VA Birders,
Just after the sun came up the morning started off with a female CAPE MAY in
the Cedar tree near the end of the porch here on Compton Mountain. There
have been Cape Mays in that tree almost every day this week. Later in the
day a second CAPE MAY would come to that same tree. In the Cedar with the
Cape May was a beautifully marked MAGNOLIA WARBLER. It soon moved on. An
adult male AMERICAN REDSTART chipped as it hopped about in the top of one of
the apple trees near the driveway.
With only 8 TENNESSE WARBLERS about it was evident that their numbers had
dropped considerably, compared to the 58 of one day a week or so ago.
Meanwhile a YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER did some flycatching from the top of the
White Pine in the backyard. A BLUE-HEADED VIREO worked among the leaves of
the large walnut tree not far away.
A YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO flew into a maple tree at the edge of the woods. I
kept trying to turn it into a Black-billed, but it jut wouldn't change.
Several SCARLET TANAGERS and EASTERN BLUEBIRDS fed heavily on the Poke
berries that are beginning to ripen at the fence on the knoll at the upper
end of the yard. A SWAINSON'S THRUSH came in to get in on the berries. Two
more Swainson's and later a WOOD THRUSH could be heard just inside the
woods. Only a few Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have been seen so far, but I know
that within the next couple of weeks their numbers will go up as will those
of the different species of thrushes.
The omnipresent WHITE-EYED VIREO was still singing from the neighbor's
pasture as it has been all summer.From the little trail that runs along the
yard parallel to the woods two BAY-BREASTED WARBLERS and a CHESTNUT-SIDED
could be seen flitting in among the branches of a fairly large Beech tree. A
few minutes later a male and female AMERICAN REDSTART were observed from the
same trail.
A couple of NORTHERN CARDINALS and a couple of immature EASTERN TOWHEES
enjoyed the dogwood berries near the trail. An EASTERN WOOD PEWEE darted out
occasionally for insects from a branch in the top of the pear tree, while a
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER searched busily among some of the lower branches. The
Wood Pewee left when two noisy BLUE JAYS flew into the top of the same tree.
They were heading for some of the Poke berries as well.
It was another great birding morning without having to leave home. How did I
get so lucky?
The complete list of all the species observed is at the end of this message.
Enjoy the birds,
Roger Mayhorn
Buchanan County
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