A Chestnut-sided Warbler this Monday morning, and a American Redstart this
past Saturday morning, initiated for me the fall warbler migration in the
meadow
at Riverbend Park. (I have had immature Redstarts visiting my leaf mister
for the past two weeks so I decided it was time to give the meadow a try.}
The meadow has nicely survived its severe crewcut of early spring and may
well provide a good fall warbler show again this year. The meadow including
the
surrounding trees is current hosting a lot of young birds, most noteably,
Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Indigo Buntings, and Red-eyed Vireos, as well as the
offspring of the many year round residents found here.
A male Scarlet Tanager in mid-molt presented a striking study in red, orange
and yellow this morning. A family of Baltimore Orioles, Yellow-billed Cuckoo,
Eastern Kingbirds, Wood Pewees, and Phoebes, and Chipping Sparrows added to
the array.
Ralph Wall
Great Falls, VA.
