Re: Another gem of a day at Wakefield (10/3)

Kathy Klimkiewicz (Kathy_Klimkiewicz@usgs.gov)
Wed, 7 Oct 1998 14:37:21 -0600 

     Connecticut Warbler adults should have fresh plumage at this time of 
     year as the molt is completed before they migrate.
     
     Cheers,
     Kathy


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Another gem of a day at Wakefield (10/3)
Author:  mdosprey@ARI.Net at NBS-Internet-Gateway
Date:    10/3/98 4:07 PM


     
I didn't have high hopes this morning at Wakefield Park 
since it was chilly and late in migration. I was pleasantly 
surprised to see Connecticut, Nashville, Black-throated 
Blue, and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ovenbird, Common 
Yellowthroat, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. It was also the 
first really good day this fall for sparrows at Wakefield 
with Lincoln's, White-crowned, White-throated, Swamp, 
and Song.
     
The first action was a pair of Nashvilles together along the 
powerline cut. I then spotted what I thought for an instant 
to be a third Nashville in the same group, but it turned out 
to be a Connecticut. Imagine the confusion that little group 
of birds would have caused a beginner! It was rather 
strange to see the Connecticut about 15 feet up in a tree 
(giving a nice view of the long undertail coverts). It must 
have been an adult female (my first) since the hood was a 
relatively deep shade of brown and the plumage appeared 
worn (especially the tail feathers). The adult male I saw last 
month also seemed to have worn plumage. Do these birds 
not molt before fall migration? It's hard to imagine they 
make long flights over water in worn plumage! I saw male 
and female Black-throated Blue Warblers together eating 
berries, something I had not seen a warbler doing before. 
The hot spot for sparrows was the extreme north end of 
the Park (across the creek from the baseball field).
     
I needed a good day like this to help cheer me up. My wife 
and I have been a bit down because an injured crow we 
took to a rehabber the other day ended up not making it. 
By the way, the Dickcissel was at our feeder for a full 
week, but we haven't seen it for a few days.
     
Mike Collins
Annandale, Virginia
collins@ram.nrl.navy.mil