BELL'S VIREO!

As I was walking out on my marsh trail this morning as dawn, my eye was caught by the movement and white undersides of two birds foraging together at the edge between the woodland and the shrubs at the edge of the marsh. One bird was easily identifiable as an American Redstart female -- gray head, eye ring, white breast, single wing bar, yellow patches on the sides and on the tail. The other bird, seen head on and showing almost all the same characters, was surely the same. But wait. Something was wrong. Bird #2 was smaller, had a shorter tail and no yellow patches. What kind of warbler could that be? I climbed up on the old dock that is beached right in the middle of the trail and was able to get better looks. Bird #2 did not even have a warbler bill but the small stout bill of a vireo. Furthermore the eye-ring was actually a kind of weakly marked spectacles and the single wing bar was white, not yellow.

On October 26, 1996, I saw a very similar bird at the foot on Ponquogue Bridge just off Dune Road. I believed then (and still believe now) that that bird was a BELL'S VIREO. I ended up writing a article for The Kingbird on this bird and the issue of its ocurrence and ID in New York State ("Bell's Vireo in New York" vol. 47 #3, September 1997, pp. 168-175.). This article, which was concerned with the problems of accurately identifying Bell's Vireo in New York, actually won a prize; it also provoked a lot of responses, not all of them favorable. The Eastern form of Bell's Vireo, Vireo belli belli, which nests as far east as Ohio, can be confused with the immature White-eyed Vireo.

I refound this morning's bird at least 5 or 6 times, always at the edge of the marsh in the screen of bushes and outer branches of the trees behind, and was able to observe it closely -- or as closely as you can with a bird that is constantly in motion -- from all sides and over fairly extended periods of time. Only one other person saw this bird: Eileen Schwinn who came over when I called. The bird was not photographed (in any case, photography would have been a challenge).

I believe that this bird was a Bell's Vireo and not an immature White-eyed Vireo (or, for that matter, anything else) for the following reasons: (1) it was tremendously active, moving constantly from branch to branch, twig to twig, bouncing and flipping up and down from low bushes to the tree foliage behind in its search for insects; (2) in the course of this active search, it would constantly flip or twitch its tail, sometimes also flicking its wings in the process; (3) the effect of spectacles (eye-ring with eye stripe or a partial supercilium) was messy, not clean-cut as it appears in White-eyed and other vireos; (4) there was the appearance of a dark eye line behind the eye; (5) in good light, the legs appeared to be dark blue (rather than black); (6) there was only one visible white wing bar; (7) yellow wash extended from the sides down to the flanks and across the vent with the yellow brightest underneath; (8) the bill was very small and somewhat pale-ish (but nevertheless distinctly a vireo bill); (9) the incessant movements of this bird far exceeded the norm for White-eyed or indeed most other vireos; and (10) the bird that this resembled most -- in all aspects -- was not a White-eyed Vireo but a Ruby-crowned Kinglet. In my opinion, all these characters clearly add up to Bell's Vireo!

The Bell's Vireo was not the only bird of the day. There were flycatchers (Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Pewee and Great Crested Flycatcher), a few other warblers (N Parula, Common Yellowthroat), a few raptors (Merlin, N Harrier and, of course, Osprey). But Bell's Vireo goes right to the top of the bird list for Weesuck Creek!

Eric Salzman

a slow start

Today was a little slow in getting started compared to other days this past week but there were a few warblers and other migrants in view. The most notable of these was one of those wing-barred Dendroica warblers which is either a Pine or a Blackpoll or a Bay-breasted. It seemed at first to be too bright to be either a Pine or a Bay-breasted but too unstreaked to be a Blackpoll. Huh? The best clues may have been the effect of an eye-ring or even spectacles and the fact that the rather bright yellow was more-or-less restricted to the breast. I first called it a Pine then switched to Bay-breasted. I now think it was an exceptionally bright Pine Warbler (I never had a chance to see if it was streaked on the back which would have been decisive). Whatever it was, it was in the company of a small flock of B-c Chickadees as well as Am Redstart, Common Yellowthroat and N Parula. A grayish empid with a tear-drop shaped eye-ring was probably a Least Flycatcher.

