is not particularly dark and it doesn't seem to wag its tail very much -- if at all. There's no particular breast markings that I can see nor is the breast at all yellowish or cream colored as one often sees on juvenile Eastern Phoebes. Size and the lack of wing bars seem to preclude pewees or empids. So, going on the general structure -- big head, bull neck, long dark tail -- and adding in the likely odds, it would have to be an Eastern Phoebe.

Two Yellow Warblers are still covering the lower parts of the woodland edge and the peep-peep-peep of the Spotted Sandpiper can still be heard from the pond and marsh edges.

A male and a female Red-winged Blackbird attacked me as I made my way around the marsh edge. They came swooping down at the intruder (me), pulling up just short of hitting and making a startling noise as they veered off -- quite a striking display. Two other birds hanging back in dead branches were likely young of the year which would account for this highly aggressive behavior. I've had male Red-wings defending territory in the past but this was the first time that I have had both sexes on the attack.

Eric Salzman

herons to hummingbirds

There are now at least three or four Great Blue Herons summering on the creek along with Spotted Sandpipers and Royal Terns. Also at least one juvenile Night-Heron (probably Black-crowned). Green Herons still active and apparently nesting somewhere in the treetops. No sign of the Willets which were so omnipresent earlier in the summer.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird reappeared in the same area where it was seen a few days ago -- just back of the west bank of the pond. Also in the low vegetation that has sprung up in this area since Hurricane Sandy: Yellow Warbler. A group of Downy Woodpeckers on a dead Pitch Pine provided the first evidence of Downy reproduction this season; the young birds were obviously clumsy and still dependent on the adults (this was a rather late fledging for this species). White-breasted Nuthatches still a prominent member of the local avifauna along with the inevitable Titmice and Chickadees.

Eric Salzman

a juvenile Spotted Sandpiper

This morning's Spotted Sandpiper was a juvenile (no spots) leading to the conclusion that there are at least two Actitis macularius around. Also some scattered Royal Terns on the creek and at least one Snowy Egret with the Greats. House Wrens are everywhere; these are, I expect, mostly the young of the year but there are probably some adults mixed in (I'm not sure I can tell the young ones from the adults).

Eric Salzman

waterbirds & woodpeckers

Another sign of midsummer: the first Great Blue Heron of the season.

Spotted Sandpiper still in the area (I heard it peeping away in the channel leading from the marsh to the pond). A young Red-bellied Woodpecker (without any facial markings) is class of '15. Northern Flickers are calling regularly; I wonder if competition with the Red-bellied has caused them to move their nesting dates further up into the summer.

Green Herons are calling from patches of woods on both side of he house making me think that there are two nesting pairs. Many Great Egrets along both sides of the creek along with a single Snowy Egret; the way the Great Egret outnumbers the Snowy is very striking. A single Common Tern was the only tern seen; the fall-off in nesting terns is very striking (and disturbing).

Eric Salzman

midsummer

Midsummer is officially here. How do I know? This morning's appearance of a Spotted Sandpiper on the muddy pond edge and the second appearance of Royal Tern over the creek (with jumping fish that are undoubtedly its prey) are the sure signs that spring is over and summer is well underway. Both of these birds were adults; I expect to see more of them -- including juveniles -- before long.

It was a birdy morning. The appearance of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (seemingly feeding on Pokeweed flowers which are in bloom right now) might also be considered a sign that the season has moved on. Many young birds around including Baltimore Orioles, Blue Jays, Tufted Titmice and others. Also Eastern Phoebe (a young one) as well as House Finches and American Goldfinch apparently just beginning to nest.

Yesterday, I thought I had discovered the Green Heron nest -- a raggedy structure in a Pitch Pine behind the house with a bird calling loudly nearby. Now I am not so sure. This morning's Green Heron calls came from the other side of the house but I could not find a nest in the thick foliage over there.

Pokeweed was just one of several wildflowers that were omitted from my list the other day. Queen Anne's Lace, Yucca, Bladder Campion (or is it Evening Lychnis?), Yarrow, Chicory, Daisy Fleabane, Yellow Wood-Sorrel and Hop Clover are some others.

Eric Salzman

titmice, wrens & wildflowers

Titmice all over the place; I assume these are families with newly fledged young. Wrens also very active. Carolina Wren loudly singing away: House Wrens widely scattered but numerous particularly around the edges of the marsh.

Here is a partial list of late spring and early summer flowers:

Nightshade
Venus' Looking-glass
Blue Toadflax
Heal-All
Common Ragweed
one of the Smartweeds
Common St. Johnswort
Wood-Sorrel
Hop Clover
Sundrops
Hawkweed (spp?)
Yellow Thistle
Deptford Pink
Dame's Rocket
Red and White Clover
Pasture Rose
Bouncing Bet
Common Milkweed
Orange Milk weed (Butterfly Weed)
Common Mullein

Most of these are meadow flowers and many of them are introduced species.

