Redstart and red squirrel and … a “wow” bird

A busy day on Patch-HQ (aka the garden) today.

First we have incontrovertible evidence that a red squirrel has raised a brood of five new red squirrels in our roof and have identified the front door to the nest.  We will let the rather small creatures get some independence and then eviction notices will be served and I will be up on the roof ensuring no returns are possible in future years.  Sadly, no photos.

Early bird migration is happening and around 5:30 in the afternoon one of our rowan trees – full of bright red berries – was visited by a female American Redstart. Female AMRE are not red at all.

And then – 6:00pm and bright sky, three passes over the garden of a Common Nighthawk.  They aren’t actually at all common these days and it’s a first seen CONI for the garden list.  we had heard them on occasion over the years but this was a stellar sighting.

Pictures of the bird, of course: