Chipmunk? Flycatcher woods?

A fast-moving four-legged creature -- decidedly smaller than a squirrel and without the bushy tail -- scooted across the path in front of me this morning at the edge of the property. I suppose it was a Chipmunk or some sort of frog/toad amphibian although I've never seen any of these creatures on our place! Always a first time I guess.

Yesterday's new bird was an Eastern Kingbird. This was not the first Kingbird seen this year and, in past years, they used to nest here quite regularly. This was in the same patch of woods frequented by the Great Crested Flycatcher which is still around. Eastern Wood-pewees sometimes turn up here as well along with migrating empids. We can call this Flycatcher Woods.

An occasional short buzzing call amidst the various swallows over the marsh can be assigned to the Rough-winged Swallow (Bank Swallow also buzzes but in longer phrases). Most of the swallows are Purple Martins and Bank Swallows but Rough-winged and an occasional Bank are sometimes mixed in. Both Common Yellowthroat males are still singing away but the Yellow Warbler seems to have vanished.

Eric Salzman