Spring Letter #3: Weather Forecasts for Migrating Songbirds From Dr. David Aborn
Tuesday, May 07, 2024
Dear Journey North Readers,
Migration keeps chugging along at a slow but steady pace. The weather over the past couple of weeks has not been the best, with lots of rain interspersed with short breaks of good flying weather. Birds have been taking advantage of those short breaks to really make progress north. The Midwest and Northeast have seen the biggest number of arrivals, with 14 species of warblers arriving in Illinois, along with Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Eastern Kingbirds. Not to be outdone, birders in Central Park in New York City have seen 25 species of warblers, as well as a lot of Scarlet Tanagers. Birders in Ohio have reported large numbers of Warbling Vireos and Yellow-rumped Warblers, while Minnesota has seen its first Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Gray Catbirds. The first migrants have even managed to make it up to Maine, with Ovenbirds and Black-throated-green Warblers making their first appearances. Here in Tennessee, I have seen the arrival of a lot of the thrushes, including Swainson’s, Gray-cheeked, and Veery. I have also seen my first Yellow-billed Cuckoos and Yellow warblers. One notable migrant that has been around for the past few days is a type of blackbird called a Bobolink. They come through here during a short window of time, so you only have a small chance to see them each year. They breed in Canada and winter in central South America, so they are really long-distance travelers!
Out west, it has been a similar story. They have been getting a good bit of rain (and even snow in places!), but migrants have taken advantage of the breaks to make progress northward. The most commonly seen migrants the past couple of weeks have been Warbling Vireos, Orange-crowned Warblers, Wilson’s Warblers, and Western Tanagers, with good numbers of all those species being seen throughout California, Oregon, and Washington. The first migrants have even made it as far as Alaska, with the arrival of the first few Tree Swallows and Orange-crowned Warblers!
This week looks like it will be more of the same. There is a slow-moving front that has been bringing torrential rains and bad storms to much of the central part of the country and is now heading to the East. That will keep birds grounded for a while. Everything is supposed to finally clear up by the weekend, which should allow migrants to take off again and bring another batch of birds up north. The western half of the country looks much better, with clear skies and southerly winds, so there should be a steady stream of migrants moving through.
Migration is winding down in the southern US, but it is not over yet, so don’t put your binoculars away yet! For the northern half of the country, you are approaching the peak of migration, so there will be lots to see for a few more weeks! Take care.
David Aborn
David Aborn
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
submitted 05/07/2024