Eric Salzman

yellow birds

Two immature Yellow Warblers on the edge of the marsh were almost certainly young birds which raises the possibility that they were born here. Every year, I hear singing male Yellow Warblers in May but then the singing abruptly stops. I was pretty certain that this meant that the singing bird did not find a mate and went somewhere else to find better luck. But it is possible that he stops singing because he finds a mate (I rarely see the females) and starts to set up and defend a nesting territory. With eggs or young in the nest, many birds stop singing so as to not give away the location of the nest. Whatever the explanation, it does begin to look like I can add Yellow Warblers to our list of property breeding birds -- not really a big surprise considering that they breed all around the bay.

Another yellow bird, the American Goldfinch, is singing away from high perches around the woodland fringes facing the marsh. Carduelis or Spinis tristis has a short song that is quite similar to a warbler song and even more like the related Indigo Bunting. Goldfinches are notorious late nesters supposedly so that the chicks may be fed on the late-blooming thistles that constitute their favorite food.

A noteworthy arrival was the first Royal Tern of the year, calling and flying around the mouth of Weesuck Creek. Mid-July might be considered a tad early for these arrivals from their southern breeding grounds but, judging by past appearances, this bird would be the first of a substantial number of birds that migrate north before they migrate south.

Eric Salzman

some corrections and additions

Saturday morning's SOFO (Birding by Ear) bird list was obviously defective since I typed Red-headed Woodpecker when the bird in question was obviously a Red-bellied Woodpecker. Even more curiously, I seem to have written Red-winded Blackbird (huh?) instead of Red-winged Blackbird! There were also a lot of small details omitted from that report: a healthy looking male Box Turtle and a very striking floral display of a wildflower species that I could not identify -- foot-long stem with white flowers of an irregular form with a prominent lip. Many butterflies, not all securely identified.

The SOFO fundraiser was that same evening and it appeared to be very successful -- at least there were a lot of interesting people there and Carl Safina's new book, "Beyond Words", about animal behavior was in the goodie bag. The sky was completely clear on the drive home and hovering overhead was an extraordinarily bright Evening Star which, upon careful examination, turned out to be a double Evening Star. Not a star or stars at all but two planets, Venus and Jupiter, in what is known as a Conjunction with the two shining celestial bodies so close that they appear as one.

Back home, there have been a lot of mushrooms including some good edibles -- Black Trumpets are the latest to appear along with Chanterelles, Boletus and Lactarius (among others). And, along with mushrooms, their favorite munchers also appear; I refer, not to humans, but to Box Turtles. One pair of Box Turtles was engaged in the necessary business of making more Box Turtles -- an activity that I applaud heartily although, as it was taking place just a foot off one of our right-of-ways, it was also a little worrisome. Cars and turtles do not make a good combination.

Eric Salzman

Vineyard Trail

Another SOFO walk on the Vineyard Trails entitled "Birding by Ear" took place this morning. I was worried that the birds might have stopped singing but activity was still high; many young birds have fledged and were conspicuous. As always, the morning star was the blue, blue Indigo Bunting singing and feeding all around the perimeter and into the big meadow behind the Museum in Bridgehampton. This must be the world capital of Indigo Buntingdom -- or at least the LI capital of same -- and the birds continue (or have resumed) singing from their high perches. There are young ones around but, somewhat discouragingly, at least one pair was feeding young Cowbirds!

It was a halcyon day for butterflies with many, many Common Wood-Nymphs flying everywhere. Also American Copper, Pearly Crescent, Red Admiral and others. Milkweed was in bloom and there were Monarch caterpillars feeding and at least one Monarch flying. A smaller orange Monarch-type with a different mode of flight may have been a Viceroy.

The most startling sight were the Elegant Stinkhorns, Mutinus elegans, blooming in the Butterfly Garden (and apparently elsewhere). If you are wondering what an Elegant Stinkhorn might be, check out the photo below (yes it is a fungus).

Here is the full bird list:

Wild Turkey (seen on the way in )
Double-crested Cormorant (overhead)
Osprey (overhead)
Mourning Dove
Chimney Swift (overhead)
Red-headed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker (heard)
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Red-eyed Vireo (heard)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee (heard)
Tufted Titmouse (Heard)
House Wren
Carolina Wren (heard)
Eastern Bluebird
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Common Yellowthroat
Chipping Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Red-winded Blackbird
Common Grackle
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
House Finch (heard)

32 species

Eric Salzman

Birding by Ear

A scatter of down feathers in the old right-of-way suggests a fledgling -- probably a Catbird -- that didn't make it. Normally when I see the remains of a bird in the form of bird feathers, I think of a hawk or owl but this one could have been the work of a Crow or Blue Jay both of which predate baby birds from the nest.

Black-crowned Night-Heron was on the muddy edges of the pond this morning accompanied by a very vocal (and quite musical) American Goldfinch who was singing away. Other singers this morning included Pine Warbler and the loud wicki-wicki-wicki-wick of a N. Flicker. Common Yellowthroats seem to have signed off after weeks of persistent singing.

