Sunrise 7:31 am, sunset 8:16 pm for a total day length of 12 hours and 44 minutes. Tomorrow will be 5 minutes and 44 seconds shorter.
After days of overcast skies and rain, everything rejoiced in a welcome sunny day today with a high of 50 and an overnight low of 41. NNW wind 7-17 mph with gusts up to 38 mph tried to steal the limelight to no avail.
I chanced to look up at the power lines in the alley behind my house today. A bird perched on one of the wires exactly where the Violet-green Swallows perched all summer. I grabbed my camera and snuck back for a chance at a photo. It flew up but returned, flew up again, and back down; some kind of flycatcher. Then up and off, but then after a minute or two, yes! It came back and briefly posed in the sunlight. Click! Click!
I am intimidated by flycatcher identification, as their differences are so subtle, especially in the fall. But after Luke DC kindly identified it, I could appreciate its size and recognize the dark, open “vest” over the white throat, breast, and belly.
The OLIVE-THROATED FLYCATCHER is uncommon in our area, and seems to be a late migrant passing through now. First time yard bird! All About Birds, Cool Fact: of all the flycatcher species that breed in the US, the Olive-sided has the longest migration, with some migrating between central Alaska and Bolivia, a distance of 7000 miles! I sure wish this one safe travels!
Also seen in the yard, about 5 VARIED THRUSH, 4 ROBINS, 2 CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEES, 1 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, a STELLER’S JAY, and a BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE.
After talking with some traveling birders off a cruise ship fresh from Iceland who were eagerly seeking a VATR and CBCH, I appreciate our common birds even more. But it sure was fun to see the perky Olive-sided Flycatcher!
Carol Griswold
Seward Sporadic Bird Report Reporter
No comments:
Post a Comment