As the sun set last night, winds over the NE turned from SW to NW, triggering a very respectable flight of nocturnal migrants. Here’s the radar from 6:00pm last night through 6:00am this morning.
Frames are every 1/2 hour. Click on the thumbnail to view the full-sized animation.
At first glance it appeared that the Mid-Atlantic was going to see the only large flight of birds, but a couple of hours after sunset it became clear that the winds over Northern New York were going to cooperate. By 11:00pm the entire region was experiencing high levels of migration, which was apparent on the radar as it was via moonwatching and listening to the calls of nocturnal migrants overhead. Most of the traffic appeared to be moving from NW->SE into this morning, which should favor coastal locations today. In fact, Sandy Hook should be a great place today for those of you in Central Jersey, and Cape May will definitely see a nice flight for those further south. Given the apparent influx of new birds this morning, expect inland migrant traps to also hold new birds today.
Today should be a good one- so good birding to all!
David
3 responses to “Heavy migration over NE and Mid-Atlantic”
Very good at sites along the Delaware River in Gloucester County. I hit some different areas – didn’t bird NP dredge spoils today. Didn’t get out at dawn unfortunately. I think most of this stuff came in today, but can’t rule out stuff from Monday morning also as stuff lingers up here. Some numbers of the more numerous stuff. In other words, the main component of the flight up here today.
41 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS
40 or so WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS
10 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS
3 HERMIT THRUSHES – I rarely see them in the fall, so must have been a good flight!
3 PARULAS
PHOEBES, BROWN THRASHERS, and BLUE JAYS were around in good numbers also.
I wish I could have gotten out at dawn.
Nice action locally, a number of FOS for me at Negri-nepote. (Y-rumps, sapsucker, RB Nuthatch). Chipping and field sparrows on the move.
We’ve yet to have a frost, and it’s been mild northwards too. Birds are taking their time this year.
Went to Sandy Hook this morning. There was a good variety of sparrows but few warbler species except for the expected Yellow-Rumped and Palms. 4 Nelson’s Sparrows at Plum Island was quite nice and a Clay-Colored Sparrow at the boy scout camp was also welcome. Numerous Phoebes around as well as RC Kinglet and GC Kinglet. Lincoln’s sparrow seen by others. Also expected sightings were of YB Sapsucker and Brown Creeper. 1 Eastern Meadowlark at K-Lot and flyover Eastern Bluebirds.The scourge of mosquitoes has finally subsided to reasonable level.