I was able to catch glimpses of a rail in the marsh in the dim early morning light (it was overcast and drizzling) but it appeared to be a single bird -- presumably a Clapper Rail. It disappeared before the light improved and I never saw it again.
The Kingbird is still around but I didn't see any hummers. If Tyrannus tyrannus -- which gave its name to the whole family of New World flycatchers -- is the king of the birds, how come it was chased by a tiny hummer? In European folklore, the king of the birds was supposed to be the bird that could fly the highest but when the eagle flew into the heavens to show his dominance, the tiny Wren, riding on his back, flew up still higher to win the title. So I hereby nominate the Ruby-throated Hummingbird as having dethroned the King of the Birds and taken its place!
John Heidecker suggests that Black Swallowtails are probably not migrants so the butterflies that I'm seeing are probably local.
A creature that is certainly local is the Box Turtle and I've been seeing a lot of them recently -- several (perhaps many) different individuals judging by their markings which are various combinations of yellow, orange and black on both the carapace (shell), legs and head. One encouraging sign: a small young female -- hopefully an investment in the future of local turtlery!
Eric Salzman
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