The Osprey migration continued this morning with several birds coming across the creek and then up the west side of Shinnecock Bay. And yesterday's continuous line of Royal Terns continued this morning with birds -- mostly adults with young -- flying up and down the creek.

Eric Salzman

wet walk

I got back late from the city last night (there was a horrendous traffic jam in the wake of the thunder storms that swept the city and seemed to follow us out here). As a result, this morning's walk was late and soggy. However I did discover (or rather the Carolina Wren and Blue Jays discovered) a Screech Owl high in dense cover at the beginning of our long right-of-way. It was, as usual, a Red phase bird (or, perhaps more accurately, what Sibley would designate a Brown phase). There were also two Northern Harriers working the edge of Pine Neck and flying out across the bay.

The only other bird of note was a noisy Northern Waterthrush by the edge of the marsh.

On the floral front, Marsh Asters are blooming all over the marsh, Seaside Goldenrod is starting to bloom and Baccharis or Groundsel will shortly make its display of white, feathery, wind-blown seeds.

Eric Salzman

mid-September and a new scope

Mid-September dawned clear and rather crisp with winds out of the northwest and, although there were fewer birds than yesterday morning (the big numbers of Robins seen yesterday did not reappear this morning), there was greater variety with a considerable increase in warbler numbers. Along with continuing numbers of Red-eyed Vireos, there was the endless flitting of many American Redstarts as well as Common Yellowthroats, Yellow Warbler, Northern Parula, Nashville Warbler and Prairie Warbler. Three or four Scarlet Tanagers were moving through the trees along with a handsome female Baltimore Oriole, two or three empids (a possible Yellow-bellied Flycatcher and a Traill's Flycatcher type -- rather gray-brown with a very narrow eye ring, probably an Alder). Other birds seen were an adult and a young Cedar Waxwing and a handsome Veery. Early morning Kingfisher chases seem to be a regular feature of the season and there were considerable numbers of Tree Swallows moving overhead on a direct south/southeast course that took them up the marsh and over the trees beyond. A nuthatch -- probably a White-breasted -- was heard but not seen. Osprey migration continued with up to five or six birds on the creek at any one time. A Merlin came directly across the creek and marsh and into the woods followed by another bird streaking along the edge of the woods and followed by a deathly silence from the songbirds. The raptor totals for the day, with only sporadic observation, eventually included another Merlin, 3 or 4 American Kestrels, 3 Northern Harriers, 2 Red-tailed Hawks, and a high-flying Turkey Vulture.

Later in the morning, I decided to go back down to the pond with my latest acquisition. I had been saving up for the Swarovski scope for quite a while and it arrived while I was out of the country so I got to use it only after my return. It's a beautiful instrument and I decided that this morning was the perfect time to try it out. Standing at the pond, you are can look up and down Weesuck Creek, look over the marsh and part of Shinnecock Bay. The shore of Pine Neck opposite and the woodlands behind are directly to the east and when raptors are flying at this time of year they generally come directly from that opposite shore often perching on branches and snags on the far side of the creek. In the early morning, the view is directly into the rising sun but by the late morning and throughout the afternoon the light is good. Alas, by this time there was no raptor activity visible at all; even the Ospreys had quit for the morning. The only really interesting subjects were the Royal Terns, several of which were cruising the creek. This required mastering the technique of finding and following these large terns with the scope. I was doing fairly well at it, managing to stay on individual birds as they moved up and down the creek and even as dove into the water. I was looking at one particularly large specimen, when it occured to me that it had a tail that was strikingly shorter than the others, not to mention a bull neck, a very bulky-looking body and a decidedly different look in flight. As the bird wheeled around to face me, I could see that it had a solid black cap, a thick, blood-red bill and, strikingly, dark undersides on its primaries -- all features in striking contrast with the rest of the terns on the creek. In short, I was breaking in my new scope with a direct hit on a CASPIAN TERN! This is only the second time I have seen this bird on Weesuck Creek (the first was seven years ago on September 27 while I was clamming in the creek; it flew right over my head but I was never able to get it in my binoculars). The best traditional place to find Caspian Tern on the East End is on the flats at Mecox and it undoubtedly also occurs at Moriches Inlet.

