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