Blog post

April 30, 2007 [LINK / comment]

More spring migrants arrive

Today we had a veritable heat wave, with temperatures soaring into the upper 80s, and May isn't even here yet! I spent some rare free time this morning climbing to the top of Betsy Bell Hill and Mary Gray Hill, the first time I have done both hills in one day. It was breezy, which may explain the low number of warbler species. Today's highlights included four first-of-season birds:

• Yellow-rumped warblers (20+)
• Red-bellied woodpeckers (M, F)
• Downy woodpeckers (M, F)
• Great crested flycatcher (FOS)
• Towhees (M)
• Rose-breasted grosbeak (F) (FOS)
• Black vultures
• Sharp-shinned hawk
• Wood thrush (FOS)
• Black-throated green warbler (M)
• Hairy woodpecker (M)
• Pileated woodpecker (M)
• Scarlet tanager (F)
• Flicker
• House wren (FOS)
• Cedar wawxings

Here are some other first-of-season sightings from the past few days. At the Route 608 crossing over Christians Creek on April 27:

• Kingbirds
• Yellow warbler (M)

Along the trail behind the Staunton-Augusta Rescue Squad, April 29:

• Black-throated green warbler
• Catbirds
• Hooded warbler
• Scarlet tanager (M)

In the just-for-fun department, I saw a Killdeer walking along the railroad tracks next to the industrial park on the north edge of Staunton on Thursday afternoon. I don't mean along the cross ties, I mean along the steel rail itself: quite a balancing act!

No to plastic bags!

My sister Connie tells me there was a piece on Public Radio International today about a town in England that has outlawed plastic shopping bags. "Behind it is a young videographer who happened on an endangered turtle on a beach, choking on a bag." See YouTube.