Andrew Dreelin ghostwriting for Tom Reed again, who is still out of typing (but not counting) commission with his broken finger. TR had a "marvelous" day at Higbee, which began quite cold (39 F) and gray at dawn with a NE breeze, feeling much like November.
Fittingly, November birds came through in a big way!
Another solid count of Purple Finches (294) was highlighted by a Common Redpoll that flew north by the count mixed in with a flock of Pine Siskins, a Red Crossbill that went south, and a Lapland Longspur that went north at the end of the count! Common Redpoll and Red Crossbill are entirely new species for the Morning Flight count, and this was also the first *northbound* Lapland Longspur.
Diversity continues to drop off markedly as we progress later into the season, but a score of both Golden and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 63 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 4 White-breasted Nuthatches, and 4 Brown Creepers were good numbers given the day's conditions. A high-for-the-date 39 Blackpoll Warblers also flew north past the count, contributing even more to an outstanding season for them.
The 10 day forecast has a big southerly component to the winds, but a front lining up for Monday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon could bring another great late season flight!
Fittingly, November birds came through in a big way!
Another solid count of Purple Finches (294) was highlighted by a Common Redpoll that flew north by the count mixed in with a flock of Pine Siskins, a Red Crossbill that went south, and a Lapland Longspur that went north at the end of the count! Common Redpoll and Red Crossbill are entirely new species for the Morning Flight count, and this was also the first *northbound* Lapland Longspur.
Diversity continues to drop off markedly as we progress later into the season, but a score of both Golden and Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 63 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 4 White-breasted Nuthatches, and 4 Brown Creepers were good numbers given the day's conditions. A high-for-the-date 39 Blackpoll Warblers also flew north past the count, contributing even more to an outstanding season for them.
The 10 day forecast has a big southerly component to the winds, but a front lining up for Monday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon could bring another great late season flight!
As always, you can find our official count totals on Trektellen here, and our complete eBird checklist of the day’s observations here.
Bring on the next day!
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