I didn't detect appreciably greater numbers or diversity than on other recent visits, but somehow I found that birding in Sapsucker Woods on Monday morning (10:30-11:20 AM) felt unusually satisfying. On the Wilson Trail North, I saw MAGNOLIA, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, BAY-BREASTED, BLACKPOLL, and WILSON'S WARBLER, plus ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, WOOD THRUSH, and a BROAD-WINGED HAWK migrating high above.
Many views were unusually long and close, in ideal light. Particularly special was my time with the Bay-breasted Warbler, which showed a striking yellow-green head, sharp black-and-white wings, a neatly streaked back, and sides suffused subtly with pink. I think that this could have been an adult male, which I've seen before in fall but have always identified based on stronger reddish color on the sides. Conveniently, this bird and one Blackpoll Warbler were right near each other for a couple of minutes. >From under the power lines on the Dryden side, I saw another Broad-winged >Hawk, much lower. In the broadest patch of goldenrod south of the trail and >west of the little pond, I tracked an apparent bird as it moved silently >through the goldenrod. This location and behavior are consistent with >Connecticut Warbler, I'm told, but I didn't see any more. (Of course one can >expect Song Sparrows, catbirds, yellowthroats, House Wrens, and other species >here too.) Unexpectedly, it is also a very good day for showy butterflies. I saw a Monarch, Viceroy, Question Mark, and two Red Admirals, as well as a Pearl Crescent, Cabbage White, and many other smaller butterflies that I didn't identify. Mark Chao -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html 3) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
