National overview
As a string of low pressure cells moved eastward across the US, they brought with them more southerly flow from Texas to the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Migration was heaviest throughout the middle of the country, but significant influx into the northern reaches was thwarted by heavy precipitation associated with the front. Otherwise a bit of migration in the southwestern US and some along the front extending from the Tennessee Valley to the Mid-Atlantic were about it for last night. For an animation of the entire US, visit Paul Hurtado’s site here.
Below are the radar loops from sunset last night through 5:00am (central time) this morning
Upper Midwest
Minnesota & Wisconsin
Frames are every 1/2 hour. click on the thumbnail to view the full-sized animation.
Heavy precipitation moved across the northern part of the region last night apparently keeping down much of the migration activity in the far north. A moderate migration signal was apparent on the Twin Cities radar, and while the velocity image is a sight for sore eyes, I’m fairly confident that most of the birds were heading SE->NW across the area. Look for pockets of birds tucked into urban parks this morning and overall some first-of-spring records throughout the region.
Migration was again heavier in the south with strong signals showing up on the La Crosse and Milwaukee radars. Birds were heading SE->NW so most of them did not appear to be pushed up against the lake (Michigan). With the heavy precipitation that moved in overnight expect localized pockets of grounded birds throughout the landscape. Especially check wet fields for shorebirds this morning, riparian woods along the Mississippi River, and any good forest patches throughout the southern region. Green Bay showed significantly less in terms of migration but in that case birds would be pushed towards the bay, so any known spring stopover sites in that region should be checked today. I don’t expect a whole lot given the volume of birds overhead, but sometimes with a concentrating feature like a bay it only takes a few birds to make a good day of birding!
Iowa & Illinois
Frames are every 1/2 hour. click on the thumbnail to view the full-sized animation.
Again, migration was heaviest to the south so the Davenport, IA and Chicago, IL radars really lit up last night. That means high densities both into the region and out of it heading into Wisconsin. Birders in the Chicago area should check Palos Woods and other important stopover areas in the region for early passerine arrivals. Otherwise any flooded fields could be good for grounded shorebirds and waterfowl.
Last night marked the largest influx of new birds so far this season. It wasn’t huge, but it’s a start! Expect to see more early migrants filling in the forested stopover areas across the region; Eastern Phoebes, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, etc. Keep an eye out some of the earlier arriving breeders like Louisiana Waterthrush and Pine Warbler in the southern part of the forecast region. More American Woodcock were no doubt a part of this flight so look for them doing their nuptial display in your local wet field over the next few nights too. Shorebirds are beginning to show up so cruising the local flooded fields today would be a good strategy as well.
As always, woodcreeper.com depends on you to report your sightings and be our ‘eyes on the ground’, so please come back and give us an idea of how we’re doing predicting birding conditions in your neck of the woods.
Good Birding,
David
For migration updates in other regions check-
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula -Â The Northwoods BIRDARÂ by Max Henschell
New England -Â Tom Auer’s blog
Florida/SE - Badbirdz Reloaded by Angel and Mariel Abreu
PA/Ohio Valley - Nemesis Bird by Drew Weber
NW Ohio - Birding the Crane Creek by Kenn Kaufman
Pac NW - Birds Over Portland by Greg Haworth
Continental US - eBird BirdCast Forecast & Report by Team eBird
One response to “Southerly flow up the central US triggers moderate to heavy migration into the region”
Took a spin around Frautschi Point and saw many more Golden-crowned Kinglets, many Dark-eyed Juncos working the understory and trails, many Pine Siskins, two Great Blue Herons high overhead, and a singing Purple Finch. Definitely some new birds around… a more thorough search a little later is in order!
Complete eBird checklist here:
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S13648059
Good Birding!