September 27, 2005 [LINK]
But wait, there's more!
I paid a return visit to the trail behind the Staunton-Augusta Rescue Squad early this morning, and was delighted to see nearly all of the migrant birds that I had seen on Sunday morning, plus a few additional ones. Seven warbler species!! This is the time of the year when you see the largest number of Monarch butterflies migrating south to their winter resort in the highlands of central Mexico, and I saw several of them as well. Here are the avian highlights, in approximate chronological order:
- Common yellowthroats (3 F, 1 M)
- Wilson's warbler
- Swainson's thrush
- Downy woodpeckers (M, F)
- Red-bellied woodpeckers (M)
- House wren
- Magnolia warblers (2 M, 4+ F/J)!!
- American redstart (M)
- Scarlet tanagers (2 F/J)
- Yellow-throated warbler (prob.)
- Brown thrashers 3+
- Rose-breasted grosbeak (F)
- Eastern phoebe
- Chestnut-sided warbler (M)
- Black-throated green warbler (F/J)
- Gray catbirds (15+)
I'm surprised by the absence of hummingbirds, which normally abound in the streamside areas where orange jewelweed blossoms abound. Within a few short weeks, the only birds listed above that will still be hanging around these parts will be the woodpeckers.