October 20, 2005 [LINK]

Yellow(ish) birds everywhere

In terms of both weather and bird abundance, it was yet another very good morning behind the Staunton-Augusta Rescue Squad, including the first Swamp sparrow of the season. I realized that most of the bird species I saw had at least some yellow plumage, indicated below with asterisks. Here are the highlights of what I saw:

• * Cedar waxwing (50+)
• Robins (30+)
• * Yellow-bellied sapsucker (F)
• * Red-winged blackbirds (15+)
• * White-throated sparrows (I coaxed one to sing.)
• E. towhees (JM)
• * Blue-headed vireo
• * Ruby-crowned kinglets (6+)
• * Yellow-rumped warblers (6+)
• Field sparrow (prob.)
• House finches
• Swamp sparrow (FOS)
• * N. flicker
• * Goldfinches
• Red-eyed vireo

There was also a White-breasted nuthatch in our back yard, for the first time in a few weeks. Two mornings ago, I caught a glimpse of a Dark-eyed junco out back for the first time this fall. About 10:30 or so at night, I heard a flock of Canada geese honking as they took advantage of the full moon on their southbound migration.