Red-necked Phalarope Hornsby
Here’s a good one. At Hornsby now if any want to come down.

Here’s a good one. At Hornsby now if any want to come down.

Fall migration is in the air! Dickcissels and at least 4 upland sandpipers going over on this morning’s walk.
Love it when it’s quiet enough to hear the snap of warbler bills. The “snap” may be the warblers popping open elm seeds, as it sounds particularly loud these days. Update: I now believe the snap I hear is the warbler bill coming together on an insect. Not seeds popping. I knew y’all were waiting…
Western bluebirds still on CR 207 1/2 mile from the dacha. Chased half heartedly by kestrel. 10-12 of them.
Here’s another odd coloration on a Least Sandpiper from Hornsby yesterday. I had a similar one last year. The least in the back is more normal colored. The front one looked almost red in person.
Here’s a comparison between a molting adult (right) and a 1st fall Lesser yellowlegs. Notice the immaculate patterns on the back of the left bird (juve). The adult’s alternate feathers are worn and dull in the coverts and scapulars. You can see emerging basic mantle feathers on the adult which are gray and large and…
Ran across 2 unfortunates this morning also. The Pectoral barely made it out of the mud. Good luck guys!!!