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