View from Morning Flight and the Hawk Watch, and storm's coming

If you just logged on, be sure to scroll to read Jason's and Bob's excellent thoughts about the approaching storm.

It was of course a very slow day at both Morning Flight and the Hawk Watch, although a Blue Grosbeak performed beautifully at the Morning Flight platform at Higbee Beach WMA, and an Orchard Oriole flew past, a good bird for September, given that most move in August. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo put in an appearance, and a remarkable flock of 16 Black Terns flew south along Delaware Bay, all seen from Morning Flight.

At the hawk watch, both Buff-breasted (see photos below) and Baird's Sandpipers on Bunker Pond entertained, as did the four other peep, numerous Black Terns, and a Caspian Tern. There's a Western Sandpiper at Bunker Pond with a broken leg, probably soon to be Merlin food. There is no waste in nature. One of the White-rumpeds also has a limp - they are hurt on different legs, but I lost track of which species is hurt on which leg.

This shorebird discussion could become moot tomorrow - if we get enough rain, the shorebird habitat at Bunker Pond may be flooded out, at least for a while.