Migration, slow but sure

Our Veery on the same post we saw a Hermit Thrush a few weeks ago.

Migration is progressing way more slowly than I'm used to, but we're seeing more warblers and other migrants, and a few new birds seem to be establishing territories now. Orioles were everywhere, though they weren't as cooperative at showing themselves for the first hour or two, so some of the people who had to leave early didn't get as nice looks as those of us who stuck around. I didn't get any photos, though.

Even before we left the parking area we heard our first Veery of the day. One perched on the same post as a Hermit Thrush did a few weeks ago—disappointingly, I'd neglected to photograph that one. But I did get today's Veery.

Warbling Vireos are back—they'll most likely be nesting in the trees along the river. We had a nice sampling of warblers, but not many individuals of any one species. The only one I got a photo of was one of our last additions to our list, a Blackpoll.

Here's how the Blackpoll Warbler usually looked. 

Here's when he came out for maybe 2 seconds. 

Red-winged Blackbirds were exceptionally active, males chasing females, females gathering nesting materials, males displaying and making a wide spectrum of their vocalizations. 

During the time we were birding, I was getting a few messages about cool birds showing up on Park Point, like a Little Gull and two Red Knots. I do hope that people who left early to head there got them! I couldn't find them when I was done with the walk.

46 species

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)  22
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)  7
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)  1
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)  1
Sora (Porzana carolina)  1
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)  4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon))  6
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)  2
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)  1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)  1
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)  2
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)  2
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)  2
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  3
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)  2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)  4
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)  4
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)  6
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)  3
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)  1
Veery (Catharus fuscescens)  6
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)  8
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)  2
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)  2
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)  1
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)  2
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina)  1
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)  2
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)  6
Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)  5
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)  2
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)  8
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)  1
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)  3
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)  2
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)  5
Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)  4
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)  6
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)  1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)  6
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)  1
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)  25
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)  10
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)  12
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)  8
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)  12