birds & seeds

The past couple of days have not been particularly good for migration but substantial flocks of House Finches and somewhat smaller groups of Goldfinches continue to work the Marsh Elder (Iva). The Baccharis or Groundsel -- Iva's sister plant at the edge of the marsh -- is in bloom right now and will start producing seed shortly which will keep these seed eaters busy for a while. The Catbirds are still feasting on the Tupelo berries along with a few other berrypickers but that resource won't last lomg. Warblers seen include Prairie, Black-and-white, Yellow, Yellowthroat and American Redstart. Two flycatchers: an Eastern Pheobe with freshly molted yellow/cream colored underparts and an Eastern Wood-Pewee with a peaked head, a vested breast and buffy wingbars (indicating s first-year bird). Still no empids, alas. A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was poking at the feathery seedhead of a Phragmites; could it have been eating a seed or just finding a tiny insect therein? Lots of noisy Royal Terns on the creek. An encounter between Blue Jays and a raptor provided a little spice to the morning's activities. I didn't get a good view of the raptor but I think it was a Merlin -- jut a hair bigger than the jays. Eric