Morning Flight – 9 September 2014

[Wilson's Phalarope flying over the dike, just after daybreak. Photo by Tom Reed.]

It was a dark and soggy morning up on the dike, but there were a few birds on the move. Northern Waterthrush led the way, and was also the only species to fly above 100ft. Shorebirds put on a decent show, highlighted by a brief visit from a Wilson's Phalarope. Another surprise was the White-winged Dove that rolled past the north side of the dike about an hour after sunrise. It's quite possible that this is the same individual previously seen in the area during the past week.

       Weather and time: mild and damp; 70–72 ºF; winds NE at 10–20 mph; 100% cloud cover throughout with occasional rain; fair visibility; 0636 sunrise; 2.25 hours. Observer: Tom Reed.
   
       Morning Flight Count totals:

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)  1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)  1
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)  28 
Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)  31
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  1
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  14
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)  1
Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)  2
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  6
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)  2
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)  1
Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)  1
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)  1
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)  1
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)  31
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)  4