It Would Be Cool to Have a Scar from a Warbler

 [The bird of the morning: a tiny Northern Parula passes the Higbee Beach WMA, Cape May, NJ dike today, where we sometimes had small flocks of them, and several times had this species and other warblers weave in and out between us human observers.]

"Yeah, this one is from the redstart flight of August, 2009. They told us not to go up there, but someone had to count."

I'm not sure who started the warbler scar conversation this morning, but it was apt enough, as Northern Parulas, Black-and-whites, redstarts, Palms, at least one Connecticut, Blackpolls and many others jetted past into the steady north northwest wind, sometimes at arm's length. One could easily imagine a collision. . .

Let me explain something, though. You probably won't like watching morning flight from the Higbee dike. First of all, it's not normally as bird-full as it was today, which had the perfect weather and wind to bring a good flight, not to mention a perfect early September date. The only way you might like the dike is if you are extremely quick of eye and binocular, and at that, still okay with leaving most birds unidentified. And the regulars at the dike are certainly friendly, but don't say much - too busy concentrating on this most difficult birding of all. Better to watch for birds perching briefly from the morning flight platform at Higbee, or better still to walk the fields.

It was a fine morning for birds, wherever you were.

 [Black-and-white in a glide between wingbeats.]

[Male Black-throated Blue Warbler. Scott Whittle and I had one hover right in front of us, such a cool, unusual look we burst out laughing at the wonder of it.]