Saturday, August 24, 2013

On the Dike Again

 [Female Cape May Warbler at the Higbee Beach Dike, Cape May, NJ today.]

The little cold front that passed brought more than a few migrants to Higbee Beach this morning. . . how many times have I written about cold fronts and migrants, I suddenly wonder. A bunch.

Anyway, the redstarts et. al. were flying at the dike and we were trying to identify the et. al.'s and it reminded me what a good way to be humbled it is to climb up to the top of that dike and try to put names to warblers, vireos, and even Empidonax flycatchers as they fly past. It's task enough just to get a clean look. What I mean is, here are these warblers jinking and weaving and going pretty fast, and you've got to get your eyes to focus faster and then your binoculars aimed and focused and well it's very hard. . .and fun as hell. Of course you're listening all the while, too, to tiny little seeps and zeeps and buzzes which are soft suggestions of identity.

Read official counter Sam Galick's accounts of Morning Flight at the Higbee Dike here: http://cmboviewfromthefield.blogspot.com/

[It's nice when an easy one passes - Belted Kingfisher at the Higbee dike today.]

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