Waterthrush Morning

[A Northern Waterthrush pauses in the Tower field at Higbee Beach WMA, NJ this morning. Click to enlarge photos.]

Northern Waterthrushes seemed to dominate the morning flight at Higbee Beach WMA, Cape May, NJ this morning, though I'll leave it to Vince Elia, who was counter of record this morning, to post the final numbers. Northern Parula was at least a close second, if it didn't "win" the count champ for the morning. It wasn't a massive movement, one would figure that's because the front didn't get ahead of the birds far enough and not many wound up out over the ocean, which is where Cape May morning flight birds seem to come from in large measure (see radar, below.)

It's a waterthrush evening, too, since one is calling in my postage stamp backyard habitat now, as light fades.

One could have called it Veery morning, because they were calling everywhere in the woods at Higbee Beach WMA, NJ this morning, not to mention over the house pre-dawn, and I find that my house is not even in a place where nocturnal migrants often give voice.

Or Blackpoll morning, because there were a lot of them at the Higbee dike and a few in the fields - and many more to come. Ditto, Northern Parula. Double ditto, Red-eyed Vireo, which probably was the bird we laid eyes on most often in the fields.

Or Yellow morning, because there were a lot of them, and their numbers are fading. Or Worm-eating morning, because one teed up in a cherry at Morning Flight to the delight of all.

Or, simply, a good morning. And tomorrow looks to be better, in case you can get the day off ;>).

 [Probably the last Orchard Oriole we'll see this year. This species, a fairly common local breeder, clears out early.]

 [Southern disperser: Cloudless Sulphur pauses at Higbee this morning. A good-sized butterfly, wonderful green-yellow above; about silver dollar sized.]

[Great Blue Skimmer at Higbee Beach WMA, NJ this morning. One of my favorite bugs - eat more mosquitoes, please!!!]