This yellow-bellied flycatcher showed up today, shagging flies outside the window through which this picture was taken. It might well be the last of the migrants; but I was surprised to see it, since I hadn't seen any migrants for weeks. The last of the warblers appeared on Saturday, May 19th, and after that, nada.
Overall, the migratory season was abrupt, and not that fruitful. The catbirds and swifts came back and set up shop as usual, but the transitory migrants seemed fewer to me than usual. I didn't see any woodpeckers, nor any hummingbirds, nor many of the songbirds I've seen in recent years. Warbler numbers were down, both as to individuals and species. Here's what I counted:
Palm warbler: 1
Northern parula: 4-5?
Wilson's warbler: 2
Magnolia warbler: 5
Blackpoll warbler: 1
Black-and-white warbler: 5
Redstart: 1
Common yellowthroat: 2
Black-throated blue warbler: 1
I guess after the strange weather this spring, my hopes were sort of low, so in that sense, I should be content.
