from Glenn Williams: 8/20 (06:00-08:25hrs) - Groton, Bluff Point -- PHILADELPHIA VIREO, DICKCISSEL, EASTERN MEADOWLARK - ~140 warblers of 5 species partial migrant list (as always, many go unIDed): American Redstart (85-90% of warblers) Northern Parulas (4 singing males) Yellow Warbler (2) Black-and-white Warbler (1) Chestnut-sided Warbler (1) Dickcissel (1) Eastern Meadowlark (1) Philadelphia Vireo (1) Red-eyed Vireo (3) Empid sp. (2) Eastern Wood-Pewee (1) Great-crested Flycatcher (1) Eastern Kingbird (2) Ruby-throated Hummingbird (2) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (6+) Northern Mockingbird (1 presumed migrant, flying high and NW at the hot corner) Baltimore Oriole (3 adult males) Also 4+ resident Brown Thrashers, lots of resident White-eyed Vireo, and an adult Bald Eagle heading down the Poquonock River to the Sound) I realize that one does not report Philadelphia Vireo or Dickcissel on August 20th without some pause. The Dickcissel was a flyover at the "hot corner" heard giving its distinctive flight call. No details seen as I didn't pick it up in flight until is was going away and distant. I considered all sound alikes and reviewed them using the Evans and O'Brien "Flight Calls of Migrating Birds" CD-ROM. Zeranski and Baptist's "Connecticut Birds" show this as within the early side of fall Dickcissel sightings. The Philadelphia Vireo was seen as I was walking into the park from the "hot corner" at about 07:20. It was the first vireo of the day though two Red-eyed Vireos soon followed. I immediately considered Warbling Vireo, but this vireo was yellow from throat to undertail coverts (seen well from below), had dark lores, and was noticeably darker through the cap scapulars and tail than a Warbling Vireo would be. Zeranski and Baptist record the earlist sighting of a Philadelphia Vireo as 8/23. Anything sooner since publication? I would estimate that 90% of the migrants came through the hot corner between 06:10 and 07:15. As always, a few lingered in the park and/or continued to trickle through later. No problems with the Amtrak police - I have not returned since a group of us were ordered away from the hot corner late last fall. One observer is not very noticeable as a large tree occurs between where I stand and the Amtrak police station. Hopefully larger groups will not cause a repeat of last year's unreasonableness. Glenn Williams Mystic