Morning Flight - 23 August 2013

Today's flight was quite enjoyable and I commend the early risers that joined me predawn at the bottom of the dike with excitement (I usually enjoy the sunrise by myself early in the season!). American Redstarts again took top honors for best show- many small flocks getting up together and flying out making their flight calls sound like a bunch of sneakers on a gym floor at times. A Scarlet Tanager flew by giving it's chew-ee flight call, and Worm-eating Warblers continue to be in attendance. Single or double tallies of Tennessee, Magnolia, Cape May, Blackburnian and Prairie helped the diversity greatly, and kept our eyes keen for something a bit different.

The forecast for tomorrow is still the same from yesterday- tomorrow will be a great day I hope! Hope you have time to join me and witness everything fly by! With anticipation of a good morning tomorrow, I must get some rest. I've got all my clickers lined up and labeled with early season alpha codes.

Ready. Set. Go!

70° F
NNW @ 5-10 MPH
Clear conditions

Ruby-throated Hummingbird - 12
Empidonax sp. - 3
Eastern Kingbird - 141
Red-eyed Vireo - 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 61
Cedar Waxwing - 44
Tennessee Warbler - 2
Yellow Warbler - 17
Magnolia Warbler - 1
Cape May Warbler - 1
Blackburnian Warbler - 2
Prairie Warbler - 1
Black-and-white Warbler - 16
American Redstart - 192
Worm-eating Warbler - 3
Northern Waterthrush - 9
warbler sp. - 68
Scarlet Tanager - 1
Bobolink - 45
Baltimore Oriole - 3

Total: 627

Good Blue-gray Gnatcatcher days are known to peak late in the morning, and today was not an exception- 43 of the 61 Gnatcatchers engaged in Morning Flight in the third hour of the survey.

Prairie Warblers continue to be show offs at the dike, slowly winging their way north close to the dike making easy photographic opportunities!

Red-eyed Vireos are just starting in, later on in September and October we'll have good numbers of these.

Blackburnian Warblers continue to be distant at the dike, though it doesn't hinder their beauty!