Boozed-up Whistlepig, and other cemeterial delights

Merlin Falco columbarius

House Wren Troglodytes aedon

Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi

Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis

Nashville Warbler Leiothlypis ruficapilla

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina (picking on something its own size)

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia

  A surprisingly birdy Sunday in the two cemeteries, at an interesting time of year, with plenty of juveniles still around, but with signs of autumn migration already underway. This was most evident with an Olive-sided Flyatcher sighting, and the feeling continued with Wood-warblers - in a quiet corner of the NDN Cemetery, I encountered three species in the small patch, and had to knock the dust off my ‘warbler brain’ in a hurry.
  The Magnolia Warbler definitely had the feel of migration about it – it fed in a pine for about 20 minutes, before it launched itself up past the highest treetops and winged south with purpose. Also interesting to see a Nashville Warbler, although perhaps trickier to guess if it was on the move or a summer local. Nearby, spotty juvenile Eastern Bluebirds perched in a dead tree like listless ornaments, and it was amusing to witness a Chipping Sparrow grappling with a cicada.
  I watched a flowerdrunk Groundhog repeatedly take pratfalls down a hill and thought I was getting great video clips, but apparently I still don’t know precisely what all the buttons on my camera do. Next time, you hilarious tipsy rodent, next time.

NDN and Mount Royal Cemeteries, August 13, 2017
Turkey Vulture-5
Red-shouldered Hawk-1
Merlin-1
Ring-billed Gull-1
Chimney Swift-2
Downy Woodpecker-1 juvenile
Eastern Wood Pewee-1
Olive-sided Flycatcher-1
Eastern Phoebe-1
Red-eyed Vireo-4
Warbling Vireo-1
American Crow-7
Black-capped Chickadee-15+
White-breasted Nuthatch-2
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
House Wren-1 juvenile
Eastern Bluebird-4 juveniles
Gray Catbird-1
Cedar Waxwing-9
Nashville Warbler-1
American Redstart-2
Magnolia Warbler-1 male coming out of breeding plumage
Indigo Bunting-2 females and 5 juveniles
Northern Cardinal-1 male
Chipping Sparrow-25+, evenly split between adult and juvenile birds
Song Sparrow-2 adults, 3 juveniles
Baltimore Oriole-1

American Goldfinch-4