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Marsh Wren & goodbye to summer



	
Though I've been a little slow checking the county list, The Marsh Wren
that Tim Kalbach found last weekend at Broad River WMA represents a county
first for Fairfield county.  The county list now stands at about 208 or 209
species.  As always, if anyone has contradictory information, please let me
know.

There have been no hummingbirds at my feeders since Sunday, 10/10.
However, the date of 10/10 is one day later than the previous late date I
had for hummers in our neck of the woods.  The peak day for nectar
consumption by the tiny birds was 50 ounces on August 1.  Peak consumption
last year was 88 ounces.  While there was much talk of more hummngbirds
this year, obviously that was not the case at my feeders.  I think the
drought thinned our ranks of hummers this year.  There was not a single
plant of Jewelweed (Touch-me-not or Impatiens sp.) in the creekbottom this
year, although some late spring rain extended the blooming period for
Cross-vine (Bignonia) and Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) and provided
crucial food early in the season. 

Monday I heard the first of the Yellow-rumped Warblers and a possible
Orange-crowned Warbler in the parking lot where I work.  I didn't get a
good look at the Orange-crowned due to rain and semi-darkness.  IDing small
wet birds in twilight is an identification skill that has so far eluded my
grasp.

The hummers are gone and the Yellow-rumps are in the parking lot.  I guess
this means goodbye to summer.  Hopefully we'll have a good "crop" of winter
finches this year.


Donna S. Bailey		
Winnsboro, SC

e-mail: dsbailey@conterra.com

URL:  http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey
	Where are the Birds?  Migration across South Carolina

URL: http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey/audubon
	Coulmbia Audubon Society