6th May, 2010

Heavy migration into the region

It’s ON! Like clockwork, the cold front that falls between May 5 and 10th brings with it a huge influx of birds to the region. 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.

Base Reflectivity image from Fort Dix Base Velocity image from Fort Dix Base Reflectivity image from Dover AFB Base Velocity image from Dover AFB Base Reflectivity image from Upton NY Base Velocity image from Upton NY Composite Base Reflectivity image from the Northeastern USA

Southwest winds on the approaching edge of the latest cold front, made for ideal migration conditions last night. The regional composite really shows well the extent and magnitude of the flight over the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern US. For New Jersey, conditions were perfect for the standard SW->NE flight, with no precipitation to concentrate birds. Expect the NW Delaware Bay shore (see Sandra’s comment from yesterday), Garret Mountain, and Sandy Hook to be the best bets for today, while all locations throughout the state will be showing some sign of migration (you might just have to look a little harder). Plenty of birds were over the Cape May peninsula last night, which suggests excellent birding conditions there as well. This may be one of the days for which you’ve been saving your comp time…

Any locations along the frontal boundary early this morning could be epic this today. Specifically, locations from NE Ohio, across the southeastern shores of the Great Lakes in New York, and up into NW Vermont, should all be experiencing fallout conditions this morning. I bet the scouting crews from the Cornell WSB teams wish they were back home today…

Good Birding!!!

David

Posted by: David La Puma

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Responses

Liberty State Park was almost devoid of new migrants this morning – higher numbers of Orioles, and a Little Blue Heron were the most notable.

By: Simon Lane on May 6th, 2010
at 11:14 am

thanks for the post, Simon. I guess it was heavy migration INTO and OUT OF the region. It was relatively birdy at my place in Villas this morning, but not as diverse as yesterday… Blackpolls, Redstart, N Parula, RB Grosbeak, etc. in the yard.

By: David La Puma on May 6th, 2010
at 11:36 am

Garret Mountain was rather quieter than I expected this morning, with large portions of the park virtually devoid of birds except catbirds and robins. However, I counted 10 species of warbler, including many parulas and blackpolls, one blackburnian, and also had a female blue grosbeak and at least one Swainson’s thrush.

By: Susan Treesh on May 6th, 2010
at 3:03 pm

Central Park was quiet too. It was mostly catbirds and robins. We did see a Northern Parula (but my guess is that, its been here for a few days now) and some common yellowthroat.

Thanks Simon, I was planning to go to Liberty State Park this evening, But i guess I will go tomorrow.

By: Sangeetha Shanmugam on May 6th, 2010
at 4:29 pm

Good birding in Kunkletown, PA this morning. I had about 50 species in about 1 1/2 hours. Some FOS:

Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Red-eyed Vireo
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

A total of 12 warbler species and several more orioles and Scarlet Tanagers than in previous days.

By: Corey Husic on May 6th, 2010
at 7:32 pm

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