A lot of ospreys were seen on Sept. 1, as there were 17 osprey sightings that day. Most notably, Pete Gray reports “a spectacular showdown between a nesting osprey and a marauding bald eagle over the Aunt Rhoda’s Pond extension of Lake Tashmoo. 

A month ago I asked where three shorebirds were that had not been seen for a few years: buff-breasted, Baird’s and upland sandpipers. This week the buff-breasteds (a shorebird that prefers upland short grass areas) showed up.

Fortunately, Hurricane Erin stayed out to sea. The power of that storm — even when it is far away — is amazing, especially since it combined with a northeaster storm that arrived from the west and brought us some much-needed rain.

This long-winged species flies in graceful loops as they chase and catch insects on the wing. They are most likely to be seen in the late summer as they fly overhead on their southbound migration.

Mary Kentros spotted the first definite southbound migrant warbler, a northern waterthrush, on the muddy shoreline of Deep Bottom Cove on August 6. Its distinctive tail bobbing was conspicuous. This species is much more common than the very similar Louisiana waterthrush.

In an unusual twist for this column, consider four species that have not been reported recently. I mention them now because the next month or so is a good time to find them.