The Avian Fairies' Sparkling Hoard...

Today dawned with fog and without promise.  But, as dawn matured, the fog lifted and the birds descended.  We had an excellent day on the island with many western migrants and a handful of eastern species plus a bonus from Siberia: Blackburnian, Blackpoll, Tennessee, and Magnolia Warblers, and two Red-throated Pipits.  Highlight from the west was a lone Black Swift soaring overhead.  (See the eBird checklist here) We banded nearly 80 birds today--there was much running.  Tomorrow, dear readers, is my final day on the island.  I am scheduled to sail for the Land of Main at 1500 hours.  One more TPAD lies in our collective near-future.

This is D/13.  Jim caught him/her early this morning near Rabbit Cave

Fox Sparrow was a new island bird for me--a handful of these fellows showed up today in the Western Contingent.  The Zono-invasion started today (presaged by a scout seen earlier in the week)

A Very Few Birds But Poetry!

"I have never seen an inhabited spot which seemed so utterly desolate, so entirely separated from the world, whose people appear...to have such a slender hold on mankind."  --Charles Nordhoff, after a visit to the Farallones in 1874

Well, I'm not sure how slender of a hold we have on mankind, but today we had a slender hold on migrating birds--as there simply weren't enough to grab.  One confirmed arrival and about 5 other individual songbirds on the island, combined with some potent humidity and warmth, made for a very slow day.  The winds, however, have switched.  Light out of the Northwest and clear skies--my gut suggests that many birds will move tonight.  Will they stop on our utterly desolate outpost?  Tomorrow holds the answers.

As I took figuratively zero portraits today, I will dip into the archives yet again.

Northern Waterthrush--we have had at least three of these characters visiting the island this season

A Farallones poem written by Milton S. Ray:

Destiny

Drugged by the dreary solitude

Where towering cliffs ever sullen brood

Beside a barren, desolate sea,

Whose rough surf roars monotonously,

And where only the rock wren sings with glee,

Dull, lonely lives the light crew led,

As their aimless years forgotten fled.

With measured flash of their lofty light

They swept the inhospitable seas of night,

'Till the rose-glow of dawn would transient spill

Along the dim crest of some mainland hill.

And fair the dawn.  Forever here

Autumn, summer and spring were one,

With never a day of sultry sun,

And only winter would shatter the tranquil year.

Here is a photo of an American Kestrel, a fine looking falcon

And the painful eBird checklist

So Little Birds

Today dawned, again, filled with promise--but not filled with birds.  The island did, however, host a new Blackpoll Warbler, another Hooded Oriole, and the continuing Cliff Swallow.  But, alas, no island birds for Rob.  Tomorrow?  You guessed it; another day.  A front coming through tonight might push lots of birds south.  Or it might not.  In  the meantime, some portraits:

An unbelievably adorable Elephant Seal portrait--look at this thing.  Can you believe it?  I can't. 

This is the Orchard Oriole that I captured yesterday with my bare hands.  A lovely bird--and more common here than Hooded Orioles.

And, today's paltry eBird checklist

A New Day, But Not Too New

Dawn brought us new birds--but in very small numbers.  We were, however, treated to a Tennessee Warbler and Orchard Oriole (both caught and banded) and a Cliff Swallow (island bird for Rob) and another shark attack off of the west end of the island.  Sharks; please eat breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks/elevensies closer to shore and in a place where I can obtain portraits.  Thanks.

Dan and Oliver enjoying a manly sunset and flies.  This is TPAD's second human portrait.  They should consider themselves lucky.

Brandt's Cormorants.  Theses guys are abundant breeders on the island and are our constant companions--I have been remiss in not sharing a portrait of them sooner.

And today's eBird checklist

"Dan that's my hat, don't do that!"

I will repeat--today was hot.  Still.  Slow.  Please, if you can spare any birds, send them to us.  Due to today's lack of subjects for portraiture, I will dip into the extensive SEFI Portrait Archive and provide some material from the past.

We had two Chestnut-sided Warblers on the island, at one time.  I have only posted one photo of this species, and I am justified in posting another.  Here we see the voracious predator consuming a hapless moth [a large yellow underwing (AJS 2015)] that was stolen (I saw it all go down) from a Townsend's Warbler.  Lighthouse drama.

Chestnut-sided Warbler vs. Moth.  The moth lost this round.

 We monitor all things that migrate onto, over, and around the island--including dragonflies, damselflies, and butterflies (i.e. "bugs").  The migrations of insects are of great interest--if they don't interest you, see your doctor.  If they do interest you, then things are fine.

Variegated Meadowhawk (Sympetrum corruptum) hanging out on the terrace

Today's eBird checklist, sponsored by eCreosote

Today is Not Yesterday, But There Are Salamanders

Greetings, readers, and further apologies for my tardiness.  Yesterday and today were very slow on Los Farallones.  Slow, still, and hot.  Very few new birds arrived.  Some of the crew wandered over to West End to count Fur Seals and pull spinach.  They certainly started the day with a healthy case of Faranoia, but it subsided quickly as the full promise of a new and unknown dawn was spoiled by the pangs of our newfound depauperate reality.  Tomorrow (as always) is a different day.  Let us hope that dawn brings the avian hordes to our now barren shores.

Here is a Farallon Arboreal Salamander.  A bizarre outlying population of this widespread California species lives here--and it is confined to strange habitat.  Acorn Woodpeckers might feel slightly more at home here knowing that these characters are residents.

I did not band this Bobolink.  It escaped shortly after this photograph was taken, much to my dismay.

Two Posts Tomorrow...

I promise two posts (=4 portraits) tomorrow after my negligence this evening--I was out acquiring portraits until the wee hours.