Morning Flight - 28 September 2014

For a morning lacking any real migration vibe it was still quite a decent and fun to watch flight. The largest tally of southbound Blue Jays for the year was reached with 101.

Weather and time: mostly clear; 59–68 ºF; winds ENE to ESE at 2-3 mph; 25% cloud cover; good visibility; 0652 sunrise; 3.25 hours. 

Morning Flight Count totals: Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)  1     south
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)  16     plus 7 south
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)  4
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  3
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  33
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)  1
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)  14
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  144     43 north, 101 south
Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)  25     south predawn
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)  7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)  1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)  2
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  3
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  13
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)  1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  14
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)  6
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  4
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla)  1
Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis)  1     took off from reeds below and went south
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  4
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)  3
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)  4
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  2
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)  1
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)  22
Bay-breasted/Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga castanea/striata)  3
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)  8
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)  8
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  7
Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)  3
warbler sp. (Parulinae sp.)  5
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)  1
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)  1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  4
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)  3
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  2
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)  2
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)  3
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  1

Today's full list can be viewed at: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S19974278

Is this a Peach- and Marigold-shafted Flicker???

Is this a pigment aberration? I'm not sure, but it sure is pretty! (Photos by: Glen Davis) 

And now for the smooth photographic stylings of Tom Johnson

Most Blue Jays have been heading south at Morning Flight.

Dull the blue and add some yellow to color up a Magnolia Warbler

Lookout little mutant/abberrent flicker, a giant Monarch is bearing down on you!
(Photos by: Tom Johnson)