More Arrivals

New arrivals: Rose-breasted grosbeak and a willow flycatcher—both seen and heard.

I’m not getting many wood warblers so far, unlike other years. The yellow-rumps and black-throated greens are around in good numbers. Ovenbirds and wood thrush are so common that the woods are loud right now. That is not a complaint. I’m not joking when I say I can stand on my front deck and hear 6 different wood thrush within 50 feet of the front door. The ovenbirds aren’t quite that common, but they’re not far behind. This morning, I had 3 singing black-throated green warblers and several more signing yellow-rumps, plus assorted females of both species. But not even a single warbler of another species.

I should be happier, I think, that I have the species I do. I heard—again!—this morning how black-throated green warblers and ovenbirds are becoming uncommon due to deforestation and perhaps the early arrival of spring caused by global warming. Neither species is uncommon at my spot, though springs do come earlier each year.

I also notice that the leaves fall later in the autumn than before. I can see the change in just the past 10-12 years. I became aware of when they fell because for years I could only get satellite TV reception in the winter. Now I don’t even get it all as the trees near the cabin are taller and thicker, even though they are all mature oak trees more than 100 years old. At any rate, I used to get my reception back shortly after the 25th of October, then it fell to the end of October. Then the last few years that I could get reception, the leaves didn’t fall until early November.

Baby Dog misbehaved last night. A couple with their four dogs was walking out on the slopes at the same time I was starting my walk with Baby Dog. The instant she saw them, you’d have thought she was an attack dog. She puffs herself up like a big dog (and her hair is longer on her neck and shoulders so this is really impressive). And would she shut up? No! So I corrected her and took her back to the cabin.