Stephane’s Blog for Sept. 14

The In-between Time (September 14)

We are now at this point in time when seasons are colliding,
intermingling, dancing together. Is it still summer or has autumn
begun? It is as if the Earth itself was catching its breath, warm one
day, blowing some North wind another. It is the in-between time, when most of the long-distance migrants, the early birds, have gone andA676DF61-3B9ACA00-1-IMG_1431
before the short-distance ones, the latter birds, have started to move
for good. Indeed, there are barely any birds around the station these
days. Most of the warblers are gone (except, of course, for the hardy
Yellow-rumped Warbler, still bidding its time); the flycatchers are
but a memory; the red-eyed vireos are further south in their long
journey to the Amazon.

But Cedar Waxwings are lingering; some thrushes are still around too
(and the Hermit Warbler, another late migrant, still haunts the
northern woods). And Blue Jays are slowly building up in numbers, as
well as Northern Flickers. Some White-throated Sparrows are showing up
too, the vanguards of more to come.

The Whip-poor-will was still calling on the evening of the 10th.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are still fighting over the feeder,
although it appears that it is a new batch: there were 3 – and even 4
some time – arguing constantly and fiercely over this precious source
of food, with clearly a dominant bird. Then, they were gone, and now,
we have only 2 “colibris” (as the Spanish and French speakers say,
from a Guarani word), not as aggressive as the other ones. Maybe they
are young females?

Despite the slow days, there is always something to see and enjoy at
Cabot Head. For example, a family of 3 otters was fishing around the
shipwreck one morning. They came back the next day but were scared off
by a very intimidating beaver! The shipwreck is the beaver’s home,
after all!

Stephane