Photography Ethics: This is my thirteenth season at this site. Yesterday was the first time that I ever had to tell a photographer that their behavior was unacceptable. Birding and/or photography ethics are subjects that are very open to personal opinion. I know photographers and birders who are more ethical than I am, and some who are less. We simply ask that if you come to the Point, please use common sense and do not push a bird to the point that you are keeping it from normal activity.

Highlights: Lapland Longspur

Activity was relatively slow the last two days, but picked up again today. Golden-crowned Kinglet, Cedar Waxwing, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-crowned Sparrow, and Pine Siskin numbers increased, and the season's first Lapland Longspur showed up. Eleven species of warbler were sighted including Tennessee, Magnolia, Cape May, Pine, and Blackpoll.

Tennessee Warbler

Blackpoll Warbler

Cedar Waxwing eating berry

Blue-headed Vireos, juvenile with caterpillar

Activity in the woods slowed down a bit today, but there was still some activity. Sightings today included; Least Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Cedar Waxwing, Tennessee and Blackpoll Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Pine Siskin. Tim had decent shorebird activity out at the tip again today, check his waterbird blog for details.

Winter Wren

Baird's Sandpiper

Highlights: Parasitic Jaeger (photo above)

The woods were very active with warblers again. Species seen today included; Tennessee, lots of Nashvilles, Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Bay-breasted, and Blackpoll. Other sightings today included; Solitary Sandpiper, Brown Creeper, Swainson's Thrush, Clay-colored Sparrow, and Savannah Sparrow. There have been more Blue-gray Gnatcatchers recently than is typical for the Point, and Cedar Waxwing numbers were up today.

Shorebirds were decent at the tip today, including American Golden Plover, and Buff-breasted Sandpiper. We had the Parasitic Jaeger during the evening flight.

Chestnut-sided Warbler

American Redstart

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

American Golden Plover

Butterflies: There hasn't been much the last few days. There have been daily sightings of American Copper, Monarch, Northern Pearly-eye, and Cabbage White. Today there was also a Leonard's Skipper, I think.

Leonard's Skipper

Highlights: lots of warblers again

There was once again lots of warblers in the woods today. Species seen today were Tennessee, Nashville, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Palm, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, and Wilson's. Other sighitngs included; Blue-gray Gnatcher, Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, Red-eyed and Blue-headed Vireo, White-throated, White-crowned and Savannah Sparrow.

Wilson's Warbler

Tennessee Warbler

Highlights: Connecticut Warbler

There were lots of songbirds at the Point today. There were two large flocks of warblers, well over 100 birds in each. Flycatchers also moved in today, many which unfortunately remained unidentified. Warblers seen today; Tennessee, Nashville, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped,Black-throated Green, Palm, Blackpoll, Redstart, Connecticut, and Wilson's. The vast majority of the warblers today simply went by before I was able to even attempt to identify them. Flycatcher sightings were of Least, Yellow-bellied, Alder, Olive-sided, and Eastern Wood-pewee. Other sightings included Red-eyed Vireo, and Swainson's Thrush. Tim also had a Merlin eating a Sora out at the waterbird count today.

Magnolia Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Blackpoll Warbler

Highlights: lots of warblers

There were no birds of particular note today, but there were a large number of warblers. Species seen today included Tennessee, Northern Parula, Magnolia, Cape May, Pine, and Blackpoll. The extended period of south winds is finally supposed to end tomorrow. Hopefully the change will start a new push of southward migration.

Nashville Warbler

Cape May Warbler

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Pine Warbler

Northern Parula

Butterflies: Not a lot of activity. American Copper, Monarch, and Cabbage White continue to be seen daily. Mourning Cloak are being seen most days.

Mourning Cloak

As a bit of a side note, came across Indian Pipe at the Point for the first time today.

Indian Pipe

Highlights: Long-tailed Jaeger (yesterday), Black-backed Woodpecker

Sure to be one of the highlights for the season was the Long-tailed Jaeger yesterday. Unfortunately for everyone but Tim, nobody else was at the tip when it came by. Tim also had Black-backed Woodpeckers from the tip yesterday and today. The black-backed yesterday actually landed on the waterbird shack.

The birding inland was slow both yesterday and this morning, but a nice flock of warblers appeared this afternoon. The flock was about 60 birds, and contained Yellow-rumped, Palm, Chestnut-sided, Blackburnian, Cape May, Blackpoll, Bay-breasted, Tennessee, Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, and Black & White. You can see the first feathers of the eye-ring growing in just behind the eye on the juvenile Nashville Warbler in the photo below.

Ovenbird

Bay-breasted Warbler

Baird's Sandpiper

Nova and I had a booth at Arts on the Lake in Curtis this Saturday. They had a small parade which contained a birdwatcher. Clearly they had visited the Point last fall, the resemblance to Cory Gregory was uncanny.

Cory Gregory