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