August 2005
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Fall sightings
It wasn’t so much the departure, about a week ago, of the Purple Martins from Forest Park or the nesting behavior of American Goldfinches that made me realize fall was here, as it was the sighting today of a Pied-billed Grebe in the waterway between Forest Park’s Deer Lake and skating rink.
Goldfinches have been visiting the coneflowers in our yard for about a week now—males only, of course. The three Red-winged Blackbirds quit using the feeder several weeks ago, but a new brood of House Sparrows has taken their place.
A friend reported an Olive-sided Flycatcher today in Tower Grove Park (in the usual spot), and a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher there on Sunday, August 14.
It’s too soon, still, for White-throated Sparrows, but I’m starting to look forward to their arrival.