Eric Salzman

this misty morning

This morning dawned clear and still but with a layer of fog or mist over the creek and soaking everything with heavy dew. The sun eventually lifted the moisture from the air but it coated all the vegetation until it all eventually evaporated into the warmth of the day. I had two visitors (members of ELIAS and subscribers to the blog) who had asked to make the morning rounds with me and I was happy to oblige. Even the most familiar sights take on a fresh allure when you see them through someone else's eyes.

Although there was no major new migration, there was a huge movement of American Robins, coming and going seemingly in every direction. The only warblers seen (but they were well seen) were Northern Parulas which were active in the Tupelo trees at the head of the marsh. Another feature was an egret with yellow legs and a bicolored bill, probably a young Little Blue Heron rather than a Snowy Egret (the Little Blue is, in spite of its name, actually also an egret). Other highlights were a couple of merry Kingfisher chases, distant burbling Marsh and House Wrens and the by-now usual appearances of Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Royal Terns and Osprey. In fact, Osprey were on the move all day, suggesting a stream of migrants on the move (and perhaps mixing in with the local birds that have not yet left their home territory). On a day filled with hawk potential (west and northwest winds against a blue sky), I saw just two other raptors: both Merlins streaking across the creek on a direct west or southwest bound flight.

Eric Salzman

a gloomy Monday

I'm still on European time and I woke up this morning at 5 am in pitch darkness. Unable to go back to sleep, I decided to see what the pre-dawn world looked like and watch the sunrise. Alas. there was no visible sun, rising or otherwise. The wind was again out of the east/southeast and large banks of clouds were blowing in off the ocean. Needless to say, there was no real migration although flocks of Am Robins were moving around in seemingly aimless fashion and Marsh Wrens were burbling away in the marsh. There were Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets on the pond and in the marsh and looking up the neck of the pond (where the water flows out of the marsh into the pond) I could see two raccoons furiously dashing around in the water. Were they fishing? The tide was going out and taking small fish in its flow (which is what the herons and egrets were interested in). But the raccoons appeared to be pawing the mud. Trying to dig up mussels? Not likely since their lively efforts suggested moving prey. I suspect they were trying to find and dislodge Blue Crabs (or other crabs) buried in the mud. I am certain that crabs are a favorite with raccoons (there is even a close relative called the Crab-eating Raccoon) and this is apparently one way that they catch them!

The mystery bird of the day was a large gull-like raptor which passed directly over my head as I stood about halfway up the marsh. In the bad morning light, it looked quite whitish underneath with a medium-length unbarred tail and relatively broad rounded wings which formed a nice bow shape on each easy wingbeat -- it was flapping slowly and evenly and only gliding every once in a while. The shape ruled out Osprey, Harrier and falcon and it was clearly not a gull. However I caught a glimpse of a facial mask and I am quite sure that it was a NORTHERN GOSHAWK, only the second one I have ever seen around here. The earlier sighting was a bird in juvenile plumage seen on September 27, 2006, only two weeks later than this morning's bird.

Eric Salzman

Back from Eastern Europe

I got back yesterday from Eastern Europe where I had a chance to do some amazing bird-watching in Latvia and was even able to witness a significant migration movement of literally thousands (maybe even tens of thousands) of birds. I'll have a trip report ready in a few days but it's good to be back..

In the meanwhile, I had a chance to witness some local migration on today's brilliant windless morning here on Weesuck Creek in East Quogue. I resumed my first local ramble in a couple of weeks I found a collection of many dozens -- perhaps even hundreds of birds. The dominant species were Red-eyed Vireo and Parula Warbler, both in some considerable numbers (the numbers of Red-eyed Vireo were greater than I've seen in some time). Other species -- all seen in the tupelos and other trees at the head of the marsh -- included Nashville Warbler, American Redstart, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Scarlet Tanager and Baltimore Oriole plus many Am Robins, Catbirds, and a Flicker or two. A Marsh Wren was burbling in the reeds and more Am Robins -- almost certainly migrants on the move -- came streaking across the marsh along with Am Goldfinches. Lots of Chickadees and both Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Then there were the familiar water birds: Belted Kingfisher, Royal Tern, both egrets and Great Blue Heron plus as many as four Osprey on the creek. Although Osprey migration is due to being soon, I think this morning's birds were the adults and offspring from our local nest, all fishing in the creek with some visible success.

Eric Salzman