Finally! A proper fall migration event over the mid-Atlantic. Here’s the radar from 7:30pm last night through 5:00am this morning.
Frames are every 1/2 hour. Click on the thumbnail to view the full-sized animation.
With that persistent low pressure system finally off our backs and now spinning over Nova Scotia, winds at all altitudes turned NNW from the Great Lakes to Maine and down into the Carolinas. This, coupled with a clearing atmosphere, set the stage for widespread migration over the region last night. Migration was heaviest over western NY where the trajectory of migration was NNW->SSE into PA and NJ, and then again to our south over the Delmarva and Carolinas. Migration over NJ, while not as heavy as the previously mentioned areas, was still excellent in terms of coverage and birding potential. Birds were launching off the coast of New England and Long Island NY, and being pushed to the east coast of New Jersey throughout the night, so expect good density and diversity at coastal hotspots this morning. Sandy Hook and Cape May being the best choices in that regard. Again, with high densities of birds coming down the pipe from NY expect hotspots in PA, western NJ and the DC area to see new birds this morning as well. NW winds throughout the day will produce another excellent raptor flight at Cape May, and as NW winds persist throughout the rest of the week expect this pattern of exodus and arrival to continue into the weekend. While any pileup of migrants is unlikely under this scenario, we can expect a constant turnover of moderate to high densities at coastal hotspots as birds move through the system.
Good Birding
David
7 responses to “The front clears and delivers”
Hi David,
Can you make a special post that would talk briefly about how far typcial migrants fly each night? I know it’s different for each species and family, but it would be interesting to have an idea if we see migrant activity up in up-state NY and estimate if those birds will be in DC the next morning or the following, or whatever.
Thanks!
thanks Jason. See the FAQ- I’ve updated it with an answer to your question.
cheers
David
Thanks David for the detailed answer in FAQ section!
Excellent question from Jason in DC above. I think a lot depends on the fronts and whats clear sailing so to speak in front of them. David?
Anyway, yes, the front delivered today! Didn’t have a full day to hit East Point again, so a different choice from the Delaware River in my area. I crossed the bridge into PA and hit Tinicum (John Heinz) NWR. And wow. Both numbers and diversity.
Migrant highlights – nothing like a morning flight here, birds drop in overnight and stick.
2 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS
FLICKERS
30 or so EASTERN PHOEBES – lost count!
BLUE JAYS – actually not many.
3 WINTER WRENS
40 plus GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS
5 RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS
1 SWAINSON’S THRUSH
4 HERMIT THRUSHES
ROBINS and CATBIRDS everywhere.
12 BROWN THRASHERS
1 RED-EYED VIREO
1 TENNESSEE WARBLER
2 NASHVILLE WARBLERS
1 YELLOW-WARBLER
1 CHESTNUT-SIDED
1 MAGNOLIA
1 CAPE MAY WARBLER
6 BLACK-THROATED BLUES
50 plus YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS – lost count.
1 BLACK-THROATED GREEN – an adult male.
12 PALM WARBLERS
8 BLACKPOLLS
5 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES
COMMON YELLOWTHROATS
1 WILSON’S WARBLER
3 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS
SONG SPARROWS, 2 LINCOLN’S SPARROWS
7 SWAMP SPARROWS
30 or so WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS
A few BOBOLINKS – overhead
GOLDFINCHES – not many actually.
And a REDSTART and a PINE. And maybe a Purple Finch, but didn’t hear well and never got on it.
The Hook was good for variety and some good volume. 13 sp of warbler inc. big numbers of Palm,Common YT and Myrtle. Good numbers of Phoebes, No.Flickers, Robins, Indigo Bunting, Catbirds, Eastern Towhee. 7 sp. of sparrow with good numbers of White-Throated.
1 Lincoln’s, 1 White-Crowned, Dark-Eyed Junco, Golden and Ruby-Crowned Kinglets,
1 Brown Creeper,1 Swainson’s Thrush, 1 Baltimore Oriole and 1 Scarlet Tanager,2 Brown Thrashers, 2 Bobolinks. We’ll see what tomorrow brings at the Hook. Blue skies and the sun at last!
DeKorte Park, Lyndhurst, Bergen County 10/5/11
1 Pine Warbler, 1 Black-throated Green, a few Common Yellowthroats, about a dozen or so Palm Warblers, and 9,422,137 Yellow-rumped Warblers (no, that’s not quite exact….)
White-throated Sparrows are there in small numbers. There was 1 Eastern Phoebe. 3 Golden-crowned Kinglets (first of the season for me.) Ducks are starting to show up. Yesterday I had (in addition to Mallards and Gadwall) Green-winged Teal, Shovelers, 2 Black Ducks, and 1 Pintail.
As an aside, daytime flights over my house in Lyndhurst have been phenomenal the past two days. Tuesday brought me 25 raptors and about 56 geese in a few small flocks. (3 and half hours.)
Wednesday brought me 30 raptors (!!) and about 45 flocks of geese… totalling around 2200 birds. (3 hours 45 minutes.)
I live on a ridge. It gives me a good view.