Light and variable winds over New Jersey last night made for acceptable migration conditions over the Garden State. Here’s the radar from sunset last night through 5:00am this morning.
Frames are every 1/2 hour. Click on the thumbnail to view the full-sized animation.
As you can see from the regional composite, little migration occurred over the northeastern US last night, while a moderate flight was apparent across coastal MA, CT, and NY. Over New Jersey, though, conditions were just right to allow birds to move down the state with a little influx into the northwest corner. Looking at the individual radar loops this pattern clearly shows birds heading south into the state and eventually moving on a NE->SW trajectory as them moved down into the southern reaches of NJ and onto DE.
New birds will be dispersed throughout the state today with the best locations being interior hotspots along ridges and along the Delaware River. In the south, locations along the northern Delaware Bay shore should hold the most birds.
Good Birding
David
One response to “Birds over Jerze”
Very nice this morning at Wheelabrator Refuge along the Delaware River in northern Gloucester County, NJ. Good diversity for late October here. And some nice numbers. It was very foggy and calm winds down here about 5:00AM while I was working. The fog lifted before I birded, but the winds were still calm.
1 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER
4 FLICKERS
4 EASTERN PHOEBES
say 20 BLUE JAYS
4 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES
more WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES than I have had in awhile. I thought they didn’t migrate??
2 WINTER WRENS
2 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS
15 or so RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS
6 HERMIT THRUSHES
ROBINS – still not too many around.
2 CATBIRDS
2 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS
30 or so YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS
2 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS
2 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS
6 FIELD SPARROWS
1 VESPER SPARROW
21 SONG SPARROWS
3 LINCOLN’S SPARROWS
SWAMP SPARROWS – lost count, but around 30.
50 or so WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS
2 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS – both juveniles.
50 or so JUNCOS.
2 PURPLE FINCHES
40 or so AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES
A lot of these numbers are estimates. The birds were in huge flocks and also moving around somewhat.