corvid enemies?

Heavy fog again on the creek this morning -- Pine Neck was covered but our side of the creek was again fog-free. Nevertheless, the newly arrived warm weather, the southern breeze and the fog did not make for good migration conditions. Most of the birds that came in a few days ago were still here but seemingly represented by only a few individuals: Song, Swamp and White-throated Sparrows, Blue-headed Vireos, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a very few Robins, no Catbirds but lots of woodpeckers -- all five species in fact: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Hairy and Downy Peckers as well as Red-bellied and a few Flickers.

Great Horned Owls have been duetting the past two nights -- I slept through them Tuesday night (Lorna heard them) but heard them last night. As usual, I didn't find them in the daylight and neither did the crows or jays. The Blue Jays put up a racket that seemed promising but it turned out that the object of their ire was a Raccoon half-hidden in a tree hollow. Another Jay assault was directed at a Green Heron perched on a dead branch overlooking the marsh (don't know why Jays should hate Green Herons but they do). And some noisy Crows were upset, not by an owl but by me -- they were circling overhead and cawing loudly as they followed me back to the house as I returned via the old roght=of-way.

Another bird that is still here is the Eastern Phoebe which apparently is still finding insect prey. In fact, somewhat sadly, I saw one catch, mash and swallow a Red Admiral butterfly.   

Eric Salzman