One benefit from the scorching and inclement weather of the past week was the slow passage of a weak cold front (ha ha, “cold”) that brought us some actually conducive avian migratory conditions. Think about it…when was the last time before this recent August turbulence that we in the Northeast had any winds out of the north? We have had endless southerly or westerly-influenced flows bringing heat, humidity and then thunderstorms and heavy rain, all the opposite of what the birds are looking for to migrate south in this time of year. We are now in mid-August and any time you can see the winds will be moving to the north after a cold front is a good day to get out the next morning to see what you can find. Birds like the Yellow Warblers here are still passing through now.
Others like the Orchard Oriole, Red-winged Blackbird, Bobolink, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, and more of our warblers are starting to push south. I saw an unexpected assuredly migrant Pine Warbler yesterday morning. We are only a couple of weeks away from the beginning of September and the start of fall hawk watching and the big passerine migration push. Get ready, and get those Peterson Field Guides primed! Your confusing fall warblers are about to be officially on the move…
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
