Connecticut Warbler adults should have fresh plumage at this time of year as the molt is completed before they migrate. Cheers, Kathy ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ Subject: Another gem of a day at Wakefield (10/3) Author: mdosprey@ARI.Net at NBS-Internet-Gateway Date: 10/3/98 4:07 PM I didn't have high hopes this morning at Wakefield Park since it was chilly and late in migration. I was pleasantly surprised to see Connecticut, Nashville, Black-throated Blue, and Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. It was also the first really good day this fall for sparrows at Wakefield with Lincoln's, White-crowned, White-throated, Swamp, and Song. The first action was a pair of Nashvilles together along the powerline cut. I then spotted what I thought for an instant to be a third Nashville in the same group, but it turned out to be a Connecticut. Imagine the confusion that little group of birds would have caused a beginner! It was rather strange to see the Connecticut about 15 feet up in a tree (giving a nice view of the long undertail coverts). It must have been an adult female (my first) since the hood was a relatively deep shade of brown and the plumage appeared worn (especially the tail feathers). The adult male I saw last month also seemed to have worn plumage. Do these birds not molt before fall migration? It's hard to imagine they make long flights over water in worn plumage! I saw male and female Black-throated Blue Warblers together eating berries, something I had not seen a warbler doing before. The hot spot for sparrows was the extreme north end of the Park (across the creek from the baseball field). I needed a good day like this to help cheer me up. My wife and I have been a bit down because an injured crow we took to a rehabber the other day ended up not making it. By the way, the Dickcissel was at our feeder for a full week, but we haven't seen it for a few days. Mike Collins Annandale, Virginia collins@ram.nrl.navy.mil