Morning Flight – 15 September 2014

It was a fantastically amazing time at Morning Flight today! 4,446 warblers! 2,331 American Redstart, 391 Northern Parula, 277 Black-and-white Warbler, 137 Northern Waterthrush, 85 Yellow Warbler.  26 species of warblers. 1006 warbler sp. This last number reflects how quickly the birds came through and that a good portion of this early pulse was over in the sun glare to the eastern treeline. But the 22.5 degree component of west in the NNW wind seemed to provide us watchers with a good show happening on the west side of the dike too. Photo opportunities were great if you could pick out a subject amidst the chaos of a hundred birds a minute!

Weather and time: sunny and clear; 58–63 ºF; winds NNW at 5 mph; 0% cloud cover; excellent visibility; 0640 sunrise; 4.25 hours.
    
       Morning Flight Count totals:  
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)  6
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  20
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)  4
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris)  1
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  1
Empidonax sp. (Empidonax sp.)  1
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  1
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)  20
Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)  1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  8
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)  61
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)  19
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)  1
Veery (Catharus fuscescens)  1
Catharus sp. (Catharus sp.)  3
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  25
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  249
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)  3
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)  137
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  277     118, 55, 4
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)  1
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina)  22
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla)  3
Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis)  2
Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia)  1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  14
Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina)  1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  2331     2182, 110, 25, 3
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)  6
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)  391     2 predawn, 298, 80, 8, 3
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  12
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)  2
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)  5
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  85     54, 18, 11, 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)  5
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)  11
Bay-breasted/Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga castanea/striata)  2
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)  58
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)  58
Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)  1
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  3
Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor)  1
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  6
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)  2
warbler sp. (Parulinae sp.)  1006     976, 30
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)  9
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)  9
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)  2
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  5
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)  84
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  20
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  4
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)  2
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  1
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)  2

Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19840163

Third most abundant warbler of the day (277) Black-and-white Warbler.

One of two Connecticut Warblers, which gave quick but reasonable views.

Thanks to Sam for these three great captures! Northern Waterthrush to complete the trio. (Photos courtesy of: Samuel Galick)

The east treeline just before the surge to come for the next hour and a half!

First of season Purple Finches (2) happened too.

Many Red-eyed Vireos stayed in Cape May today to fuel up for the next leg of their journey.

Palm Warblers seem to gravitate slightly toward flying on the sunny side of Morning Flight-- over the impoundment itself.

These Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are true characters!

The colors of this juvenile Peregrine Falcon belie its tundra heritage.

Many blackbirds are dealing with "tail issues" at this time of season (Photos by: Glen Davis).