Fall Migration Already?

 

US Migratory Flyways
USFWS Headquarters, Public domain,
 via Wikimedia Commons

The calendar continues to turn. It seems like Spring migration just ended with the arrival of the Mississippi kites, yellow-billed cuckoos, and common nighthawks, and Fall migration fixing to get under way. 

We have a few bird species which will leaving soon. Purple martins start leaving in July. I am looking around for a roost. A roost is a location where a bird species masses over some days before taking off as a group on their migration. For a few years, there was a reliable roost near my house, but that location hasn't been used the last couple of years. No idea why the purple martins decided it was no longer suitable.

We will soon start seeing migratory shorebirds passing through from their breeding season in the Artic, returning to winter in central and south America.

Spring migration is a little more exciting since it occurs over a shorter period of time as birds have a shorter timeframe in which to get to their breeding grounds, mate, and raise their young before the window closes.  Fall migration is spread over a longer period of time. Birds tend to take some time on the way to rest and fill their tank up, waiting for the next favorable front to move through. 

Although the "best" months for fall birding tend to be September/October, it's time to start paying attention. You never know what you might see.

Good birding!

Monthly Bird Outing

Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Dominic Sherony, CC BY-SA 2.0
 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>,
via Wikimedia Commons

July in our area generally sucks for bird watching. Part of that is a "me problem." I absolutely hate the heat and once temperatures get above mid-80's, I'm done. The projected high for Saturday was around 100.

But it's also the birds. The nesting season is largely over, and although birds do still sing, it isn't with the exuberance of spring. This makes birds harder to find. They, too, are hot and sticking to cover and out of the sun. Many birds are also worn out and some are starting to molt. It is a better survival strategy to lay low and not draw attention to oneself. 

Therefore, as a rule, our monthly bird outings at Lake Arrowhead State Park tend to be more poorly attended, and we see fewer species of birds.

However, we had a fairly decent morning yesterday. A breeze off the lake helped keep the temperatures bearable, although by the time we wrapped up around 9:30, things were becoming uncomfortable. My favorite bird of the morning was the yellow-billed cuckoo, although painted buntings are always nice. Yellow-billed cuckoos are considered threatened but are fairly common in the park during the summer. Because they are relatively secretive birds, we hear many more than we see.

Birds observed this morning were: Canada goose, killdeer, great egret, snowy egret, cattle egret, Forster's tern, cliff swallow, purple martin, mourning dove, Eurasian collared dove, turkey vulture, ladder-backed woodpecker, northern mockingbird, American robin, painted bunting, northern cardinal, orchard oriole, yellow-billed cuckoo, great-tailed grackle, brown-headed cowbird, and red-winged blackbird. Not a bad morning.

Just a reminder that these bird outings are every month on the second Saturday at 8:00 AM. We meet in the parking lot of the admin building (for those familiar with the park, it is between the swim beach and the fishing pier). You do need to pay park admission of $4 if you don't have a park pass. Since the office doesn't open until 8, plan a few extra minutes to visit the self-pay station. We saunter about a mile. The surface is level and easily maneuvered by those with mobility issues. You don't have to be a bird expert. This is a good opportunity to learn more about birds in a helpful, friendly group. Hope to see you at an upcoming outing.

Good birding!

Time for the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)!

One of my favorite birding activities is the Great Backyard Bird Count every February. Birders have several bird count activities, all of which provide data used to monitor population trends.

Basically, participants count birds in any location they wish (yard, local park, etc.) for a minimum of 15 minutes during a 4-day period. This year that is Friday, Feb 13 - Monday, Feb 16. Then you provide the information via Merlin or eBird.  Merlin is probably the app of choice for a new birder; eBird has more functions, but a little more complicated to learn for a newbie. You count every bird you see and you can count as long as you want, just at least 15 minutes.

Our monthly bird outing at Lake Arrowhead State Park on Saturday, Feb 14 will be part of the GBBC. If the weather forecast is accurate, we might get a little wet. We meet in the parking lot near the fishing pier at 8:00 AM. You might arrive a little early in order to stop at the self-pay station, since the office doesn't open until 8:00. We saunter for about 1 - 1.5 hours (depending on the weather and the birds) and cover around a mile. We don't move very fast. We're there to watch birds, not set speed records. The route is paved and level. We do have people come with limited mobility, so don't let physical restrictions put you off.

I will also be birdwatching on the other days as well. Friday at Lucy Park, Sunday at Wichita Bluff, and Monday at Lake Wichita Park.  I may try to slip in a couple of other short observation periods at a few other locations, time permitting. It's a busy weekend already, so it will be a spur of the moment thing.

This is a fun activity to get kids involved. Since you only have to take part for 15 minutes, it isn't a challenge to keep them involved. If you have a budding birder, then you can stretch the activity as long as you want. Instructions for participating are available on the GBBC website.

If you have any questions or would like to participate in one or more of the counts, contact me at txbirds@gmail.com.

Good birding!

Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching

I was reading the December 2025 of Birding magazine and saw a mention of Listers: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching in their Book and Media Reviews section. It's a quiet Sunday, so why not watch? This is a quirky documentary about two brothers, who are relatively new birders who decide the best way to learn about birds is to jump right off into the deep end with a Lower 48 Big Year.

This 2-hour film highlights their efforts, eventually documenting their 579 species for the year, placing them in 23rd place for this competition in 2024. At the beginning of the documentary, there is a "For Mature Audiences" warning. I didn't feel anything was too objectionable, but I know some of my neighbors would have some concerns (marijuana usage, a few swear words, and some low-grade crude commentary). The film is available for free on You Tube. I highly recommend a watch if you enjoy birding and have a sense of humor.

Some excellent bird photos and videos (with identification) highlight the film. At the end of the year, they are much more proficient birders, but decide listing detracts from birdwatching. The real joy of birdwatching is to watch the birds.

Good birding!