A propos of bird song, I'm doing a program entitled Birding by Ear at the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) this Saturday morning at 8 am. If you're interested call SOFO at 537-9735 to sign up.

Eric Salzman

coneheads and cuckoos

Nick Hamblet writes to me to suggest that the 'early' insect singer that I have been hearing out my window is a Slightly Musical Conehead, one of a number of grass-loving, early-singing cone-headed katydids! Don't you love that name? Coneheads are katydids with, you guessed it, cone heads and there are a whole bunch of them. I think conehead might be right but I'm not sure about the species -- at least going by the recordings that I've heard. Hamblet also says that he has heard Field Cricket and Lyric Cicada already this season. I also heard an evening (or night) singer last night (after I sent out the blog) which might have been another one of the cicadas. Just sorting out the 'songs' of these summertime insects is a big challenge.

The tide was low on the pond this morning and there was a Black-crowned Night-Heron working the muddy edge. A cuckoo was calling from the treetops in the woods north of the house. This was the slow, even coo-coo-coo-coo call that I used to ascribe, erroneously, to the Black-billed Cuckoo. This is a call of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo (the Black-billed call is also even but faster and often in rhythmic groups of two to five calls). I should add that these are both American cuckoos and they do not sing the cuckoo-clock call of the European or Eurasian cuckoo and which, unlike that famous cuckoo of European folklore, they mostly build their own nests and raise their own young.

Eric Salzman

birds and insects singing

The marsh is covered with young blackbirds -- almost as if there was a simultaneous fledging of Red-wings nesting in the reeds all around the edges of the marsh.

Many upland birds are still singing or have resumed singing in the past few days. These include both wrens (Carolina and House), both of our local breeding warblers (Common Yellowthroat and Pine Warbler but not Yellow Warbler), and White-breasted Nuthatch. Young Baltimore Orioles are out (you can hear their distinctive calls) along with an occasional resumption of song by the males.

Starting yesterday, a cricket or cicada began singing (quite loudly) in the grass just outside my porch window. The sound, a kind of grating note, is repeated up to a dozen to twenty times in a row and then, after a brief pause, repeated again, It seems to sing late in the afternoon -- at least that's when I notice it. July 5th seems earlier for these creatures but perhaps the time of year as well as the sound offers a clue as to what it might be. Anyone out there with some suggestions?

Eric Salzman

a Great Egret chorus line

When high tide comes in the morning (as it does these days), a whole line of Great Egrets perches on the dead trees facing the pond. As I approach, they leave these perches only reluctantly and with great snorting sounds. You might imagine that they wouldn't be back but the next morning there they are, all lined up as before.

A number of species are moving around, often adults paired with young birds in their care -- Cardinals, Common Grackles, Northern Flickers among others. The young characteristically flutter their wings in begging mode, a move which generally incites the adult to find some tidbit which he or she can then feed to the youngster. Even though these young birds are flying, it takes them a while to learn how to find dinner for themselves.

The intermittent rains of recent days have produced a decent crop of edible mushrooms, mainly chanterelles and lactarius or milk mushrooom. If I wait a day or so, new ones come up and within a couple of days I have enough to make a dish!

Eric Salzman

moon over Shinnecock

An almost full moon rose last night over the bay as a large and stunning orange disc. Not only was the moonlight amplified by being reflected on the bay but a goodly turnout of dancing fireflies went into performance mode on the meadow in front of the house using the edges of the trees, live and otherwise, that line the meadow as a backdrop with the moon and bay beyond.

This has been notably the best firefly summer in several years. This morning was sunny but then clouded over making the possibility of a repeat performance unlikely as tonight's full moon is likely to be obscured by clouds. Shouldn't affect the fireflies though.

An Eastern Phoebe appeared yesterday and today hunting insects along the front periphery of the woods -- mostly in and around the dead pitch pines left over from Sandy. This bird, although not as dark-headed as most, lacked the yellow wash and stronger buff wing bars that one sees on juvenile birds so it was/is probably an adult.

Eric Salzman

in and around the pond

An attack squadron of no less than six Willets tried to drive me away from the pond the other day but, curiously, since then only one Willet has stayed behind to defend the territory. This bird -- if indeed it is always the same bird -- jumps up on the top of the dead cedar on the other side of the pond and shows its irritation in the form of a non-stop series of clicking sounds. Just to vary the routine, it occasionally takes off, circles around, flies directly at me, veering off only at the last moment to return to its post on the dead tree where it resumes its irritated clicking.

A House Finch was singing away high in the dead trees near the pond this morning, an event worth of note mainly because this species has been so scarce in recent years, its populations diminished by disease. At least one of the Common Yellowthroats is still singing continuously from early morning well into the day, sometimes on one side of the property, sometimes on the other (maybe there are still two territories but I only hear one bird at a time) Many, if not most of the swallows over the marsh, are young Barn Swallows with short tails (which makes then difficult to identify for sure). So far this summer, I've seen Purple Martins and Barn Swallows with an occasional suspected Bank Swallow or Rough-winged Swallow.

Eric Salzman